Ditto -- and I think some of these comments need to go to them.
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Ditto -- and I think some of these comments need to go to them.
Dear Cracker Chicken,
I hope you are happy in your new home. We really miss you. You can come back any time you want- I won't fill in your burrow.
Love,
Nanci and BF
Dear LBS (the closest one to me-you know who you are),
Why has each visit been more unpleasant then the previous one? Do you realize my family consists of 5 bikers? Did you realize you just lost a small fortune? I have 3 growing boys, who need to be outfitted and two need brand new bikes. The first clue would have been the teens and DH sizing bikes! You claim to carry items, which you do not have and only half stock items! You refuse to carry women's clothing, do you think only men ride? One of your employees actually refused to help me because I did not buy my bicycle there-ACTUALLY I did buy a bike there a mere 3 weeks ago, but upgraded not only my bicycle, but also my bicycle store. The ONLY reason I went back this evening was to purchase shoes for my ride tonight. Three men, not one could/would help me?? Yes, I was stupid, I should have not given you any of my business. Lucky for you I really wanted to ride this evening. A pity you will never know just how much of my business you lost. You see, I am addicted to biking!
Oh, and while I am on a roll, why would you carry Thule bicycle carriers, but none of the stabilizers and accessories needed to make the darn thing work properly? Even a novice like me heard you give incorrect advice to not one, but three customers. Thankfully none of them bought anything from you!
They were smarter than me. From now on I shall happily ride out of my way to the VFNSLBS (Very Friendly Not So Local Bike Store).
I am watching to see just how long your small store stays in business.
Hey Biking mom, you ought to write that letter to the owner (or parent company of that store) it might at least make it better for the next hapless woman who shows up there!
I think I will. I found out last night they sold me mtb shoes, when I asked for road. Too late, they do not except returns or exchanges. They did not show me how to put the shoes together and told me nothing about cleats. Everything I know I learned here and from hours on MSN with Cari. I am heading out to where I bought my bike and they are going to set everything right.Quote:
Originally Posted by mimitabby
A lot of us here use MTB shoes instead of road shoes because you can actually walk on them.
The MTB shoes I bought had too much tread on the sides so I gave them to a coworker (model-maker machinist) who ground the bumps off.. easier to get in and out of my pedals now..and you can't see what he did unless you get really close.
Thanks for telling me. I will talk with jack, he is so friendly and knowledgable and I know he will make certain I leave the shop with the proper pedals, mtb shoes intake with clips, etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by mimitabby
Dear BikingMom,
Those of us with small feet grind down the lugs of our MTB shoes all the time, but this is only useful with smaller pedals such as Eggbeaters and SPDs. If you want a road pedal with a large platform, such as Look, you will need road shoes.
After your huge list above, I'd go back the original store and throw the biggest tempter tantrum you ever saw. If I paid by check, I'd see if I could put a stop order on it. I'd be so flaming mad you'd see smoke.
SK
Quote:
Originally Posted by SadieKate
It would not matter, not where I live, long story short, I moved to a terribly snobby, elitist area and no one cares and most have money to burn. I did not know this at the time. I moved here because of the excellent school system for my kids. *sigh* As for the shoes, they are really comfortable ( I wear an 8 1/2) and will serve the purpose of getting me used to clipless. They are more of a tour shoe than a mtb shoe. Definitely not a road shoe, which ironically I did indeed have on yesterday. Eventually I will go with real road shoes, but not through that store.
Dear Cycling family parents out yesturday afternoon on the Norman Creek bike path at Coorparoo.
GOOD ON YOU!
I saw you yesturday, Dad, Mum, Oldest sister (about 8-10) Youngest sister (about 4-6) and baby brother (In the carry chair on the back of Mum's bike!)
YOU ROCK! Keep it up parents!
Not only were you both spending quality time with your kids (and each other) you were getting them fit, and teaching them road etiquette! I thought it was gorgeous how your eldest rang her bell and moved to her left and smiled at me as I rode slowly past (like I always do around kids) so I rang mine and grinned back. (although I think what she really was smiling at was my pink helmet ^_^ Most little girls do)
I hope whenever BF and I get married and have kids we're dragging our own kids out cycling like you guys are.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bikingmomof3
Jennifer - don't discount those MTB shoes too quickly. Lots of us use them with MTB pedals on our very expensive road bikes. Think about the kind of riding you are going to do - are you EVER going to walk in them? I was constantly fighting wearing my road shoes/cleats and having to walk in dirt to get from my street to my shed to put the bike away, or walk around at a rest stop, or want to walk on the boardwalk, or just walk into a restaurant for a coffee or snack - road shoes will make you miserable (unless you get "coffee shop covers" - IF they are available for your shoes). Plus they are very hard to walk in more than 50' or so. And if you should by chance walk in grass or dirt, they will pick up gobs of the stuff, then when you try to clip in (or worse, out) of your pedals you may have extreme difficulty. Been there done that.
