I’m totally on board with what Justin White said. If I have two hours to tide I have two hours to ride. Riding uphill is riding. But I get it. Most of us define our rides by the decent trails. I’m reading stuff online about access to Sproat trails and it’s always referred to as Lord of the Squirrels because that is the descent. And the moaning and crying about how hard the climb up the Into The Mystic is, well epic. Don’t people feel any pride at riding an uphill well? But most of us define our rides by the descent trails we take.
To me the ebike thing is a continuation of rampant consumerism. Need that new bike with assist. Need that new bike with a half degree change here and there. Need that different wheel size. Oh my god nobody rides a bike that colour any more! If you look at road bikes, geometry is pretty much set in stone. Partly because of UCI rules and partly because over all that time it’s been figured out. Even frame materials are pretty sorted. So we see tube shapes and aero this nd that and integrated cockpit parts as so called ‘upgrades" but all a lot of it is, is a way to differentiate one product from another. Like a Buick with holes in the side of the fenders.
I’m trying to be the rider that replaces parts or bikes when they are done due to age and not because I want a purple one. I try and repair stuff first although some things just aren’t serviceable.
I try and look at trends and figure out if they might be a thing I like. Like gravel bikes. Where I live no. Not a lot of gravel bike appropriate roads and trails. At least my hardtail is probably a better tool here. Or bike packing. Jesus no. I went bike touring a bit when I was kid in the 70s. And once when I was in my 20s. Load up a bike and it’s no longer the spritely fun thing it was and it’s a chore. Like towing an airstream behind a Corvette. Ugh.
The not so subtle it’s more funner with a motor is insulting. Telling me that climbing is awful. To be avoided. Funner isn’t a word but pussy is.
Part of my dislike of the ebike thing is that I’m old and crotchety and resist change. Needing an assist admits I’m getting older and weaker. I see my 13 year old Labrador getting slower by the day. It’s a reflection of me as I’m 64 now and I can see the changes in my own abilities. Scary in a way. Perhaps my age has given me wisdom to see the folly of we gotta grow the sport, we gotta have more bike, we gotta have more fun, we wanna just eat desert. Maybe I’m just a grumpy asshole that being left behind by changes in my sport.
Aug. 25, 2022, 9:20 a.m. - Andy Eunson
I’m totally on board with what Justin White said. If I have two hours to tide I have two hours to ride. Riding uphill is riding. But I get it. Most of us define our rides by the decent trails. I’m reading stuff online about access to Sproat trails and it’s always referred to as Lord of the Squirrels because that is the descent. And the moaning and crying about how hard the climb up the Into The Mystic is, well epic. Don’t people feel any pride at riding an uphill well? But most of us define our rides by the descent trails we take. To me the ebike thing is a continuation of rampant consumerism. Need that new bike with assist. Need that new bike with a half degree change here and there. Need that different wheel size. Oh my god nobody rides a bike that colour any more! If you look at road bikes, geometry is pretty much set in stone. Partly because of UCI rules and partly because over all that time it’s been figured out. Even frame materials are pretty sorted. So we see tube shapes and aero this nd that and integrated cockpit parts as so called ‘upgrades" but all a lot of it is, is a way to differentiate one product from another. Like a Buick with holes in the side of the fenders. I’m trying to be the rider that replaces parts or bikes when they are done due to age and not because I want a purple one. I try and repair stuff first although some things just aren’t serviceable. I try and look at trends and figure out if they might be a thing I like. Like gravel bikes. Where I live no. Not a lot of gravel bike appropriate roads and trails. At least my hardtail is probably a better tool here. Or bike packing. Jesus no. I went bike touring a bit when I was kid in the 70s. And once when I was in my 20s. Load up a bike and it’s no longer the spritely fun thing it was and it’s a chore. Like towing an airstream behind a Corvette. Ugh. The not so subtle it’s more funner with a motor is insulting. Telling me that climbing is awful. To be avoided. Funner isn’t a word but pussy is. Part of my dislike of the ebike thing is that I’m old and crotchety and resist change. Needing an assist admits I’m getting older and weaker. I see my 13 year old Labrador getting slower by the day. It’s a reflection of me as I’m 64 now and I can see the changes in my own abilities. Scary in a way. Perhaps my age has given me wisdom to see the folly of we gotta grow the sport, we gotta have more bike, we gotta have more fun, we wanna just eat desert. Maybe I’m just a grumpy asshole that being left behind by changes in my sport.