Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Transforming a Derelict Garage into a Bicycle Workshop

Old and Renewed Garage

This garage had seen better days.

This garage was built in the 1940s for a smaller generation of cars. It was tilting to one side badly.  The interior was covered in cobwebs and mud tunnels from past termite damage. The studs and bottom plate were rotted from standing in water. The concrete slab did not have cracks, but it was sinking under the building’s weight.  Every time it rained the water would gush in from the alley covering the cement floor with a slimy layer of grime. 

Old Garage and New Bicycle Workshop
The Garage Interior Before and After the Project.
(Photo: Doug Barnes 2024)

For years my wife Mary Ann and I had been hoping a tree limb would fall on it so we could get a little insurance money for it. 

Mary Ann quipped, “You just wait.  Once we get this garage fixed up, a limb will fall on it.”  I could not disagree with this foreboding comment, but I didn’t believe it would happen. The garage had withstood 80 years without such a mishap, so the odds were against it happening any time soon. 

From Idea to Reality

The idea of using our rickety garage as a bicycle workshop had been percolating for years. However, the task of fixing up the old garage seemed daunting. Not only was it old, leaning, and full of spiders, but it also would need significant structural repair to make it a decent year-round workspace. If the garage was to be renewed, the flooding every time it rained also would have to be fixed.

I felt certain Mary Ann would think turning the garage into a bicycle workshop was a zany idea.

Still, I pleaded my case., “My bicycle repair tools are scattered over every corner of the basement. Why don’t we turn our useless garage into a bicycle workshop.”

She knew this was true. The wheel truing stand was in one corner. Bicycles hung from the ceiling in the opposite corner. The bicycle repair stand--a trusty 30-year-old Park Tool (PRS 3) relic (that still works fantastically) --was surrounded on all sides by bikes, pegboard and shelves. I could barely walk around bikes without knocking my head. 

Bike on Repair Stand in Basement
The Basement Bicycle Workspace Before the Garage Project.
(Photo: Doug Barnes 2024)

We also are in our 70s and the passage of years had made it difficult to get bicycles up and down the basement stairs. We hired a contractor named Pete Ganginis to replace the old stairs to make them easier to navigate. He measured them and found that they were both steep and uneven. Pete agreed with us that the stairs were an accident waiting to happen.

Pete Ganginis is an excellent contractor who has worked for us for years. He had done almost every major house remodeling project for us. This included constructing a major family room addition, renewing our master bathroom, and adding a deck with a roof.

After replacing the stairs, Pete designed an ingenious two-stage ramp for getting the bikes up and down them. This got the job done. However, it still required two people to perform an awkward dance getting the bikes into the basement. Also, keeping the workshop in the basement meant it would still be cluttered with bicycles, tools, and spare parts.

The Ramp from the First Floor to the Basement.
(Photo: Doug Barnes 2024)

Mary Ann said, “Why don’t we give Pete a call to see if making over the garage is even feasible. He may take one look at it and say, are you kidding me?”

We contacted Pete to get his assessment of whether the idea of transforming our derelict garage was a pipe dream. We were prepared for him to tell us that it was a crazy idea.

Pete’s wife Joanne contacted us. To our surprise, she said, “Making over a garage is a high-value project. Pete does these projects all the time. People often set up garages as a work-from-home office space. For the investment to pay off, it must be done right.”

Tearing down the old garage was also an option. The next time we saw Pete we asked him about renewing the old garage versus tearing it down and rebuilding.

Pete said, “I can do either one, but I recommend updating the old garage. I like restoring old garages because they reflect the character of the neighborhood. I have done a lot of these, and restoring the garage will look better than you think.”

That was music to our ears. We decided to move forward and never looked back.

The Garage Renewal

Once we had removed the wood, lawnmower, and tools from the garage, Pete was ready to start. Pete first reinforced all the clapped-out exposed studs with 2 by 6 framing. This permitted the use of R20 insulation in the walls. He also installed a new ridge beam. Then the old roof cross members were removed, and he elevated the ceiling. An old window was transformed into an opening for a new garage door.