I made the switch to MTB shoes (Sidi) and Speedplay Frog pedals. They are WAY EASIER to clip in/out, more comfortable for walking, and infinitely better riding. Don't let any stuffy shop try to intimidate you from putting MTB pedals on your road bike. It's ok, and I doubt that anyone will give you a hard time about it.
On the other hand if you really want road pedals, I have some practically new (400 miles) Speedplay Xs, cleats, AND coffee shop covers, that I will happily sell. And a pair of Specialized Road shoes size 43. (Shoes were great, but I eventually decided they were actually too big for me - part of my problems with the whole set up....)
Martha
Dear Sidi Road Shoes,
I can't help it, but I hate you. I hate how you slip off the pedal and make me rack myself. I hate how I am afraid to cross in front of cars which would be far enough away if I was sure my foot was going to stick. I hate how I can't unclip and just ride unclipped in uncertain situations, momentarily, because my feet will slide off. Why did you have to look so pretty on the website? Some day when I am not lazy, I will try to find a new home for you. I love your MTB sisters, though...
Nanci
To Whom it May Concern,
The weather here in the Willamette Valley area has been beautiful. Please, if you could just keep it this way for the rest of the summer I'd be very happy.
Yours truley,
A Biker That Hates the Heat
~~~~~~~~~
Dear Road Pavers,
The road that you recently repaved near Champoeg Park is WONDERFUL! So nice and smooth. I got up to 29 mph last night at one point! Now, if I could direct your attention to French Prarie Road...
Keeping My Fingers Crossed,
Ellen
~~~~~~~~~
Dear DH,
Thank you so much for riding with me. By "with me" I mean close enough so we can talk, not 1/4 mile ahead of me. I know I'm slower than molasses flowing up a tree in winter compared to you, but it means so much that you are willing to ride at my pace. Thank you for being a supportive husband!
Your Loving Wife,
Ellen
That is all. :cool:
Dear Sidi Road Shoes- Part II,Quote:
Originally Posted by Nanci
I hate you too. When I first bought you, it took me like 2 months to break you in. Unfortunately, I had to suffer through 2 days of pain at the MS150, where the tounge dug into the front of my foot. Yes, it HURT to put you back on, for the second day.
I also hate the way you are made for REALLY SKINNY FEET. Sure, I have narrow feet. But dang, if I get the least bit hot, or if I need to put on thicks socks... you don't fit me anymore... and your to too tight.
Finally... why don't you have comfy padding in the bottom of the shoe? Yes, I put new padding in, but that sucks too.
And, my toes go numb when I wear you, but I won't blame you for the numb toes... although maybe I should.
One of these days, IF I have enough money, I am sure as hell going to replace you with shoes that I like.
Sincerely,
Karen
Dear Women's Clothing Manufacturers,
Is there a logical reason behind every brand being sized differently? I mean, would it be so difficult to have a uniform sizing? I know that with men's clothing the sizes are uniform. Men do not have to ponder whether a small in one size is really a medium in another and my all time favorite, one brand is a small and the next is a large? What is up with that?? I cannot speak for all women, maybe some like to try on a bazillion sizes until they find what fits. Me, I prefer to know my size and go from there. I hate trying on clothing, but would be willing to if the LBS stocked womens cothing-that is another letter. Please, please try to make sense of womens clothing.
dear annoying people i work with,
please be quiet and let me work. you stay on your side of the building, not mine.
thank you,
your admin person
ps - friday... come soon! i can't take it anymore.
Dear Chris- stay away from me!!! I had enough with Charlie, Francis and Jeanne. I am not kidding!!!
Nanci
Dear Handsome Hubby,
I just want to say thank you because you're the one who popped up with "I know you need to train for such and such ride so what do you want to do this weekend? We should be out the door really, really early."
You're a gem.
SK
Dear People Who Live Across the Street:
Please explore the neighborhood! Your kids will love the great playground 1/2 a mile away! They can run and scream and play lots of places! They do not need to be restricted to the 1/2 block in front of your building! Yes! Take a walk! Take the kids! Everyone will be happy! And lower your voices, please. If I can hear you over here, surely you can hear each other just fine.
Signed,
Your cranky neighbor who works nights sometimes and really needs to sleep during the day.
