six changes for a lemon
179 to Boon Lay. MRT to Choa Chu Kang. LRT to Bukit Panjang. 975 to Jalan Bahar. 172 to Nanyang Avenue. 199 to the bunk.
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All that to get one perfectly lousy ITM handlebar that looked like it had been screwed down too tight, jumped on, hacked, and then dragged along the road. Okay, so it doesn’t look that bad. But it sure was not worth all that trouble.
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A bit of filing, a couple dabs of kiwi, some steel wool, and hard, hard rubbing. It now looks slightly better. But I’m still not happy. I can just make out the printed words "ITM" and "Mantis". Strange how I cannot seem to find a single reference to an ITM Mantis ATB straight handlebar online.
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Component manufacturers do not make quality items like they used to anymore. Gone are the days when they used to polish and buff the bare metal to a high shine. Where everything was metal bushings and no-shit clearances and aesthetically perfect to a T. When shop floor workers put their heart and soul into every part they made. Every component was beautifully crafted, sculptured even.
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Today, they take the lazy way out and automate everything. All the stuff is anodised and plated. Gone are the mirror smooth surfaces. Everything from everyone looks exactly the same; everything looks cheap.
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I grieve at the loss of good craftsmanship; I grieve at the loss of pride in workmanship. This loss is ours to bear.
