I'm married to a very good automotive mechanic, so you can imagine how "helpless" I am!
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06-17-2009, 06:09 AM #1
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06-17-2009, 06:20 AM #2
Fat bottomed girl
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Haha, yeah. DH is also "helpless" when it comes to painting, gardening, and the like. So I figure it balances when I ask him to do car or bike maintenance for me.
Originally Posted by beccaB
"A bicycle does get you there and more. And there is always the thin edge of danger to keep you alert and comfortably apprehensive. Dogs become dogs again and snap at your raincoat; potholes become personal. And getting there is all the fun."
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06-17-2009, 08:55 PM #3
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Originally Posted by Heifzilla
That's so true! My DH can't cook... well, he can cook eggs, does that count? Tonight, I was busy making a salad so I asked him to cut up a store brought already roasted chicken. Well, he didn't cut it with a knife, he tore it into pieces with his hands!
Then he asked me how I always get the chicken cut up in such nice looking piece... LOL Oh my goodness... he's good at fixing my bike but he ain't cooking for me anytime soon 
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06-18-2009, 08:13 AM #4
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Sometimes its easier to BE helpless...
I have changed my own punctured tubes before, and I know how. But when u're surrounded by men and they all seem to be 'tsk tsk'ing your efforts sometimes I'd rather just be the princess and let them finish the job.
case in point.
some weeks ago, on a group ride, I had 2 flats. AT THE SAME TIME. We were... 5 mins from home, and this was after the post-ride drink at the coffeeshop etc.
Thus when i had the flats i was surrounded by.... 8 men, including one who is my dad (and does most of the changing tubes, inflating tyre pressure etc. My brother gets called when daddy is not around... ahhhahhaha) I didn't just leave it there, so I was trying to work on one wheel while my dad worked on the other (so that we'd be faster coz all the rest were just standing there waiting for us) But the guys kept hounding me, telling me what to do, how to do it, just hovering over me. I was so stressed out, i broke my tyre lever........ One of them tried to take over from me when stuffing the tube into the tyre, but he ran the tyre lever around so fast it pinched the tube, so we had to redo it.. (i shut my mouth and didn't say anything.) It was just highly stressful. coz some of them were just standing around and teasing me about how dirty my bike was etc.
in the end i just let everyone do the job and played the princess. at least it was something they could understand how to react to...
when i went home i cleaned my bike. hehe
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06-18-2009, 09:56 AM #5
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I've had both kinds of experiences recently.
One where the men pounce on my seat pack and wheel when I've barely had a chance to unclip, change my tube in no time flat, and everything's great.
One where all that happens as above, but they put the tire on backwards.
One where they stood around admiring how quickly I changed my tire - but distracted by their attention, this time I put the tire on backwards.
Luckily, this time it was the front tire so I just flipped the wheel around. It's still on there that way, waiting for another front flat so I can put the tire on the right way without taking it off for no other reason. I tell them it's good for the hub to get unwound by running in the opposite direction for a while. 
Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler
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06-18-2009, 11:34 AM #6
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I find the little disposable gloves that come with do-it-at-home hair dye/highlighting kits work GREAT to stuff in a seat bag. I never have to be greasy and grimy in the event of a mechanical issue!
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06-18-2009, 02:07 PM #7
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Not all men like to get their hands greased up and grimy...like my dearie. If there are disposable gloves, he will use them. Of course, gloves aren't always around when changing bike tubes, tires. Which he does on mine. Originally Posted by Loraura
And this is someone who used to be a part-time farmer (100 acres) and is mechanically inclined up to a certain point (but not like becca's DH).My Personal blog on cycling & other favourite passions.
遙知馬力日久見人心 Over a long distance, you learn about the strength of your horse; over a long period of time, you get to know what’s in a person’s heart.
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06-18-2009, 12:57 PM #8
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That's extra funny, because they'd have made fun of you for using the lever to install the tire "girl style" if you'd been the one to do that. Originally Posted by deeaimond
Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler
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06-18-2009, 01:34 PM #9
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Oi, so what's wrong with tearing up chicken with your hands?? Originally Posted by buddha_bellies
Tonight, I was busy making a salad so I asked him to cut up a store brought already roasted chicken. Well, he didn't cut it with a knife, he tore it into pieces with his hands!
j/k. I loathe eating chicken and biting down on gristle or something, so I will tear up chicken to make sure it's all pure meat. But I do get mighty messy doing so.
Winter riding is much less about badassery and much more about bundle-uppery. - malkin
1995 Kona Cinder Cone commuterFrankenbike/Selle Italia SLR Lady Gel Flow
2008 white Nakamura Summit Custom mtb/Terry Falcon X
2000 Schwinn Fastback Comp road bike/Specialized Jett
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06-17-2009, 06:56 AM #10
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Oh geez, it's just the opposite for me! I've had to convince DH I didn't marry him just for his Snap-On tools and instruction/supervision of all my mechanical work! (On the motorized vehicles anyway, he's useless with a bici. Originally Posted by beccaB
)
Anyway, great job Heif! And (as you'll no doubt learn one day soon) changing a front flat isn't even really messy (provided it isn't raining). If you're riding in your work clothes, you can always jam a pair of disposable nitrile gloves into your seat pack for those rear flats and chain drops. I keep a pair in my motorcycle tank bag, but never bother with the bici.
Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler
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06-17-2009, 07:14 AM #11
Fat bottomed girl
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The gloves are great idea. Part of my commute is through a section of field and it had been mowed down the other day. I got tons of grass cuttings stuck in my rear derailleur and had to stop and dig them out before I continued on. My hands got covered in grease and dirt. If I'd had a glove that wouldn't have been an issue. Thanks for the suggestion Originally Posted by OakLeaf
Oh geez, it's just the opposite for me! I've had to convince DH I didn't marry him just for his Snap-On tools and instruction/supervision of all my mechanical work! (On the motorized vehicles anyway, he's useless with a bici.)
Anyway, great job Heif! And (as you'll no doubt learn one day soon) changing a front flat isn't even really messy (provided it isn't raining). If you're riding in your work clothes, you can always jam a pair of disposable nitrile gloves into your seat pack for those rear flats and chain drops. I keep a pair in my motorcycle tank bag, but never bother with the bici.
"A bicycle does get you there and more. And there is always the thin edge of danger to keep you alert and comfortably apprehensive. Dogs become dogs again and snap at your raincoat; potholes become personal. And getting there is all the fun."
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