Above his work bench

Yesterday I dropped off my bicycle at The Bike Barn in Symonds Street for a service, and a couple of minor repairs. After work this afternoon, S drove me there so I could collect it. 

The mechanic was still working on it when I arrived, so I waited and watched while he did what he did. He'd already replaced to broken piece for holding the rear mudguard in place, and put on replacement brake pads for the rear wheel. Seeing what he was doing on the front wheel was confirmation that I am much better off paying someone to do all that stuff, and I'll just ride the bike.

While there I noticed the sign on the wall. And I remembered. When we first moved to Auckland after university in Dunedin, there was a bicycle shop in this same place. It was called The Penny Farthing Cycle Shop. I had no idea how long it had been there. I'm pretty sure there have been a number of incarnations (or reincarnations) since then. 

The mechanic saw me take this photo, and told me that when the company which owns the Bike Barn chain bought this building they stripped the walls, and emptied the store rooms in the level above. That was when this sign was found. The new boss wanted everything thrown away, and my mechanic claimed the sign for the wall above his work bench. 

The basics of a bicycle have not changed. There are still two wheels, pedals, a seat and handle bars. In a sense everything else is an extra. Very important extras, no doubt.