Everywhere, trumpets the "return of the bicycles'. Whatever the reasons - it is about saving the ozone layer, the scenario of black Peak Oil, demographic trends and baby boomers who want to get fit - recreational cycling as a practical and / or mode of transportation is here to stay. To the naked eye, we see: bike paths beyond a point where it is sometimes safer to drive off the tracks. The Bixis are proliferating, not just in our scale Montreal, but in several cities around the world, and their proliferation is faster than the supposed epidemic of bed bugs.
With this resurgence comes as the effects of fashion and ... dictates. When you're a neophyte, it's normal, is seeking advice. And we are told what needs to be. To make navetage, it takes an urban bike. For the road, a road bike. For off-track, mountain biking or cyclocross or whatever. That type of handlebar. That type of pedal, wedge, clip, lark! Lycra cycling shorts or not. Base layer of merino , nothing less.
Phew.
If my 2010 season I was well tucked something into his head, it is to ignore a lot of these dictates. Like what we always end up making a Antigone self, and go against the City, making his head as soon as it takes a little self-assurance. I mention here only two anecdotes to illustrate my point.
A bike shop in Montreal is well known to liquidate its merchandise for an upcoming move. I pass by after work and I see that in this sale are exactly what I was looking for when I'm almost to my departure for a trip touring. A shorts of the brand and size I want, a guy who is under another garment. Buy. Final Sale well understood. Once made at home, I can not wait to try it. And now I think it's a bizarre sit well in any kind of extra padded edges all sides, upstream and downstream. Something that the shorts. I look at the package and follows a burst of laughter sound good: it is a guys shorts! I am glad that this is a final sale and I can not sit back there because it removed all the roughness of the road under my popottin more effectively than the best seat, the best shorts for girls, the best tires . The bumps in the bumpy? Gone! We must be honest and say I will not redeem it if it were to do again, since we must admit that the shorts male does not accommodate too many feminine curves larger hips and buttocks, but the incident I once again shown that these dictates are sometimes quite ridiculous ...
Second anecdote: I just returned from a wonderful trip of 600 km warmer latitudes. And what was my astonishment to see the starting line nineteen cyclists not on road bikes but with all sorts of other bikes. Urban bike (where it runs almost in a sitting position), hybrids, non-performing '(as I brought the bike), a mountain bike, and even a folding bike! The majority of cyclists in this group were not in an aerodynamic position while we Yet drove at speed with nasty headwinds for half the journey. And yet it was a pure pleasure. I also saw that many others like me had considerably modified their bike. Change the seat, change the handlebars sometimes patented this or that bag back bracket installed head to tail, unusual positioning of the bottle holders, and so on. Half of these cyclists had made other trips touring similarly equipped. This was no improvisation, but rather the fruit of patient work in improving their mounts.
Basically, it should not have surprised me that much, because in terms of commuting, we see the same thing. Every day people are commuting equipped with all kinds of ways. We meet all cases: some equipped for the Tour de France, and others with bicycles so dilapidated that it is a miracle if they go to port. Mountain bikes, hybrid bikes configurations most eclectic, urban bikes, folding bikes, road bikes, it's a merry mish-mash where everyone roll with what he likes, he should, suits his style, budget, and while doing a clean up their noses at a lot of these dictates.
In this growing supply of horses, equipment, trails and tours, travel services, each advertising pitch it is in its precepts, its rhetoric about what should be your cycling. At each of appropriating what he needs. Try different bikes, and keep in mind that a bike - even with the best design in the world (and God knows they are beautiful bikes that we offer!), Even with the great ergonomics - can not be perfect as it is purchased. May matter how carefully the manufacturer has taken to get there. As you modify it to your cycling. goes well for dress attire. Yes, perhaps this jersey fabric breathable high-tech is great. Or maybe the old T-shirt your ex which is ideal for that morning walk.
Let us use this comeback bike while ignoring the dictates because now the table is set, and so beautifully!
Credit: Breakfast cyclist © Suzanne Lafontaine.
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