I am not by nature mechanically inclined. My father is. Even now, at nearly 90 years old, he can fix or take almost anything apart, and generally get it back together again. And he has no fear about attempting projects. He's a WWII vet, and I think a lot of the guys from that era learned how to take things apart and put them back together very easily. Maybe technology and mechanical skills were easier then. And maybe survival depended more upon those skills.
I did not learn as much about fixing things while growing up. My dad, like I said, is good at those things, but not a very good teacher. He tended to just fix things himself without much demonstration.
Over the years I picked up just enough knowledge about fixing or maintaining things to be dangerous. With step-by-step instructions and YouTube videos, I can often get through a project. But I lack the understanding about how things work. And I think that's the key to how people like my father, and my brother as well, are able to tackle projects. They don't need every single possible detail, because their brains can fill in the gaps. I'm missing that, to a certain extent. I don't mean to imply that it's a genetic or inherent thing. I just never learned enough of the science of machines to build up that understanding about how things work.
But I did learn a bit about bicycle maintenance and repair when I was a kid. After spending almost a year saving up the money to buy my Raleigh Grand Prix in 10th grade, I had a significant investment that needed to be protected. So I read books from the library and studied and tinkered and got a fair idea about how to clean and repack bearings, adjust a derailleur or change a brake cable.
Over the next twenty or thirty years I didn't do much bike maintenance. Or riding. And bicycle technology has changed, and I'm often confused. Some of the new parts and technologies on my new bikes are far simpler to fix or adjust, and allow far greater fine tuning than my old bikes. But I am easily confused about whether I have a part which is essentially a cartridge to be pitched and replaced.
This weekend I completely disassembled the front brake on my 1952 Raleigh Sport. I took photos of every step, carefully laid the parts out in order, more photos, then cleaned each piece. Then I reassembled it all. The operation was a success. And now I understand how it all works. It's very rewarding to me.
I sometimes wonder what I will do with these bicycles that I have cleaned and restored. I can't ride them all. I think it's the satisfaction of knowing how it works, of mastering something that has been my lifelong weakness. Don't get me wrong, I like riding bikes. But I also enjoy taking them apart and putting them back together just for the sake of learning.
When it comes to fixing things, including bikes, I'm often fearful of starting. What if it takes a long time to get this fixed? What if I mess it up and can't fix it? What if I lose a part? It's another reason I have a number of bikes -- if one breaks down, I can always switch to another. But the more I work on bikes, the more I'm able to overcome this fear.
My father never fears this failure. Just turn off the water, cut into the pipe, jump right in. I hope I'm becoming more like him.
