sworley
I live for the CABE
Color me as the type that gets a friendly tinge of jealousy when others post about their fresh findKrates, early rays and Fastbacks. Even if they paid a decent amount, they still had the opportunity toreturn some fresh bikes into the fold that for some reason just don't seem to exist around here.Well, this past week I think my find of a lifetime occurred and it kind of makes all those commonSchwinns look inconsequential. Here's how it unfolded: About two weeks ago I was in the bike shopdowntown getting some advice on lacing up wheels and buying some bearings. While there, theowner casually mentions that a Cook Bros. might be donated to a local housing charity shop. Hiswife volunteers there and heard one of the other volunteers had some bikes to donate soon. I lowkey flipped out inside.So, the next few days I stalked that donation center pretty hard. I was their first customer when theyopened, visited over my lunch break, biked over around closing time, left notes with the employeesto call if a "men's bike" appeared, etc. This went on for a few days before I got a text from a friendwho also works at the bike shop, he presumably learned from the owner's wife - the bike had comein already the week prior and sold within hours of being on the floor. I was crestfallen but at least Icould sleep now, haha. It was a bummer I missed out but after hearing that the bike sold for goodmoney, at least it wasn't going to be a college kid's beater on campus.A day or two later I couldn't give up on it. I had the long-shot idea that maybe the new owner wouldwant to sell to me. I went in to see if they'd even consider giving me the name of another customeror if that was way out of left field. It must've been a slow day cause all the volunteers were justhanging out around the register. They were conducive to my story and as one guy looked in his cellphone for the contact, another volunteer piped up and said "I donated that bike. It was a good bike,but I think I may have short cycled the battery or something." A bit taken back, I replied that I wasn’tafter an e-bike, it was my understanding that the bike donated was a Cook Bros cruiser. Shelaughed and said that she wouldn't have donated her Cook Bros, she was more interested in sellingit outright and that she still had it.At that point, I had a tunnel vision conversation with her about the bike, her history with it, andsome initial talks about price. It was her pride and joy, and she was willing to sell but still a bitreluctant. Unfortunately, it was getting to a point where she could no longer ride it as the top tubewas too tall. She also mentioned her house needed some costly repairs. I learned she bought thebike used at Lee's Schwinn shop in Ft. Collins in 1982 because she liked the colors. Fair enough.The bike was built by a shop employee who was always building bikes and then it was onto the nextthing. Mountain bikes were in and cruisers were old-hat. In the following years, this bike wouldfollow her to CA (where kids on the strand complimented her on the cool Cooks Bros. cruiser), TX(where the wool seat cover and handlebar bag were stolen but nothing else), WY (bike reg stickersfrom Cheyenne still adorn the headtube) and finally Iowa (picture from RAGBRAI below). It was funto listen to these stories of how much the bike meant to her and the connection it had. Hell, theoldest bike I own is about 11 years old now and we don't have these memorable stories!
So throughout the week we texted a lot and made arrangements to make a transaction. She finallysent over photos one night and I was stoked to see a very original bike and one well-lived at that. Wearranged a meeting point for the next time she'd be in town and did the deal. The price was one Iwould call mutually beneficial. She will get her home repaired and I got a really cool bike which willreceive some sympathetic love. Since then, we've kept in touch and I've enjoyed our conversations!I do not have any intention to sell anytime soon, I, of course, intend to keep things original andperiod but change out some items to my liking, saving all the original bits. I've also enjoyed meetingall the CA Cook Bros experts who I've consulted with before and after the purchase. Thanks forreading!
I love this picture from RAGBRAI '89!
So throughout the week we texted a lot and made arrangements to make a transaction. She finallysent over photos one night and I was stoked to see a very original bike and one well-lived at that. Wearranged a meeting point for the next time she'd be in town and did the deal. The price was one Iwould call mutually beneficial. She will get her home repaired and I got a really cool bike which willreceive some sympathetic love. Since then, we've kept in touch and I've enjoyed our conversations!I do not have any intention to sell anytime soon, I, of course, intend to keep things original andperiod but change out some items to my liking, saving all the original bits. I've also enjoyed meetingall the CA Cook Bros experts who I've consulted with before and after the purchase. Thanks forreading!
I love this picture from RAGBRAI '89!
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