shelbyfv

Mine would have me tidying that garage and pulling the weeds from the pavement cracks. She'd put her foot down if I tried to leave the house in those jorts. I'm lucky to have her guidance.

livedarklions

But that isn't what he was asserting--he was valuing the time at what you would pay a professional for the same number of hours, which is absurd as one would never hire a professional to dumpster dive a poor substitute for a $15 part.

"If you take any object in your possession to a skilled mechanic, craftsman, repair-person or fabricator and have them work on it they are going to charge you fifty to a hundred dollars an hour. "

It's hilarious that he had to make it sound like he was somehow donating $300 to some kids on a playground. It's even funnier that pretty much every thread ends up with him demonstrating what a miserable cuss he is while lecturing everyone on his enlightened inner peace. SERENITY NOW!!!!!!

Koyote

I understand what he was asserting. But that was not even worth addressing. As you noted, it’s patently absurd.

big john

All of my tokens are fungible.

beng1

Only to the tragically ignorant. It takes much more of a mechanic to put this low-quality Huffy together so it will run 19.5mph average in a TT as it did, than it would using high-end bicycles or components. And it takes a lot more intelligence than average to see beforehand that it could be done, to see that the parts that matter as far as speed is concerned are there in the low-end bicycle, when properly maintaned and assembled, to get the job done. It takes zero talent or intelligence to dump cash on high-end equipment and ride it out the door of a bicycle shop.

That was a worthy challenge for my talent and intelligence and I succeeded. What you and your peers indulge in would not be any challenge at all, nor would it be worthy of my time or talent.

livedarklions

Your arrogance is funny as hell. The whole point of those bikes were to be as easy to bodge as possible. At this point, I think it's rather obvious you're lying about your resume because you are way too far into "protest too much" territory. We might be swine, but that ain't no pearl.

shelbyfv

I can see you saved precious grams with the electrical tape! Should we assume the 5lb dork disc and wild cabling enhance aerodynamics?

terrymorse 

It does not take a skilled mechanic to get a junky bike to the point where it rolls fairly efficiently when you pedal it. However, I don't know what to think of a mechanic who chooses to work on such poor quality equipment.

19.5mph is a moderate pace on a flat course. When I was fit, I could do that on my MTB. These guys time trial at close to that speed:

livedarklions

I really don't have a problem with him taking some pride in keeping ugly old equipment running efficiently, it's just the attempt to claim it as proof of his mechanical genius and constant need to put other people's preferences down that makes the whole exercise hilarious.

TBH, his postings are so weird they're extremely entertaining. I'm just trying to figure out whether he believes this stuff or is just pulling one hell of an amusing troll. The would-be guru persona is top-notch!

shelbyfv

Definitely entertaining!

Reynolds 

Love that Malteni jersey!

mstateglfr 

Bike Forums needs a 'remembers' forum. It could be a place for the most outlandish posts could go and live forever in infamy.
You didnt do anything special to that Huffy. Some basic adjusting and greasing of hubs, adjusting of gears and brakes, and adjusting and greasing of the bottom bracket will result in a bike that can be ridden at 19.5mph. It simply is not difficult to do and is not impressive to see.

livedarklions

On the other hand, he did give me a new "Custom User Title".

Eric F 

If you ever wonder why so many folks here often have a bristly attitude towards you, one of the reasons is because you make statements like this ^^^.

livedarklions

Well, that and the time he accused me of never having a venereal disease.

I kid you not.

Eric F 

I was under the impression that the goal was to never have a venereal disease. That's a strange thing to be insulted about.

livedarklions

It was too stupid to be insulted:

Crashing techniques and styles

But yeah, I ca't take him seriously after that.

shelbyfv

Bizarre! Didn't know he was around back then. Billy says he'll wither and die if we ignore him but it seems he has taken root. Although I'm not sure he's posted since they locked his Dear Penthouse thread.

Ironfish653

Sure, there's a level of pompousness and absurdity involved in a satire, but generally, there's a punchline (often veiled) or, on rereading, one can see when the author placed their tounge firmly in cheek. Ever read The Velominati ?

I can't imagine that going through the world being that contrarian and curmudgeonly all the time; must be exhausting. (Neurodivergents come in all shapes and sizes, though; )

If this is a character, though then, Chapeau to you sir; Your dedication to the Beng persona is following in the proud tradition with the greatest, most legendary of the Luchadores! Viva la Beng!

Koyote

"Anyone can ride 7000 miles without crashing their bicycle, their automobile, anyone can go through life without getting any STDs, trying LSD or getting their stomach pumped from alcohol poisoning etc.. I sure as heck don't want to be one of them or even hang out with any of them either."

Rephrasing it, bong1 would like to have STDs, drop LSD, and get his stomach pumped.

Okaaaay.

rollagain

Dude, that thing has bolt-on axles and a one-piece crank. There are probably about half a million barefooted ten-year-old kids in third-world villages doing the stuff you're bragging about, using mostly just a big flat-headed screwdriver, a ten-inch adjustable wrench, and maybe a hammer.

georges1

I think that there is also the quality of tubing that matters if we are talking about theframe alone and then the quality of components which are involved as well with a bike if you want to go fast. The bike seems to have superfluous cabling, I don't think that with a bike like this you will go faster than a trek domane or specialized venge or even a highend steel frame. Pedaling on a bike having superflous dead weight and superflous cabling is not going to give you speed nor better peformance.

beng1

Thanks for backing me up. I could go to the union-hall any time and be working every day for a lot of money, but I choose to skip that and do what I want, when I want, like fixing orphan bikes up and going for bike rides. I have not had any debt since the 1990s so I don't need as much money as those of average intelligence who spend their lives participating in the fashionable and trendy and keeping up with the Joneses.

Koyote

You forgot the part where I pointed out that the ****** old bike isn't actually worth jack-squat, even though you seem to think it is merely because you lavished your superior intelligence on it.

But what would I know? I've never even had my stomach pumped.

livedarklions

If you think he was backing you up, your high intelligence doesn't extend to reading comprehension. The $300 figure you put on your time only applies if you would've been working for wages if you hadn't done the dumpster diving, etc. By your own admission, you aren't really doing that anymore. Claiming the opportunity costs of $300 is really delusional under those circumstances.