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Do The "Little Things" Matter To You?

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Do The "Little Things" Matter To You?

Old 01-25-16, 07:53 AM
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Originally Posted by noglider
I once literally put a friend to sleep while going on and on about tires.
I'm sorry...what? You woke me up.......
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Old 01-25-16, 09:19 AM
  #27  
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TGB, Because my Cannondales have zero features on the frame set and generally are a singular color, the little details perhaps count more so than on a more detailed frame set. My tastes seem run on the understated spectrum.

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Old 01-25-16, 10:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Bikerider007
Haha. Yea, I have seen peoples eyes glaze over on more than one occasion and then have to resuscitate them with something they want to hear.
That's not what happened to me. I mean my friend was actually asleep. I guess this means tires is the only topic I have ever discussed that put the person I was speaking with to sleep. I mean sleep, as in, ​sleep.
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Old 01-25-16, 10:12 AM
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To me it's the Little Things that set me apart as a mechanic, on everything I work on from Ho slot cars & trains that I build to the small block Ford that will be in my truck one day, things that nobody will ever see or care about I do, sometimes too much.


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Old 01-25-16, 10:32 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by redneckwes
I love making a cheap(ish) bike work flawlessly
This for me.
What I refurbish was originally entry level to mid level recreational to competitive road bikes and mtbs. An occasional hiten frame, but mostly bikes like a Bianchi Sport SX or Schwinn World Sports or Nishiki Sports. Bikes which were not the lowest on the totem pole, but were also nothing to lust after.

I love working on these types of bikes because with time and effort, they can work flawlessly and get back into use on roads and trails. A good full cleaning, some new consumables, and a little adjusting makes something terrible into a great working bike which can be had for a relatively cheap price.
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Old 01-25-16, 10:38 AM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by The Golden Boy

The stuff about what makes something "better" than something else is interesting. Adding in the historical context of something is also fun and exciting. Looking at what parts an owner swapped out, what they kept, or what they added... it speaks about the part, it speaks about the time, it speaks about the owner, it speaks about what's "good" and what's affordable.

Looking at stuff like aftermarket parts- something like Bullseye pulleys is really interesting to me. They were not ever cheap. Those seem to often get put on high end derailleurs- pieces that already have sealed bearing pulleys... I can only think either the original pulley was damaged, or the owner was going for the prestige of the Bullseye pulleys.

Looking how bikes are specced is interesting to me. Beyond the racing/touring/sport/ATB stuff- where a particular group gets placed on what level frames... You look at something like the Grant era Bridgestone bikes, where a flagship level bike is wearing a groupset 3rd down from the top.. interesting. Thinking of my bikes- I get a kick out of throwing top of the line parts on a second from the bottom level bike. IMO- it's a nice frame, IMO it was specced to get it to a price point.

The recent discussion about discrepancies in published tube thicknesses is interesting- my head spins with the numbers- but realizing that has a direct impact on weight, and therefore price and therefore prestige... it all makes a difference.
The history of component design, manufacturers, bike companies, and how all of intermixed from the 60s into the 90s is just about one of the coolest topics I can learn about. Finding out something new about a builder who Nishiki or Centurion contracted with is great fun. Researching a bike like the Golden Sport Zebrakenko Thunder I refurbished last year is actually entertaining because it is so difficult due to limited info.
Looking at a hiten frame outfitted with all decent level aluminum components and trying to figure out what price-point and marketing strategy the company was going for is a good time.


Geeking bikes 1 Japanese frame at a time.
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Old 01-25-16, 11:16 AM
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Originally Posted by mstateglfr
The history of component design, manufacturers, bike companies, and how all of intermixed from the 60s into the 90s is just about one of the coolest topics I can learn about. Finding out something new about a builder who Nishiki or Centurion contracted with is great fun. Researching a bike like the Golden Sport Zebrakenko Thunder I refurbished last year is actually entertaining because it is so difficult due to limited info.
Looking at a hiten frame outfitted with all decent level aluminum components and trying to figure out what price-point and marketing strategy the company was going for is a good time.


Geeking bikes 1 Japanese frame at a time.
I look at that concept and apply it to Schwinn. Schwinn ruled the universe- but the bikes couldn't compare with the mass production of the Japanese at the time.
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Old 01-25-16, 12:30 PM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by The Golden Boy
I look at that concept and apply it to Schwinn. Schwinn ruled the universe- but the bikes couldn't compare with the mass production of the Japanese at the time.
Yes, Schwinn's history is fascinating(obviously, since multiple books have been written about it), especially the final 20 years. It can appeal to those who geek marketing, those who geek manufacturing, and those who geek cycling in general. There could be multiple college level case studies written about the rise and fall of that company.

Japanese Panasonic made Schwinns actually got me hooked on learning about the history of bike companies, manufacturing trends, and everything else.
Good stuff for sure.
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Old 01-25-16, 12:42 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by The Golden Boy
Schwinn ruled the universe-
Only if your universe was within the borders of the USA. And even in places such as NYC and Boston, Schwinn was not the ruler.
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Old 01-25-16, 01:28 PM
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Do the little things matter to me? Naw....











DD
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Old 01-25-16, 03:38 PM
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Having spent the past 25 years working in engineering, architecture, design, and fabrication, the one quote that is always in my head is "Don't let perfect be the enemy of good."

None of my bikes are perfect, all of them are good.
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Old 01-25-16, 08:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Drillium Dude
Do the little things matter to me? Naw....











DD
Out of all the bikes and collections I see in these forums, yours is by far the most pristine and enviable.
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Old 01-25-16, 08:46 PM
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Originally Posted by lotekmod
Having spent the past 25 years working in engineering, architecture, design, and fabrication, the one quote that is always in my head is "Don't let perfect be the enemy of good."

None of my bikes are perfect, all of them are good.
I have spent a bit of time contemplating this thought. I think for me, the well worn bike / components, where you can see that it has been well cared for but heavily used is the 'perfect' bike/component. A bike that has been expertly maintained and expertly ridden for several thousand miles have a much deeper beauty and value than any brand new, plastic wunder-bike. I can appreciate the wunder-bike but it doesn't get the same value and respect. The 'blemishes' in the well used bike imbue it with character and quality that is unmatched by newer machines or any machine that sat on a hook unused.

Most of the blemishes on my bikes have corresponding stories, I remember when and where they happen. My bike and I wear into each other the way a chain wears into gears. Eventually, we will both wear out but for a while we are perfect together and it is a wonderful and beautiful thing.
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Old 01-25-16, 09:10 PM
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And don't get me wrong, I love to learn about bikes, I love nice detailing, and I notice when someone like DD spends the time getting a bike just right. I just don't have a lot of patience for obsessive perfectionists in my life. I've worked for and with them, and when you have one of those on your design team nothing gets done. I guess I'm an engineer at heart- if it works right, it's right.
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Old 01-26-16, 01:00 PM
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Originally Posted by bici_mania
Out of all the bikes and collections I see in these forums, yours is by far the most pristine and enviable.
Thank you - I appreciate that

I learned that color-infill trick long, long ago. I've just continued to recycled it! And I finally decided to extend the color-match thing on a bike or two this past year. I think I've hit a plateau, however. As @lotekmod pointed out, one can get too obsessive

DD
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