Alex and his brother Anthony run the place. It's in an old beat up semi- condemned "Schwinn" labelled and painted Victorian on Monterrey Road. It is literally leaning "deep south" even with the bracing. You can also see the cripple studding and joists for the second floor crumbling while driving by on the 280 overpass. Alex has been battling the City of San Jose for over a decade to protect his lease.
Some would describe the Faber's folks as "hermits". I see them as just average
slices of Americana both in person and bicycle-wise who are polite and mind their own business.
Most of their parts come from bikes tossed over the fence by passerbys...but don't be fooled.
I believe Alex owns a couple Schwinn Paramounts? racing track bikes from the era when Friday-Sunday at the velodrome was "the thing". I bet they are worth their weight in gold and are probably still hanging up on the left wall as you walk in.
Alex also rides around on a mid-80's Fuso.
Visit them on Saturdays...most days they are closed...sometimes on Saturdays as
well. Best to call in the morning to make sure they are open.
=8-)
Robert Shackelford San Jose, CA USA
Quoting Reid Fisher <reidfisher@hotmail.com>:
>
> South Bay bike freaks: see the piece today (4/14/09; with supposed onlin
> e link and photos of bike collection) in the San Jose Mercury News about Fa
> ber's Bicycle Shop and owner LaRiviere's collection of bikes dating back to
> the '30s. Haven't met him yet, sounds like a pilgrimage is in order. T
> he reporter tried to rattle off a little bike lingo, but didn't quite cat
> ch it: something like "...old bike builders' names rolling smoothly off th
> e tongue like a smooth running derailleur engineered by Bianchi." (not exac
> t quote, sorry). But the thought was there!
>
> Reid Fisher
> San Martin, California USA
>
>
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