I concur! Sent from my iPhone
> On Feb 11, 2022, at 5:12 PM, Doug H. <dhansford1...@gmail.com> wrote: > > It didn't take long for the attack on the OP and the defense of Grant. I > doubt Grant feels the need to be defended though. > Doug > >> On Friday, February 11, 2022 at 4:12:22 PM UTC-5 Joe Bernard wrote: >> I think what you described in your full-sus experience breaks down to "it >> didn't beat the crap outta me and that was more fun." The conventional >> wisdom from the "it's too much technology" crowd is it allows one to go too >> fast on trails, but I contend there's a strong argument for not going too >> fast but feeling safer and more comfortable. I used to to a lot of >> singletrack on rigid Bridgestones and getting knocked off the bike from a >> rock or root was not big fun for me. If I did it now I'd take the technology >> with me, then ride my Rivendell on pavement and smooth trails. >> >> Joe Bernard >> >>> On Friday, February 11, 2022 at 9:21:32 AM UTC-8 Jay Lonner wrote: >>> So upon further reflection I’m starting to realize that the act of riding >>> my bike can get so bound up with political and aesthetic considerations >>> that I forget to have fun. Most of my biking is utilitarian commuting and >>> grocery hauling, and sometimes that can get to be a drag. There are days >>> when the weather is crummy or I have a late meeting or I slept a little too >>> long and riding my bike seems more like a chore than anything else. What >>> was eye-opening for me riding this technological wonder of a machine was >>> that it was just pure fun, in a way that I haven’t experienced on a bike >>> for a long time. >>> >>> More than anything else I guess this is a wake-up call to myself that I can >>> get a little too hung up on having a “pure” experience at the expense of my >>> own enjoyment. I really have no interest in super technical off-road riding >>> with huge drops or otherwise extreme terrain. It was just really nice to go >>> on a ride in beautiful surroundings and let the bike soak up the bumps. I >>> wish there was an easy way to demo other bikes that come at this problem in >>> different ways (such as a Gus or the Jones and Black Mountain options >>> mentioned upthread), but for now I’m going to remain open to the >>> possibilities and try to remind myself that while I have a lot of respect >>> for Riv/Grant there’s really no right or wrong way to have fun on a bike. >>> >>> Jay Lonner >>> Bellingham, WA >>> >>> Sent from my Atari 400 >>> >>>>> On Feb 11, 2022, at 9:04 AM, Brady Smith <bradys...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>> I regularly ride my Riv-styled BMC monster cross with a Rapha brevet >>>> jersey and Rivendell MUSA pants. I like the look, the jersey is great, and >>>> sometimes the pants are a welcome break from the usual lycra, especially >>>> in moderate temperatures. >>> >>>> >>>> As for bikes, I too have been tempted by full-suspension mountain bikes, >>>> but in the end I decided that the BMC La Cabra was probably my best bet, >>>> and it's been great for the relatively mild singletrack available in the >>>> greater SLC area. Not having suspension forces me to ride more slowly and >>>> pick good lines, and the TRP Hylex disk brakes I have on it make speedy >>>> descents viable in a way they wouldn't be on a Gus. I have thought about >>>> adding a hardtail to the stable, but as I explained the idea to my wife, >>>> she said, "So you're proposing to spend $4k on a bike to avoid the 3 >>>> minutes you spend walking out of a 3 hour mountain bike ride?" It sounds >>>> kind of silly when you put it that way. >>>> >>>>>> On Friday, February 11, 2022 at 8:28:01 AM UTC-7 George Schick wrote: >>>>>> This is an interesting subject and there have been some good replies. >>>>>> Golf was mentioned. I recall when clubs with fiberglass then later >>>>>> carbon fiber shafts were introduced. They made a big difference in the >>>>>> game for someone with a slow, mild swing. Later, oversized drivers came >>>>>> along. They gave the skilled golfer a distinct advantage. Sobeit >>>>>> >>>>>> In the mid-70's "standard" wooden tennis rackets were supplanted with >>>>>> oversized net surfaces and aluminum shanks. That advancement clearly >>>>>> improved the game for many tennis buffs. >>>>>> >>>>>> But over the years there have been attempts to push things a bit too >>>>>> far. I remember when someone designed a tennis racket with