Elliot's Bicycle Service & Piano Bar

[unjonharley]

I "pretzeled" a Wal-Mart Huffy cruiser chain ring from just riding it up a steep hill on a hard packed dirt trail. It made for a long push back to the truck. Guess I didn't know my own leg strength.

Again, WalMart huffy cruisers are built to ride on level pavement.. They can be ridden on the playa if the surface is hard.. It is best to walk the bike through sand.. They will not stand up to stress.. The pedals. chain, sprockets and rear end will give out..

[Captain Goddammit]

My bike experience is mostly way old-school, late '70s to mid-'80s BMX stuff. We all ran one piece cranks, usually Ashtabula, and we beat the hell out of them. I still have my 1979 Mongoose (a REAL Mongoose!!) and that's what I have. You will break yourself before you break those cranks.
Maybe they just don't make good ones anymore.

[tatonka]

1st bike , had hard solid rubber tires and a foot brake you would push and it would move a arm that would drag against back wheel . Had a nice goodeneck frame tho

[Elliot]

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Also had training wheels.
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[tatonka]

the thing beat ya to death with the solid tires ya needed the training wheels to stay upright

[Canoe]

I have found that a one piece has a tendency to spin on you while doing tricks.

What do they mean by this? What does "spin" mean in this context?
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I'm thinking they mean this:

[Navi_Keef]

On my first attempt at Burning Man I planned on traveling with my friends and camping with Pandora's Fix It Lounge. Unfortunately I was hit by a mustang 5.0 while stopped at a red light on my motorcycle. I was then unable to go and promised myself that 2015 would be the year for me. It gave me time to plan and research even more. I have attended multiple regional burns and recently even started my own theme camp. I then knew that I had to find the right theme camp to be part of.

I knew that there were multiple bike camps like Pandora's and PBR but the camp dues were outrageous. I believe Pandora's was up near $300 and PBR was $150. I questioned why dues were so much even if I planned on supporting myself for the most part.

I want to thank Elliot for creating a theme camp that I will be proud to be part of. A theme camp with no camp dues and focuses on everyone in the camp providing in some way. A camp with a variety of people who I am very excited to meet and call my family for the duration of my time at home on the playa. I look forward to cooking for you lovely fuckers!

'O' Navi

[Captain Goddammit]

I don't know if you've ever met Elliot... but he's one of those people that if you don't like him, something's wrong with YOU!!

[Patsh]

I don't know if you've ever met Elliot... but he's one of those people that if you don't like him, something's wrong with YOU!!

Well said, Captain! I agree!

[chuckularone]

Hey, Elliot! Do you still have my name on the bike I used last year? I don't know what day I'll be in, but I'll be there for at least one shift, no doubt.

[Elliot]

Yes, Chuck, of course I do. And yes, I look forward to wrenching with you again.

[Elliot]

We're gonna need a bigger boat!
Bigger shade, that is.

Though it is still early... our roster shows eight bicycle mechanics in camp -- plus a couple visiting ones. So I'm thinking two shifts -- Noon to 3 and 3 to 6. Regardless, we are going big-time.

And we are in pretty good shape with event tickets and vehicle passes. (But we have none to spare.)

And with the total head-count in the upper 20s, we should probably consider the camp fully populated.

You have been listening to "Update" from Elliot's Bicycle Service. Now back to....

[maryanimal]

I'm looking forward to finding out if we'll be in the same location!

[Elliot]

We won't know that until maybe July. And it is always possible that they need to make last minute changes. But it will all be wondermuss!

[dragonpilot]

I carry a few choice bike tools (chain link remover, hex wrenches, pump, spare tubes, crank wrenches) with me as I ride the playa daytime. At least once a day I find someone stranded with a broken bike that I'm usually able to fix on the spot. You're welcome!

[Navi_Keef]

I carry a few choice bike tools (chain link remover, hex wrenches, pump, spare tubes, crank wrenches) with me as I ride the playa daytime. At least once a day I find someone stranded with a broken bike that I'm usually able to fix on the spot. You're welcome!

I plan on mounting an ammo can to my sissy bar to carry my deep cycle battery to power lights but also plan on storing tools such as these for the very same reason. i cant imagine being stranded on playa with a broken bike.

[Elliot]

We have a camper who wants to do Tarot card readings, to amuse our bicycle customers while they are waiting. Obviously, this is a perfect fit with the Carnival theme. Anybody have ideas we can use to maximize this? Or props to lend? Or a way to incorporate mirrors? Or who wants to join in and work a "second shift" so our own "Gypsy Queen" gets a break?

