Pursuing his passion

Bobby Jones Dacanay can sell you a bicycle and later fix it for you, too

Who: Bobby Jones Dacanay Title: Salesperson and bicycle mechanic Job: Sells and repairs bicycles for Eki Cyclery

BOBBY JONES Dacanay has loved bicycles almost his whole life. From the time he was a child until now, they've been his passion, and now he's making a career out of selling and fixing them. His employers are Jayne and Jay Kim, owners of the venerable Eki Cyclery on Dillingham Boulevard in Kalihi, which was started in 1911 by Jayne's grandfather, Toichi Eki. Dacanay, 25, started working at the third-generation business as an intern when he was still in high school, and eventually was hired on full time. He is a graduate of nearby Farrington High School. He lives in Kalihi with Diane Gonzales, with whom he has a 17-month-old son.

Question: What's your work title?

Answer: Salesperson and mechanic, and all around, basically.

Q: How long have you been with Eki Cyclery?

A: Ive been with them for about six years, going on seven.

Q: And what were you doing just before that?

A: I was in school. So, like, I was working here part time during high school.

Q: So this is your first job, basically?

A: Yeah, first job, but I had other jobs, like selling newspapers, things like that.

Q: Which newspaper, do you remember?

A: Yeah, I think it was the Star-Bulletin.

Q: Good answer. So are you the only repair guy at Eki Cyclery?

A: There's me and my manager, and another guy that works on new bikes. He puts them together.

Q: Do you assemble the new bikes, too?

A: Yeah, I also do that. We basically do everything. We assemble bikes, we repair bikes, we also refurbish bikes, like putting old bikes together for the customer, although we don't paint them.

Q: Has there been much evolution of the technology since you started fixing bikes?

A: Pretty much every year the bicycle industry been changing, getting better and better. Like before, just had the cantilever brakes and the caliper brakes back then, but now it's like disc brakes, so the technology now is way much better than before.

Q: I know some bikes can cost thousands of dollars. Why would that be?

A: It comes down to basically where they were made. Like USA bikes are a little more expensive than bikes from overseas. But it's also the components, and the style of the frame and what it's made of.

Q: What are they made of?

A: Most bikes nowadays are made of aluminum, but the high-end bikes are made with aluminum and carbon fiber.

Q: What is the highest cost for a bike these days?

A: It can range into the thousands. Some bikes can reach $5,000, even $8,000. It all depends on what style frame and what components you go with -- plus the labor charge, 'cause if you go from the ground up, it's a custom bike, not something you pick up off the floor.

Q: What's the most common type of repair that you have to work on?

A: The most common is tune-ups.

Q: What does that involve?

A: That involves adjusting your front and rear derailleurs, adjusting your front and back brakes, aligning both wheels, and also checking over the whole bike, making sure it's safe.

Q: What's the hardest kind of repair that you have to do?

A: That's basically what most repairs that come in right now are about: tune-ups. There's harder ones you have to do, like overhauls.

Q: What involved with those?

A: Overhauls involve removing everything on the bike, like the bottom bracket, headset, both hubs, and also doing a tune-up.

Q: How many repairs do you do each day?

A: If the day is good, we usually pump out six to seven bikes, at least. It all depends on the day.

Q: What kind of brands does Eki Cyclery carry?

A: We carry Raleigh, Schwinn, EZ bikes, and then we carry Torker, the tricycle bikes -- trike bikes, we call it -- for older adults. And then Diamondback, and Felt bikes, and also Breezers.

Q: What kind of bicycle do you recommend for the average recreational rider?

A: A sports comfort bike, or what they call city riding. It's a style of the bike.

Q: What kind of style is that?

A: It's an upright-position style, so there's less strain on your back, your arms and your shoulder. They're real comfortable, whereas a mountain bike, you have to lean forward.

Q: Do you remember the first time you rode a bicycle?

A: Probably around when I was 4. I know I started young. Biking was one of my passions. I love bikes.

Q: Did you deliver the newspaper on your bicycle?

A: Yeah, I also delivered the paper on the bike.

Q: What was your neighborhood?

A: In Kalihi.

Q: Do you remember the first bicycle you ever owned?

A: I'm not too sure. I remember my first bike buying from this shop.

Q: What was it?

A: A Schwinn Sting BMX bike.

Q: Do you still own a bicycle?

A: Yeah. I ride it every day.

Q: What kind is it?

A: Right now I'm riding a Diamondback. But I put a Raleigh sticker on it.

Q: Why?

A: I wanted to be different.

Q: What king of bike is it?

A: It's called an urban-style bike.

Q: How did you get to be a bicycle repairman?

A: During school, we had a program for a class that you would just apply (for a job) anywhere, then work for free. So I worked here after school, then later I asked them if I could work full time, for real, to get paid, and they called me, and then I worked here in my senior year in high school.

Q: On staff?

A: Yeah.

Q: Are there any tips you could offer bicycle owners as far as keeping their bicycles running smoothly?

A: Just ride safely on the streets. Make sure you're very visible. And make sure you check over your bike. Make sure it's running smooth. Make sure your tires are inflated, and always use a helmet when you ride. That's one of the safest things you can do.

Q: They're not very cool, though, are they?

A: Right now there are brands that we carry, it's lighter and cooler, so it feels like a hat.

Q: And it looks cool?

A: Yeah, it looks cool, too.

Q: So you figure this is your career?

A: Pretty much right now. Probably later I'd like to own a shop like this.

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