Well Christmas is over and New Years is looming. Moving my new shop is on the horizon and snow is in the air. The normal winter slow down does not feel as slow as it should. I have over due repairs and parts thats are long long overdue. It has been a crazy time of year.

So here is the dirt on the move, still waiting. My goal is to move sometime between now and February 1st. I can't wait to move because my productivity is really starting to get affected and my shop is a mess right now. These are two things that drive me crazy.

I am also up to my editorial arm pits getting my next newsletter ready. I hope to make it the most interesting yet. I will give you a special sneak preview.

If you are waiting for a repair, it will probably be leaving today or Friday. Then I should be all caught up. If you need to drop a repair off you can drop it at The Alt, it will soon be Shockspitals new home.

I will be at the shop Wednesday off and on all day, Marlin will be there all day; so if you need to drop by someone will be there :)

As always just fill out the inquiry form if you need me.

Shockspital is out for the holidays!

“The attached photo tells most of the story on the latest Big Dummy adventure.  What is not shown because I was too busy pedaling in cold weather and balancing on ice and snowpack is that the day following the picture I loaded two pair of skis and my wife on the BD and we biked to the start of our favorite ski trail.” Northfield

“This is the best picture I could get of dude jackin bikes from Grant Park. I know that if all you bloggers put it out there someone will recognize this dude. Mark can you put this on bikelove? That is beyond my skill level. Lets get’em'!!—Zito”

Check it out!

Time Left 13d 3h 53m

Online Close Dec. 25, 2008 9:00 PM EST

Leading Bid $750.00

At Grant Park, the condo building I work at, there has been a rash of bike thefts from the parking ramp. The details I have right now are:

1. 2005 Gary Fischer, Zebrano, black and silver. serial #SCA4DN056.Bought at Copeland Sports in Las Vegas
2. Trek 7200 20" Black and silver. Serial #ITK4D22023, bought at Penn Woodbury
3. two road bikes a Connondale and a Trek

(via Zito)

  If you wanna give me a hug or a punch in the nose I will be hangin out at Dee’s on the 27th at about 8:00pm. Check it!

  You might have read in the blog that Shockspital and the city do not see eye to eye. Neither does Shockspital and it’s neighbors.  My generally crappy demeanor and unpleasant disposition have finally done me the ultimate disservice. I have been spending most of my time sleepless; head in hand and crying a lot. But I am taking all the lemons given me and making Tagine of Chicken.

  Shockspital has a new home. We will be shacking up with the Alt.  I will be opening up shop in their building. We are not combining businesses but we will both be in one convenient location.  Its gonna be a giant bicycle love fest.

  The move won’t be without its share of pain. But in the end the results should be very worth it.

  The phone number and email will be the same but the new address will be:

Shockspital,  3013 Lyndale Avenue South, Suite B1, Minneapolis, MN 55408

  For the next few weeks it will be a little awkward. I will be doing repairs on various couches around the city but pick ups, drops offs and shipping will be handled at the Alt.

  So all my mail order business will be unchanged; other than some shipping delays because of my missing so much time behind the wrench while scouring the city for a new home. My local business will see a little awkwardness but should be totally normal before February 1st.

If you want to know more about Shockspital then sign up for our news letter!

  Also here is a recipe for Tagine of Chicken:

What you need

• two to four cloves of garlic, minced
• olive oil (or any oil) for pan-frying chicken and mixing marinade
• one or two chickens, cut into serving sized pieces; or similar amount of chicken breasts
• Spices:
  • quarter teaspoon black pepper
  • quarter teaspoon ground ginger
  • pinch of saffron
  • one teaspoon cumin (optional)
  • one teaspoon turmeric (optional)
  • one stick of cinnamon or a few pinches of ground cinnamon (optional)
  • one teaspoon coriander (optional)
• two onions, finely chopped
• two cups chicken broth or stock (or water)
• one cup green olives
• two preserved lemons, cut into slices (see below)
• salt, to taste

What you do

• Mix the garlic, some black pepper, and a spoonful of oil. Rub the chicken with the mixture and set aside for a few hours or overnight.
• Heat the oil in a large dutch oven (or tagine cooking pot, if you have one). Fry the chicken until all sides begin to brown. Add spices. (The black pepper, ginger, and saffron are most typical. If you have no saffron, consider one or two of the optional spices, which can be added according to you liking.) Add onions. Stir-fry over high heat for a few minutes.
• Add chicken broth, stock, or water. Bring to broil. Reduce heat. Cover, but leave a crack for steam to escape. Simmer over low heat for thirty minutes or more.
• Add olives and preserved lemons. Add salt and adjust seasoning. Continue to simmer. Remove chicken and set aside. If necessary, bring sauce to boil, stirring continuously, until thickened.
• Serve chicken, covered with sauce, over Couscous or Rice. Have Green Tea with Mint with or after the meal.

