On May 21, 12:03 pm, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery <thill....@gmail.com> wrote:
> Anyway, I agree that some people who own race bikes and related kit are > probably stimulated by that aspect of cycling. BUT, how many of them went > that direction because of peer pressure or because they didn't know of > other options? I don't think there are any shortcuts to finding the stuff that "works" for us, as individuals. It takes a lot of trial and error and a willingness to try new things and think outside of the box before we find the stuff that really sings. Lack of options is certainly a problem - I suspect that for some of us, most bike shops are mostly irrelevant. But for others just getting into cycling, it's a perfectly adequate place to start. Peer pressure is an issue too, no doubt. But "knowing" that there are other options and learning that what works for Joe may not work for Jim only comes with experience and at some point we take control of our decisions about what to ride. it's not a coincidence that many older, experienced riders (racers included) have some of the smarter (IMO), more personalized bikes around. same with bike mechanics, who tend to have lots of experience with different bikes/components. there's no real substitute for experience, passion and critical thinking - but how many people are willing to go that far in their decision making process, especially with something that only amounts to a peripheral hobby? a lot of people simply don't care that much and are happy (or content, at least) with that big brand hybrid or whatever. they're certainly not debating low-trail, frame flex, tire clearance, etc. the fact that you "discovered" an Atlantis says more about you and your approach to exploring something you enjoy doing than anything else. most folks on this list probably don't just "scratch the surface" of things they really like doing. that's a unique trait and the mass-market is never going favor it - it much prefers hobbyist contentment. Anyway, this subject is interesting to me because i'm going through the "learning" process now with running - i look at running shoes in an entirely different way now that i'm developing some clear preferences from my running experience and I'm finding options that i simply never knew about or even considered before. There are many parallels to cycling. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
