There used to be a time when there was a shoe repair person in every neighbourhood... I'm interested in making bikes, and I guess I would be interested in fixing them but it is the easiest part of my liability to drop by the wayside. I can't know what I am working on as a starting point, under that paint, etc... I can expect anyone who's head ends up north of a pothole to look to me for their lifetime medical and lost income expenses. Meanwhile, the famous guys are too busy.

I'm sure there are a lot of guys who do this kind of stuff, and there may be a huge conversion from fixing beaters to ordering custom bikes, it has to start somewhere. But I would need to see some real numbers.