  You might have read in the blog that Shockspital and the city do not see eye to eye. Neither does Shockspital and it’s neighbors.  My generally crappy demeanor and unpleasant disposition have finally done me the ultimate disservice. I have been spending most of my time sleepless; head in hand and crying a lot. But I am taking all the lemons given me and making Tagine of Chicken.

  Shockspital has a new home. We will be shacking up with the Alt.  I will be opening up shop in their building. We are not combining businesses but we will both be in one convenient location.  Its gonna be a giant bicycle love fest.

  The move won’t be without its share of pain. But in the end the results should be very worth it.

  The phone number and email will be the same but the new address will be:

Shocspital,  3013 Lyndale Avenue South, Suite B1, Minneapolis, MN 55408

  For the next few weeks it will be a little awkward. I will be doing repairs on various couches around the city but pick ups, drops offs and shipping will be handled at the Alt.

  So all my mail order business will be unchanged; other than some shipping delays because of my missing so much time behind the wrench while scouring the city for a new home. My local business will see a little awkwardness but should be totally normal before February 1st.

If you want to know more about Shockspital then sign up for our news letter!

  Well, the powers that be have spoken and Shockspital has to move.  So I will spend most of Wednesday and Friday looking at new shops and Thursday will be spent decimating a Turkey.

  Sooo if I owe you something before then and you think I forgot, send me an email. brose@shockspital.com  . If you will need me before then you can do the same and we can schedule you in.

  In the meantime think of all the things you are thankful for and get ready for turkey or tofurkey in some cases.

I got this in an email today.

“I recently received a call from a man named Mark who is the GM over at D’Amico Catering in Minneapolis. He used to work at the Edina D’Amico and over the years, delivered 100’s of boxed lunches to QBP. On September 17th, 2008, Rodney Scroggins, (who has worked for them for 19 years and has always biked to and from work), was hit by a car (hit and run) and found lying in the road about an hour later, then brought to HCMC. He is still in the hospital and recovering from a dislocated shoulder, broken bones and other injuries.
Coworkers have organized a benefit to help with his recovery. All the proceeds will benefit his family.

Benefit:
When: Tuesday, November 18th 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Where: Metropolitan Ballroom
5418 Wayzata Blvd.
$25 in advance, $30 at the door.
For more information or donation: Call Ramanda at D’Amico and Partners: 612-374-1776
Fund:
TCF Bank
121 8th Street South in Minneapolis
Clyde/Bruce Scroggins
In care of Rodney Scroggins
Mark wanted some help spreading the word, I said I’d see what I could do. Please consider supporting, attending or telling your friends about this incredibly important event.
Thanks for your time. :)”

Good Morning!
I would like to take the opportunity to bring everyone's attention to the fact that today is Veteran's Day. It makes not difference if you agree with war, or who you vote for, today it is important to acknowledge and remember the everyday individual citizen who makes the choice to serve their country. There are millions and millions of people that live in America and a very, very tiny  percentage of the overall population choose to serve it, and an even smaller percentage have unfortunately given their lives for it.
As we all know and would agree this country has major problems, fortunately we now have hope, but overall we are incredibly blessed, I think it's also important to remember all of the positives that we have as a result of being an American, opportunities that we would never have if we lived in Afghanistan, Rwanda, Tibet.
So if you do know a vet or see one (one of those very proud men wearing a baseball cap that says veteran of...) please, please do not be shy and say thanks for your service, not just today but any day. It's easy to get caught up in our lives, but please remember that there are still soldiers, people just like you and me in Afghanistan and Iraq, that are missing out on the birth of their first child, their first year of college, their marriages, their careers, everything that we get to do every day they miss out on and have to put on hold for a year or longer. I may be in a different place now than I was when I joined the Army, but I am extremely proud of my service.
Take care everyone and have a really great day!

“Sarge”

  Screen captures are the only way I can steal photos from Emery’s flicker page now!

  I do not like the phone. It is hard for me to answer every phone call and get any work done here. There are just to many calls. That is why I tried very hard to set my shop up as a mainly online business.

  But I also want to be there to try and help each and every customer that seeks my service out. So I just spent 1.5 hours on the phone with Comcast to try and fix my broken voicemail box.

  But I must warn you, the best way to get a hold of me is still at info@shockspital.com  .

Election 2008 Voting Information

Today, November 4th, is Election Day! Remember to vote!IMPORTANT NOTE: In Minnesota, you can vote today even if you're not registered yet. See the websites below for details.

Where and when do I vote?

Find your polling place, voting times, and other important information by checking out these sites. Be doubly sure.

• Googlevote 
• MN State Gov in Minnesota.

What if something goes wrong?

