Mr Repair Man

When I was 12 or 13, my father and I built my first road bike from the ground up. We started with a $10 police auction bike and spent the winter creating my first real ride. That bike lasted a few years until I got a new Royce Union bike that weighed about 45lbs! I pampered that bike season in and season out. Every spring, my friend Jim and I would field strip our bikes and re-grease the fittings and clean and oil everything that couldn't be re-greased. The reason I bring up my credentials, is because today I realized I'm an idiot. I am now 41 and can barely figure out how to put air in my tires! I have three bikes and can do most of the basics. Or at least I feel I can. I still get looks at the bike store for what I consider repairs the average guy can't do. I may be wrong. Last weekend I crashed. A spectacular crash that I will elaborate on later. The spill left me without rear brakes for the rest of the ride because I snapped a cable stay. Today I brought my bike to my favorite shop because I don't have the means...or the will, to re-string a cable. I walked in to the shop and Harley, the owner, came out and asked "What's up?" After I told him, he reached down and found the cable-stay still on the cable. It had snapped free and simply slid down. An observant 6 year old could have fixed it. Now, if only I rode with a 6 year old!