I didn't bother to grab my tools today because I only had about a 5 minute ride into the T to get downtown. Of course, this happened to be the one day I ran a flat. I had time and no extra tubes so I took it to the bike shop to have them change my rear tube. First mistake.

I walk in, explain what happens, and some 14 year old kid grabs my bike and starts working. This girl behind the counter rings me up and starts telling me how I need to run Armadillos. I say I don't think I need them, and she says "Well, it looks like you do." News flash, bike shop *****, tires go flat sometimes. Then I asked what bikes she had. She explains that she likes Armadillos because she skids sometimes, and runs one only on the rear. I ask what bike she has, thinking that if she rides a fixed maybe she has some clue what I should do. She rides a Langster, freewheel. And skids? Perhaps she should use her front brake a bit more.

As we're talking about her bikes, this kid's putting my rear wheel back on. I like my chain very tight, so I asked this bike shop girl if I could put it on myself. She says "You're not allowed back there, it's a liability issue." I ask if perhaps she could bring the bike "out here" and I could do it. Still no, it's a liability. She then says "What do you want that's so special with your rear wheel." I tell her I like it very tight so I can stop and trackstand. Not an unreasonable request, in my opinion. She then says, about the kid working on my bike who is now rubbing my tire against the chainstay with quite some squeaking and force, "He's the son of one of our expert mechanics. He's probably been working on bikes longer than you have."

I take my bike back, the chain's too loose. I ask if this kid can tighten it, and the girl says "It's tight." I leave before I flip out. On my ride home, there's a significant downhill. In the middle of a skip, the chain drops, which scratches my frame and locks up the back wheel. A hockey-stop and curb collision later, I carry my bike into my house to wedge the chain out from the chainring/crank.

Had I not been stupid and carried a tube, wrench, and tire levers, I could have saved $13.49 and all that trouble from obnoxious bike shop girl. Carry your wrenches!

if you were running armadillos, none of this would have happened.
actually armadillos solve all the problems in the world, if not the solar system.

yeah, a tube and tools are good to carry.

yeah tools are cool and so is slack.

The very few times that I go riding without tools I always have a flat !!

You should sue.

I wish revenge was more my style, Yosh.

Actually, you have a good case. THEY put your chain on, and you even pointed out that it was loose. Then the chain came off and you crashed. IMHO they owe you a frame.

Go back and Rambo it up.

I really just want my 13.49 back is all.

$13.49 for a tube change?! $10 for 10 minutes of work!?

What shop was this?

I believe they call themselves Mystic Valley WheelWorks...even though it seems like I'm the one who got worked over.

Hmm..never heard of them..where are they located?

take it back to the shop and, at the very least, let "the SON of the expert mechanic" know that the genius doesnt know how to tension a chain and it slipped and damaged your frame.

About a two minute ride east from Davis Square right on Holland/Elm Street. I'd look up their exact loc. but they don;t have a website.

Oh. ace wheelworks. I guess they changed their name or something.

Maybe they thought changing their name would fool people into coming back.

would this address happen to be correct:

MYSTIC VALLEY WHEELWORKS
480 Trapelo Rd, Belmont, MA

4 words:

paul adjustable track ends.

even if you don't have tools and have to take the bike to a shop for something, the mechanics will be so in awe of the practicality of the beautiful built-in tensioner, that they're guaranteed to get the wheel centered and tensioned perfectly.

i have 'em on my jackson and the one time it was touched by an LBS mechanic, the tensioners were fondled with the utmost of call-you-in-the-morning respect and adoration and i got the bike back with the wheel just where i'd left it when i'd initially handed it off.

I saw that address, but that's not it. That's the wrong town.

They have three different locations - two are in Belmont, and then there's the one you went to.

145 elm somerville?

i don't know MA worth ****.

You didn't read the post did you? Miss Armadillo said "He's the son of one of our expert mechanics. He's probably been working on bikes longer than you have."

Having the expert mechanic's 14 year old son working on your bike is worth the $13.49 alone! She could've charged you even more!

On the other hand, a tube and some tire levers probably would've cost less.

Lets mark this experience down as lesson learned.

I have to say I have never used a tire lever before (and yes, I change my own tubes/tires... whatever), how much time do they cut off of, say... a tube change?

quite a bit. you pry a bead up with one and hook it on a spoke. do it again. then, stick the other under, and move it around the rim and the tire pops right off.

i don't like 'em for putting tires back on, though.