We talked the other day about Valentine's Day and spring. Guess what, the famous New York Boat Show opens this week at the Javits Center in Manhattan, and runs January 3-6, 2013. Now, tell me it's not the time to get your bike running
in tip top shape.
Our brick-and-mortar shop has taught me a lot - not only about bikes but
also human nature:
“Bikeman my chain fell off.”
“My tires went flat.”
“My chain got rusty.”
“My gear wont shift”
Break-downs that happen at the end of summer typically translate to “I’ll fix it
later.” Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the BikemanforU Interactive Show. Season 2 coming soon.
All fixies are single speed in the 12/29/12 episode of BikemanforU's live interactive show, featuring Origin8 cranksets in seven colors and two arm lengths.
In this Fixie Conversion series, our guru of bicycle repair shows us how to work with flip flop hubs, standard wheels, crank removal and installation, chainsight adjustment, and bottom bracket removal and installation.
The live streamed action takes place Saturdays at High Noon (that's 12 pm Eastern) on YouNow'ssports channel.
Visit our fan page and check out all our broadcasts.
The holidays being just over and
guess what, I was in my local pharmacy yesterday and, sure enough, all over the
place the reindeer were already replaced with everything valentine.
When
people recite how fast time goes by my quick response is you ain't seen nothing
yet. So if Valentine's Day is close, spring must be around the corner. We are
beginning to build bikes for spring as we speak.
Last
Saturday at noon, BikemanforU did a live video interactive show.
The
subject is totally instructional: How to build a bike out of a box, and, conversely, how to pack a bike into a box for shipping, storage, travel, or whatever purpose you have in mind.
Our
allotted broadcast time was 30 minutes. The YouNow producers
must have been significantly impressed by our content as they let us finish our one-hour broadcast.
I strongly urge you to
check out this live stream, which takes place every Saturday at 12 Noon Eastern on the sports channel . Or visit our page for more broadcasts.
Who: BikemanforU When: Saturday, Dec. 15, at 12pm, EST Where: Westhampton Beach, NY On: YouNow Live Network What To Look For In A Used Bike: Our subject today mirrors a strong dedication that BikemanforU possesses to stimulate our fellow viewers to "fix up" that bike which has succumbed to dust, rust, and neglect. Follow us as we demonstrate how little it may take to rejuvenate that forlorn bicycle, for your kids, your significant other, your parents, your friend, a needy person, or maybe even yourself. But first, you need to know if the bike's worth fixing! Please join in at High Noon. If you missed the broadcast, watch thererun.
How much effort goes into fixing up an old bicycle - even a Schwinn made in Chicago - usually comes down to the pocketbook.
For a vintage bicycle specialist like the BikemanforU, restoration means making the necessary repairs that will put the bike back on the road. We use old parts where we can, but sometimes we opt for new - even if that means letting go of a "Schwinn approved" caliper brake.
In Schwinn Speedster Restoration part 6, a vintage three-speed bike gets new brakes and a fresh Sturmey Archer shifter with a complete cable change. You can watch the full SSR Series here.
While our Speedster gets the star treatment, sort of, another old Schwinn, a ladies Breeze, is limited to new tires and tubes.
What's the difference, if any? Check out the videos above and below, then let us know what you'd have done.
There is a small first-floor room in the back of our brick-and-mortar showroom, which, way back when, functioned as a dressing room
for Body Glove and other cycling apparel. Later, it was a storeroom when our clothing business
gave way to other categories.
Most
recently, it’s a catch-all area. Pam and I use this as our book keeping
spot. It has a three-screen computer, which is mostly used by the BikemanforU and
Pam.
The room is ready
for an over hall. Catch-all stuff is going out, to be replaced by several
more computers, including a Mac that BMFU uses for video editing and which is currently in his house.
I’m happily calling it a consolidation effort. Now, with the exception of an off-site
warehouse, all our systems will be in one location. That is, until our next
expansion.
-- Mr. Pump
P.S. We gave you a scope of these digs in our Dec. 8 YouNow live show.
Here's a look at our latest YouNow live show, when BikemanforU brings your hometown local bike shop to the world wide web in real time.
We tried out a few new ideas for this event. We used a tripod/monopod with two cameras - the iphone for the live stream and a handycam for taping.
But even though camera man SonofA's hand is rock steady, the extra weight and equipment are a distraction, so we'll probably try something different next time.
