Just hit 500 complete builds and my back is telling me about it

I passed 500 full bike builds this week, been keeping a tally in a notebook since I started at the shop 4 years back. Counting all the cable routing, BB installs, and wheel truing, that's a lot of time bent over a stand. Didn't think much of it until a customer asked how many I'd done and I counted up. Any of you guys keep a build count and hit a number that surprised you?

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ryan_sanchez2mo ago

...and the thing is, 500 builds is probably when your body really starts keeping score. I'm not even at half that and my lower back already lets me know when I've spent too long hunched over a fork swap.

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jana5842mo ago

Buddy of mine hit his 250th build last month and woke up the next day with his left shoulder screaming like it was personally offended. Hope your back holds out better than his shoulder, @ryan_sanchez.

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