8 septembre 2005

Scott Martin

I’m devastated. Last week I lost someone near and dear to me.

No, my bookie’s fine, but thanks for asking. Mom is well, too -- or as well as any loving mother can be with a son who has time for 4-hour bike rides but is too busy to pick up the phone, unlike his brother the lawyer who blessed her with 2 lovely grandchildren.

Anyway, I’m afraid my loss cuts even deeper. I lost my bike mechanic.

Yes, the head wrench at my local bike shop quit last week. He’s staying home to care for his newborn baby while his wife goes back to work full-time. Talk about selfish.

I mean, who’s going to rebuild my bottom bracket ?

It’s not easy finding a bike mechanic you trust to lay his or her greasy hands on your prized possession. You need somebody who will love your baby as much as you do. Somebody who wants to find that mystery squeak as badly as you do, who won’t settle for a little front-derailleur rub in the second-smallest cog. Somebody who knows you like your brakes set a little loose, who never forgets to put on the cable-end caps.

In return, you treat your mechanic like royalty. You clean your bike before bringing it in. You call for an appointment and never say your repair’s an emergency unless it really is. You don’t bicker about price. You ask for -- and actually take -- advice on parts and service. You learn your mechanic’s favorite beverage and occasionally show up with one. Or six.

Alas, that’s gone for me now. I have to find a new mechanic I can trust. The alternative -- defacing my beautiful bike with a wrench gripped by my 10 thumbs -- is too gruesome to contemplate.

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Scott Martin wrote feature articles for Bicycling magazine for 12 years. You can e-mail him at scottmartin@roadbikerider.com

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