Dear Pat from Michigan:
I don't know how clueless you have to be to get on the internet and Google Tuckerville and believe that Tanya's producers would be so careless as to leave the "E" off the name of her show in her email address. Why would Tanya use AOHell, anyway? Wouldn't she just have her very own website and her very own email address, like Tanya@tuckerville.com or something like that?
Even though you're clueless, I've enjoyed getting your misdirected fanmail. Thanks for not complaining that your emails are never answered. That would push me over the edge of temptation to pretend that I actually AM TT, and that would not be nice or fair. I don't know if Tuckerville has been renewed for another season, but if it is, feel free to write me again after every episode.
Signed,
Tuckervill
Dear Tanya Tucker:
I've had this name at AOL (and yahoo and hotmail and many, many online locations) for over 10 years. Yes, it was so long ago that allowing more than 10 letters in a screenname for thousands of people would have taxed the storage capacity of even the best servers in the world at the time. Even though I don't have the "e", I am still the original Tuckervill, and I expect the royalty checks to start any day, now.
Signed,
The Best, the Original, The Superfluous E Non-user, Tuckervill
Dear Irresponsible Man Who Owns the Madone SL 5.9,
I realise your bike is expenisve, so does everyone else in the bicycle store, so it is really not necessary to park said bike in the doorway of the store. Surely you must realise when an excited 11 year olds run through the doorway to pick up their brand new Trek 3700- mere pocket change I realise to you- and your gorgeous and yes expensive bike is parked inside the doorway, you really should not be too shocked when your bike is *almost* toppled, thankfully 11 year olds have brilliant reflexes. Okay, it was funny watching you in your road shoes try and run across a concrete floor to reach your bike in time-really,you must admit now, that your bike is safe, how funny you looked. Next time, please park your ride out of the way of other patrons. We will all feel better.
Dear new Spinning Instructor,
I'm sorry that when you yelled WHERE IS YOUR AAAAAAAAAAASSSSS??? during a standing climb, that I had a giggle attack and couldn't stop. I'm also sorry that I made Tiffanie start giggling. Welcome to the gym.
Love,
The bad student. :D
Dear Guy Who Drove Into My Car:
I don't know what frightens me more- the fact that you were so preoccupied looking for an address that you turned right out of the center lane, into my car, then parked and didn't even look for me, or the fact that when I approached you about running into my car, you were still asking some biker guy on the sidewalk where this address was, then turned around when you saw me and asked ME where this place was, and seemed totally clueless about the nature of the situation when I told you you hit my car.:eek:
You don't have a phone, and your insurance doesn't have a phone number for you. You're the type if idiot driver that scares the h*ll out of me biking, and God knows, if you'd have hit me while I was on my bike, I could probably be laying there bleeding and you'd get out of your car and start asking me for directions.:mad:
I hope you lose your license- you're obviously totally unaware of your surroundings, and if I tell people this story, they'd never BELIEVE you were SO out of touch with reality.
Please go somewhere and lose your license, but don't start biking because you'll hurt yourself and others. Just walk.:mad:
Regards,
Kitsune-
A P.O'd fox.
dear bf,
i appreciate you giving me a new training program to help me out, but i do not appreciate you telling a friend my speed. i told you i was very embrassed and how hard it was to tell you about how "fast" i was going. when you said i can walk faster than that and told the friend how fast i was going and he said the same thing it really HURT!
i will tell you this in person shortly, but i wanted to tell you now also so i dont rip your head off in a bit.
your gf with very hurt feelings.
CWR: Sorry to hear about it. I hope he had no idea how that would hurt you, and that he loves you up to make it up to you. L.Quote:
Originally Posted by chickwhorips
Dear redneck ex-friend
I can't believe you actually told me you beat the $**t out of a 'f@g' and his friend and laughed when I told you you'd just lost all my respect. I hate people like you, who say "It's okay when chicks do it" and then turn around and think it's okay to tell ME when you're a beligerant jerk to what I consider a male equivalent and counterpart.
People like you are the reason I hop on my bike and pedal to places far, far from everyone else.
Thanks for giving me reasons I *didn't* need.
-K
Dear Kistune:
If you know who beat the **** out of a *** and his friend, please call the police and report it.
Thank you,
Karen
I agree with Tuckervill, Please report it. I lived in Larmaie, when Matthew Shephard was beaten, tied to a fence, and left to die. I saw how the girlfriend of one of the guys who did it knew and did nothing. It was a very terrible time and I pray that never, ever happens again.
Hate crimes are not tolerated and should not be tolerated. Please let the police know.
