OK, much as I should just pass this by, I can't help but to chime in here. Some of you know I'm working weekends at a local small shop in Falls Church, VA. Great place, nice folks, mom n' pop owners, and we're the "go to" shop for repairs in the area. It has been an education in many, many ways.

One of those ways is my reaction to these "these young 'uns don't know nuthin' about our classic bikes" threads. C'mon guys, if you had a pristine '72 Chevelle, would you expect the local Chevy dealer to stock the correct lifters for your engine rebuild? Would you expect them to then be inexpensive? For the tech to know how to set the dwell on a points-type distributor? The average shop tech these days has to know a ton more stuff than ever before. Take BBs for example. A competent tech needs to know how to remove a cottered crank, clean and adjust a "real" BB, install a sealed unit, correctly install an outboard bearing BB of 3 different designs, and correctly install a press in BB without the inevitable and inescapable creak. Don't even get me started on rebuilding suspension forks.

We know more than most current techs about our bikes. That's as it should be. Rejoice in your knowledge, share it when you can, and then learn something about newer bikes that you didn't expect to know. Try threading the cables into an internally routed CF frame without internal guides, or adjusting the new "true 22" SRAM front derailleur. You may be surprised how little you know.