Garage Framing and the Raised Elevation Over Old Rotted Wall Plate.
(Photo: Doug Barnes 2024)

After reinforcing the entire structure, he took on the risky task of raising and leveling the entire garage. With straps and 2 by 4s holding the garage frame intact, he used bottle jacks to raise the whole garage.

As Pete was raising the whole structure, I poked my head in the garage and said, “Pete, that looks dangerous.”

He replied, “It is dangerous!”

The garage was levitating 8 inches over the ground as if being held aloft by some magical force.

The concrete truck rolled in loudly with a vroom-vroom. Gravel and cement were sloshing and clanging on the side of a rotating concrete mixer barrel, a rhythmic, scratchy sound. The truck backed up to the garage and began to pour the concrete.

Concrete mixer in front of garage
The Cement Truck Pouring the Concrete Floor.
(Photo: Doug Barnes 2024)

Pete had already prepared the floor for the new concrete. He had put in reinforcement bars and 6 new posts to provide firm support for the new concrete floor. After a while, the concrete mixer truck took off with a puff of blue smoke and disappeared from sight.

Pete’s crew had been ready and waiting. They quickly spread the concrete before it set up. Standing in the wet concrete in rubber boots, they began raking, smoothing, and finishing the work.

New garage concrete floor and studs
The Finished Concrete Floor.
(Photo: Doug Barnes 2024)

Once finished, they put up tape so we would not foolishly walk on the concrete before it was set. It was finished on a Friday and because of a holiday, it had 3 days to cure. It would take 30 days for it to fully cure, but the surface was hard and walkable after 3 days. The floor was 8 inches thick and went right to the bottom floor plates of the jacked-up house.

On Tuesday, the strapping holding the garage upright was removed. Pete very carefully lowered the whole structure and bolted the building to the new concrete floor. The garage was now standing tall, level, and proud. We were astonished it didn’t fall over in a heap.

The potential bicycle workshop began to shine through the exposed studs and concrete floor. The electrician used a trench dug by Pete’s crew to extend an electricity line to the old garage. He put in lines, light boxes, receptacles, and an outdoor light. He also installed a 220-volt line to the location of the future mini-split system which would heat and cool the garage.

After this, the HVAC team came and installed the mini-split heat pump to both cool and heat the space to a comfortable temperature. They put the line set for the mini-split system inside the framing so that it would not show in the finished interior. They would have to return to install the actual unit after the finishing of the walls.

Carrier indoor and outdoor mini split system
Inside and Outside View of Mini-Split Carrier Heat Pump.
(Photo: Doug Barnes 2024)

Now the garage was ready for the finishing touches. Drywall was installed. Windows were put in place. The exterior was meticulously sanded removing 25 years of old paint residue. Then along with the interior, it was painted a greyish white. The old roof was replaced with new shingles.

New Dry Wall and Electrical Work
The Drywall before Painting and one of the Electric Outlets.
(Photo: Doug Barnes 2024)

In keeping the neighborhood alley, the garage door was fixed in place on the alley side of the garage to make it look like it could be opened. This of course was not true because Pete built a framed wall behind the old garage door so it could be insulated. For entry, a new door was installed in place of the old window. A laminate oak floor was laid as a finishing touch.

Like a phoenix, the old garage arose from the ashes of its old self and looks beautiful.

The Bicycle Workshop

My existing bicycle workshop is spread throughout the basement. To put it mildly, this drove Mary Ann crazy. However, she also rides a bike and benefits from both major and minor repairs.

Mary Ann puts up with--but does not like--having a wheel truing stand in one corner, a tire changing station on the dryer, a repair stand in another corner, and bikes hanging from the ceiling. A 1966 Raleigh Sport and Mary Ann’s old road bike--which I am turning into an urban bike--are awaiting repair on the floor. She is ready for the bikes and associated repair paraphernalia to be moved out of the basement.

