Cubehole

So...It was another day, working for the man. Mindlessly discussing unimportant details on mass produced, personality-less bikes. Meanwhile, some of the parts I ordered arrived, and as my co-workers came by and commented, I found my self making excuses for why I got "heavy" tiagra brakes, or why "such a cheap handlebar?" Well, they work, right? They're also cheap, and just like that, I've got a fully functioning bicycle that rides great and has a bit of personality. Special, if you will. A special bike, one that will quickly receive a personality and a name and we will form a relationship, during which there will never be a "bad" ride. Personalizing bikes really helps me survive. At my job, we're "talked to" about using non-Trek product, from our cycling shoes to bikes to tires, even saddles. The following is from a conversation I had today with Josh regarding my wife's bike. I was told that if Megan and I were planning on going on a group ride with all the Trek folks that She'd better borrow a Trek...She has a Bob Jackson, it's pretty, custom lugged, custom painted, custom geometry and custom parts...But at Trek...it's another story...Half the assholes don't even appreciate it because it's not a fucking Trek. I think that's one of the reasons I let my Trek bikes get so dirty and single speeded and customed. To take something mass produced and put my own personality in it. It makes a bike MINE. Not just another 8000, but Phil's 8000. Chad Price saw my White Trash Bike - a modified Trek Police bike, and all he said was, "I'm just taking it all in" The bike's awesome, and it doesn't fail. And he wasn't impressed. This from a guy who made a coffee cup that drips and doesn't keep warm. That pretty much sums it up. Geez, I've been letting work get to me...all everyone with their training schedules and fitting needs and fancy wheels and everything else, the company seems to be pushing the personality out of bikes and biking, and it seems to be working. The more I fall in love with my bikes, the further I feel from the masses I work with. I sometimes feel like I'm viewed as a reckless, ignorant, neer-do-well who doesn't really embrace bikes. I feel like I'm getting isolated by a group, a click of people who want sparkle and shine and 20 speeds and 15.6lbs and all that. But I routinely feel like I'm not one of them because my road/racing bike has fenders. I'm the one riding right now at lunch, when it's 20 degrees outside, THEY are the ones pedaling away on indoor SPIN bikes like hamsters on their squeaky little wheels. Please don't judge, please don't distance yourself, and please remember that what's important is we're riding bikes. That's what really matters most. Somewhere at Trek there's a man who rides his bike to work everyday. I don't know his name, but he rides a full suspension Pacific. This man really exists, we discussed my use of zip ties to hold my fenders on, he wasn't convinced they would hold. He commuted to work on a day when I stayed in to zip tie my fenders on. He is the cyclist we should all strive to be, friendly and non-judgmental. And finally, some art for your viewing pleasure...http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2006/features/nahmbs062