Pigeonholed in Bicycle Philosophy

[Brother Bunny]

Dear RBW Owners Bunch, 

This is my first post here, so hello! I have been struggling with my own perception of my interests in bicycles lately, and I thought you might be able to help me parse out my thoughts and ease my feelings. 

In the past year, my seemingly unattainable fascination with bicycles quickly solidified into a more practical part of my life than I could have imagined. It began as I vowed to stop driving and speculated some updates to my first bike, which was an old mountain bike I received from a friend five years ago. I gave up on the updates when someone at the local bike co-op said the changes wouldn't be worthwhile, and I internalized it. A few months later, I took the plunge and bought my first big kid bike: a new-to-me Velo Orange Polyvalent. During the summer, I embarked on a thirty-day-long tour across Montana, where I met brilliant people, saw a new part of the world, and shook down my new bike. Soon afterward, I departed for a research project to measure the impacts of wildfires on trout and stream invertebrates, and I discovered the joys of bike fishing in my spare time. In the fall, I began to work as an advocate for alternative transportation at my university, but I was disappointed in the fact that I was the only student advocate who rode a bicycle. Then, I gave my old bike, complete with alternative handlebars and a basket, to my best friend, and it is so joyful to hear stories of their adventures. Most recently, I read Grant's book Just Ride, which clarified my understanding of his ideas, and I began to volunteer as a mechanic at my local bike co-op. I have been struggling to fulfill my desire to tinker with my own bikes, so it is awesome to put my time toward my community and help others fall in love with bicycles in the process. 

All this to say, I stumbled across Rivendell during my search for alternative handlebars, and I was quickly drawn into the standards of optimism, utility, and beauty that you, or we (please interject if I missense the collective attitude), embrace in bicycles and the world. However, there are a couple of issues I have been struggling with lately.   

My first concern has to do with my own consumer habits, which I often excuse as curiosity. My journey into more “serious" cycling has involved a number of significant purchases. I don’t see an end in sight because there are so many neat things to try. Albatross and Towel Rack bars have been calling my name lately (I can’t decide which one to try because their suggested stem lengths are inversely proportionate). Don’t get me started on all of the bags and tires, bits and bobs. Will it ever end?

The other issue is less immediate, at least in a physical sense. I’m relatively young. I just turned 20. If I lean into the unracer's mindset now, will I miss out on something? Did I skip my formative bicycle experiences and arrive at the ultimate form decades too early? Will I watch my athleticism and socially demanded competitive spirit slip away?

Anyway, enough about me. What do you think?

Sincerely,

Brother “the Instagram algorithm made me fall in love with bikes” Bunny

[Patrick Moore]

Welcome. If I were you at your age, I'd simply ride everything that took my fancy and learn what I liked and didn't like. 20 is far too early to start worrying about categories.

I'd include Grant's strictures in this advice: yes, try his designs, but also try things he doesn't like, and make your own judgment.

You neglected to post the statutory photos of your bikes; please remedy this omission.

I learned what I like by building all sorts of bikes and heavily modifying others and finding that I didn't really like them, so that by a very lengthy and very expensive process of elimination I finally found what I do like. But you can learn by doing without spending as much as I did.

You neglected to post the statutory photos of your bikes; please remedy this omission.

Oh, and please give us your name. Replying to a man with the name "bunny" is just not dignified.

Patrick Moore, old and peevish, in ABQ, NM.

[Michael Baquerizo]

i came to know rbw probably 5 years later than you (in age) and now 36 i don't feel i've missed anything. 

if you ever do, just do it. liking one bike shouldnt stop you from appreciating another. same with their packaged philosophies. 

[peec...@yahoo.com]

Yer fine.  Just ride.  It does sound like you're learning the impact a bike and it's rider can make on their community.

[ascpgh]

Anything that promotes your personal ascent (or descent per some) into cycling is good. That you have found RIvendell, read the literature, seen product and found this forum implies some inclination in this direction. 

