22-12-17

 When I had a bike shop I would sometimes stay after hours and build a bike. I'd buy some wine and drink it out of a coffee cup, dim the lights, put on some John Coltrane, and start with building the wheels. It's just about the only part about owning a bike shop that I miss. 

Tonight I built 2 wheels. King hubs, which are way too expensive, Sapim butted spokes, because Wheelsmith doesn't make spokes anymore, and Velocity rims. Disc brakes. On a road bike. It's a Brave New World. 

I'd forgotten how much I liked building wheels. I'd do it and nothing else. It's zen. When building a wheel it requires just enough of your attention that you can't think about anything else, but when you've built over 1800 wheels, it doesn't require much attention. It's the closest I ever get to silencing the voices in my head. I would build wheels all day. 

I've taken up meditating. It's good. But not as good as building wheels. 

The smell of linseed oil is full of memory retrieval cues. The DT Tensio was like an old friend in my hands. I don't print out many photographs but I'll print out this photo of the spokes. It's peaceful, and soulful. It's a place I go to forget. And to remember. 

I should build more wheels.