The first thing to be done in the new bicycle garage is to assemble a 6-foot-wide Husky workbench. It will be placed below the new windows. Sitting on the floor, Mary Ann and I fasten over 40 screws and bolts. I am impressed with the quality of the workbench, which is heavy and sturdy.

New Husky Work Bench under Window
The Seventy-Two Inch Husky Workbench and the Painted Walls.
(Photo: Doug Barnes 2024)

Now, the finishing touch is to put two long drawers into the workbench for easy access to bicycle tools. On the first attempt, we slid the door into place. It was very easy. Then we tried to push in the drawer and it would not close. We took the drawer out several times and tried again with the same result.

I studied the design of the rails that hold the drawer in place. I saw the key was to not only thread the drawer into the end of the rails but also through the ball-bearing race that was inside the rails. I did this carefully hoping for the best. Viola! It worked like a charm. After much sweating and cursing, the drawer was in place. What was supposed to be a simple task took 2 hours to complete.

The next job was to move my 25-year-old Park Tool bicycle stand (PRS-3) into the garage. For this job, I recruited our neighbor Tom who was gracious enough to help out with the heavy lifting. This stand has an 80-pound steel plate on the bottom, and it was impossible to move it up the steep basement stairs in one piece. I had the idea of making it simpler by detaching the plate from the vertical stand.

I said to Tom, “It should be easy. It’s just 4 bolts.”

Tom replied, “I should be able to carry it up the steps once the top is removed.”

The lesson I have learned over the years is that easy jobs often turn out to be the hardest ones. The job started well. The stand was removed from the basement. It was a piece of cake to move both the upper stand and lower plate to a proper position in the garage.

Wrestling the steel plate and the upper part of the stand, I was surprised that the screw holes in the upper stand would not align with the holes in the heavy plate. I had just removed them, so I knew they had to fit. After over an hour of awkwardly propping up both the stand and the plate (#130 Repair Stand Base), we were just about ready to give up.

Park Tool PRS-3 Work Stand
The 25-Year-Old Park Tool PRS-3 Logo and Bottom Steel Plate.
(Photo: Doug Barnes 2024)

I said to Tom, “I don’t know what is going wrong. Let’s call it a day and come back tomorrow for a fresh start.

Mary Ann impatiently looked at both of us. She wanted to get this job done today.

She said, “Why don’t you just remove the top part of the stand. It will make it easier to line up the bottom with the steel plate.”

“Okay. Let’s give it one last try today.”

We took off the top part of the stand and we finally were able to line up the holes. I discovered that what I thought was a square bracket on the bottom of the vertical stand actually was slightly rectangular. I turned the upper part of the stand 90 degrees and bolted the steel plate to the lower stand. We then reattached the upper stand and called it a day. After two hours of exasperation, the “easy job” was completed!

1977 Bicycle in Park Tool Work Stand
The 25-Year-Old Park Tool PRS-3 Workstand Holding 1976 Sekai Competition Bichcle.
(Photo: Doug Barnes 2024)

The next day we tested out a Topeak Swing Up EX bicycle holder for hanging bicycles on the wall. It worked perfectly. The bicycles easily can be swung side-to-side freeing up space in the garage. It also looks quite nice and gives the garage a bicycle vibe. The price for Topeak is a bit high compared to other brands on the market. I haven't tried them, so all I can say is the Topeak works extremely well.

Bicycle hanging on wall
Testing the TOPEAK Ex Swing-Up Wall Hook System.
(Photo: Doug Barnes 2024)

My next job is to sort out my extensive collection of tools. I will leave some in the basement and place others in the new bicycle repair garage. These will be hung on the pegboard above the workbench and to the side of the bicycle repair stand. I have not started repairing bicycles in the garage yet, but that will come with time.