When I returned to road riding in my 20s after a few years hiatus that included my entry into mountain biking, my motivation was to see more miles of my Ozark Mountain region than my trail rides afforded. Most others on these rides were racer-types seeing these as very adventuresome, but were more like training rides to which Eddy Merckx would subject himself, just add more topography than all of Belgium has. I did abide with his cobbler wrapped in a linen from his mother's kitchen in his jersey pocket as lunch but the full kit racers' influence put a decline on the potential of my experiences on those rides. I was a realist about my physical limitations and the miles it would take to reach par, if ever, with those folks so I branched out and away. I rode dirt roads in the mountains and forests on my road bike and found it aligned with my desires, the only comparison/competition being with myself. Those folks would never go on the rides I liked. That's the for fun part, I've also been a full time bike commuter for 16 years because of the simplicity, efficiency and mental release the riding offers me before and after work. 

Someone once said that when grouped women compare, men compete. I don't like to promote gender based distinctions that differentiate but there is a type who make every distant sign, mountain summit or twisting descent into a race opportunity and my own non-scientific data collection results do have a gender differentiation. Ride with mixed groups of folks, it's always better for all. Who asks how much your bike weighs? 

You aren't going to miss out on anything any more than you would by deciding to buy a technology item like a phone or laptop (I know, "what's that?") which instantly leaves you at the station as the train of progress moves away from you. The pursuit of the newest cycling things is distinct from how you appreciate riding a bicycle. It is very personal and you will become quite astute at seeing the potential for various products and how they may be applicable for advancing your experiences. The greatest potential reward you have before you is the possibility that cycling will remain consistent and continuous in your life. Others like me will recount lapses and the difficulties of "coming back" to riding with limitations and difficulties alliterated.

The more you ride what you enjoy, the more specific your preferences of how and what you ride will become. They may differ from those of others but you will both recognize the differences and respect that they came to be from the unique paths those others have had. 

The conclusions that I have found and my riding objectives shaped the bike I had made for me and those objective needs. I took 20 years of almost there, but have it nailed now. Worth every penny I saved and minute I rode to assure myself of what I like (and don't) not veering off on each new expensive tangent. I let my preferences tell me what wouldn't improve my cycling experience but included technology I know and prefer, excluded much as expensive distractions to me and my riding. I continue to admire the Patagonia founder, Yvon Chouinard's line about the objective in outdoor pursuits being to traverse the wilderness with as little as possible. You can buy a 4 pound frame that ends up 37 pounds built if you went for every widget and innovation of space age materials and light weight yet somehow in old fashioned steel and realistic counsel with my builder I gota wonderful bike that, in my absolute most favored measurement, doesn't limit my riding. I don't even know how much it weighs with the bag on or a water bottle filled, I need both when I go out so what's it matter?

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh

[J. W.]

Lovely post Andy. You wrote:

The conclusions that I have found and my riding objectives shaped the bike I had made for me and those objective needs. I took 20 years of almost there, but have it nailed now.

I am new here so I haven't seen it if you've posted it before--can you post a picture of this bike? Thanks! Jon in Montreal

[Jim M.]

Racing is not a bad thing, and there are plenty of arguments for the benefits of athletic competition.  What I think is unfortunate is how competition focused the bike industry has become, which really addresses only a small part of the bicycling world. For those of us old enough to remember Bikecentennial, the industry back then pushed touring, at least for a short time.  

Grant was a good amateur racer and won, IIRC, the Mt Diablo hill climb at least once. Long time RBW'er Mark -- greatly responsible for the Legolas and Roadeo -- was a national cyclocross champ. At Bridgestone, Grant helped design the RB1 and MB1. The RB1 was a budget racer that could compete with the Italian bikes, and the MB1 was one of the best early NORBA racers.  Racing experience certainly shaped Grant's current approach, even if he has moved away from competition.

