Mikes suggestion seems plausible, but it's a lot of work to do just to get a bit of payback. The two times in 5 years that I thought some payback was in order, I just resorted to my bic wand of retribution, and "adjusted" the bill. Both were guys who were way over the line. Swearing, saying I had no idea what I was doing, threats!? Both calmed down and became regulars at very inflated prices.
As far as the stuff in the bottom bracket goes, I thought of the shot blasting, but then someone would have to install a bottom bracket through the shotblasting material, which makes it hard to miss. I'm unfamiliar with Herse bottom brackets, but maybe it's material to keep the bearings from moving inward? If they used a spacer, and that got lost or damaged, and a new one couldn't be made, maybe it was just what was available.
Steve Birmingham Lowell, Ma USA
Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2007 02:19:52 -0700 From: <emeneff@earthlink.net> Subject: [CR]re:re:Strange findings inside Ray's Rene Hearse - possible elaborate prank / sabotage ?
Dear Ray et al,
Ray Homiski recently posted about finding an unusual large amount of steel shot-blasting powder, etc. inside his vintage Herse.
" . . . To my surprise I saw inside the BB shell between the two bearing cartridges a load of what I can only describe as tiny metal spheres the size of poppy seeds. I mean there was a bunch of them in there. It was packed with them. I carefully removed the one side cartridge and brushed them into a plastic bag. I then tapped out the other bearing and brushed out more. I then took a flashlight and saw even more packed in the chainstays, seat tube and downtube. I took a wooden dowel and pushed from the top of the seat tube and out came more spheres and a wad of brown crepe paper. My guess is that the paper was used to prevent them from going up the seat tube. I then explored the downtube from inside the BB and found another wad of the same paper that I also removed. Like the last one it was clean at the top but dirty as it prevented these spheres from traveling up the tube. . . "
Hmm . . . as a long-time bike mechanic I was struck by how none of youse guys on the list even thought to bring up the possibility that a disgruntled
mechanic perhaps might have put the heavy greased-up shot blast material up inside the frame as a sort of "pay back" for a rude or arrogant customer's attitude. The way the stuff was purposely held in place behind greased up paper wadding also seems to be designed to keep the bike's owner from easily
finding out just why their fine machine now feels so heavy. <G>
Now don't get me wrong, I truly do not think that this is a nice or rational
way for a mechanic to act towards a customer, regardless of how nasty they might be. The more mature and proper way to respond is to simply ask the customer to please leave and take their business (and aggravation) elsewhere.
This is usually best done immediately after you have surreptitiously placed a few 1/8" ball bearings inside the top tube to act as a "ringer". <G>
Hmmm . . . I wonder how that got in there ????
Mike Fabian
San Francisco