Retro Grouch 

I've been working a few hours each week at a bike shop. This is an under-the-radar type of job in which I get paid in bike parts. So what's the problem? I'm building up credits faster than I can think up stuff that I want. Here's a partial list of possibilities:

1. Shop supplies, like bulk cable housing, for my home workshop. BOREING.
2. Parts to build myself a new wheelset that I don't need.
3. The guys that I work with think that I should buy a carbon fiber bike frame to build up. How un-retro grouch like.
4. Mrs Grouch thinks that I should buy us some new Craft shorts that we both like so well. See #1.
5. Something high tech like the new Garman or a Power Tap hub. See #3 besides, Power Tap data will probably depress me. Nope, not going there.

Surely somebody must have a better idea. Creativity counts. Winner will recieve a pair of Velox handlebar end plugs or some other negotiated item from Retro Grouch's extensive parts collection.

card

steel tubing and a welding torch.

cyclinfool

Ideas:
1) Learn how to make bike part nick-naks and set up a booth at a craft fair
2) You could get some good stuff that goes well on ebay - nice pedals sell well
3) You could ask us what we want under the tree and then play santa

BluesDawg

That's quite a conundrum.

Wildwood 

A retro idea. Tell the shop to take in some trade-in frames or older bikes - then you get to pick.

maddmaxx 

As with the modern hot rod crowd and the creations that they display on cruzin nite.


Rebuild classic bikes with ultramodern parts. (carbon fiber SRAM bar end shifters etc.)
Campy Record carbon bike. That should keep your wallet empty for a while.

Campy Record Trike.

Artkansas 

Save up a little more and get the store.

The Weak Link

Use the bulk supplies and volunteer your time and goods to help teach underpriveledged kids about bike repair and maintanence.

Garfield Cat

Simply relinquish the "under the radar" situation, pay your share of taxes and then two wrongs won't make a right.

Sandwarrior

Find out what your friends need in bike parts, then sell it to them for a discount

NotAsFat

Spoken like a true liberal Democrat. Their answer to every question is pay more taxes.

Retro Grouch 

That's funny. I figured Garfield must be a Republican since he was so adamant about somebody else paying taxes. Incidentally I deliberately avoided using the adjective "conservative" because I don't understand what that means anymore. I don't know what "liberal" means either.

BluesDawg

What a relief! That's one more meaningless label that doesn't apply to me.

Retro Grouch 

Had some interesting posts but none that I'm willing to declare a winner. Most suggested some form converting bike parts for cash. If my goal was just to make money I'd quit the bike store and do more school bussing. One involved doing the same amount of work for straight cash and giving half of it to the government. Not going to happen. One suggestion involved an off road unicycle. I think that my orthopod might endorse that one but my wife not so much.

I'm thinking that an all DT wheelset might be in my future: DT 240 hubs, DT RR 1.1 rims, black DT Competition spokes, 28 spoke 2 cross on the front, 32 spoke 3 cross on the rear. Techie enough to feel like I'm doing something a little different but old school enough not to affect my image.

stapfam

I know you are retro- and probably a Grouch aswell but how about- Looking at the stock for a nice set of wheels with a carbon frame attached and all the right bits. Will actually confirm that you were right in the first place or bring you into the 21st century with some modern equipment that works. If you still don't like the modern Equipment- E Bay it and look for the 9lbs frame and set of cast iron wheels that you think you want.

Terrierman

Build up a really nice tandem for you and Ms. Retro. And I mean REALLY nice. Voila! Life at the LBS is no longer filled with I wonder what I'm going to do with all these bike parts credits.

Retro Grouch 

Actually, we already have a pretty nice tandem. Santana Noventa (fillet brazed nivacrom steel frame) with 9-speed Ultegra components and Hadley/Dyad 40 spoke wheelset. At 4 or 5 hours per week a guy my age might not live long enough to save up enough credits to improve on it significantly.

Retro Grouch 

I actually think about that from time to time but, in my case, it's not really about the bike. A really nice bike that weighs 4 pounds less than my Klein isn't going to make me fast. That'd be like putting a Yugo motor into a Ferrari. I'm happy just having a pretty looking Yugo as long as everything on it works perfectly (and it does).

Digital Gee

How about building up a nice bike, and finding a way to give it away FREE to someone who would and could really use it -- someone who's fallen on hard times, perhaps, or has some other challenges in his/her life making buying a bicycle a pipe dream?

crtreedude 

You could send it to a poor deserving Gringo in Costa Rica - I mean I am really suffering down here... (now where is my book, my hammock and my beverage...)

stapfam

Take back all I said- Thats not retro- Thats a dream.

Retro Grouch 

That's certainly within the realm of possibility if and when the opportunity arises. Actually, I've even done that a couple of times but it's been a long time - early 70's maybe. I've been on the receiving end of that equation too. That's how I put together the first tandem for Mrs Grouch and me. Thanks for reminding me.

Thrifty1

Stock-up on all the current model parts for spares because in 1 or 2 years they will become very dificult to acquire. In 2 years the 6600 series Ultegra parts could become as dificult to acquire as the 6500 series became (rather quickly) after the introduction of 6600 series. New Ultegra (6500 series) hubs are already VERY scarce. XT hubs with/for 6 bolt disc brake rotor mounting are (already) not real plentiful since introduction of the "centerlock" rotor mount hubs.
Spare parts are ALWAYS good to have.

Retro Grouch 

Yeah, I think that's a good point too. I've already acquired a new in-the-box pair of 9-speed Ultegra brifters. I have 2 bikes that are so equipped and it's only a matter of time until one of those craps out. I don't really have a desire to upgrade to 10-speed and I'm not betting on Ultegra quality 9-speed stuff being available forever.

zonatandem

$$$!