Rides and Races - Tampa/ Da 'Burg

Things are done, and they lost a good mechanic and previous customer.

Don't sweat it. I have yet to visit a bike shop I'd feel comfortable spending more than half and hour in, let alone working at. Then again, Chainwheel Clearwater was on my good side at least. You went to UBI and they still fired you? Geeeeez.

Current crush: ABC on central ave in St. Pete. (for service anyway)

Don't sweat it. I have yet to visit a bike shop I'd feel comfortable spending more than half and hour in, let alone working at. Then again, Chainwheel Clearwater was on my good side at least. You went to UBI and they still fired you? Geeeeez. Current crush: ABC on central ave in St. Pete. (for service anyway)


Luke was let go from the Chainwheel location in Palm Harbor, not the Clearwater one. I know he's disappointed, but that shop mind as well be owned by Wal-Mart...if you're not willing to become a Lance drone and buy a trek road bike, you're not important.

I'm currently liking the LBS (formally know as Local Bike Shop ... now know as Luke's Bike Service).

Do you folks happen to know the name of the shop on Central Ave. in St. Pete that's really, really nice (as in high end). I think it might have the word Florida in the name, but I can't remember. They had Colnagos, Orbeas, Looks, etc. stocked. Large price tags all around. Not the kind of place I can shop in, but they seemed friendly enough. I just like looking at pretty bikes.

I don't really know the point to this post. And yet, I'm going to hit the button anyway. How's it going guys?

Florida Bicycle Sports. They're about 3 blocks from my house, so I find myself in there pretty regularly for little things. When I snapped my carbon seatpost, I picked up a brand new Thomson for $80 there.

My other favorite shop is Northeast Cycles. I used to live a block from that one, so it's where I went. Ken's a great guy as most of us can attest.


What's the plan for this weekend? Sara's coming down Friday night. Are you fools riding downtown st pete? trail? Beeeeeeeer?

Yeah Ken at Northeast is a great guy. Northeast gets my vote for sure.

Man, speaking of shops...those Champ grips I ordered stil aren't here. I called Toeclip.com and the guy was like "Oh yeah, I don't have those in stock...I'm waiting to hear from the supplier." WTF, why not tell me that instead of just letting me sit here. I'm done with that place.

Jesus.

I think we should just start up a shop that is actually run well.

I just wanna be rich.



We're meeting at Todd's on Saturday to ride the trail for a bit. Maybe up to Tarpon Springs again. Maybe roll again Saturday night after the Bouncing Souls. Cafe Alma, Independent and the like.

Who's in?

I'm in of course.

We can have more bar managers get mad because they find out i'm 20 after serving me.

Luke, why can't you grow up already?

Robb...I may need to stash the bikes at your place until after the show Saturday night. I'm not 100% sure about riding after the Bouncing Souls show though.

Luke, give me a call sometime today and I'll give your CLEAR directions to my place for the ride tomorrow afternoon. Meet at the house by 11:30 - 12.

Todd...You'd feel safer driving after all of those $9 Bud Lights at State? Peggy just called you a b!tch. Ride or die, Homeboy.

Yea man. You might mess up your Zimbabwean leather.

LOL. First off...I don't drink anything with the word BUD in it. Ick. I'm saying that I'm down for drinks after the show, but I don't think I'll want to do any riding afterwards. If Sara wants to ride after the show, I'm sure I can arrange for her bike to be out there. No worries.

Will Peggy be joining us for tomorrow's day ride? I so enjoy her company and who doesn't like being called a b!tch?

I'm saying it's probably easiest to park at my place, then bike to/from the State. It's only two miles. That way you don't have to deal with parking downtown, or drunks throwing up in your truck bed.

The peeps I'm going to the show with work downtown so they have a pass for one of the garages. We'll all figure something out for tomorrow night. Just be at my house tomorrow afternoon.

Todd. Call me.

I forgot to ask you about tickets. Can I still get one?

Luke was let go from the Chainwheel location in Palm Harbor, not the Clearwater one. I know he's disappointed, but that shop mind as well be owned by Wal-Mart...if you're not willing to become a Lance drone and buy a trek road bike, you're not important.

I know which one it was, but they've treated me like royalty, and since I like high-end road bikes as much as my fixed conversion, I'm cool with shopping there. ALL of the shops in town have good sides and bad sides, that's all I'm saying.


Except for Action Wheelsports. I don't think they have a good side.

Chainwheel is ****ing fantastic to their customers. Some of the best customer service I have seen in a shop... seriously.

No i'm not. They seriously have awesome customer interaction. I'm not bitter, I just am sad that their company isn't run well for employees. I was REALLY excited about working there, because to me they were the perfect shop. I felt comfortable as a customer, made 2 good friends through them, and just felt they knew what was going on.
That's really cool. I have to say, I wish they were a little closer. Kind of a PITA for me, driving all the way up there. I bought my road bike there because of the customer service, even though I live 2 minutes from another shop that carries the same brand.

