This post was inspired by previous Paceline co-host Patria Vandermark. Her post is longer than this, but we want to go straight to the money quote: “I love it when someone comes to me and says: ‘I am worth a new bike.’”
What she wrote was detailed and nuanced, but we want to focus on the simplest part of that message: The idea that our experience here on planet earth is worth our investment. You’re worth it. Having a great experience on a bike goes to the heart of quality of life and Maslow’s idea about self-actualization, the idea that the greatest need we have as humans is to fulfill our potential. When we ask ourselves how we do that, one of the most obvious answers is, by riding a bike.
We all know people who have had to work to justify their time on the bike to their families and co-workers. We’ve both been among them. At this point in our careers, what we want to do for our audience—more than anything else—is to help them articulate the value of cycling in their lives.
Sit down and ask yourself, what are the most rewarding activities in your life. We suspect that for anyone reading these words, cycling makes it into the top three. Having a great ride is both the fuel and the grease that makes the rest of our lives more enjoyable. Cycling has been one of the most potent sources of learning just what we’re capable of. It’s been, arguably, our best teacher.
Which brings us back to Patria’s post. For anyone who ranks cycling as one of the best things they do in their life, you are worth the expense of a great bike.
One of the greatest disservices the bike industry ever did itself was to stop connecting technical improvements to greater enjoyment. Who cares if it is lighter or more aero or allows you to carry a water buffalo in your down tube? Did you have more fun? It’s a valid question. In fact, it’s the only question worth asking. This isn’t PE. There’s no coach yelling at us to do laps. When we’re on the bike, that’s our time. We’re serving no master other than ourselves.
This is not selfish. This is the path to living a fulfilling, well-adjusted life that allows you to do your best work, care for your family and friends, and remain both physically and mentally healthy. What a great bike is, for you, is something you’ll need to define for yourself, but that bike, in and of itself, is priceless, so whatever machine you decide on, it’s likely to be a bargain.
The bike industry seemed to go to a paradigm connecting technical improvements not only to a little bit better performance, but to planned obsolescence and making money. A great bike doesn’t have to be cutting edge or state of the art, although that often helps. It has to bring a smile on your face, encourage you to “ride lots”, and for many in America who can’t afford the latest spare-no-shiny object creation, it has to be affordable, or else you don’t get to ride it.
My hat top goes to those companies that make great rides that are affordable to the public.
Fuck yeah!