
And over the years I’ve become more competent with the usual maintenance. It’s amazing what you can do with a large flat head screwdriver, hammer and monkey wrench – who needs a chain whip and extractor?
So when I stripped the headset and found small rusty, roughly spherical brown things which when they were made I’m sure they called ball bearings, bouncing over the garage floor, it was then that I realised my winter bike didn’t have the sealed headset bearings I was expecting. Turning up at Cycleworks with a part stripped mucky winter bike and a look on my face no doubt similar to that of a puppy sat next to a yellow puddle when its owner comes home you’d have thought they’d have given me short shrift – but no, with no fuss and at a price which it’s hard to think was anything much other than cost, they just sorted it.
I’m sure some of you have had just as excellent service from some of the other bike shops but with Cycleworks being as they are I’ve no reason to go and find that out for myself.