The finished bicycle Workshop in an old garage
The Finished Renewed Garage and Bicycle Workshop.
(Photo: Doug Barnes 2024)

We were totally amazed that Pete could transform a clapped-out, spider-filled garage into a beautiful, livable workspace. There is still much to be done, but we are happy with the outcome.

Afterword

Mary Ann came upstairs to my office and said, “You aren’t going to believe this. A couple of tree limbs are in our backyard and they appear to have fallen on our new garage.”

Mary Ann’s foreboding thoughts had come true. A quick thunderstorm dropped not one, but two large limbs on the roof of the garage just 3 weeks after the makeover was finished. The new framing had stiffened the structure and limbs slid off the roof harmlessly. The only damage I could see was a bent gutter. The prophecy of Mary Ann had come true. Two tree limbs had fallen on the renewed garage.

I will be posting another blog on setting up the space with both pegboard and tools.

Thursday, February 2, 2023

Raise Your Handlebars to Avoid Shoulder, Neck, and Back Soreness

When volunteering as a bicycle mechanic, I hear a common complaint. “My shoulders, neck, and back hurt when I ride my bike.” This is followed by a question, “Is it possible to raise my handlebars?”

Poorly fitting bicycles do produce aches in the neck, back, arms, and hands. This problem is becoming more common as a result of the increasing prevalence of buying a “bike in a box” over the internet or picking up a bike at Walmart. People without any mechanical experience have to assemble their internet bicycles. In such cases, seats are often too high or too low. Front stems are too long or too short. I have talked to several people about brakes that aren’t working properly because the forks have been installed backward.

The reality is that many variables can cause riders to have sore hands, shoulders, and backs.  These include the height, location, and angle of the seat, the length of the top tube, the type of stem, and the style of suspension. It should also be remembered that parts of the body carry the weight of a bicycle rider. They include your feet, your bottom, and your hands. Any adjustment in the handlebar height will inevitably shift the weight between these body parts and perhaps require muscles to pick up the slack.

A couple of things are important to remember when considering adjusting the height of the handlebars or purchasing a bike with high handlebars. The first issue is that raising handlebars generally puts more pressure on your seat. This is the reason you see beach cruisers with thick rubber pads on the seats. Low handlebars also may increase pressure on your hands, shoulders, and neck.

Low handlebars may not cause problems for younger riders who can use their back muscles to lift their torso so that only light pressure is on their hands. The back also will be more angled or perhaps even curved for bikes with lower handlebars. This is fine for young adults who want to cut down wind resistance because they have the requisite strength and flexibility in their backs. However, this can be a problem for older adults with weaker muscles and less resilient disks between their back vertebrae.

The second issue is that raising the handlebars can mean that the cables connected to the brakes or gear shifters may have to be replaced with longer ones. This can complicate and increase the expense of adjusting the height of the handlebars. Each individual bike must be examined to see if the handlebars can be raised without the extensive work of replacing the brake and gear cables.

For each individual, there is a position that is just right for putting the proper amount of pressure on the feet, seat, and hands. The hands should carry very little or even minimal amounts of the distributed weight on the bicycle. The hands should be used for guiding the bicycle rather than carrying any of the load. Finding the right position can be a matter of trial and error. For younger people that are more flexible, getting the handlebar and seat position just right is not as critical compared to older riders. But even for younger adults, getting the right height and reach for their type of riding can mean the difference between pleasant and unpleasant rides and the ability to ride longer distances.

Saturday, April 23, 2022

A Short History of Schwinn: In 2022 Pon Holdings Purchases Schwinn

Schwinn Mountain Bicycle from the Schwinn Website, 2021
(Photo: Schwinn Website Modified by Doug Barnes)

Schwinn Bicycles now has a new owner. In early 2022, the ownership of the Schwinn brand transitioned from Canada to the Netherlands.

