The Patience of Old Bikes

Derelict old bicycles have the patience of giant sequoia as they are absolutely comfortable to sit and rust into the ground. Natural as can be. To rustle these slumbering beasts from their preferred state means the mechanic must exhibit that same patience. Modern bicycles are detailed in PDFs and discussed in internet forums, while a broken Shimano 3CC hub is left out of the party. Search for info on the lonely 3CC and you would think you had the only one on earth.


Don't get me wrong. Working on a mysterious three speed hub is no Zen exercise of careful consideration and tea sipping. It is a dirty and fairly miserable job of exploding components finding their way into previously unknown cracks in the floor.

A bicycle can be 90% completed only to sit for 4 months while we wait for a parts bike with that critical last component to arrive .

Thanks for the hub, Matt!

Bicycle Selection at Coco's Variety

Though the above inventory is pretty representative of Coco's bicycle selection we are, admittedly, a little low on vintage bicycles for a number of reasons.

First, they sell very quickly when they are completed.

Second, they take considerably more work and time than more modern bikes. Often, when we come across a broken part, we set aside the bicycle until a parts bike arrives that we can strip for parts. This can take months.

Third, they are usually pre-sold. People ask us, "Do you have a small roadie/a vintage cruiser/a green Schwinn step-through/an old BMX bike/a lugged frame bike for a fella over 6' 3" tall?" If we have one that is awaiting refurbishment, we will accept a deposit and move that bike to the front of the work queue. Bikes that are exceedingly popular, like very small road bikes, adult tricycles, old cruisers and vintage road bikes, will probably never appear in the legendary Coco's Long Row of Bikes as we have waiting lists for those sorts of bikes.

Are these bikes currently for sale at Coco's?
As of today, yes. Tomorrow, maybe. After this weekend, you better call to check.

Will Coco's ship?
No. We believe shipping bicycles negates much of the positive impact of buying a used bicycle. Buy a local bicycle.

What do your bikes cost?
Currently, they range from $24.95 to $299.95. We have sold bikes for prices between $1 and $700.

Do you take trade-ins?
We sure do.

Why do you charge so much?
We don't. We sell refurbished bicycles that are solid riders. We do what is necessary for a safe, efficient and fun bicycle. We install new tires, tubes, brake pads, brake cables and gear cables. We replace broken parts. We replace grips, handlebar tape and seats, as required. We grease the headset, bottom bracket and wheels. We clean, scrub and chrome polish each bicycle. We lubricate and adjust the brakes and dérailleurs.

But I can buy a brand new bicycle at Target for under $100!
Yep, that's what we hear.

Call Us! (323) 664-7400

Wanted: OK Used Bicycle Tags

I love everything about these hang tags - the clipped top corners, the red string, the reinforced hole, the Union printing label, the serial number in the upper left, the grease pencil, the color choices and the slightly imperfect silkscreen printing.

Anybody know where I can buy a stack? Alternatively, is there a vendor that could recreate them?

Marked "Copyright 1957 Gail C. Watson"
On Reverse "Eastman Label, San Jose, CA"

Googling reveals Eastman did some other cool labels: Link

Mister Jalopy (Coco's Proprietor) on Discovery Channel Canada

Canadian readers, take note: I will be on Discovery Channel Canada's Daily Planet tomorrow to discuss the Urban Guerrilla Drive-In Movie House, the home brew movie projector I built. Hopefully, some enterprising ne'er-do-well will figure out how to put it on the internet, as the site/channel is not viewable from the rest of world.

Want to see the Urban Guerrilla Drive-In Movie House in person? Come to Maker Faire, the most inspiring weekend of the year.

Link

Coco's Legendary Used Tube Bucket for Thrifty Optimists with a Patch Kit and a Sense of Adventure

50 cents each, no promises.

More Pocket Knife Talk

Hopefully, the knife selection dilemma will be resolved soon. But if you think this is a tortured decision, wait until I need to select appropriate pellet guns and slingshots!

KA-BAR's Hobo

Coco's reader CapturedShadow suggested Kabar and I do like the looks of the green handled Hobo, but it is made in China. Also, I want a complete line of pocket knives and KA-BAR doesn't sell anything with a screwdriver or leather awl. The only classic pocket knives are $350 re-issue collectibles.

Klein

Coco's friend Dean pointed us to Klein Tools, the makers of electrician tools. Klein is an unexpected vendor, but that is a classically handsome pocket knife! Now that I have seen the Hobo, I am pretty sure Coco's needs to sell a knife with spoon and can opener.
Finally, the dark horse contender is Opinel. Made in France since the 1890's, Opinel still sells a variety of carbon steel pocket knives rather than the ubiquitous stainless steel blades. And wait until you see the corkscrew knife!

Soon this pressing matter will be resolved and friends of Coco's will be able to buy from a carefully curated selection of fine pocket knives.

Coco's Wants to Sell Pocketknives

This morning I went to the Waystation in Downtown Newhall for breakfast and stopped by my dear departed hardware store, Newhall Hardware. In these final days, Newhall Hardware is down to the fixtures and I purchased this cabinet for Coco's future knife inventory.

I have been searching for a manufacturer of traditional pocket knives. Rather than Spyderco-style serrated eviscerators, I am looking for classic, legal 3/4 blade knives for gentleman's pockets.

So far, it looks like we will be selling Buck Knives.

Camillus Cutlery - Bankrupt, assets sold in bankruptcy.

Boker - Made in Germany, nice knife, expensive, dollar devaluation makes this difficult

Case XX - Good old American brand, now owned by Zippo, still made in the USA

Victorinox/Wegner - Legendary Swiss Army-style knife manufacturers now united under a single company. Nice knives, but I can't compete against the big box stores. They are ubiquitous.

Schrade - Schrade out of business 2004, now owned by Taylor Brands LLC, current strategy does not inspire confidence. Made in China, sold in Walmart, KMart, Big 5, et al. Schrade would have been my first choice as I had Old Timer knives as a kid and still have my Sharp Finger.

Buck Knives - Started in 1902, Buck Knives is still run by the Buck family. Some of their knives are made overseas, but the sorts of classic knives I am looking for seem to still be made in the USA.

Did we miss any classic pocket knife brands?

Coco's Loves Schwinns!

We are crazy about all sorts of bikes, but there is something in particular about the Church of Schwinn that is especially endearing. Beyond the bicycles themselves, the manufacturer as retailer had such a powerful grip on our impressionable minds. Schwinn either manufactured the bikes themselves in Chicago or approved the accessories with a Schwinn stamp to declare them worthy to be allowed in their retail stores. To assure repeat business, lots of the parts were just a little off size, meaning a Huffy tire would not fit a Schwinn. Though a bit sinister, it is an admirably bold statement about their corner on the neighborhood bike market.

Any Coco's readers have photos of old bike stores? We would like to see them.

Nicole Objects, but Who is Nicole?

We don't know what we did to offend Nicole, but we appreciate her willingness to voice her opinion. This sign was found amongst Coco's legendary bike row

Whoops!

Coco's was running a little light on vintage bicycles. Inventory is no longer an issue. Please ignore the cube refrigerator (Project #12), the water brake dyno (Project #631), the
Sister Golden Hair Surprise Camaro (Project #48), the Hooptysquire (Project #3) and the Studebaker (Project #712).