When friends ask you to do up their crap bikes.....

[betty swollocks]

update.
I took pity: the woman has a hard life with two autistic sons - the bike is a hand-me-down from the older to the younger boy and she'd probably had a hard day - one of many I'll wager.
Went to Lbs who, surprisingly, had just some of the brakes I as looking for. Went home, whacked them on with some new cables, new tubes, did a few other tweaks and the bike is ready to roll.
Total cost of new parts required: £20!
The seatpost is seized in the seat tube, but kids these days do not appear to require the saddle at the correct height.
Mum was pleased, took bike away. I declined payment, but was given two bags of Sainsburys' 'Lemon and Coriander jumbo cashews and macadamias'. So everyone's happy.
*Nibble, slobber, dribble*

 

[fossyant]

Well done.....

I've volunteered to do a cycle maintenance/safety lesson for the local Cubs I help out at - knowing that most of the bikes will be dangerous.

We plan on doing it over the summer (cubs still on) over a few weeks...I'll check some over a few weeks, then advise replacement parts if needed...if it's serious, i.e. a bigger job, then I'll advise parents to go to LBS or come back next week for it fixing at cost (just parts).

May just take along a shed load of brake cables anyway and sort them...... anyone know bulk suppliers.....

 

[Globalti]

I was in my LBS once when a woman came in with a crap roadster that she wanted fixed up for her son to take to Uni. The shop politely declined the job so, since she was quite tasty and I hoped I might get a blow job in payment I volunteered to take the bike home and fix it up. Actually I was curious to know if I could make a living fixing up bikes.

Well I did a nice job, got it tuned up and riding perfectly, charged her for the parts plus a bit for my time and decided it wasn't worth the effort. No chance of the blow job because her attitude was one of politeness tinged with slight suspicion, so she must have been more shrewd than she looked.

 

[swee'pea99]

update.
I took pity: the woman has a hard life with two autistic sons - the bike is a hand-me-down from the older to the younger boy and she'd probably had a hard day - one of many I'll wager.
Went to Lbs who, surprisingly, had just some of the brakes I as looking for. Went home, whacked them on with some new cables, new tubes, did a few other tweaks and the bike is ready to roll.
Total cost of new parts required: £20!
The seatpost is seized in the seat tube, but kids these days do not appear to require the saddle at the correct height.
Mum was pleased, took bike away. I declined payment, but was given two bags of Sainsburys' 'Lemon and Coriander jumbo cashews and macadamias'. So everyone's happy.
*Nibble, slobber, dribble*

Good for you, gunga din (despite my earlier post). A blow for decency & kindness!

 

[dellzeqq]

update.
I took pity: the woman has a hard life with two autistic sons - the bike is a hand-me-down from the older to the younger boy and she'd probably had a hard day - one of many I'll wager.
Went to Lbs who, surprisingly, had just some of the brakes I as looking for. Went home, whacked them on with some new cables, new tubes, did a few other tweaks and the bike is ready to roll.
Total cost of new parts required: £20!
The seatpost is seized in the seat tube, but kids these days do not appear to require the saddle at the correct height.
Mum was pleased, took bike away. I declined payment, but was given two bags of Sainsburys' 'Lemon and Coriander jumbo cashews and macadamias'. So everyone's happy.
*Nibble, slobber, dribble*

(tips hat)
fair do's - you're an example to us all (or, at least, to me)