I didn't do anything on my own bike recently, but i did set a new record today. Fixed *seven* bikes. It's a thing I do in my free time: if any of the neighborhood kids have bike trouble, I fix their bike. I like them to be safe. Five were newer ones I hadn't seen before. Some of the kids have grown a bit since I last worked on their bikes. Two just needed air. Three needed the chain put back on and the rear wheel adjusted. Two needed a new inner tube (of which I happened to have spares, and that's why I scrounge for discarded bikes and parts on my walks - free parts).
One poor bike needed almost everything, poor kid. His dad did the best he could assembling it, I think, but something tells me he had trouble with it. It may have been his first time doing that. The front fork was on backward, ruining any hope of rake-and-trail. The seatpost was just sitting in there, so I tightened it down for the kid's crotch-height. Had to adjust the wheels and chain, air up the tires, swap the brake handles around, adjust the brakes so they made contact on the rim correctly, tighten down the headset so it wouldn't rattle the kids teeth on every bump, tighten the loose pedal, and I think about three other things.
He loved it. He said it was like a new bike. I got choked up a bit, 'tis true. He offered to mow my lawn and pay me money and stuff. I told him to just ride his bike safely and have fun; I have my own lawnmower. Hitting the asphalt is not fun, I like to think I can spare them a bit of that. That, and I just like working on bikes to be honest. But I'm tired now, and so the neighborhood bike shop is closed for the day. Well...unless it's like an "emergency", then maybe...
