Chasing The Latest

Prototype Wilde 32"er Image courtesy of Wilde Bicycle Co.

The buzz around 32" wheels I see in some circles reminds me of whenever anything new comes out. "New" as in "technological advancements", which is a debatable subject all on its own. 

But let's say for argument that something comes out which early adopters and testers say is actually an advantage. This is all it seems to take to conjure up a certain psychological need in cyclists brains to "have to have it". 

I see it all the time. Electronic shifting, disc brakes, 'one more gear' on the cassette. All things certain cyclists jumped onboard with while another segment of cyclists deride said idea. 

Remember when disc brakes were being discussed for road racing bikes? I saw an article referencing this over the weekend. This was ten years ago, and there were heated discussions about how the rotors were going to slice up people in crashes, and how the technology to run disc brakes was heavier. Some said disc brakes would open up a new world in terms of lower wheel weights and tire options. 

The adopters were right in this instance. That worked out. Now try finding a rim brake road bike in any form. They are rare now. But the main point was that there were adopters and detractors. Sometimes the adopters are right, sometimes they are not. But should disc brakes eliminate rim brake road bikes? Seems this is the way. 

I still hold that 1X is - overall - not the right thing for most bicycles. This is one which came about mainly due to MTB. More than 11 speeds seems like another thing people adopted 'just because' it was the latest thing. So, I could go on. But this is a subject I find a bit fascinating. 

The chasing of the latest and "greatest" and passing on of things proven to work and work well is an ongoing trend in cycling lasting decades. People are fickle. I don't ever see this ending, and frankly, this is what drives a lot in the world of cycling.