Originally Posted by
martl
True story that happened when Automobiles were just invented: A car stopped working somewhere in the wild. Locals directed the driver to a local blacksmith. blacksmith looked at the inert engine for a few minutes, then carefully picked a hammer and applied one good-measured whack. Car ran again. Driver asked what he owed, smith replied 15 bucks! 15 bucks? Thats a lot for one whack with a hammer! I'll need a detailed invoice!
Blacksmith said, no problem. Sat down and wrote:
# - Item - Price
1 - given a whack - 1$
1 - knew where - 14$
regards,
Different versions of this story keep popping up in this thread, and I get the point. It may apply for many. I'm not an incompetent, though. I've rebuilt carburetors, changed brake rotors and replaced flywheels and re-wired headlights, etc, etc... Much more intense and knowledge-based stuff than the practically intuitive work required for bicycle maintenance. I know how to true a few spokes, I just don't have a proper stand or much time to fiddle with things right now.
I would happily pay someone some cash to do some of this work for me because I'm very busy right now, but have decided I'd rather do it myself when I find time than pay someone a quarter of my daily wages to fix a couple spokes.
-Gregory