Our wifi apparently reaches outdoors and into the bike cave, so look for the action to take place outdoors this Saturday at high noonEastern. Please fan us because we need your thumbs up!
We prefer shooting outdoors. Inclement weather kept the Dec. 8 show inside our brick-and-mortar shop, which led to a couple of firsts. We opened with the past, recapping our history and how the BikemanforU came into being.
Next, for the first time that anyone can remember, the world's most outrageous bike mechanic installed a tire while being seated himself. That's not the take-away, though.
What's new is a documentary in development, chronicling the building of a tadpole recumbent trike. Here's a look at Three CARDS, the trailer.
The other guy in the video is Joshua Michael Morris, a genuinely warm and compassionate human being with a remarkable story.
Who: BikemanforU When: Saturday Dec. 8, 2012, Saturday High Noon, EST Where: Westhampton Beach, NY On: www.younow.com/sports/bikemanforu Why: I previously wrote about getting our feet wet with live internet broadcasting, so here we go again. YouHow is a fledgling company with about 10 employees. They accept anyone willing to act in front of a camera - some of the content is, well, enough said. We will be under the sport category. Please join in.
Our live coverage of Bike NYC Forward was an adventure in technology and people. We were ready for glitches like the vaporizing of our bandwith from LTE to 4G and back. Everything worked out well, and we also found ourselves working side by side with some of the best people serving the cycling comunity in metropolitan NYC.
We were going for a 15-minute broadcast and were happy with our six-minute live show - which left us more time to assemble bikes for people in the NYC areas hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy.
Our next live show will be in our own bike shop, with BikemanforU, Mr. Pump, SonofA, and BMX Boy. Tune us in Saturday at noon, US Eastern time, on the live network at YouNow or fan our page for chance to win prizes and giveaways. Log in with facebook to be part of the show or sit back and enjoy it.
Below is the fast-mo 100 Bike Build video with stellar music playlist that BMFU edited and posted on our YouTube Channel after he got home.
Bevan Harris, our Giant USA rep, organized the bike build with support from Transportation Alternatives and Recycle-A-Bicycle, two NYC bike advocacy groups.
Bevan and BikemanforU
The RAB work shop received 100 new Giant Revel 2 mountain bikes, along with helmets and locks. Bevan reached out to the community for help and bike mechanics, including our crew, jumped in to donate their time.
Our crew arrived Saturday morning at RAB's large brick warehouse in Long Island City, Queens, stoked for this massive bike build, dubbed Ride NYC forward.
Many hands make light work. All 100 bicycles were assembled and ready by 4pm that day.
The bikes will be distributed through community groups serving NYC, the Rockaways, Red Hook, lower east side, and coastal Staten Island. Sign up your group as a distribution point. Bikes and gear are being given away through Jan. 31, 2013.
As part of our live coverage, BMFU chatted with RAB mechanic, Chris, and Susan, who runs the DUMBO shop in Brooklyn.
A non-profit, community-based bike shop, RAB offers full service repairs and refurbishes donated bikes for sale. Proceeds directly support the organization's youth programs, which its website says include job training, environmental education, recycled arts, and its Ride Club.
We used two cameras with this test broadcast for today's upcoming live BikemanforU Show. Above is our actual live stream as it appeared on YouNow while below is broadcast taped for YouTube.
Today, Dec. 1, BikemanforU and crew will be streaming live coverage of Ride NYC Forward Transportation Relief for victims of Hurricane Sandy.
We go live at 12 noon, eastern time, on www.younow.com/users/bikemanforu Watch and enjoy, or log in with facebook and be on the show!
If you're around NYC, meet up with BikemanforU, SonofA, and BMX Boy today 10am-3pm at Recycle-A-Bicycle warehouse in Long Island City, Queens.
The crew will be among the bicycle mechanics donating time to assemble 100 new bicycles. The bikes will be given away through community groups in NYC, the Rockaways, Red Hook, and coastal Staten Island.
The new Revel 2 mountain bikes, along with helmets and locks, were donated by Giant USA, largest bicycle manufacturer in the world, for distribution by Transportation Alternatives and Recycle-A-Bicycle, two NYC bike advocacy groups. The event is being spearheaded by Bevan Harris, our Giant rep.
Below is Mr. Pump's taping for our YouTube channel while SonofA streams live video through the YouNow app on his iphone 5.
Everyone jumps in as BikemanforU and crew assemble a Giant Reign 2 high performance mountain bike for a brick-and-mortar customer while the cameras rolled for this live test.
