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I want one
My story about the Preciray truing stand started when I got a Var catalog at the New York show in the early 70’s. I saw their sketch of that stand and really wanted one. My truing stand came from Cyclopedia and cost me $6.95. It worked fine (and still does) but I really wanted that fancy one. I started saving my money.
In 1974 I was traveling around England during my summer off from teaching high school and visited various framebuilders looking for a place to learn. During my travels I went to a retail shop in Harrogate that was connected to Ron Kitching a wholesale distributor that carried Var products. I asked the older gent in charge of sales if they could get one for me. He said yes but 1st he had some questions. Was I a bicycle shop owner? No, but I build quite a few wheels and the important question I had was how much does it cost because I brought my traveler’s cheques and I am ready to sign them over. But wait he wasn’t satisfied yet and his follow up question was I a president of a large cycling club? No again but in the school where I teach I am the sponsor of the school’s cycling club and help them with equipping their bikes. Still my answer wasn’t good enough and it became obvious that he was implying I, as a young American man, wasn’t spending my money wisely. He was guarding my pocketbook in my own best interests. I don’t remember much of the rest of our conversation except I kept saying I’ve got money and I want to spend it buying a Var Preciray truing stand and all he needs to do is give me the amount. That didn’t work and I finally gave up and left without the stand thinking I could get one somewhere else where they would only be concerned about their bottom line and not mine. It is still on my bucket list.
In the following years I’ve built hundreds of wheels on my Cyclopedia truing stand. I still do. It works well because I can catch just the most out of round spot. But I’ve never given up on my desire to have that Var stand. I didn’t want that well meaning shop manager to keep me from getting what I want. Want to negotiate?
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