Cloverleaf
Retro Guru
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I can see both views from @Takingabreak and @CassidyAce. One thing that's human nature is the attitude of 'it was forever that way and shall forever be thus', and then feel disgruntled when the world inevitably changes (I know, that's what I'm like!). We all get into things at a particular point in time, and unless we're very unique, find that the child like infectious enthusiasm disappears to be replaced by a more background level of enthusiasm, and therefore see things changing as detracting from that core love you discovered. It's not wrong, just an observation. I have many, many, hobbies, but the core one is riding bikes. I've been into them since the early nineties when I first got my Specialized Hardrock Mega with 20" wheels and went out riding it with my parents. Since then I've travelled the world with them, raced in over twenty countries and been involved with riding for and doing development for numerous companies. All gave great memories but nothing brings the sheer joy of bikes to me as just taking them and riding them in the Scottish hills. It's how I started and it's how I'll finish. But that bit of being outside is the absolute core; I'm outdoorsy and care not for the way I enjoy that, whether fell running (badly), sea kayaking (also badly) mountaineering (reasonably), climbing (averagely) or bikes (above average). Even when I was training for racing I just couldn't deal with the turbo trainer as I want to experience the real thing. If I can't ride, I'd rather do something else I can do, even if it's just throwing some weights around in the house. Conversely I don't mind the home training board for climbing but I think that's because it's still got movement. Cycling is a tool to see the world for me, and it's why I also dislike bike parks and the creep of manicuring with berms and rock/root removal under the auspices of 'trail maintenance' at my local spots. As a slightly related point, this core reason is why I don't like ebikes and electric (or even most modern) cars, they're just too 'easy' and remove that connection with what's going on around you in the name of quick reward.
As to the bikes point, they're mentally expensive and whilst harsh, I reckon there are a lot of companies who profiteered during the Covid boom and behaved like thieves just because they could. I'm not sure losing them will be a great loss. It became trendy, and any time that happens to a sport I wince because inevitably it brings people who don't care about things being sustainable in the long run, they just want the immediate dopamine hit. My last bike purchase was a Megatower which is what I ride all the time, despite having many others, and the reason I got it was because it was a) one of the few available and b) the one I could get closest to trade through friends. Of course many people can go out and drop £10k on a bike without much thought because there is still a lot of money sloshing about, but even with it being my main thing and earning what I would describe as good money, I still couldn't justify the prices being asked by many companies. That Megatower replaced a 6 year old NP Mega AM that had been absolutely hammered in numerous races and lots of other hard riding over about 10k km. And if that's me, how many other people are being priced out of things if they can not only not easily justify the cost but also not afford? Of course since then the demand has slowed and the number of used bikes at reasonable prices have increased but it's still elevated compared to pre-Covid. However, the great thing is that compared to all those nineties and noughties bikes the modern ones are not only far more capable but also way more reliable. The amount of stuff we would break as a family was crazy, and that was before I discovered DH at 12!
As to riding on the road, I hate it although I did enjoy the roads up here on the NC500 before it became 'famous', and during lockdown when there was bugger all traffic. As well as riding bikes I also enjoy driving fast cars, but even in a brightly coloured loud cars the number of road users who don't see you is frightening. I haven't ridden on the road since Covid and I doubt I will do any time soon either, there's just too much risk. I'll happily ride the steepest and most technical trails because I am in charge of my own destiny, I'm not one for putting my life in the hands of some melt in a Peugeot who is more interested in singing along to the latest tune or checking what their child's doing in the back seat.
As to the bikes point, they're mentally expensive and whilst harsh, I reckon there are a lot of companies who profiteered during the Covid boom and behaved like thieves just because they could. I'm not sure losing them will be a great loss. It became trendy, and any time that happens to a sport I wince because inevitably it brings people who don't care about things being sustainable in the long run, they just want the immediate dopamine hit. My last bike purchase was a Megatower which is what I ride all the time, despite having many others, and the reason I got it was because it was a) one of the few available and b) the one I could get closest to trade through friends. Of course many people can go out and drop £10k on a bike without much thought because there is still a lot of money sloshing about, but even with it being my main thing and earning what I would describe as good money, I still couldn't justify the prices being asked by many companies. That Megatower replaced a 6 year old NP Mega AM that had been absolutely hammered in numerous races and lots of other hard riding over about 10k km. And if that's me, how many other people are being priced out of things if they can not only not easily justify the cost but also not afford? Of course since then the demand has slowed and the number of used bikes at reasonable prices have increased but it's still elevated compared to pre-Covid. However, the great thing is that compared to all those nineties and noughties bikes the modern ones are not only far more capable but also way more reliable. The amount of stuff we would break as a family was crazy, and that was before I discovered DH at 12!
As to riding on the road, I hate it although I did enjoy the roads up here on the NC500 before it became 'famous', and during lockdown when there was bugger all traffic. As well as riding bikes I also enjoy driving fast cars, but even in a brightly coloured loud cars the number of road users who don't see you is frightening. I haven't ridden on the road since Covid and I doubt I will do any time soon either, there's just too much risk. I'll happily ride the steepest and most technical trails because I am in charge of my own destiny, I'm not one for putting my life in the hands of some melt in a Peugeot who is more interested in singing along to the latest tune or checking what their child's doing in the back seat.