I absolutely detest companies that use planned - well forced really - obsolescence as a means of profitability. It amounts to theft and it's shit for the environment. Sure some improvements make things better (easier?) but having fun on a bike really has nothing to do with whether you're riding the latest greatest bike. Maybe the problem is us getting sucked in by fancy marketing glitz.
As an aside there's the argument of "Well I earned all this money so I deserve to buy myself the fanciest and best thing!" vs the one that wealth usually comes at the expense of someone else who you'll never meet. I hate that bikes have moved from a fairly simple utilitarian object of transportation, freedom and fun to in some cases a badge of elitism meant to be worn with pride and signal to others how much better you are because you have the fanciest bike. Just think, you could buy a $10K bike or you could buy a $7-8K bike that pretty much in all circumstances is equally as good for your riding capabilities. Then you could use that left over $2-3K to buy 4 or 5 bikes for kids who don't have one to introduce them to the joy of riding on two wheels and possibly change their life. We're doing it wrong.
Edit - cleaned up that word salad of a last sentence to improve readability.
Aug. 25, 2021, 11:11 a.m. - Mark
I absolutely detest companies that use planned - well forced really - obsolescence as a means of profitability. It amounts to theft and it's shit for the environment. Sure some improvements make things better (easier?) but having fun on a bike really has nothing to do with whether you're riding the latest greatest bike. Maybe the problem is us getting sucked in by fancy marketing glitz. As an aside there's the argument of "Well I earned all this money so I deserve to buy myself the fanciest and best thing!" vs the one that wealth usually comes at the expense of someone else who you'll never meet. I hate that bikes have moved from a fairly simple utilitarian object of transportation, freedom and fun to in some cases a badge of elitism meant to be worn with pride and signal to others how much better you are because you have the fanciest bike. Just think, you could buy a $10K bike or you could buy a $7-8K bike that pretty much in all circumstances is equally as good for your riding capabilities. Then you could use that left over $2-3K to buy 4 or 5 bikes for kids who don't have one to introduce them to the joy of riding on two wheels and possibly change their life. We're doing it wrong. Edit - cleaned up that word salad of a last sentence to improve readability.