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.
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
@brett
That looks hawt, but I think you'll want to add some tires on there before putting it on the road.
(Kidding aside ... awesome.)
Dead on with the original text, too.
A microcosm of this sentiment - I noticed on the weekend that my carbon seatpost was cracked. Lucky it hadn't broken. I shopped around a bit and had several terminal heart attacks at the price.
While my bike was with my friendly local mech he mentioned he had a basic alloy seatpost which would fit, and add a tremendous 50g of weight to my bike. I can't feel any difference in the ride and it cost me £14.
But the most important thing is, instead of shopping around for a replacement part I was able to ride my bike again immediately. It's about riding the bike, not about...stuff.
Fantastic piece, Brett. Cheers.
I wonder sometimes if it's a recent development or whether it's always been the case - but humanity does seem to have decided that good ol' Descartes had it wrong after all. Never mind "I think, therefore I am"; the new adage must be "I consume, therefore I am".
It's been mentioned before in these hallowed halls, that the point can be illustrated by browsing the absolutely stunning bikes that are on offer on eBay and the like, often in mint condition (read: hardly ever used at all) and sometimes going for a fraction of the price they cost as new (2, 5, or even 30 years ago.) They were magnificent machines then, and one must marvel at the talent of marketing departments, who almost manage to convince us that they have somehow become inferior (or at least: less desirable) today.
Fuck, that MBK is cool.
Awesome Brett and.... Hardenthefuckup modern society!, and me too...'_'
@RobSandy
This. Absolutely. 50 grams, FFS. In all honesty, I'm convinced that I could make my personal bicyle-rider combo a full three kilograms lighter in a matter of weeks, if I wanted to. I'd know exactly where to start, and it wouldn't be a matter of buying MORE of anything. It would be a matter of consuming LESS. Less beer, wine, bacon, cheese and whatnot... Sigh.
The one argument that could be made, perhaps (and some probably will), is that a good carbon seat post might have added a slightly higher degree of flex or springiness - and hence, comfort - to your ride than alloy?
As for the final line in your post: Feckin' Spot-on, Bevan.
@cognition
And switching out the saddle too. Mind you, there's enough rubber on that sucker to make a whole bunch of tires.
Why do I never find stuff like that? Damn stingy buggers around here.
@Sparty
That is great!
@brett
That is an utterly badass machine. Tires are for pu$$ies. Enjoy your trip.