• Not on the voter list? Make sure you're at the right polling place, then demand a provisional ballot.
• If you're voting on an electronic machine with a paper record, verify that the record is accurate.
• Need legal help? Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE.
• If you encounter a problem, try to videotape the situation and submit it to VideoTheVote.org

So I got this,

“Just a suggestion justa@suggestion.comWHAZZITABOUT? A general question or commentCOMMENTS:

I enlarged the "residential parking" picture but I still can't read

your hours of operation sign - could you post them perhaps?

I read them in person when I discovered that you were closed on

Saturdays, but I forgot since then. “

Saturdays by Appointment.  Sorry about the confusion; I will work on an update to the Web page. And appointment can be set up here.

Shockspital has been having a great year. Here is a glimpse of our sales over the last two years.

  These tasteful stickers measure almost 40mm in diameter. They feature the original logo and the phone number I actually answer!

  Available in both Desert and NATO color schemes, these stickers will go perfectly will fall riding.

  This is the hottest upgrade for 2008.  Treat yourself to something special and click the link :)

Check it out! The holidays are coming quick! Click the silly button I made!

  I got something really rare for my museum today! A super rare aftermarket Kooka fork brace for a Mag 21 and maybe a 21R.

I am a huge giant man. 9ft tall, 345lbs.

What’s going on in Shockspital?

• I will be out of town from October 16th to the 20th. I will be in LA for a wedding.
• I have been adding items to the Pharmacy.  With the year coming to an end I want to thin out the pile of stuff I have accumulated. Some really good deals should be popping up; like this.
• I am currently tangling horns with the City of Minneapolis over zoning. It is an ugly battle but I am foolishly optimistic as usual. SO don’t believe the hype and please, please do not park in the lot (the neighbors heads will explode).
• I was lucky enough to get my picture in Dirt Rag while out at SSWC08. Check it out in the gallery.

Woohooo!!!!  I might be tough to track down today. Cause its my birthday! If you have an emergency drop me an email, brose@shockspital.com or you can send a Txt message to 9522409158.

  This is a one of five proto-type stolen from the dock at One on One during daylight and business hours.  

Maybe you already heard, but here goes anyway.  I feel like a sucker.  I got a bike stolen.  My Salsa track bike got lifted off the dock at the shop here, during business hours.  Keep your eyes peeled.  Let you bike geek and gun nut friends know.  It'd be a shame to not get this one back, but thats how it goes sometimes.
Salsa Scandium track frame, Red/Black paint job
Unmarked carbon tubular wheelset w/ Deda tires
Campy record crank
Salsa bar/stem/seatpost
San Marco Aspide saddle
Time pedals
Desalvo steel fork    Mike Brauer

ALSO:  Here are photos of the same frame and fork.  There are only about 5 of these, serial number should read something with either SALSA or QBP in it which is also unique.  Blake Jensen

  I feel like I have put all my best nature into trying to make everyone happy. But even my cheery disposition isn't doing the trick.

The Problem:  The lot behind my shop belongs to the house on the corner.  The owners do not want anyone parking in their lot. They have gotten a lot of signs to make that clear.  They have even made it clear that they aren't even happy with any foot traffic across their lot. And their position is made very clear by the posture they have at times taken with my customers. 

   I have really tried to work with the situation and be Mr. Niceguy, if you know me you know this is a stretch.  It is their lot and they get to make the rules; that being said I am going no where and although I am flexible like the Birch my business is permanent like the Oak,

Currently: The Neighbors have been nice enough to call me and warn me they have called the tow truck. It seems to me that it would be easier to call me first so I can tell people to move but what do I know.

Solution: Watch yer ass. I can not protect you from the tow truck so please do not park behind my shop.  It is best to park on 34th street and walk around the corner.

In the spirit of full disclosure; I am smokin mad and pissed off as all get out. I am grittin my teeth and beyond consolation.  You are only hearing my side of the story and that is the only side I intend to tell. If you don't wanna see me blow my top; leave it alone.

Craig dropped into the Shockspital today. Nice guy with a good plan.

Hey, help a sister out. my friend Ellie got her bike stolen from her back porch this morning (August29, 314 13th Ave NE). its a blue bare knuckle with flat bars, brown deep v's, Paul hubs, Brooks saddle, and Thomson stem. if you see it or recover it let me know or call her. Ellie Gagner (612) 978-0508. thanks