Tuckervill, BMO3, I looked into it last night with some other people he knows and went to the Rose Festival with, and apparently no such thing happened- It turns out he made up the story to 'impress' me or some such- and failed miserably. But yeah, I was pretty close to calling the police on him. You just don't DO that... or SAY that kind of thing to impress people, much less someone you know is of the same sort (but a girl). GRR. idiot.:mad:
I'm really glad to hear that no one was actually beaten.
Karen
Dear Revelers at Retro on Roscoe:
Street fairs! Aren't they fun? Whoo hoo! I like a street fair, too. I'm not sooo psyched that it's at the end of *my* street, because you revelers take up all the parking. But hey, it's two days out of the year.
However. When you're drunkenly stumbling to your cars and yelling at each other, you're in my neighborhood. Under my window. SHUT UP! And firecrackers? Not a good idea. Thank you for giving the area merchants your money. Now go away quietly like good little revelers, OK? Thanks. :cool:
Dear Guy on the Mountain Bike:
Take me through this. We're on the north branch of the lakefront path, by Foster. You're behind the guy on roller blades who had his pit bull on a lead. You see me coming toward you, in the aero bars. What made you decide that our moment of intersection would be the perfect time for you to pull out and pass rollerblade/dog walking guy?
My perspective: Cruising along ~20 mph, in the aero bars, path clear in front of me. I note dog/blade guy. Dog is out of harm's way. Guy is blading sanely. Then, all of a sudden, you come blasting up behind him and charging at me. I shriek, "GACK! :eek: ", and have to make the split second decision to try to get out of the aero bars as I veer off the path onto the gravel and grass, and maybe lose complete control of the bike, or stay in them and control the bike with my forearms alone.
Not that you care, but I went off the path, toward the tree, back on the path, and carried on, still in the aerobars. I'm proud of myself, but mighty ticked off at you! Dude! Pay attention! I doubt you even looked back when you heard me scream. :mad:
whoa lise! glad to hear you came out of that one ok. good thing you have lots of SKILLS.
stupid stupid person.....
I know. I seriously thought I was going down on that one. Being in the aerobars is a very strange feeling. Getting into/out of them is a moment of potentially great instability. I always do it one arm at a time. So my instinct was to yank up both arms and grab the handle bars to control the bike. But there was very little space between the path, the little curb down, the gravel/grass, and a tree. I needed to steer (not yank) the bike back over the curb (~1") and onto the path.Quote:
Originally Posted by chickwhorips
Suddenly pulling up both arms would have sent me flying, for sure. Of course I was clipped in. I don't know where I would've landed, but it was going to hurt. I pulled over and slowed down my heartrate after I was safely back on the path. Swear words were involved.
I will say I feel a lot more confident about my bike handling skills when using the aero bars now! I still don't have numchuck skills, though...:p
Dear Scumbag,
Thanks for stealing my lunch out of the fridge at work. So I had Charleston Chews for lunch instead...
Nanci
Dear Beeotch "K,"
When you are rude to my staff, and I have to intervene, and then you are rude to me, and you don't want me to read out policy to you so you can understand, it's not really appropriate to say "Have a blessed day" before you hang up on me.
Nanci
PS, Sorry you weren't able to circumvent our policy no matter who you tried to bully into it.
Yeah, like the whole time they were eating your lunch, they were thinking, what? "This really is *my* food"???Quote:
Originally Posted by Nanci
Dear woman leaving the VIP tent at the end of tonight's stage of the Tour of Utah:
My friend heard you when you looked at us and said "Look, they're feeding the peons now" as you were leaving the VIP tent and my friends and I were eating dinner.
My friends and I spent many hours today ensuring the race was enjoyable for all. Yes, we are volunteers. We are course marshals, runners, cheerleaders, bannerstrappers, you name it, we do it. All for free.
We were tired and we were invited to eat by the food provider. No, we didn't eat in the "special" tent, but the auxiliary one. We also wanted to get out of the quick rainstorm that showed up.
By the way, Ms. VIP, you don't know that I am an elected official in one of the largest cities in the state of Utah. I have spent a lot of time in VIP areas as a VIP. I am thankful I am not like you.
I am also thankful the race organizers, the Prestons, are not like you. They are the most gracious "bosses" and I will be back next year volunteering.
Sincerely,
A proud volunteer
Wow Nanci, sounds like you had a crappy day at work!
And the VIP lady sounds *so* obnoxious... I hate people like that...
Dear mini-me manager, the problems that are happening with the cash posting for your unit rest solely on your shoulders. You insisted on "taking ownership" for every aspect of the electronic data; never mind you haven't a clue about what is needed. So none of you payments came electronically, now everything must be posted by hand. Knock yourself out; I'm sure as hell not helping you.
Oh, and stop trying to put the blame on everyone else, no one believes you.