Filed under: Advice & Tips
What’s a shop like without the banter and joking conversation amongst a group of mechanics?
It’s boring and it’s probably wintertime. It’s more or less what I’ve been experiencing the past several months at the shop I’m at. New shop, just me and the owners, and not a lot of customers. Ugh, but I’ve made it through; I’m glad now to finally have some help with a personality; and the banter has so far been good.
Conversation in the back end of a bike shop has, in my experience, always been an enjoyable part of the job. The subjects that come up are probably typical to what you’d hear in a kitchen or any other kind of workshop.
In a bike shop the talk does have the expected basis of bikes but other subjects do come up especially with NPR playing in the background or when ever a customer is included in the conversation. Current local events and politics arise and differing levels of politcal/economic angst and disenfranchisement get discussed. It can sometimes be interesting.
Some recent and/or common topics in no sensible or deliberate order:
- general hunger
- fixed gear kids and their fascination with colors
- beauty of Campy craftsmanship
- beauty of old school Suntour/Shimano craftsmanship (cast logos on derailluers and other attention to detail)
- shows attended in the past
- drunken episodes in the past
- how mechanically apt oneself is
- paying taxes (or not)
- how badly things are being run
- the cobbler’s shoes
1 Comment so far
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i love the banter, the shit talking, complaining and the love of just being in a bike shop that surrounds it all. i’m such a girl.
Comment by fuckgas 04.14.09 @ 9:21 pmLeave a comment
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