[not sure why, but the forum is putting the posts in the wrong order]

Chainwheel is ****ing fantastic to their customers. Some of the best customer service I have seen in a shop... seriously.
wait, are you being sarcastic? I can't tell. Shouldn't you be bitter?

No i'm not. They seriously have awesome customer interaction. I'm not bitter, I just am sad that their company isn't run well for employees. I was REALLY excited about working there, because to me they were the perfect shop. I felt comfortable as a customer, made 2 good friends through them, and just felt they knew what was going on.

I'm in NC until Thursday night.

You guys need to try to get into that bike shop with all the NOS I've been talking about over on US19 near East Bay. If heading North on US19 you'll get off on the East Bay exit and go straight rather then turn left to get on East Bay under US19. After that you'll keep going straight and come to another traffic light. You'll go left under US19 and then another quick left. The shop is a block up on the right.

I think Robb is dead considering he blew Sara, Luke and myself off Saturday night. No worries, I wasn't feeling well so we headed home right after the show.

Everyone blew me of.

*sob*

Heh, whoops. I saw all of your frantic missed calls this morning. I passed the eff out around 9pm Saturday night. I was at the Bucs' game yesterday.

I'm going to try to get up to that shop sometime this week. There are a few little odds and ends I need for the paramount.

I'm in NC until Thursday night.

You guys need to try to get into that bike shop with all the NOS I've been talking about over on US19 near East Bay. If heading North on US19 you'll get off on the East Bay exit and go straight rather then turn left to get on East Bay under US19. After that you'll keep going straight and come to another traffic light. You'll go left under US19 and then another quick left. The shop is a block up on the right.

I think Robb is dead considering he blew Sara, Luke and myself off Saturday night. No worries, I wasn't feeling well so we headed home right after the show.

yeah that shop is definitely the best shop in the area...especially if you luck out and the owner isn't there because most of the stuff doesn't have prices on them and the other guy is clueless as to what the stuff is worth.

HEY! this is danny from tallahassee my phone number is 850-445-7030. we've got 500$ bucks to spend at the closeout bike shop in tampa, but we can't get any **** ing information about when they're open or where they are from their website. if anybody can help us out, give me a call!!!! yeah!!

Hey Danny. I'm happy you got on here. I saw that you called my phone. For some reason, I can't make calls or talk through the reciver, but can see them on my incoming screen. I'm going to go to the phone place and try to get it worked out. Sorry I couldn't answer you call.

Anyway, you can pm Todd (SinkFLsink) and I think he knows about it. I have no idea where the shop is, or what is going on there. Tomorrow I am going to try and find it, but I have no idea where to start looking heh. If my phone is fixed tomorrow, i'll give you a call if I find anything.

Danny, I left you a VM and then I got yours...

I can't find that shop and I'm no longer even 100% sure it's a legit ad. The guy never returned my emails and I asked a few surrounding shops and they had not heard of anyone closing recently (usually like shops hear about this kind of thing). The best suggestion I would have is to use the info in that craigslist post and see if you can find it. Seems like a wild goose chase at this point.

You may want to just take that $500 to the shop I mentioned a few posts up in this thread. That guy has some great NOS and some original frames, bars, etc. If nothing else, it was cool to see some of the stuff he had. Jamey is right about nothing having a price on it. It kind of goes two ways though. If the shopboys are in there they don't know their head from their a$$ and have a hard time selling anything without the boss man. If the owner is there he sort of prices stuff on the fly, so try to make it clear from the start that you know about bikes so he doesn't try to sell you the stuff for a ridiculous amount over retail.

Luke, I'm sorry if you fely like we blew you off. I wasn't feeling well and Sara was really tired. It was not intentional and I'm sure there will be plenty of more chances to hang out. Sorry bro!

Alright I think I know where this place is now after looking at his website again. The shop is very small and in the corner of a small shopping plaza. Robb, Luke, we went by this place on the way South with Dwight that day on the P-Trail. If you remember that big building on the right with the crappy graff all over it, it was on the opposite side of that. I've been in there one time many years ago. He does mostly beater bikes that people sell to him. It might have a few treasures, but I can't imagine it's a gold mine. Here is the address again, you should be able to map it out. I'd go there this week, but I'm in NC until Thursday night. I may try to go Friday afternoon. 12027 117 Street North. Largo, FL. That is off Walsingham Road.

Hope that helps Danny. I still don't think it would be worth you guys driving down from Tally. Let Robb and/or Luke scope it out for you first.

Danny, I left you a VM and then I got yours...

I can't find that shop and I'm no longer even 100% sure it's a legit ad. The guy never returned my emails and I asked a few surrounding shops and they had not heard of anyone closing recently (usually like shops hear about this kind of thing). The best suggestion I would have is to use the info in that craigslist post and see if you can find it. Seems like a wild goose chase at this point.

You may want to just take that $500 to the shop I mentioned a few posts up in this thread. That guy has some great NOS and some original frames, bars, etc. If nothing else, it was cool to see some of the stuff he had. Jamey is right about nothing having a price on it. It kind of goes two ways though. If the shopboys are in there they don't know their head from their a$$ and have a hard time selling anything without the boss man. If the owner is there he sort of prices stuff on the fly, so try to make it clear from the start that you know about bikes so he doesn't try to sell you the stuff for a ridiculous amount over retail.

Luke, I'm sorry if you fely like we blew you off. I wasn't feeling well and Sara was really tired. It was not intentional and I'm sure there will be plenty of more chances to hang out. Sorry bro!

You know i'm just playing dude. I didn't want to see you guys anyway... I was deep in thought with my new video game. Just kidding (about the not wanting to see you guys, I really was super involved with my playstation).

And on that note: Who wants to donate $600 to my San Rensho fund!? :D

Danny... welcome.. when do you want to hang, bro? I'm down for this weekend. Don't bother going to Tampa. It's not worth it!

Luke.. I know you were crying saturday night but don't let Todd blame it on me. It's totally that kid's fault!

And thanks for blowing Todd and I off Robb.... jerk.

Yeah, thanks for blowing me.

That was good. I have no comeback.

Ponies?

Hey, is that Ft. Laud velodrome trip still on?

the place is/was called mickey's. i can't get ahold of anybody through their shop number, but i'm gonna keep sending them emails. thanks, ya'll.

Let us know if you're coming down. We'll organize on the mean streets of St. Petersburg.

I don't like being in NC...I wish I was on the mean streets of St. Petersburg right now.

Hey, is that Ft. Laud velodrome trip still on?

Si Senorita.

Hey, is that Ft. Laud velodrome trip still on?

Hook a brotha up -- what velo trip?

Jaun and I are heading down to Brian Piccolo this weekend. You guys should meet us god damnit.

A little birdy told me that Jaun may not have a ride down this way to meet up with you Luke.

I'd really like to go check BP out, but I have some things I need to take care of this weekend when I get home. I could possibly be in to going the last week of the month. Anyone want to go then? ...Sjayne? Robb? Luke? Scotty? etc.

I have the new VeloSpace hoodie waiting for me at home...settle down Robb. I know you're jealous.

Hook a brotha up -- what velo trip?


Ahhhh whatta you care? You'll just come up with some highly advanced mathematical theorem for why you can't go.

On a lighter note, I probably can't make it down this weekend. Christmas shopping has wiped out my gas fund, and I think I'm going camping anyway.

Let's plan something for after new years. I've gotta get down to Business Cycles to buy a new frame. Ya heard?

Juan is mos def, talib kweli-blackstar coming.
I'll go there anytime:

I do like Brian Piccolo.
I could lick it so.
Dough, I have.

I do like it here and there.
I want it everywhere.
I would go there in a boat.
I would ride it on a goat.

I will eat there in the rain.
I would get there by train.
I would have a model of it in a box.
I would take a fox.

I would love to have it in my house.
I could not ride it on a mouse.
I do like Brian Piccolo.
I really could lick it so.
Dough, I had.

Brian Piccolo.
Brian Piccolo.
I do like Brian Piccolo.

No track racing for me. That's too far away!

Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Alright I think I know where this place is now after looking at his website again. The shop is very small and in the corner of a small shopping plaza. Robb, Luke, we went by this place on the way South with Dwight that day on the P-Trail. If you remember that big building on the right with the crappy graff all over it, it was on the opposite side of that. I've been in there one time many years ago. He does mostly beater bikes that people sell to him. It might have a few treasures, but I can't imagine it's a gold mine. Here is the address again, you should be able to map it out. I'd go there this week, but I'm in NC until Thursday night. I may try to go Friday afternoon. 12027 117 Street North. Largo, FL. That is off Walsingham Road.

Hope that helps Danny. I still don't think it would be worth you guys driving down from Tally. Let Robb and/or Luke scope it out for you first.

if it's directly on walsingham and you see the back of the shop from the trail i would say don't waste your tme checking it out. it's a small shop that does rentals and small repairs..however, if you are into mountain bikes or CRAZY recumbents cruise down the trail a little bit and check out bicycle outfitters

You going to Lucero tonight?

i was going to but now i have to work. if i get out early enough i might try to check it out.

too far luke. too far. tampa is far enough. I'm not going to ever drive my car again!