I once worked as a professional bicycle mechanic in a small shop here in South Carolina and had developed a fairly decent reputation that extended across three other states. Riders from Florida have brought their bikes to me to work on, set up, or build wheels for. I love bikes, so it wasn't just a job or a something to do after retiring from the navy. I went to several Campy workshops and worked as a race mechanic also until my wife demanded that I find a real job. My secondary position in the navy was as a quality assurance inspector, so I'm kind of a perfectionist. Given that, it's hard to find someone else with the same skills and level of professionalism in any of our local bike shops. But restoring or repairing vintage bikes is something I do for myself. It keeps me busy, puts to use the skills I've learned over the years, presents some challenges, provides a lot of personal satisfaction, and has been instrumental in keeping my marriage
together. What I don't know, I find here on the list. Would I take one of my vintage bikes to a bike shop? Probably not as long as I can still turn a wrench, that is unless I lived next door to Cycles de Oro.
Fred Durrette
Summerville, SC