In October 2021, Pon Holdings of the Netherlands approved the purchase of the brands Schwinn, Cannondale, GT, and Mongoose from Dorel Industries for $810 million. The sale was completed on January 4, 2022. The Schwinn brand joins other brands already owned by Pon Holdings that including Gazelle, Cervélo, FOCUS, Santa Cruz, Kalkhoff, and Faraday.

Pon currently is one of the top 5 players in the bicycle industry. About 75% of people in the Netherlands have a bicycle made by Pons. The combined worth of the new bicycle business is valued at $2.9 billion. The fit of Schwinn and the other purchased brands is that Pon’s high-end bicycles will be complemented by more affordable mass-market bikes.

A Short History of Schwinn: 1990s Bankruptcy though 2021

Schwinn Cross/Fitness Image from 1992 Catalog
(Photo: 1992 Schwinn Catalog Image Modified by Doug Barnes)
Note: The catalog in 1992 was the last one published by the Schwinn family business.

The Schwinn family business was teetering on a financial precipice at the beginning of the 1990s. The company still had many popular bicycle models, but its business was faltering. At the corporate headquarters in Chicago, the managers of Schwinn were still in disbelief that their company could no longer sustain itself as a viable business. Afterall, this was Schwinn, the biggest bicycle name in the USA. How could the company fail?

Decline of the Air-Dyne and Exercise Bikes Increases Financial Pressure

In the late 1980s, Schwinn’s profits from its traditional bicycles had evaporated. A sign of trouble was that the exercise bicycles were keeping the company financially afloat. Schwinn had a virtual monopoly on stationary exercises and the Air-Dyne in particular had very high profit margins.

Unfortunately for Schwinn, in the early 1990s Sears, Roebuck and Co. came out with a comparable model at a lower price. The result was that sales of Air-Dyne plummeted by 35%. Schwinn said goodbye to 8 million in profit. Without the Air-Dyne and exercise bicycle sales, Schwinn was in trouble.

Schwinn 1985 XR-8 Weighted Wheel Exercise Bicycle
(Photo: 1985 Schwinn Catalog)

The decline of the Air-Dyne and other exercise bicycles was a symptom of Schwinn’s larger financial problems. In the early 1990s, the company lost $2.9 million with outstanding debt $80 million. The caused Schwinn to violate one of its bank covenants. Schwinn’s bankers called a meeting to see if something could be worked out.

Despite being deeply in debt, Schwinn took a hardline position against its creditors. Edward Schwinn figured that the bankers wouldn’t want to lose their equity in Schwinn if the company declared bankruptcy. Unfortunately, for Schwinn this was a miscalculation. Frustrated with Schwinn’s excuses, the Banker’s increasingly began playing financial hardball.

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

A Short History of Schwinn: The Tumultuous 1980s

Two adults astride a bicycle
Schwinn World is Still a Model Brand in 1987
(Image: Schwinn Catalog, 1987 modified by Doug Barnes)

Edward Schwinn, Jr. has been roundly criticized for the demise of Schwinn Bicycles as a family company. Although not all of his decisions were stellar, the blame was somewhat unfair.

Family businesses rarely last longer than the three generations, so the surprise is that the Schwinn family-owned bicycle company lasted so long.  Jonathan Ward (1987) in his work on family business succession indicated that 30 percent of businesses last through the second generation. This figure is reduced to 13 percent by the third generation. Only 3 percent of family businesses are still alive and kicking by the fourth generation (Zellweger, Nason, and Nordvist 2012).  Edward Schwinn, Jr. was a fourth-generation president of a family business.

Although these figures are a bit dated, the odds of family business survival are generally accepted to be low for several reasons. The charisma of the early founder fades and business conditions change. The next generations often have other interests. Successors may not be qualified for the job. Finally, nepotism and family feuds are inevitable. 

The Fourth Generation of Schwinn Managers

Schwinn was not the exception to this rule. The Schwinn family bicycle company was very strong for two generations.  The third generation Schwinn manager Frank W. Schwinn did not have the drive of his father.  

