A couple months ago I found this forum. Thought it was great. Started researching fixies and the like. Decided to build one. So I went to the LBS, bought a nice old bike (Schwinn Prelude) for $50, and ordered a sprocket and bb lockring (there isn't much of a market for this stuff in my area)
A week passes. I have stripped down, cleaned up and, in general, done all i can to the bike (except repaint it) that I can. The parts aren't due in until tomorrow (or the day after).
Is it just me, or do you also get a little/lot fidgety when waiting on crucial (or not so) parts for your bike?

i wait outside for hours looking every 30 seconds for the ups truck

Even when I can plainly see that there's no mail in the box, I still find myself unlocking it and opening it up just to "make sure" there's no Canada Post slip stuffed in the back ... yes, it gets a bit strange when you're waiting on a shipment of fine cycling goodness.

i fear the things the guys at the lbs will do to me cuz i call everyday wondering if it is in, oven though i know that they have my phone #

Gawd, when I worked at a bike shop, jonesing junky bike geeks like you/me would come in and ask questions like:

"Hey, do you have a 35-tooth 144bcd chainring in 1/8 for my fixie conversion? No? Well if you did, would it rub on my chainstays?"

I am in school so the delivery time and my class schedule always seem to conflict. When I was waiting for the parts for my fixie I missed the FedEx guy like two days in a row, you only get three chances. Finally I just missed a whole days classes and sat by the window waiting for the guy to arrive.

you can sign the "sorry we missed you" slip and they'll just leave the package.

(not recommended in ghetto apartment complexes)

I do a big internet parts buying spree once a year arround december. I save up all my money for a big spend off and ship everything to my parents house so I can pick it all up and put it on my bike when I go home for christmas. This way I don't have to worry about missing the package and I don't sit by the window... plus I call them every couple of days to see if it got there and they like when I call a lot.

See if you can have it shipped to your job or a freinds job. Way safer than drop off at a house or apartment.

listen to the reverend.
i have all my stuff shipped to my work. take the receptionist out to lunch a couple of times a year as a thank-you

i my god it's hell! when i used to mailorder/ebay tons of vinyls it was the worst because i would constantly have stuff coming in the mail and when i would go a day without something it just wouldn't feel right

I actually called in sick to work on friday because the fedex tracking site said my nashbar order was due. It came, I spent the day working on the SS gitane i'm building for my little bro for xmas. Pics to follow build completion.

Shipping it to work is the easiest way to go. If the part is really important, you'll find yourself taking a lot of "smoke breaks". I just buy our front desk person a Dr.Pepper made with Sugar. It's cheaper than lunch.

A friend of mine asked me to convert an old 26" Sears Ten Speed into SS. He was calling everyday til I was done. I had the bike hidden, and he had the "This wait is killing me look" on his face when he showed up. Funny how quickly that look turned into the "Kid at Christmas" look when he saw the bike.

I am in that mode right now...my bars and grips should have been here on Thurs. or Fri...have not seen them yet, and am chomping at the bit.

EDIT: Called them and after 2 call backs, and then not getting called back after they said they would do some more research, I guess they screwed the pooch and did not ship them after all.....ARGH!!!!

finally got the parts in today. I spent the bulk of the evening putting it all together (neglecting a stack of papers that need to be graded). After getting everything as good as it is gonna get, i decided to throw down for a real fixed wheel. This suicide wheel bit is gonna have me real nervous tomorrow. $49 (or so) from nycbikes for a fixed/free with a 36 hole rim. bomber so i don't have to worry
i'm stoked

huh, that sounds like a good price, and you make me want to pick up one of those wheels (is it just the rear, or the whole set?), but if you use the search function for nycbikes...i've seen very little good about them on here. as with all the bad things you'll hear on here (i know this is the case with the cheap suzues), some people do have good experiences, so maybe it'll happen to you, too. check the wheels really thoroughly before use them, make sure everything's tightened. take it your lbs if you feel better that way.

new frame comes tomorrow, so predicts DHL tracking!!!!!! i don't think i'll sleep tonight. stoked.

I've switched shifts with coworkers because I knew I'd be getting a UPS delivery. I've written notes begging the UPS guy to leave packages at the top of my stairwell. He won't.

My last UPS delivery was some pedals from IRO. Luckily I had the day off when the package was scheduled to be delivered. I know the UPS guy always comes around my apartment between 5ish and 7ish in the evening so I made sure I was home and waiting by 4pm. Around 8:00 I really started to lose my mind. I hadn't eaten anything all day so I figured I'd walk to the market on the corner to get a bite. I could hear the UPS truck at my apartment from in front of the market, I figured. When I opened my front door to leave for the market I saw a "We missed you" notice stuck to my door. I couldn't believe it. I got on my bike and rode around ravenously in search of a UPS truck. About two blocks away I found the UPS guy making a delivery. I asked him if he had a package for me and he sure did. I signed for it and went back to my apartment and put on my new pedals.

Not to dig out an old thread, seemed pertinent to my plight

I ordered a marked-down-because-of-a-small-dent Mark V Pro from IRO this Thursday, Tony got it shipped out the next day which was awesome. But the waiting, man, it's already killing me. I've been bikeless forever it seems, and this is my first fixed, I am very excited. Already went out and bought some pedals and other stuff in preparation. UPS says April 27, but stuff usually gets here a day earlier than they say for some reason, still mind racking. I haven't slept much this week, being excited shopping for bikes and all that, and now I'm just anxious for it to get here so I still can't sleep much. I'll have that UPS tracking page refreshing all week, I'm sure.

UPS guy always comes while I'm at work (to where I can't ship stuff) and I have to drive out to the customer service center to get the package. Problem is the truck doesn't usually get there until later in the evening, so its just more waiting. They're stingy about contacting the driver enroute, or at least were last time I tried "just come back after 7"

Guess I just needed to get that out of me

So YOU'RE the prick that got that! I don't even need a bike, but I don't think I'd be able to help myself if the "sold!" hadn't been posted there by the time that I saw it... Seemed like a really good deal.

Hehe I'm surprised it was still available when I noticed it.

I won a KHS off ebay the last week of March. The seller said he had shipping problems and had to repackage it and send it again. That was on April 6th. It is now the 23 and the frame is now almost three weeks late. The threadless stem got here two weeks ago, and the guy can't track it because he sent it usps and didn't take the tracking option. On the 25th it will be 21 days late and he can file an insurance claim and refund my money -- but i don't want the damn money; I want my effing KHS!

Ouch man that sucks far worse for sure.

right now i'm waiting on:
surly/open pro front wheel
black Modolo X-Eras Stem
nitto b-125 bars
champ grips

...it physically hurts

Used to, but I have come to the realization that bikes will always be there. But many other things in your life can come and go without you even knowing, we need love not bikes to survive. Bikes are just on the side and make all us happy and just make our lives that much more enjoyable. Life can can be pretty ****ing amazing. Love it.