RE: [CR]New topic - "what epithets do you use to describe a junky oldbike?"

(Example: Framebuilders:Mario Confente)

Content-class: urn:content-classes:message
Subject: RE: [CR]New topic - "what epithets do you use to describe a junky oldbike?"
Date: Mon, 15 Aug 2005 09:19:48 -0700
Thread-Topic: [CR]New topic - "what epithets do you use to describe a junky oldbike?"
Thread-Index: AcWhtRlMjwKFy7p9TpOndRUjr7hmNw==
From: "Tom Martin" <TMartin@wilsonbike.com>
To: <emeneff@earthlink.net>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>


A Huffy

Tom Martin Oakland CA

-----Original Message----- From: emeneff@earthlink.net [mailto:emeneff@earthlink.net] Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2005 7:12 PM To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: [CR]New topic - "what epithets do you use to describe a junky oldbike?"

Looking at the pictures of the 60's Olmo on Ebay (auction # 7175935999) made me think of a few choice adjectives that I have been exposed to during the various times I've worked as a bike mechanic. Even though the Olmo isn't that terrible of a bike, and it certainly is in remarkably good condition considering its age. Many of my fellow mechanics were a rather "colorful" lot and could be quite entertaining - either when sober or in their more normal state. These are the kind of comments uttered when you find out what kind of two-wheeled gem is the next repair tag waiting for you to fix. Or what you say when you click on a vague Ebay or Craigslist posting for "rare vintage bike" and find a Sears Free Spirit that was backed over by the Chevy Impala.

I hope Dale is O.K. with this. Be thinking of vintage "junque" from within the CR time frame to make this more acceptable ! You know - the rusty old department store thing with Campy Valentino derailleurs. The kind of bike that would make a PX10 look like a Bugatti (apologies to P.C. Kohler). Almost ANY Atala. No adjectives used to describe modern Carbon Fiber anything, even if they are more deserving than the old bikes.

Here are a few of my favorites. Please send more. Profanity is encouraged - BUT send those to me off-list. I'll try and clean them up enough to compile and post later.

1. Crapper ( a Dick Swann favorite ) 2. Cheepo 3. H.T.N. Special (H.T.N. = Heavy Trash Night ) 4. Oh Jeez . . . ! (usually uttered while rolling eyes skyward) 5. Cheepalaero - the El Salvadorian mechanic would use this description on both bikes AND certain customers. In the trenches of bike retail and repair this term ended up being used quite frequently. Usually, but not always, out of earshot of the customer. 6. "Fine Item" 7. Endless variations of P.O.S. ( and I'm not referring to Point-Of-Sale ! ) 8. Chancre

C'mon folks - I know we can do better than my feeble list ! These terms are especially nice to have when you are joking around with your riding buddies and someone starts taking their bike a little TOO seriously.

Help a brotha out !

Mike Fabian
Foggy San Francisco