Friday, January 24, 2025

Too Effin' Cold!

   I was mentioning today to a customer how, when it is as cold as it has been for the past month, my basement becomes like one of those old-fashioned ice houses. Before electricity and modern refrigeration became the norm, cold food storage could be provided by huge blocks of ice which were cut from frozen lakes and kept within a thick-walled, below-ground stone structure.
   Our home's plaster/lath/brick walls are light on insulation, as the house was built at the turn of the 20th century, in an age when they just poured more cheap anthracite coal in the furnace when it got cold. Understandably, we divert the majority of the heat into our living space, and really, once the ground freezes, there is not much you can do to warm things up down in the basement shop. It doesn't take long before my fingers and toes become numb while working down there, even when I move a space heater right next to me while working.
   Of course things are usually pretty slow from December through February, but I have had a couple sales, as well as some customers schedule build projects. Perhaps they are optimistic we'll get a break in the weather or just looking forward to the spring, but I've tried to get as much accomplished as I can before tapping out and wrapping myself in a warm blanket in an attempt to get some feeling back in my extremities!

   In this abbreviated blog entry, I wanted to supply some photos of the Tommasini Sintesi bicycle that I wrapped up assembling the other day:












Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Cycle Tech Service Menu / Price List

Note: Bicycle Owners are responsible for the cost of all replacement parts (I will provide receipts)   Contact Me

Quick Fixes:

Flat Tire Repair (includes new tube) - $15 (MTB +$5)
  • Removal of tire and tube from wheel
  • Diagnosis of flat cause
  • Replacement of punctured tube
  • Reinstallation of wheel/tube on bike

Derailleur Adjustment - $10
  • Adjustment of front or rear shifting system
  • Recalibration of cable tension
  • Chain/cassette/chainring inspection

Brake Service - $10 per brake
  • Resurfacing or replacement of brake pads
  • Cleaning of rims
  • Realignment of brake pads
  • Recalibration of brake springs
  • Re-tensioning of brake cable

Wheel Truing - $10
  • Tensioning of front and rear wheels
  • Straightening of front and rear rims

 

Maintenance:

 General bike cleaning - $20

 Simple Tune-up - $35
  • Adjustment of front and rear brakes
  • Checking/adjustment of front and rear shifting
  • Cleaning and lubrication of chain
  • Checking of tire pressure

Advanced Service - $50
  • All Simple Tune-up services
  • Adjustment of front and rear wheel hubs
  • Adjustment of headset
  • Adjustment of bottom bracket
  • Wheel truing – front and rear

Pro Peloton Service - $60
  • All Advanced Service
  • Removal of components and bike cleaning
  • Repacking and lube bottom bracket
  • Repacking and lube of front and rear hubs
  • Repacking and lube of headset
  • Drive Train Cleaning

Classic Refurbish - $80
     • All Pro Peloton Service
     • Replacement of all cables and housing

 

Special Services:

New (boxed) bike assembly - $40

Custom bicycle build - $65
  • Cleaning and lubrication of any used parts
  • Assembly and adjustments to project completion

Headset Overhaul - $20
  • Disassembly and cleaning of headset
  • Reassembly of headset
  • Adjusting headset bearings

Hub Overhaul (per wheel) - $20
  • Disassembly and cleaning of hub
  • Reassembly & lubrication of hub
  • Adjustment of hub bearings

Gear System Detailing (Drive Train Cleaning) - $20
  • Cleaning of derailleurs, chain, cassette and cranks
  • Inspection of rear derailleur hanger alignment
  • Reinstallation of drivetrain components

 

Bottom Bracket Overhaul - $25
  • Removal of cranks
  • Disassembly and cleaning of bottom bracket
  • Reassembly & lubrication of bottom bracket
  • Adjustment of bracket bearings




El Cheapo (all $5):

   Chain replacement/sizing

   Wrapping bars with new tape

   Removal of old pedals/installation of new set

   Installation of cycle computer




Trail Tales

Below is an alphabetical list of links to my blog entries detailing the adventures I've had on various trails around the country. .

Abandoned PA Turnpike Trail: Breezewood to Harrisonville, PA
American Tobacco Trail: Cary to Durham, NC
Baltimore's B&A and Gwynns Falls Trails: Glen Burnie to Annapolis and Baltimore, MD
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Towpath: Washington, D.C. to Cumberland, MD
Columbia Trail: High Bridge, Califon and Long Valley, PA
Conewago Trail: Bellaire to Elizabethtown, PA

Coopalong Creek Wildlife Management Area: Pittstown to Landsdown, NJ
Cynwyd Trail: Manayunk and Philadelphia, PA
Delaware and Raritan Canal Towpaths: Millstone to Lambertville, NJ

D&L Trail - Delaware Canal S.P. segment: Washington Crossing Hist. Park to Bristol, PA

Delaware Greenways: Jack A. Markell & Michael N. Castle Trails; East Coast Greenway
Enola Low Grade Trail: Quarryville to Safe Harbor, PA
Greater Allegheny Passage: Cumberland, MD, to Pittsburgh, PA
Henry Hudson Trail: Belford to Marlboro Township, NJ
Heritage Rail Trail County Park: York to New Freedom, PA
Hudson River Greenway: Fort Lee, NJ, to Central Park to Battery Park, NYC
Knox and Kane Rail Trail: Kinzua Bridge State Park to De Young, PA
Lebanon Valley Trail: Lebanon to Bellaire, PA
Landsdown Trail: Clinton to Landsdown, NJ
New York Bicycle Route 5: Little Falls to Verona, NY
New York City FOUR Boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx
Old Croton Aqueduct Trail: Sleepy Hollow to Yonkers, NY
Old Putnam Trail - South & North County Trailways: Upr. Manhattan to Pleasantville, NY
Paulinskill Valley Trail: Columbia to Lafayette Township, NJ
Pine Creek Rail Trail: Wellsboro to Jersey Shore, PA

Putnam & North County Trailways: Brewster to Pleasantville, NY
Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail: Cockeysville, MD, to the Pennsylvania border
Sussex Branch Trail: Lafayette Township to Newton
Virginia Creeper Trail: Whitetop to Damascus, VA