Moss makes me smile and this is what keeps me going throughout the day. As well the satisfaction of delivering well repaired bicycles and refurbishing old beaters and making them into super whips. My pal the sign painter came through and painted the sandwich board that we now set out on Willoughby Ave. every day. We got cats to control the mouse problem in the building. Today Angel and I were going to feed the cats and Angel called me over to see what to my horror was the out come of cat vs. mouse '09. There in the empty cat food can was a fat mouse. I lifted the can and that forker jumped out and landed in a bin full of shop vac plastic tubes. I was livid and wanted to banish the mouse to the beyond and kick the cats out on their lazy tails. I trapped the squealing mouse in the tube and was figuring out a way to dispatch of him. As I set the tube trap on it's end to imprison the mouse in the cylinder, I thought it was not such a good idea to leave him but I wanted a shovel to hold under him so I could give him a better home (preferably 6 feet under was my hope at the time). He sensed an opening as I walked to get the shovel and BEAST MODE! He knocked his jail wall down, shot out the tube like a Houston rocket and pulled a stewart little right behind my back as Angel laughed his ass off at my buffoonish attempt to eject a silly little mouse. Cats 1, Mouse 1, Damian 0 But like Carmello gone fising, I have my rich family life to come home to. My dear son and lovely wife both make me feel so good about myself. Like the Tony Hawk of the bike game.
Then the baby goes "boom boom" and I am knee deep in poopy diapers and screaming Moss again. Ahhh, that's the life.
Thanks to my friend R2ue we have the dopestflyers around. I mean people can figure out how to dial a phone or do the internet-dot-com so why bother being too specific. If you ain't in the know, then you can't get to know.
Baby doing great. Starting to smile and laugh. It is interesting that people develop emotionally from the earliest times starting with the primitive emotions of boredom, frustration, fear and grief to wonder, curiosity and happiness and laughter. Moss laughed for the first time today and I wish I could have been there to see it.
Thanks again to all the loyal and thoughtful customers who have been supporting us. Last night one of our beloved customers came over with a couple six packs and got a wheel building lesson from Angel and I. His beautiful stable of bikes will be featured here soon.
On the morning of May 7 at 6:26, Moss was born. My first child in this world has become my main focus lately. All other concerns have been secondary lately. However so many of you have been clambering for the latest news that I had to upload some pics. He was born with a little scuff marks from the delivery but he and my wife remain healthy and sound. I want to thank all of our loyal and beloved customers and members of the cycling community for supporting our shop that feeds us and gives me the resources to provide for my family.
I was riding down Bedford to go to the bank and saw this dude riding a black frame with orange hoops down like 50 yards ahead of me and because I had just posted the description on the blog and it was fresh in my mind. I rode nexto him and started observing the bike. There was the Phil low flange hubs, the trackstar sticker, the pentagram, the steamroller drop-outs the silver risers and black stem. Vittoria sticker on the clip-on fender... The rider looked awkward on the bike and I said "nice bike", a darker cross between Emanuel Lewis and Gary Coleman smiled agreeing. I continued "it's nice because it is MINE!". This prick denied it all the way back the wrong way up Bedford to Fulton as I pleaded for the bike. He was about 5 foot 7 and 170 lbs. Anyway he led me to this dump of a bike shop on Albany just south of Fulton. I offered him $$ and said we could just walk away. Then he said "I bought this bike from this shop on Marcus Garvey and Fulton. They have my bike and I want it back". Then I got there and the Grey dread lock dude with blotchy dis-pigmented skin on the bridge of his nose being familiar with the rider took the stolen bike and said "if this is your bike where is the key?". I argued with these shysters for about an hour as I tried to raise Jack on the phone. Finally an older dude with a slender mustache and smartly trimmed hair came out holding a hatchet non-threateningly and spoke discreetly with the dread-lock dude. They said "have your friend bring the key and $150 and we will give him his bike. Unfortunately I had to go tend to my business and as I rode to the city I shook hands with them and said cool. Contacting Jack finally as I rode up the bridge I told him where the shop was and hoped for the best. Looking back I feel like an ass for not having my chain on my bike. I would have locked the bike up to a nearby post and been able to unlock it when Jack got there later. Like they say, it is better to regret something you have done than something you have not done...