Second and Third Schwinn Generations: Father Frank W. Schwinn (Center)
with Sons Frank V. (Right) Edward, Sr. (Left), Late 1940s

(Image: Made in Chicago Museum ND)

The fourth-generation manager Ed Schwinn, Jr. placed too much emphasis on financial models and was not interested enough in modernizing the family factory.  He also had to deal with a bicycle industry that was in the throes of manufacturing globalization. These conditions would challenge even the most nimble companies.

Friday, September 17, 2021

A Short History of Schwinn: The Booming 1970s

 

Woman in front of vintage bicycle
Schwinn Varsity Sport, 1974
(Image: Schwinn Catalog, 1974)

Schwinn was founded by Ignaz Schwinn during the safety bicycle boom of the 1890s.  Around 1910 that boom turned to a bicycle bust and Ignaz Schwinn turned his attention towards motorcycles. He founded Excelsior motorcycles to counter the decline in bicycle sales. During this era of the early automobile, it seemed only normal to move from human-powered to motor-powered cycles. Despite the high quality of the motorcycles produced by Schwinn, in the late 1920s, the Great Depression put an end to this business. Schwinn returned to its roots in the 1930s and once again began to focus on high-quality bicycles. After 1930, Schwinn was very innovative and initiated models including the children's Autocycle and the adult Paramount. 

During the 1950s, Schwinn continued to concentrate on children's bicycles and through clever advertising established itself as a cultural icon. The 1960s were good times for Schwinn as the bicycle market began to expand to include adults. With expanding sales during the 1970s bicycle boom, it appeared Schwinn could do nothing wrong. The death of its long-time president Frank W. Schwinn combined with new trends in both bicycle design and production laid the foundation for a series of missteps that would later culminate in critical challenges for the family business.

The full 1895-1992 history of the Schwinn family bicycle business can be found in a separate but much longer article called "A Short History of Vintage Schwinn Bicycles." 

Booming Sales Clouded by Loss of Long Time President

Schwinn was riding high. The bicycle sales boom in the early 1970s meant that they could do no wrong. Bicycle sales for children continued to be strong. Schwinn had a slow start in producing the new popular 10-speeds but picked up steam by successfully selling the new Varsity line of bicycles to young adults. In 1971 Schwinn hit a new high in bicycle sales of 1.2 million bicycles and this included 326 thousand 10-speed bicycles (Pridmore, 2001). This amounted to a whopping 25% market share in 1970.

Woman in front of Schwinn Continental Bicycle
Schwinn Continental Sport, 1972
(Image: Schwinn Catalog, 1972)
The increasing sales were in one small part due to the popularity of the Schwinn Varsity and Continental (Shaddox 2000). Both of these bicycles were built to last. They were heavy but were among the first to provide riders in the USA with an affordable derailleur bike. The founders of Shimano convinced some of the managers in Schwinn that external derailleur bicycles would be attractive to both teenagers and young adults. 

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

A Short History of Schwinn: Domination in 1950-1970s

Illustration of boy with 1950s bike
Schwinn Panther Advertisement, 1950
(Image: Schwinn Catalog,  1950)
Schwinn was founded by Ignaz Schwinn during the safety bicycle boom of the 1890s.  Around 1910 that boom turned to a bicycle bust and Ignaz Schwinn turned his attention towards motorcycles. He founded Excelsior motorcycles to counter the decline in bicycle sales. During this era of the early automobile, it seemed only normal to move from human-powered to motor-powered cycles. Despite the high quality of the motorcycles produced by Schwinn, in the late 1920s, the Great Depression put an end to this business. Schwinn returned to its roots in the 1930s and once again began to focus on high-quality bicycles. After 1930, Schwinn was very innovative and initiated models including the children's Autocycle and the adult Paramount. During the 1950s, Schwinn continued to concentrate on children's bicycles and through clever advertising established itself as a cultural icon. The 1960s were good times for Schwinn as the bicycle market began to expand to include adults.