soft, >>>>>> spaghetti-like material in the netting. This allowed the player to put >>>>>> "english" on the ball that made return volleys nearly impossible and it >>>>>> was hastily outlawed by various amateur and professional tennis >>>>>> associations. >>>>>> >>>>>> I used to do .22 rimfire silhouette shooting back in the 70's. Then >>>>>> some yahoo came along and invented a rifle with an electronic trigger >>>>>> wired to a laser sight that wouldn't allow the shooter to pull the >>>>>> trigger unless the rifle was absolutely dead-on the target. That >>>>>> device, too, was outlawed. It took the fun out of the sport and took >>>>>> competition down the drain. >>>>>> >>>>>> I could go on, but the point is...where does one cross the line between >>>>>> something that requires work and skill to develop an expertise versus >>>>>> just throwing money at an innovation that runs ragged over everyone >>>>>> else? So... back to the subject of bikes, especially off-road MTB. >>>>>> I've had people riding $7K CF fat tired 1x11 bikes blow past me on the >>>>>> trails like I was standing still. They wanted to pay that much for the >>>>>> extra edge and it's their prerogative to do so. But I'm afraid that I >>>>>> have to draw the line with these e-bikes. Posters on some blogs insist >>>>>> on referring to them as "mopeds" and for all intents and purposes, that >>>>>> is exactly what they are. Back when MTBing first became popular I >>>>>> remember reading lots of rants and complaints from hikers who felt >>>>>> endangered by riders barreling down a path at full tilt. But gradually >>>>>> private, pay-as-you-go MTB courses were developed and that pretty much >>>>>> separated the fully competitive riders from the hikers. Not so with >>>>>> e-bikes. During the past several years I've noticed a steady increase >>>>>> in those mechanized two-wheeled contraptions on trails...and it's >>>>>> gradually becoming a dangerous threat to regular cyclists. >>>>>> >>>>>> So, in the final analysis, advancement in technology is not necessarily >>>>>> a bad thing as long as it doesn't go to far, is kept in a proper >>>>>> environment, and doesn't interfere with others. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>> On Thursday, February 10, 2022 at 7:49:11 PM UTC-6 Jay Lonner wrote: >>>>>>> My wife and I are spending a week in northern AZ, which included a day >>>>>>> of mountain biking in Sedona. We rented fancy dual-suspension, carbon >>>>>>> fiber wonderbikes which are about as anti-Riv as you can get — and it >>>>>>> was a fantastic experience! I’ve never ridden such a beast before, and >>>>>>> was amazed at the terrain it could handle in the hands of a newcomer to >>>>>>> this style of riding. It’s the most fun I’ve had on a bike in years. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I had a Gus in my shopping cart when they were last on sale, but >>>>>>> ultimately didn’t go through with the purchase because I want to be >>>>>>> free to experiment with builds that depart from the Riv way of doing >>>>>>> things, such as IGHs and disc brakes. And now I’m doubly glad I held >>>>>>> off, because I am giving serious consideration to buying a fully modern >>>>>>> mountain bike. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> In retrospect I think I gave too much credence to the idea of >>>>>>> underbiking. There’s no way I could have handled this sort of terrain >>>>>>> on a Riv-style bike — I would have been walking it the entire time. And >>>>>>> while that may be the lowest common gear, as a former commenter here >>>>>>> liked to say, it wouldn’t have been nearly as fun. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> So I guess this is part confession and part query — who else mixes and >>>>>>> matches their Rivendells with the sort of modern ironmongery that would >>>>>>> give Grant & Co. conniptions? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Jay Lonner >>>>>>> Bellingham, WA (but temporarily in Sedona, AZ) >>>>> >>>> -- >>> >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >>>> email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. >>> >>>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/b751e0ab-663c-46be-a22f-fce6e4c14c43n%40googlegroups.com. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/6a11c010-f7e3-426d-a310-04d90bdaf6e9n%40googlegroups.com. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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