I had been noticing that the gears on my bike were slipping pretty uncontrollably (nothing between 4 and 7 would really grab, which is where I spend most of my riding time). I thought maybe the derailleur just needed to be tightened, and I was going to ask a co-worker. I happened to be in the Beaches on Sunday, and started heading home, when I saw this bike oasis. (It's kind of hard to miss.)
While I didn't really want to leave my bike overnight, I decided it couldn't hurt that much to go talk to them about the problem, and then perhaps leave the bike with them, especially as I could take the streetcar home (and then back to pick it up, presumably on Tuesday).
They showed me that the real problem was the chain, which had been quite stretched over the past year. (I vaguely recall that my main bike shop, The Broom Wagon on Danforth said that it should be replaced in the spring.) While I could probably manage replacing the chain myself, there is no way I could put on a new carriage, since that was somewhat damaged from the loose chain. They said they could have it done in an hour, which I thought was pretty amazing. While I do like The Broom Wagon, they get pretty busy, especially in the spring, and it usually take 2-3 days for them to finish repairs.
I had some time to kill, so I went down Queen and grabbed a bite to eat, then headed to the lake. I watched the beach volleyball for a while and walked on the boardwalk. I don't think I've done this in a couple of years. I made it back to Velotique, and they had finished the repair in 45 minutes! So I am very impressed. I would certainly go back if I needed anything bike-related and I was in the neighbourhood.
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