[Rusted Iron]

We are also hoping to find more fortune tellers for a shift or two in Tarwater's Hit or Miss Fortune Telling booth.

It was nice meeting you at the North Bay fest on Saturday, Elliot.

P

[Elliot]

Ah yes, I remember mention of Tarwater.

[Elliot]

All-rightie-then:

http://www.elliotsbikes.org

Two pages are still blank -- Camp Map and LNT Plan. I will finish those soon.

Meanwhile, constructive feedback will be very much appreciated!

This is the first time I have fooled with anything like this, and I'm sure it shows. I used GoDaddy, which works -- in the sense that I have a website now. But scheeeeeezzz..., what a lot of malfunctions. And Support is clueless. When stuff disappears, I just have to do it again. But of course, it is dirt cheap -- which is my price range. So it is all about mental conditioning -- maintaining tranquility until it is complete. It just takes as long as it takes. Ommmmmmmmm....
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I'm a Webmaster!
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[Ratty]

Elliott, Did you happen to see the psychic typist at the Makers Fair last year. Makes me want to break out the manual typewriter. You know, the one I use for ransom notes.

[Patsh]

Wow, Elliot... what a cool website! I read every page. It's beautifully done!
Looking forward to the last two pages when they're done.

I'm getting more and more excited about this year's burn... can't wait to see you and all the people... your camp just keeps getting better!!

(is it August yet?)

[Elliot]

Ratty, no, I don't remember any psychic typist. Maybe her day job is at GoDaddy, because mysterious things sure happen to my text on the website.

Thanks, Patsh! Please let me know of any flaws you catch. I cannot quite control what the GoDaddy Website Builder software does, but I ought to be able to spel corectli adn sush.

Say... did a Moderator add those letters and slashes to my link above, or did that happen automatically? More mysterious magic!

[Elliot]

In case it matters to anyone.... The web site has its own e-mail address, which gets instantly forwarded to my personal one. It is on the "Contact" page, natch.
Of course, here on ePlaya, you can use the e-mail or PM buttons that are right here.
Now.... The "Contact" page has a form to fill out for sending e-mail. That has not been tested yet, but I have used such myself over the years, so I expect it works.

[Patsh]

Elliot, it's past the speling adn grammer test, whith flyeing colors!!

(That's harder to do than one might imagine, for a compulsive, accidental proofreader!)

Very impressive website, I must say. Thank you!!

[smilemore]

Congratulations Elliot!

The site is looking quite fine I'd say.

While we still don't have tickets Taschia did blurt out something today about "find us some tickets!" ... might have been a little bit induced by the fact that two of our closest friends just told us they had given notice at work, listed their house and are buying an RV to tour around Canada and USA for a year or so - this part of their journey begins in 3 months! We asked them to plan on being in the BRC vicinity at the end of August with their RV in case we find ourselves with some tickets!

Hope all is well, Cheers

[Elliot]

Still much to do on the Website, but thanks!

If you can make it to the Burn this year, your bicycle with the flag-(scarf)-pole will be waiting for you.

And Taschia has five months or so to learn bicycle repair.
We are expanding substantially this year. I just counted how many Technicians we have, and the number is eight! However... they are all men. So we are in violation of the Equal Opportunity Law. So... Now hiring -- Female Bicycle Technician!

And yes, thank you, all is well here in Clearlake. As Clearlake goes -- ha ha.

[Navi_Keef]

So I was going to attempt to bring a patio grill to cook the camp some meals every other day or so but after determining that I was driving my own car with 1 other person, there is no way I can fit a grill and enough propane tanks in my car from Florida. If anyone will have room or is willing to do this I will be happy with providing the food I cook. The plan was to cook things like chicken sandwiches, burgers, chili, quesadillas, etc. I'm not sure if there is already someone who does a camp kitchen but I would be willing to work with whoever if they want to help me out.

[FIGJAM]

I'll have a 2 burner stove with a 10"x16" grill plate.

Bring propane canisters!!!

[Navi_Keef]

I'll have a 2 burner stove with a 10"x16" grill plate.

Bring propane canisters!!!

Oh i plan on bringing plenty of canisters, but those grill plates just take more energy and time to cook anything since it doesnt trap the heat from above. I know i know beggers cant be choosers.