Yabani Ride Tip: If you ride a better than K-Mart bike, make a copy of your sales receipt with the serial number of your bike on it and keep it in your wallet. You never know!

Ok, I guess this is soapbox time! This time its about Bike Shop repairs. My Iron Pony (The Owl) had started throwing the chain off the large and small chainring when first starting to ride. I noticed that the front derailleur cage had a lot of play. Off to the Bike Shop where I bought my bike. New front derailleur. Still same problem. I had noticed that when I used to go to this shop there were two guys in their middle thirties or so that when I would stop by to visit they would grab my bike (if not busy) and tweak spokes/whatever while we talked bike stuff and how to get my Child-Bride to ride more. For the last year these guys are gone and I never saw the same guys in this shop. I decided to find a shop closer to home. I found one that I had been in several times and brought the bike in. He put the bike on the repair stand and said I need a new chain and the rear bearings serviced and he would go from there. Ready this Saturday. I stopped in about 2PM on Saturday and not ready, but would be later that day. Later I picked up the bike and on a test ride in the parking lot it was worse that before. Now I need a new chainring. He would order it Tuesday and have it on Friday. On Saturday I went to pick up the bike and he said that the part was not available and the only other option was a new crankset. Good price and an upgrade. Bike rides Ok. My first commute to work the rear wheel froze up. I decided to take some advice from "The Flash" and go to Aaron’s Bicycle Repair (RideYourBike.com). I took him the rear wheel and he looked at it and told me what wasn’t done right, gave me a price and fixed it while I waited. I went back a week later and had him do my front wheel bearings, while I waited. The thing I noticed about Aaron as I stood back and watched him work and checked out the shop was he was working like a man possessed. This guy is into bikes! Now I can’t say that your repair can be done while you wait. He may be swamped with work. I do know where I will spend my bike bucks from now on. If you are having an affair with your bike and it needs work Aaron’s is the kind of shop we need to keep in business!