My number one exercise & outdoor activity is bicycling, not on an upright, but on my Doublevision…read moretandem recumbent. Since acquiring it in 2000 from Tandems Ltd with the intention that my daughter would be stoker (my son could pedal his upright) on a West Coast, Victoria-Tijuana bike tour odyssey. Unfortunately, that event got cancelled though I still owned a rather dear bicycle, which saw constant use by me over the following 15 years, including a most challenging bike tour between El PasoTX-USA & HoustonTX-USA, Summer, 2011. On 25APR2015, I pedaled a day tour to Casa de Adobe, North Juarez, Mexico; after passing Boundary Marker 1 and ascending a small gravel incline, I fell. No injury to me, but the impact broke the front lever on my Magura Hydraulic brake and kinked the handlebar. Fortunately, I was able to return to the USA though my right-turning ability was seriously difficult.
Naturally, I went to Lone Star Welding/CEO Jerry for his recommendation about how to bend another handlebar; he referred me on, and finally John (Area Iron & Steel) put me onto Westside Welding.
A quick phone call there gave me Mario, who expressed interest as they (Westside Welding) had never had such a request as mine. To say the least, I motored to the site and met Ramon prior to my workday. Leaving the new 'bar, I promised a lunchtime return to see how the bend went. Sadly, he had been too busy with other work to even look at mine when I returned, but he took a few minutes to expertly make the correct bend in both sides of the 'bar. Even CEO Mike took a few minutes to add his expertise; I was delighted!
Tragically, the installed 'bar did not permit me to do much more than fall over--the original cause of all this problem. Undeterred, I returned the next lay lunch, where Mario was able to use a chopsaw to cut the extraneous 'bar length.
How gratifying it was to pedal quite a ways once I had re-installed the doubly-modified bar. It was A-OK!
I am extremely grateful to the exceptionally fine Hidden Gem of the World, Crossroads of North America (anchored by El Paso, Las CruceNM & Cd. JuarezMX) I call home. The businesses here are creative, resourceful and willing to try something new/different; Westside Welding is a great example of that entrepreneurship AND it is local! Highly recommended, one of the best around!