I have to vent...Recently a guy contacted me about framebuilding and how he used to help out at an operation back in the 70's before becoming an engineer at Boeing.

Flash forward 40 years and they guy is in his late 60's/early 70's and hasn't built or ridden a bike in thirty years. He's taken a beating in the stock market and is worries about how he will survive on his now reduced retirement savings. What to do? Maybe contact a local small time framebuilder about the possibility of hand filing and then selling custom dropouts?

So the guy comes to visit my shop and brings along his bike from 30 years ago to show me what he can accomplish. I spend HOURS with the guy complementing him on his work, letting him down easy as I told him about Pacenti, Paragon, Nova, Ceeway, H. James, Ellis, Lex, and a bunch of other guys who are offering/creating beautiful dropouts at great prices.

While we're there he hints that he's also been thinking about creating tooling for making bikes. "I used to use a 2"x4" to make forks"... I fill him on Anvil, Sputnik, H.James, Bringheli, and the rest and let him know that he's barking up the wrong tree if he is looking to make money in the bike business. Hours later my job is done, I've nicely let down a kindly older gentleman while repaying some of the time that you guys have provided me over the last few years.

I got a call Saturday that the guy has fabricated a fork jig that he wants me to check out and get feedback on. Thing looks like a 1/2 thought out Bringheli. I am way more blunt with my feedback and essentially point out, "why would I buy this when I could save up some $$$ for another month or two and buy and Anvil?" The fcuking thing even has an Anvil dummy axle in it!

Sorry I crushed the guys dreams but reality is reality...until yesterday. I have a voicemail from the guy saying he think's he's going to go ahead with production with a local CNC shop doing the work.

WTF? How many people associating with cycling are completely retarted? Am I a shit magnet or is this normal?