The past few days it seems that the cyclewebs (what I am now calling bicycle related internet media) have exploded with hate. I’ve been receiving emails with links, facebook posts with links, links to links and what have you’s that probably also lead to links. What do they all have in common? A lot of people being pissed off about other people riding bikes.
First, DC went off with a rant about riding indoors, using crossfit and trying to get that extra edge. Which can be read here. While it is a good read and may motivate you to get out and ride, it may have the opposite effect on many other people, who in most circumstances would be trying to find some pedal spinning time.
Maybe it is the new year since my normal reaction would be, fuck yea, that is what I am talking about. If you have to watch your power meter to ride, then you are retarded. However, when I read this post it hit me differently. I thought that kind of sucks.
And again it may be my introspective nature of late, but when I received the email to a tech’s rant on MTBR, I was repulsed.
Again, naturally I understand the frustration. I understand the pain of beating one’s head against the wall of the public psyche. I get that sometimes you need to vent. But what repulsed me, was that it is this very attitude that keeps people away from cycling, out of bike shops and sitting in front of their tv’s watching bull shit.
If you ride your bike great. If you ride your bike to race, great. If you ride your bike to get to the post office, awesome. If you ride your bike to relieve the stress your cubical job gives you, even better. I honestly can’t think of a scenario when someone riding a bike would make me mad. Unless of course, you consider a mad scientist riding a bike out to kill baby seals. OK you got me, that last one would make me mad, but in all seriousness when is that going to happen.
I guess what hit me about these posts was how much it was like holding a mirror up to my own rants at times. And the realization that I don’t care what you ride, as long as your ride.
Yea, I think that is it.
Ride more. Drive less.
Out.
I liked this post!