Spokes and Saddles is about what I'd like to make my living doing. I love vintage racing bicycles from the 50's to the early 90's. And I love the much more pedestrian "10 Speeds" of the era. Plain Raleigh Records and Grand Prix's, ornate Peugeot UO-8's, Bottecchia's with their horibly flaking paint, I love them all. History, legend, and a time when racing bikes were the "New Thing" from Europe.

I plan on trying to open my own shop, putting all my cards on the table and taking a chance. Lining the celing with my collection of vintage steel and the walls with posters of the giants of the sport, they always say, "you don't sell the steak, you sell the sizzle". If thats the case, it's sizzle we will sell.

To be Realistic, no shop gets by on new bike sale, or the rarefied air of vintage steel. Sadly, I'll be forced to pollute the floor with generic MTB's and Hybrids, all the while patching up damaged and disfigured rides for the local populace.

Off and on for the last couple of years, I took the time to read everything I could on bicycle repair, and go the extra step of working with a master mechanic with over 30 years of wrenching behind him. A teacher and mentor is irreplaceable when it comes to some of this stuff.

More soon, next up is LBS vs the Chain stores.