As you age

More mellow. I contribute that to age as well as having had cancer.

Lämmchen said:

As you age do you find that you tolerate things more or less than what you used to? Some people get crankier as they get older. Others are more mellow. Which category do you fall under?

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I find I'm more mellow where many things are concerned, and more cranky where stupid people are concerned. To be clear, by "stupid people" I'm talking the kind of people who clearly aren't thinking about anything other than their immediate desires, not people who are simply uneducated. I'm far more tolerant of things like the slow checkout assistant or the waitress who is new and doesn't really know the ropes yet, and far less tolerant of the kind of person who parks in front of my garage so they can deliver something to a house somewhere down the street.

Lämmchen said:

As you age do you find that you tolerate things more or less than what you used to? Some people get crankier as they get older. Others are more mellow. Which category do you fall under?

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Up until a few weeks ago I would have said that I have gotten more mellow, but lately since I am not sleeping well I have been more irritable

Lämmchen said:

I'm more mellow too. There are so many things I thought were important but after having 2 different cancers I'm just happy to be here

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I'm more mellow, but I act cranky. I want to be the guy that walks into a fast food joint and yells at all the kids. And they just dismiss me for being old. :ange06:

Lämmchen said:

HAha. You're one of those guys that my daughter's friends complain about (those who still work at fast food). They say old people are too impatient. And when they mean old they mean my age and up! Or maybe they mean 40 and up???

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Oh, lol... I wouldn't want to work in fast food. Just be a paying customer and be mean to the kids that are just sitting around wasting time and space. And the ones wearing their pants too low, or girls dressed inappropriately. Not that I care... I just want to be cranky. I'd rather find old unused bikes, part them together and sell them, or give them away to someone that really would need one than work at a fast food place.

Lämmchen said:

My daughter's boyfriend needs an old bike fixed up. Too bad you don't live closer to him. He bought an old bike off craigslist sight unseen and guess what he got? Some 80s bike with flippers to change the speed on the bike LOL I told my daughter I used to have one of those and it was a 10 or 12 speed. I loved it but why would he pay so much for an antique? Rummage sales usually have low cost bikes because people want to get rid of them and they work! Her boyfriend can't ride this one because it needs repair.

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If the frame is sound the rest of it can be fixed at a push. Cables are relatively easy, you just need a new cable and the inclination to feed it through everything. If the frame is bent you might as well chuck it in the trash because the chances are you'll never get it quite right, and you really don't want the frame letting you own.

If the wheel rims are badly worn they can be replaced but it's a bit fiddly to do. Wheels are essentially consumable - the brake pads will slowly wear the metal of the rims. Newer rims have indicators to warn you they are getting thin (like the frame, you really don't want the wheel to come apart while you're moving!) but for older wheels you'll have to feel them with your fingers to try and gauge whether the sides are worn.

Most other stuff on a bike is fixable, it's just a question of how much time and money you want to spend on parts. If it's an old bike with a freewheel instead of a cassette it can be trickier to find the parts when they need to be replaced, and with the increasing push toward 10-speed and 11-speed systems it gets progressively harder to find things like chains for the older 7-speed and 8-speed systems.

A book I bought a few years ago, titled "Zinn and the art of mountain bike maintenance" is well worth a read. It covers just about every part of maintaining a mountain bike. The first time I built a wheel from component parts I had my truing stand set up, the wheel parts on hand, and the book propped open in the appropriate place to guide me through it. That first attempt at building a wheel resulted in a really nice wheel. I still have it, even though I broke the bike I used it with years ago and about all it has done for years is gather dust.

Buying unseen is a risky business, especially if something needs to take your weight and do useful stuff - you know, like stopping when you squeeze the brakes. That said if he knows what he's doing fixing bikes you can get some really good deals.

I had a road bike I bought on ebay from a guy with no feedback and a stock photo. I collected it from him in person, figuring if it was a dud I could just walk away. He assured me it was well looked after although the drivetrain obviously hadn't been cleaned for some time. I took the train to meet him, cycled the 12-odd miles home on it, stripped and cleaned the drivetrain and rode it hard for three years before it finally gave out on me. I must have put more than 10,000 miles on that thing, and absolutely loved it.

Oh I totally do. I'm 27 now, but when I was in my early 20s, there were just some things I couldn't stand- both in general life and romantic. If anyone lied to me, I'd be from friend to foe in an instant. In my case it's due to trust issues, but... In more recent years, I've had people lie to me, including my honey, and I didn't feel nearly as bothered by it as I once did.