Then he returned to computer components. This felt increasingly like the sweet spot. It resonated with his analytical mind, the world of benchmarks, clock speeds, thermal dynamics. He spent hours immersed in overclocking forums, GPU architecture databases, RAM timing guides. He learned about the 'silicon lottery,' the inherent randomness in manufacturing creating performance variations that enthusiasts paid huge premiums to overcome. His +1 power could theoretically eliminate that randomness, guaranteeing top-tier performance from mid-tier hardware. He pictured buying a batch of sought-after graphics cards, applying a +1 ('Stability/Efficiency'), rigorously testing each one to verify its enhanced overclocking headroom, then selling them online as 'Premium Binned' or 'Golden Samples' for a significant markup. "High value per item, check. Tech-savvy market understands performance metrics, check. Plausible deniability ('expert tuning', 'premium binning verification'), check. Relatively easy anonymous online sales, check." He started compiling lists of target components, specific GPU models known for variance, certain CPU generations, high-speed RAM kits. He used another +1 charge enhancing the old SSD from his junk pile (SSD. +1 Speed/Durability. Ping.) and saw a more noticeable improvement in boot times and file transfers on his aging laptop. "Data supports hypothesis," he typed into his coded notes file. "+1 demonstrably improves performance on solid-state storage. Next step: acquire target GPU/CPU for testing." This felt solid. Promising.
Amidst this deep dive, the bike side-hustle required attention, serving as both cash flow and a frustrating reminder of logistical challenges. Sourcing Bike 3 mid-Week 6 was an ordeal. He spent the better part of a Tuesday driving between three different suburbs, chasing ghosts. The first lead, advertised online as "carbon road bike, minor scratches, great deal," turned out, after a forty-minute drive, to be parked behind a dilapidated shed, its frame visibly cracked near the bottom bracket, components rusted solid. The seller just shrugged with indifference. The second lead involved a thirty-minute argument via text with a seller who suddenly decided the listed price was a "typo" and demanded $500 more. The third required navigating confusing residential streets only to find the seller wasn't home, despite confirming the meeting an hour earlier. "This," Theo fumed, stuck in traffic on the way back, empty-handed and hours wasted, "is not an efficient use of time. The transaction cost, just in finding the damn things, is getting ridiculous." He finally located and purchased Bike 3 the next day ($950 Giant), the relief he felt instantly overshadowed by the memory of the wasted effort. He listed it on the dedicated cycling forum under "PrecisionCycleWorks." Selling it, however, was comparatively painless. Gary, the middle-aged buyer, knew his stuff, appreciated the bike's (enhanced) condition, haggled fairly, and the $3900 bank transaction was clean. "Okay," Theo conceded, updating his mental notes after the sale. "Forums definitely beat the general marketplace cesspool. Higher quality interaction, less bullshit haggling. Stick to this channel."
It was Thursday evening of Week 6, while comparing thermal paste application methods online, that his phone pinged. Sarah.
Sarah: Hey Theo! Hope you're having a good week! Quick question, been looking at pedal options compatible with the TCR frame, any recommendations for maximizing power transfer? Also, just wanted to say again how much I LOVE this bike! Seriously feels like magic.
Theo smiled faintly. If only she knew. He typed his reply:
Theo: Hey Sarah. Glad you're loving the bike! For pedals, check out [Brand X] or [Brand Y] road models, good platform size & stiff for power transfer. Depends on your cleat system too.
Before he could set the phone down, another message arrived.
Sarah: Ugh, sorry to bug you! Just procrastinating from work. Stuck debugging ad tracking scripts again... 😴 Makes me wish I was out riding! Seriously considering a career change sometimes. Working at Meta is cool I guess, but optimizing ad revenue feels... empty? Dunno. I love coding, but I wish I could use my tech skills on something more... exciting? Something tangible maybe. Anyway, TMI probably! Haha.
Theo reread it slowly. Meta. Ad revenue. Skilled coder feeling unfulfilled. He filed the data points away. Her passion for cycling was obvious, a stark contrast to her description of her demanding tech job. "Interesting piece of info, might be useful for later," his ever scheming mind noted. "High-skill individual, potentially dissatisfied with current role... Note for future reference."
He replied briefly, professionally, before turning back to his research on graphics card binning procedures. Theo: Sounds intense! Hope the bike provides a good escape. Let me know if those pedals work out.
Week 7 rolled in, bringing with it the need to pay another week's rent and newly increased living expenses from the profits of Bike 3. The research continued its deep dive into computer components, Theo now sketching out testing protocols, researching secure shipping methods, looking into anonymous payment gateways. His kitchen counter sometimes resembled a makeshift electronics lab, littered with old parts, testing software running on his laptop, and notes filled with cryptic observations from his +1 experiments on SSDs and salvaged RAM sticks. "Results still variable on complex chips," he noted one evening, frowning at a benchmark score that hadn't improved as much as expected after enhancing an old CPU. "Need to understand how the +1 interacts with micro-architecture. Is it overall efficiency? Heat reduction? Clock stability? More controlled testing needed."
Midweek, Sarah messaged again.
Sarah: Hey Theo! Me again :) Hope the projects are going well! Had another amazing ride this morning, think I actually *enjoyed* climbing for once, haha! Question for the bike guru: any thoughts on ceramic bearings for bottom brackets? Worth the hype or just marketing?
He quickly typed a balanced answer about ceramic bearings offering marginal gains for a high cost. Then, predictably:
Sarah: Sorry, another random thought while debugging this awful legacy ad platform... still dreaming of doing something else! Ever think about applying tech *to* cycling more? Like data analysis for training, or even custom hardware? Seems like there's so much potential, and more importantly, way more fun compared to just optimizing ad revenue streams... Anyway! Random thought - would you ever be up for grabbing a quick coffee sometime? Could pick your brain more about bike tuning, always looking for pointers! My treat!