Aranciata, born in turbulence

[mimitabby]

and i didn't fall apart on the phone!! (i get points for not crying, right?)

[Kimmyt]

Why is it that whenever us women tend to display any temperament other than 'grateful and wanting to please' we are immediately reacted to by men as though we are the most horrid people in the world? This happens to me alot. I understand that it may be personality things, but I feel like if I am anything other than sunshine and rosebuds towards someone, I'm immediately labelled as something not-so-nice.

Sigh, maybe it's my inner feminist looking for a fight.... but it gets a bit old at times, no?

K.

[Kimmyt]

p.s. she is a gorgeous frame though! I LURVE the color. And is that her name? It's beeyoooteeful!

[annie]

Mimi,

I'd say that bike is worth it!! What a gorgeous frame!

I think putting the hassle behind you is a good idea. Maybe he had a really bad day, lots of hassles with customers. You just don't know. You got your point across, he got his across to you. Fine, ok, done. As long as you get the bike and are happy with it. And, yeah, you get bigtime points for not falling apart on the phone. Yay, Mimi!!

Annie

[SouthernBelle]

I esp. like the part where he has a "wholesome interest"

[Bad JuJu]

OMG, what a delicious looking frame, Mimi! Looks like it's totally worth all the heartburn you're having to deal with to get it. Easy for me to say, right?

I get people misunderstanding what I say all the time--somehow I can sound sarcastic without even trying . So I know how misinterpretations can happen so easily. I hope you can smooth things over with the LBS guy, at least so you can have a decent relationship while your bike is being completed and built up.

[Trek420]

Mimi, did he ever tell you how long it would take in the first place?

When I got Menace the Mondonico my shop was full of advice about the time, lots of warnings that "worst case scenario it could be this long."

Ordered in October, I think I got the bike mid May .... for the AIDS Ride in June. What's that they say about "don't get anything different for your bike a month before the ride"

First the build itself took time and then the frame got shipped to Chris my LBS and he called me, I got to come down and see it sans paint.

You think it looks nice painted, you should see the welds.

Then its shipped to L.A. still unpainted. There it's completely inspected again inside and out since that's their only chance to do that sans paint. Then paint, dry, paint, dry, paint, decals.....finally back home to you.

But he kept me informed all along the way, even lent me a loaner road bike which I think his wife normally rides so I could train for the AIDS ride on it rather than the commuter but also get used to Campy thumb shifters.

I think he sells more Mondonicos and Torellis than any shop in the US, guess he's used to this drill.

[mimitabby]

Mimi, did he ever tell you how long it would take in the first place?

When I got Menace the Mondonico my shop was full of advice about the time, lots of warnings that "worst case scenario it could be this long."

First the build itself and then the frame got shipped to Chris my LBS and he called me, I got to come down and see it sans paint. You think it looks nice painted, you should see the welds.

Then its shipped to L.A. still unpainted. There it's completely inspected again inside and out since that's their only chance to do that sans paint. Then paint, dry, paint, dry, paint, decals.....finally back home to you.

But he kept me informed all along the way, even lent me a loaner road bike which I think his wife normally rides so I could train for the AIDS ride on it rather than the commuter but also get used to Campy thumb shifters.

I think he sells more Mondonicos and Torellis than any shop in the US, guess he's used to this drill.

The guy said about 3 weeks. Then when 2 weeks went by, he said 3-4 weeks, "I TOLD you, 3-4 weeks" (no, you didn't... but i didn't say that.)
it will be at least 5 weeks, it's over 4 weeks and i don't have it yet, do i.

he says a lot of stuff then forgets he said it. I know he's busy.
and Kimmy, I agree with you. completely.
and the only "SPECIAL" thing i wanted was to be able to have fenders.
In Our ORIGINAL phonecall I said, I want fenders. will there be brazons for that? oh, sure, sure, sure. Then 2 weeks into it, i asked the question again.. HE did some disassembling, and must have called california (who knows)
and said yes, we're taking care of it.


thanks all. i needed that group powwow, hug, advice.

[mimitabby]

I just wanted to give you all a non-up date. On Friday he said he put my bike "in the truck" and would give me a tracking number. Yesterday I wrote and said "Would you please send me the tracking number?" and no, I haven't heard back yet. This guy is really passive aggressive.

Meanwhile, now I have a bunch of bike parts (campy stuff) so I can at least touch THAT stuff and know the bike is real.

[Triskeliongirl]

the only "SPECIAL" thing i wanted was to be able to have fenders.

Mimi, understand how much work may have been involved for it to have it made fender ready. Prior to painting, they would need to braze on a mounting, and if there isn't clearance they may also have had to move the bridge. If they forgot this and had already painted it, they would then have to repaint it. So, it seems to me the only problem is that the fellow underestimated how long it would take when he first talked with you. This also happened when I had the fork built, etc. for Feronia. Same thing, he said it would take one amount of time, even let me know couplers were installed and fork built, but he also had to add canti braze ons and paint, and the whole thing also took a bit longer than quoted. I didn't get upset though, cuz I had another bike to ride. When you want customizations on a frame, paint, braze ons, etc., you just have to expect that it is going to take a fair bit of time and try to not sweat it. Its not like the weather is so hot for taking out your new beauty anyway, right? So, relax, and one day that big brown truck will shown up at your doorstep. So take a deep breath, and try to be patient for a little while longer.

[mimitabby]

yes, mom. It's just the way he does stuff. He says "I'll send you the tracking number" and then he doesn't. He has done this to me every step of the way.

Somebody told me to bake him some biscotti. I did that saturday and I burned them!
I don't think i'm sending him any.