Another data point... Paul Price (of Paul Components) is famous for NEVER doing maintenance on his bikes.
Paul Price likes to watch things fail. It informs his design decisions in developing components. Perhaps the young man who likes to neglect his Clem has a future in Quality Assurance. Those people need to test things till they fail. Regards, Corwin On Friday, March 6, 2026 at 1:48:02 PM UTC-8 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote: > Update on the 59cm Clem L that my son inherited from my late father, that > he then took to college. That was 2 years ago; he is finishing his > sophomore year now, and this blue Clem has been his constant companion. > > The College Clem has been ridden hard and put away wet. It’s been crashed > a couple of times. Once, he went over the bars when he had pedal strike, > and a couple other times he lost fights with black ice. My son has refused > studded tires and rode it through the last 2 Michigan winters, never > bothering to take care of it. The tires are stupid low, the chain never > gets lubed…it’s just…well, I can’t really do anything about it. But he did > always lock it up. And on at least 2 occasions, lost the keys. He has also > misplaced the whole dang bike; one time 2 or 3 days went by before he found > the rack he had locked it to. It has never been touched, as far as we can > tell. The bags have been left alone. He cheerfully tells me he’s like that > Harry Potter character Luna Lovegood; “My things eventually come back to > me,” he says. 😑 > > Well, his bike was the worst I’d ever seen it this time. He came home for > spring break and I decided this would be the perfect time to overhaul it. I > took it to the shop and had them do the works. His chain was worn to dust, > he needed a lot of adjustment on the brake levers, the whole drivetrain > needed ultrasonic cleaning, the wheels were trued and they lubed and > framesaver-ed the thing, too. When we got it back I was shocked at how much > paint damage there is. So was he, actually. I’m sending pics so you can > collectively either gasp or clap. I’m kind of proud, actually. > > My second son wants a Platypus for his college bike. He’s several inches > shorter than my nearly 6’3” older boy, so maybe a Platy would be a good > choice for him. We’ll see what we can get our hands on this fall. > > Pics incoming…. > > > > On Monday, May 12, 2025 at 10:34:23 AM UTC-4 Kim H. wrote: > >> @Leah, >> >> I must say that I really enjoy reading and listening to your writer's >> voice in all what you share herein. You are a great storyteller. >> >> I am glad to hear that your son's Clem is still around and not lost. >> >> Enjoy ! >> >> Kim Hetzel. >> >> Spring time on the Yelm to Roy Trail of which has yet to funded and >> completed over the Nisqually River in Washington state. >> >> [image: thumbnail_20250429_155202.jpg] >> >> On Monday, May 12, 2025 at 2:53:39 AM UTC-7 Ryan wrote: >> >>> Somewhere your father is smiling about that story of your son "losing" >>> his beloved >>> clem, I am sure. >>> >>> >>> Glad I was proved wrong about his bike being stolen, too. >>> >>> And I agree with Tom. Your writing is so enjoyable others outside the >>> cycling tent would get it.A good story well told is a good story... Ryan >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> b >>> >>> On Monday, May 12, 2025 at 4:28:02 AM UTC-5 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! >>> wrote: >>> >>>> You are all too kind. I am just so happy to have an outlet here, where >>>> we can talk all things cycling, because it is difficult for other people >>>> to >>>> “get it” outside of our niche community. Which is why I haven’t written >>>> outside of here - demand would be meager, at best. But cycling really is >>>> transformative, isn’t it? And you have to DO it to understand it. There’s >>>> nothing quite like it. >>>> >>>> On May 11, 2025, at 10:40 PM, Tom Goodmann <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>> Echoing your echo, Jason. Leah, you have a gift for telling stories >>>> (as I've said before); I can see a collection taking shape, a cycling >>>> cycle >>>> . . . >>>> >>>> >>>> Tom >>>> currently in northern Michigan >>>> >>>> On Sunday, May 11, 2025 at 10:29:05 PM UTC-4 Jason Fuller wrote: >>>> >>>>> I'll wholeheartedly echo the love for this update. You have a knack >>>>> for threading a story, and this story delivers. Some prominent thoughts I >>>>> had as I read and finished the update - I absolutely cherish when people >>>>> come to appreciate the freedom of the bicycle. We are marketed the >>>>> freedom >>>>> of a car, and cars do open up possibilities, but for short-distance >>>>> travel >>>>> the freedom of a bike is unmatched. I also totally live a charmed life >>>>> when >>>>> it comes to getting back things I've lost, so I fully identify with your >>>>> son there. I've lost my wallet a few times and it's always been returned >>>>> to >>>>> me by a good samaritan. Others I know have not been so lucky. Recently I >>>>> lost my cherished Randi Jo coozie at a bike event, left it behind; I went >>>>> looking for it to no avail but got a message on Strava from a stranger >>>>> who >>>>> had found it and was tipped off by a mutual friend. I got it back. I hope >>>>> I >>>>> am earning all this karma rather than getting it for free! >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the >>>> Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit >>>> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/rlzGS4r3P9E/unsubscribe >>>> . >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >>>> [email protected]. >>>> >>>> To view this discussion visit >>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/fc07b13d-8d9b-4c71-809d-427c29195b31n%40googlegroups.com >>>> >>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/fc07b13d-8d9b-4c71-809d-427c29195b31n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>> . >>>> >>>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. 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