Changes

It's that time of year for changes. You know, spring cleaning, longer days, and getting ready for that first event of the year. I've noticed several changes recently. Here are a few of them.

1. 29"ers debated and covered in the media more than ever. I read an excellent article from What Mountain Bike, a U.K. mag, that compared two identically equipped Inbred single speeds. One in a 29" flavor, the other in 26". The mtbr.com 29"er forum has been filled with nutty, derisive, entertaining, and mundane threads on 29"ers virtues, or lack there of. Several posts from first time riders of the big wheels as well. What does it all mean? People are starting to get ahold of the concept a little better now. I think that we are seeing the whole 29"er movement going mainstream now. Over the next year or so, look for a shift in power, from the underground, tinkerer, small builder, cultish and zealot-like 29"er world to that of, for lack of a better term, single speed-like mainstream acceptance/ tolerance. No longer will the 29"er elicit the, "Twenty nine what?" response. People still might not get it, or even want to, but at least they will be aware of it's existence.

2. Blogging cyclists getting "caught in the middle". It used to be that you had to be close friends with someone "in the company", or have industry contacts in high places to be a person that knew of "cyclings secrets". You know......those bits that are not supposed to be revealed to the general public, but are offered to those "in the know" people as a token of how deep your relationship is with company folks, or whatever! That whole social dis-function kinda freaks me out! Anyway, with todays much faster flowing, freer flowing information network, these bits get spread around a bit more, well freely! So, your local cycling blogger, or internet chatroom freak can get hold of tidbits in all sorts of new ways. Let me tell you. The Company Man is watching! ( Hello, Company Man! Hope you are enjoying todays post! Feel free to comment, by the way.) Anyway, The Company Man doesn't always appreciate his info being distributed at times and places not of his choosing. I know this because Company Man has had a word or two with me about this very thing. Believe me folks. We bloggers are kind of caught between wanting to be free with our information, but Company Man doesn't always want us to be so free. Consequently, things have changed ever so slightly. We'll see how it all shakes out in the end.

3. Team changes, new bikes, new season. Pretty self explanatory here. Cat Eye Enduro squadra gets on Cannondale mounts. Pro riders debuting in their new team kits, and the first racing of the season is underway. Hold on! Here we go on another whirlwind summer!