Jack's here and I will let him fill the next chapter in:
Well... Jack's a little busy to finish the story so I will do my best.
Jack went there and asked about his bike. The shysters played dumb and said that Gary Coleman/Webster doppelganger forced his way into their shop and took his bike. They said he came there to sell Jack's bike but they would not buy it. They were lying right to our faces in front of the cops who Jack brought over. I was there heckling but there was nothing to do.
I left the bike because I could not stay there for 3 hours waiting for Jack to arrive. I should have called the police and stayed there with the thieves while the police arrived. But shoulda woulda coulda. Now it is up to us to put an end to this BS. I will create a Google Doc with our beloved customers' bike serial numbers stored so that if their bikes are stolen we can file a report with the fuzz. Then one can go to Albany between Fulton and Herkimer and non-chelantly inquire about bikes they are selling. Slowly making your way to the class of bike that was stolen from you, find your bike and haggle a little with the shysters and then say "I gotta go to the bank to get the $$". Assuming you have already filed a police report, you can then return with the police and retrieve your bicycle.
We can put an end to this Hub of bicycle thievery if we are diligent and work together.
One of our beloved customers had his bike gaffed. Let's keep eyes out for this. Here is his description.
Hi Guys, thanks for helping out on this one. Here's the description I posted all over the place.
Hi everyone, last night between 3:40 and 4:05AM my bike was stolen out of my building (470 Flushing Ave) by a tall black guy with a Yankees hat, black clothes and white shoes (like that really helps...). We got the whole thing on security camera but no clear shots of his face. He came from the direction of woodhull/marcy projects/bushwick and left headed that way. Spent a half hour inside and apparently knew what he was looking for.
The bike is a Surly steamroller spraypainted matte black (maroon underneath) with stickers for kylesa, Trackstar, Atakke, and Parasytic on it. The paint is flaking all over. It has part of a white pentagram on the headtube.
It's got black sugino 75 cranks with white odyssey pedals (clip on only the left pedal), a 42t sugino ring, orange machined 28 spoke deep-v's to silver low flange phil hubs, silver riser bars with black oury grips, a black generic threadless stem and a turbo saddle on a silver kalloy post. The lock will still possibly be attached to it considering he ripped the entire bannister out of the wall and walked out with it still attached. The hubs are unique in that the phil logos don't line up with the valve stem holes.
According to a friend who saw the guy at around 6 before hearing it had been stolen, he's in the bed-stuy area still and is riding the bike. If you're at Pratt or by Fulton please keep extra close watch.
Please spread the word and call me at 917.873.4220 if you see anything like a steamroller with orange wheels/phil low flange hubs.
We overhauled Mina's sweet Suteki mixti so you can see the almost done photos. She was tired of riding in such a prone riding position so we replaced her drop-bars with a taller Nitto Technomic stem to have her more comfortable. The catch to raising your handlebars in style is; if your steerer tube is not tall enough to accept enough of the stem, you are left with a minimum rise that may be a little high for some people. You can see Mina's handlebars are now at leasat 4 inches above her saddle. Fortunately this is just where she wanted them.
After admiring and photographing Mina's lovely ride, I washed my hands and removed my wedding ring in the middle of it and there was a little greasy heart left in the sink. I could feel the love from the ring pulsing like Frodo, but it made me have to give props to the talented jewler who made my wedding ring, and produces more hand-made fashions than I can even mention with my wife.Yesterday we had a tag-sale ALERT and ran out the door like Firemen for a local sidewalk rummage sale where a Boricua sold us a load of bikes that are for sale today in our showroom. Angel got the trike out with the quickness and we gobbled up these bikes for your enjoyment and benefit. I am happy and feel like I am living the good life here today. We shall get the word out that we are here, but many thanks to you all for recommending us to your friends, neighbors and loved-ones. Victorcito has arrived and is repairing one of his hybrids for sale here.
Moss makes me smile and this is what keeps me going throughout the day. As well the satisfaction of delivering well repaired bicycles and refurbishing old beaters and making them into super whips. My pal the sign painter came through and painted the sandwich board that we now set out on Willoughby Ave. every day.
