What's the Deal?

I'm interested in this because I like working with cool structures, it's a craftsmanship-type hobby, & it seems like Boulder's the right place to do it. It's hard to find a structure more elegant than a bike.

This is not a profit deal: I've got a day job. I'll charge you mostly just for materials. Probably it would come to something like ~$40 for a tube repair. By the way, sanding away everything around the damage (and at least a tube diameter beyond) is necessary. I'll happily do it, but you could save a few bucks by doing it yourself if you want. I know it hurts to take sandpaper to your bike, but it's got to be done. Maybe it's even for the best to do it yourself, like in a western when the lone ranger's gotta shoot your own horse, to be merciful.

I'm an aerospace engineer with some mechanical background and a modest athletic history, so I know about lightweight, high performance structures, and I probably understand you as an athlete a little bit, too. All the work will be done by me personally, except maybe with a kid hired to help out with the sanding. We can discuss the job as much as you like, or you can just drop the bike off at Vecchio's and come back when it's all better, you pick.

It won't be pretty afterwards. Well actually I think it will be, but but I'm an engineer and I think engineering IS art. It won't look new. It will be as nice as I can make it of course, but I'm not interested in painting or cosmetics generally.

Lastly there are legal implications. People have discouraged me from doing this because "what if it breaks?" Well, I don't think it will break but you could have some hidden damage elsewhere that we don't find. There will be inspections and test rides and load tests to ensure things are done right and the bike is sound, but you'll have to sign something anyway, the essence of which is that I'll guarantee the work but the risk is yours and the remedy is just your money back.