Humans love stuff. No other animal pays rent on storage spaces to keep stuff that doesn’t fit in their first stuff storage building. Obviously, as with most things, our behavior as regards our stuff ranges from hoarder to minimalist, with most of us in the thicker part of the bell curve. Personally, I used to have a lot more bike stuff, but I reached a point where quantity became secondary to quality, and I’m in an ok place now, trending minimalist, but still with too much.
This got me thinking about how much stuff I could eject from my life if I were being truly minimalist about riding bikes. I have six bikes currently. I could cut three of them and still be able to ride all the terrain I like to ride. Maybe even four, honestly.
The clothing is probably the worst part of it. I’ve got six or seven bib/jersey combos. I’ve got tights for all seasons. I have jackets and vests. Thermal jerseys. Wool jerseys. Gloves out the absolute wazoo. Baggy shorts. Etc. Etc. Ad absurdum. And this is after giving a lot of stuff away.
I have a whole bin in the basement labelled ‘Winter Cycling’ that contains GoreTex riding boots, neoprene shoe covers, arctic-able gloves, balaclavas, a moose hunting rifle, and an inflatable igloo.
In my (dubious) defense, much of this stuff was sent to me by friends and/or companies who wanted me to try it and say stuff about it. It’s the communication mechanism of the Stuff-Industrial Complex. Also in my defense, I only ever said anything about the stuff I liked, but that’s by-the-by.
The stuff persists.
So this week’s TCI Friday is a sort of thought experiment about bike riding minimalism. Could you get down to just 5 items, the absolute necessities, and be a happy bike rider? Let’s say, for the purposes of this game, you get the bike for free. What 5 other things do you think you need?
How’s this for minimalistic? Helmet, shoes and shorts. Everything else I wear isn’t necessarily cycling specific aside from gloves, but I could get by with other gloves I have. And if I absolutely had to, I could ride wearing my Packers helmet and stick a pullow in my pants. Cleats are nonnegotiable
Helmet, shoes, shorts. Jacket and long tights or something for when it is cold, which it is a lot here at 7,000 feet. But in reality, I have a hard time parting with anything until it breaks. Even then, I try to fix it.
Moose rifle? Which one? I only ate moose meat once, and that was when a friend of my dad got one in Canada and shared with all his hunting buddies.
Thanks for leaving the bike out of the equation. I have many bikes- each with a specific purpose. 5 things I absolutely need? Helmet, shoes, bib shorts, bib knickers and thermal bib knickers. Stopping racing helps to open a path to minimalism.
Hm. If we’re talking about five things I absolutely need, not simply apparel, I can’t get there. Helmet, jersey, bib shorts, gloves, and Sidis … plus spare tube, minipump, and tire irons, and a small saddlebag to put ’em in.
Hold on, I need an old toe strap, too. The Velcro straps are just about done for on my elderly saddlebag, as I relearned on today’s ride while nearly losing it on a bumpy stretch of road, and a toe strap that cinches it to the saddle rails provides an extra soupçon of security.
Bibs, gloves (I am a tire wiper by habit) jersey, sunglasses, shoes.
My five choices if we are lumping clothing and specific riding gear together would be a merino long-sleeve shirt (REI house brand), a helmet, full-finger gloves, grippy AF flat pedal shoes (2FOs FTW!) and Triple 8 wrist armor. Bonus choices: a tri-blend t-shirt, some sort of riding glasses that can be stored on said aforementioned helmet (Julbo), knee armor (Dakine Slayer Pro) and a Wickflow headband. I can pretty much ride in any shorts, but like something tough that has pockets. I actually have not purchased any new cycling specific shorts in at least 3-4 years recycling old ones with repairs as needed. I have some DH pants, but don’t wear them often. This exercise reminds me to store/give away much I am not using.