Freedom

The real truth lies here.

Modern society is pretty much fucked. The world is made up of vacuous, self-centered morons brainwashed by the internet and mainstream media, who in turn are no more than puppets of .ooo1% of the population who own 99% of the wealth and pull the strings of every major government, bank, business and institution. 1984 is a reality, we just don’t realise and acknowledge it, because if it was made that obvious then we might just say “wait a minute, they’re fucking us!” We are made to believe we have freedom, whereas, in reality, all we actually have is the illusion of freedom.

Cycling may be the only real freedom we have, and even that is surreptitiously controlled for us, and is controlling us. We are told we need the latest carbon frame that looks like dog shit and rides not much better, while a 30 year old steel bike does exactly the same job, which is: to move us across the earth and put a smile on our face, yet we are convinced that we won’t be happy unless our new standard bottom brackets constantly creak and need fortnightly servicing. Mountain bikers are now being cajoled into believing that an extra 6mm of width on a rear hub will change our lives. It’s enough to make me go back to a hardtail. With a longer fork, slacker angles, wider bars, shorter stays, bigger wheels, fatter tyres, less gears, naturally.

Of course, advancements in technology do make a difference to our rides, especially for mountain biking. Road, I’m not as convinced. My Bosomworth, while heavier, with less gears and slower shifting than my Jaegher, is still a great bike to ride and would no doubt make me stronger if it was my only ride. Suspension and dropper posts for the MTB are pretty much essential and improve the experience, but if I lost the rear shock I’m sure I’d still be able to ride most of the terrain I do now, maybe with a bit more discomfort and a little less control, but wouldn’t that put the emphasis back on me to sharpen my skills and pick my lines a little more carefully? Thinking? No, we can’t have that.

Same can be said with the choices we think we make in our everyday lives: we aren’t making them, they are made for us. We don’t need all that shit they are selling us. We have the freedom to think for ourselves and make our own minds up, yet still just go along with the status quo, what the tv tells us to buy, what the corporations tell us to consume, what the 000.1% want us to do. Be good little happy consumers and shut the fuck up. Or go ride your bike, any bike, and use the time to think about what’s real and what we’re told is real. Don’t be afraid, set yourself free. It’s the only truth we can really believe.

Now head over to The Gear page and buy some shit.

Brett

Don't blame me

Next Guest Article: Anatomy of a Photo - The Look »

Previous « Dress Like An Onion: The Art of Layering

View Comments

Teocalli says:

Nov 13 2015 at 10:43 am

@wiscot

Kicking in early I think. I hope it’s not gonna be a long winter . . .

Cripes Biggles we could be in a dashed pickle here if the weather turns. We could be in for a beastly long Winter of dastardly skulduggery.
universo says:

Nov 13 2015 at 10:43 am

@wiscot

Biblical and coincidentally I carried today a Bible given to me in 1967. Politics don't work here or most anywhere else.
universo says:

Nov 13 2015 at 10:51 am

An easier note, here is some research on handmade tyres from Italy. Challenge 00518 Strada Bianca Gravel Open Tubulars Black/Black*** 30mm 355g 700; Challenge 00525 Almanzo Gravel Open Tubulars Black/Black*** 33mm 385g 700; Challenge 01938 Gravel Grinder RACE Black/Black*** 38mm 375g 70.

Useful review from Guitar Ted at ridinggravel
chuckp says:

Nov 13 2015 at 11:29 am

@wiscot

Clearly what we have going on here (at least for us in the northern hemisphere) is the evidence of stress caused by the impending winter. It is manifesting itself in some of the worst, rudest and most belligerent posts I’ve ever seen. Sure, we take a lot of stuff lightly and seriously here, but if you want to be an asshole, go and post on cyclingnews or some other site. We are all getting a bit nuts as we realize that opportunities to ride are going to get fewer and those we do get will require more Rule #5 than we can muster right now. So everyone take a deep breath and remember, please don’t post anything that you wouldn’t say to someone’s face. Even if it means putting some sort of coda that you are joking/kidding/being sarcastic. Thanks.

WTF?
JCM says:

Nov 13 2015 at 12:06 pm

Machineries of Joy, you grumpy bastards!
Ccos says:

Nov 13 2015 at 5:50 pm

@senharv

@Oli

I was always thought that people who use bad language are really only hiding a lack of education, vocabulary, imagination, manners and any semblance of self respect. I think you have just proven my point.

I can curse with the best of them, but lets try,at least try, to maintain some form of decorum , shall we.

Now there’s a lot of words for “you all” to lookup.

Well the opposite is certainly not true: Bill Cosby never swore in his act (at least the one on stage) and lord knows he has been hiding some things and it isn't anything you've mentioned.

I don't know about others here but there are a list of words I would very much like to use in my professional life, but certainly decorum warrants otherwise. Fucktard, though stands a solid #2 on my list. I walk around all day saying things like loop of Henle.
Chipomarc says:

Nov 13 2015 at 6:11 pm

I did something like 5 or 6 years as a phone agent in a tech support call center. You get really good with the mute button when on a call with the typical upset customer.
Ccos says:

Nov 13 2015 at 6:14 pm

@senharv

And by far y'all is one of the best contractions there are. It's the only pleural with it's own pleural.

Observe, there is "y'all" and "all y'all" as in "all y'all need need to shut up."
pistard says:

Nov 13 2015 at 9:13 pm

Watching y'all justify your casual use of a term demeaning to persons with disabilities is just embarrassing. Are all y'all good with racial slurs too? Shall we expect a return to sexist and homophobic taunts? This kind of frat-boy fuckwittery only makes the community smaller and sadder.
Teocalli says:

Nov 14 2015 at 3:00 am

@pistard

Watching y’all justify your casual use of a term demeaning to persons with disabilities is just embarrassing. Are all y’all good with racial slurs too? Shall we expect a return to sexist and homophobic taunts? This kind of frat-boy fuckwittery only makes the community smaller and sadder.

That's two threads off the rails in as many weeks. Come on folks.