Wed 26 Mar 2008
I received what is my favoritest of all mtn. bike mags, Dirt Rag, today at the shop. I was quite excited to have it in my hands and be able to feel the joy of reading from its divine pages. Within its first pages is a tribute to the late Sheldon Brown, well written and right on. After Brown’s obituary, there is an article about touring in Portugal and then some reviews, all enjoyable and I read in their entirety. But I’m not writing this because I love Dirt Rag…
After reading the tribute to Brown, the next thing I noticed were the ads. Most of them claiming the same thing. “Our product will allow you to ride faster, jump bigger, play harder and have more fun. Without it, you shouldn’t be riding.” The ads for double boingers are the worst. We all know that we don’t want to ride with Bob or Jack and every company claims that their newest incarnation keeps them out of your next ride. Despite the fact that anyone with a brain in their head can tell you just by looking at it, that all they did was put a bandage on it and hope that you would buy one more.
I love to read the Rag because it isn’t any of those things. It is about the ride, about getting out and having fun, challenging yourself. Comparing the ads to the actual editorial content of the magazine leaves me shaking my head. What the hell are the companies thinking. It is obvious that those who read the rag aren’t buying their shit cause none of the articles are directed towards someone who is that stupid. I guess I shouldn’t complain too much, cause they pay for the majority of the magazine.
The part that really is irking me lately is all the suspension, carbon and gears that makes up the bicycle industry. The bicycle is such a beautiful, simple machine and we turn it into a toy that has to be different every year. To this end, marketing teams work around the clock to make sure the next idiot who is looking for a bike buys what they are selling.
Well, I don’t. I’ve been riding rigid and single for 14 months now and I don’t have any desire to go back. I’m actually thinking about downgrading to a simpler frame, maybe make it harder to ride. For me, mtn. biking is about the challenge, about scaring the shit out of yourself the first time you nail that nasty switchback into a small drop on the loosest trail you’ve ridden. I don’t want to have anything that will take away that feeling. I want to know that it was me that held on as gravity dragged me down the hill and not my suspension bobbing up and down and weaving me around rocks. I want to be in control.
Last Friday we had a clinic about suspension at the shop. It was right on and the information was useful for my staff, but the only thing I learned was that the most important thing suspension can do is be predictable. The only thing I could respond with was, “That’s why I ride rigid.”
I know I’m no better than any of these companies, I sell the shit by producing the dream and allowing people to cheat themselves out of living and riding simply. Sue me.
Peace. Love. and Revolution.