Sorry to hit up everybody, but my wife and I just had our bikes stolen from 24th St. and 5th Ave S tonight.
This is a big bummer mostly because my wife finally had a bike that she was in love with and was commuting to work on.
You will be taken care if you lead us to our steeds.
Hers:
Surly 1x1
Black
14" Frame
Ritchey flat bar, stem and seat post
Avid BB7 disc brakes
Truvativ Stylo Gigapipe crank set
WTB saddle, Speed V
Front Wheel:
Hutchinson Python tire
XT hub
Mustang disc tubeless rim
Rear Wheel:
Continental tire
Surly hub
WTB rim
His:
Surly Karate Monkey
Black
16" Frame
DT Swiss 240 hubs
DT Swiss 7.1 rims
Cromoto stems
Motoace bell lap bars(wrapped in red tape)
Sachs Ergo Power 8 speed levers
Avid BB7 disc brakes
XTR 952 rear derailleur
XTR 970 from derailleur
XTR 900 crank set
2 chain rings
XTR 959 pedals
Selle Italia SLR white saddle
Thanks,
Johnny
(612)245-4095

Presupposed by Blogstyle at 11:09 PM

  Well, it is that time of the year. I will be heading to Napa Valley for the Single Speed World Championships of 2008.  My bike is ready, I haven’t test ridden it but this will be the first time that I am not finishing my bike in a hotel room the night before.

  I will be testing for the first time a new set of Code disc brakes, Hel Brake lines and a Maverick DUC 32. SO far so good; it handled the parking lot like a champ.

  I think my chances of winning are better than 50% because of 3 things;

1. I feel like a $100.00.
2. I have been training with the strategy of, “Start slow and taper off:.
3. I cheat.

I hope to see you out there. Shockspital will be closed Thursday Aug 20th till we re-open on Monday the 26th. I will try to check my email often. You can send an emergency text message to 9522409158.

  So I am at CRC doing a favor and closing the shop. A guy walks in in a full kit (plum smuggler) with a flat tire. He says someone told him that I could change it quick. Well of course I can, so I take his tube and the wheel and fix his flat. I pump it up and hand it to him.  He turns around and walks out the door saying “thanks” on his way out.

  No consideration to paying for my labor, no tip for being a nice guy; nothin but the brush off and an un sincere “thanks”. You know me, I love to help out but I am no chump. 

  So I jump ship in Hong Kong and make my way over to Tibet, and I get on as a looper at a course over in the Himalayas. A looper, you know, a caddy, a looper, a jock. So, I tell them I'm a pro jock, and who do you think they give me? The Dalai Lama, himself. Twelfth son of the Lama. The flowing robes, the grace, bald... striking. So, I'm on the first tee with him. I give him the driver. He hauls off and whacks one - big hitter, the Lama - long, into a ten-thousand foot crevasse, right at the base of this glacier. Do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga... gunga, gunga-galunga. So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.  Carl Spackler

Shops now get Net 30 terms, oooh.

"Flat Black 29er Frame and Fork; Gray Specter graphic painted on downtube

    Has a stainless coffin for the brake bridge and the seattube has a big stainless plate on the back where it's been cutout. There is not another one of these frames around, it's the only one...

Black King h-set

Hope brakes with goodridge lines, front caliper is black and rear is silver.

Hope Front hub on Salsa rim and salsa QR, surly hub on salsa rim in rear bolt on.

Race Face Deus SS Cranks blk, x type

silver shimano clipless pedals

Surly Torsion Bar on salsa cro moto stem

rouge lock on grips...

niterider light mount on bars.

knog taillight on seatpost

axiom saddlebag

trail a bike hitch on seatpost too...

PLEASE help me get my cherry back! 612-741-7468. or 311 to get connected to the police.

Thanks very much.

JB

Of note: The a**hole that did this also removed my daughters training wheels and took them also.. I just don't get that.."

I have worked on this bike a few times and can help identify it. If you have any questions give me a call at the shop 612-886-3834

And this gets answered!

1 (612) 886 3834

Matt Duffin, aka "Mr Hero" found the trike! Julie and I went and picked it up and then Mark B and I delivered it Hendrix' Birthday Party. The whole this was pretty sweet.

When you see Matt give him a big wet kiss.

  RAGBRAI is here!  The end of the day tomorrow is the end of me till the 28th. Repairs can still be sent in, but they won’t be able to be repaired and sent back till I am back.

  In case of emergency you can send me an email or a text message and I will try to get back to you.

  There will not be anyone at Shockspital to let you in because the whole company(Shockspital) will be sailing across beautiful Iowa. Marlin and Cyril will be sewing  their youthful wild bicycle oats for the first time all over the Buckeye states countryside.

  So have a good week, and ride careful; cause I won’t be here to help till I get back.

This bike is very special to it’s owner and it would be awesome to get it back for him.

Here is a description:

” It was stolen from the stop sign on 34th and Pleasant Ave So. (Minneapolis) The bike is red, made by RETRIKE, has a small black pouch on the back seat and two plastic tubs were recently bolted to the back for carrying stuff. There is a hand brake on the left side and I believe it has 5 gears. Hendrix and I appreciate you sending out the picture to your cycling community. Trust me I look for it all the time when I'm out biking. Maybe just maybe someone will spot it. “

You can contact Katie at larkingurl@aol.com