I raced bikes, but as I got older, having my stem slammed all the way down became uncomfortable. Fortunately I talked with Grant around that time, and he got me to raise bars and widen tires. 

If you want to try bike racing, go for it. It doesn't have to be one or the other, though if you want to be competitive a lot of your riding becomes "training", especially during the season. If you don't know whether you're drawn to competition, you probably aren't, I'd guess. If you are drawn to compete, it could be a different sport, and you could continue to "just ride" the RBW way.

jim m

walnut creek, ca

[dougP]

You're giving this a lot of thought, maybe a tad too much, but that's for you to consider.  Congratulations on your tour.  You've found how easy & interesting it can be to meet people while on a bicycle.  People are always interested in your trip & willing to give advice on local conditions. 

The consumer habits you mention are a problem we all deal with.  So much neat stuff out there to try, yet we only use a fraction of what we collect.  One of the best things about this forum is the ability to buy & sell things.  Most of this gear is rugged, well made, and will last for years.  So if you are thinking of trying a bag or rack just keep your eye on the list.  If you happen to buy something that doesn't work out or your needs change, there's a ready market.  Repurposing stuff is a win-win. 

At 20, I can understand the concern about missing out on something.  Some of the above posters mention riding competitively and transitioning to a more relaxed ride after doing the race thing.  You mention a "socially demanded competitive spirit."  I like that phrase.  It does describe why a lot of us have done things, then later wonder why.  Having a competitive spirit is not a bad thing, but it can be demanding.  Only you can sort it out. 

dougP

On Saturday, March 5, 2022 at 8:48:32 AM UTC-8 lkbr...@gmail.com wrote:

[Brother Bunny]

Here are a few photos of my dear bicycle in its various modes, along with the first fish I caught.

[Jason Fuller]

That's a sweet bike! Love the Poly. I can't imagine having found my way to this kind of "enlightened" bike so early in life - I use that term somewhat tongue in cheek because there are many correct answers to the right bike but this is pretty much where I ended up after 30 years of riding bikes, and it took me about 25 to get there! You can do just about anything on that bike and I wholeheartedly believe you should.  

I can tell you overthink your bikes just like I do. Scheming and shopping bike setups is another way bikes can be fun. I think the only source of regret you need to worry about is not riding the roads, trails, route etc that you want to ride. I'd try to do as much as possible on your bike, and make updates based on shortcomings you find through experience rather than through the internet. Bikes can be very expensive but it's important to remember that there is very little difference in enjoyment between riding a $500 bike and a $5000 bike, provided both are in good working order and fit you! 

[ascpgh]

An album of the thing happening: https://photos.app.goo.gl/PxJUkK7TtCQSdk2A7

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh

[RichS]

Andy, that's an enviable and enjoyable album. Johnny is really nice and his tucked away atelier is a steel art and craft happening. Not well documented but here is my thing in its final "happened" state. Riv content: it's what got me pigeonholed here:-)

Best,

Rich in ATL

[John Bokman]

Gorgeous Rich! What are those brakes if I may ask?

John 

Portland OR

[RichS]

Hi John,

Thank you very much. The Coast rando is a wonderful riding/handling bike. 

Brakes are DiaCompe 980s with Kool Stop pads. I admit to being seduced by the brake's classic design; enough that I have them another bike as well as a previously owned Atlantis. They don't have the stopping power of Pauls but for me they work as effectively as Shimano CX-70s.

Best,

Rich in ATL

[ascpgh]

Rich, that's a nice bike and color too! Reminds me of the "tusk" of the MB-0 I had long ago. 

Those Dia Compe brakes have that aesthetic of  Mafac (and Paul Neo Retro) cantilevers. I agree with your riding/handling impressions and of Johnny as well. My bike's finish in that color was chosen by my consorts to the Coast shop who saw and insisted on the "French Vanilla" upon seeing his recent NAHBS bike awaiting shipment. 

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh