@lostarchitect I live in Crown Heights and work in Brooklyn Heights or Park Slope depending on the day. One of my friends who lives in Clinton Hill mentioned that there was a new bike shop that had just opened up! I'm sure it's Red Lantern. Friendly, with coffee on hand, is a sure way to my heart, so maybe I will check them out this weekend (assuming Irene doesn't wash us all away). Re: leather saddles, I'm not sure if that's the route I should go? The collective wisdom seems to be that they are so comfortable when broken in, but they're also so much more expensive and you have to maintain them/protect them from the elements/be okay with possibly staining your paints, right? Any opinions on that? (I am taking this far away from bicycle mechanics, sorry folks!)