We Need More Stories About Fun On Bicycles

From the Victory Ride in 2024

 I'm going to go out on a limb and say most cycling media outlets are anti-fun. I say this because these outlets keep pushing racing coverage and articles with titles like "The Key to Riding Faster Is Lactate Threshold Training....", or "4 tips to make your indoor training more realistic ".

None of which sound like "fun". Racing is fine, but one site I follow only posts about racing, and almost always about the most niche races no one knows about. Then another site I follow is always posting about techniques to get faster or whatever, and it points out how "you aren't good enough yet, but do this...." I mean, this is their messaging, as I see it. 

Then you have the ever-present tech articles which appeal to the bike-nerds like myself, but to the average cyclist? All this super-spendy tech seems to only force folks into feeling the cycling industry is a rip-off. 

Again, none of this sounds like fun. Maybe this is why most US citizens are looking online and getting their cycling stuff off Amazon or from big-box online and brick and mortar retailers. They don't have to clear gate-keepers, understand technology they've likely never heard of in their daily lives, or deal with uninformed or snooty clerks at bicycle shops. 

Bicycles were supposed to be fun. Freedom, fitness, and adventures were the main reasons to purchase a two-wheeled contraption when I was young. Heck, I never even heard about a racing bike until the Summer of my junior year in high school. I managed to fall in love with cycling despite my ignorance of FTP, carbon fiber, and carbon monoxide rebreathing. 

You mean you can have fun on a bicycle?

Fun needs to be focused on again. Especially if we are to actually grow cycling. We "nerds" in here all understand this bit about fun. We get the health benefits of mind and body which cycling can bring a person. But does any of this get translated by cycling media? 

The barriers to getting into gravel races was a big deal starting with post-COVID gravel events. Socially conscientious event directors began to push for inclusion of minorities and for gender equality. It's sad the cycling industry itself doesn't think in terms of removing barriers. It is painfully obvious this doesn't matter.

Raising the ceiling on prices, posting on the latest tech which costs an arm and a leg, focusing on racing which only pertains to a infinitesimally small portion of cyclists-  All of this alienates the common person who might just want something else. Something like escape from this mad world, a good time, and ease of getting involved. 

Can all the latest Winter cycling garb tests, the banter about aero helmets, and wireless transmissions on 10K+ bicycles. It creates barriers to entry. Maybe focus efforts on cycling infrastructure, how you can enjoy cycling while wearing Chuck Taylors, or make yourself calmer and more healthy by spinning wheels around the blocks in your neighborhood. 

Or, maybe just say cycling is a hoot, and you are missing out on it if you didn't partake in the sport. Put people in ads who look like they are enjoying a ride, and not squinting through pain while sprinting for a finish line. Make cycling fun again. 

Or....just continue to churn out the same tired messaging the industry has trotted out for the past 40+ years. 

I know how that  works. Ha! 

It Still Can Be Super

Today I'm starting out with a slight variation on the standard G-Ted Disclaimer: NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" , and philosophical meanderings, will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

"And when I'm old and I've had my fun, I'll sell my inventions so that everyone can be superheroes. Everyone can be super! And when everyone's super...(muwahahahah!).....no one will be." - Syndrome in "The Incredibles"

I often am reminded of this quote from the Pixar movie when I read things about technology. Recently, the Grammys were handed out. Billie Eilish won a boatload of hardware for her latest album which was recorded in a bedroom on software and with equipment anyone can buy. 20 years ago you could not have begun to imagine such a thing. Studio equipment, and studio rental fees, were astronomically expensive and only by the backing of a record company could any artist hope to get recorded. Now "anyone can be recorded". Does that mean nothing is special anymore?

You can look at photography, art, and even news stories. All areas have been "democratized' to the point that much of the impact that photos, art, and news had "back in the day" has been lessened to a degree. So, what has all this got to do with cycling? 

Technology has brought people's accomplishments, that used to be amazing, down to "everyday happenings". This is our perception now. The accomplishments haven't changed, but our awareness of them, and the frequency of our awareness of them, has made them seem ordinary. Knowing that things can be done sometimes makes them repeatable on a larger scale by more people. This gets driven into social media channels until it becomes "just more noise". Take any ultra-event as an example.

I'm not sure what the point of all this is, if I am honest with you. It is something I struggle with though. I see, on social media, someone finishing, what I know is a technically, mentally, and physically challenging event, and I have to really try to not be the guy that says, "Oh....that's nice. Congratulations and all....", with no real feeling of wonderment and joy for the person. Because I know how hard it is to do those things. I know how I'd feel if I accomplished those things in cycling. Or at least I have an inkling of how I'd feel. I know it is a wonderment and a joy for that person who is finishing whatever event it is they have done.

Standing here watching- you cannot help but "feel it". DK200 finish line 2016

I blame technology and spending too much time on it. Because I also know that when I am out in the World- either participating in these events, or as a spectator at these events - that wonderment and joy is easily felt. No matter how many people are accomplishing something. How do I know that? I know that from spending hours at the Dirty Kanza 200 finish line. I've done that several times. Just standing there and watching. I find it heartening, uplifting, and  yes- joyous. I don't know the vast majority of finishers. It doesn't matter. There is something about being in the moment that is special.

I suppose it was the reason I got into promoting an ultra-distance gravel event as well. It was hanging around all those people at Trans Iowa v1 that really turned me on to having the desire to recreate that again and again. The awe inspiring people that took part in that event were super. They, and the ones that followed them afterward, were why I did what I did. They were, and still are, some of the reasons I ride in these crazy deals I have trouble finishing.

So, the point is - if there is one in this post - is that while more and more people can be "super", it still is special. It still is meaningful. It matters. But only if you engage. Go cycling, get out there. It doesn't have to be an event. It doesn't have to be splashed all over social media. Share these times with friends, or savor them alone. But the only way to beat being cheated out of the joy and wonderment that achievements in cycling- or anything, I guess- is to enjoy them in a real, face-to-face community. There is something magical about that. Something technology cannot replicate, no matter how hard the purveyors of it try to convince us that it can.

Thanks for reading!

It Still Can Be Super

Today I'm starting out with a slight variation on the standard G-Ted Disclaimer: NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" , and philosophical meanderings, will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

"And when I'm old and I've had my fun, I'll sell my inventions so that everyone can be superheroes. Everyone can be super! And when everyone's super...(muwahahahah!).....no one will be." - Syndrome in "The Incredibles"

I often am reminded of this quote from the Pixar movie when I read things about technology. Recently, the Grammys were handed out. Billie Eilish won a boatload of hardware for her latest album which was recorded in a bedroom on software and with equipment anyone can buy. 20 years ago you could not have begun to imagine such a thing. Studio equipment, and studio rental fees, were astronomically expensive and only by the backing of a record company could any artist hope to get recorded. Now "anyone can be recorded". Does that mean nothing is special anymore?

You can look at photography, art, and even news stories. All areas have been "democratized' to the point that much of the impact that photos, art, and news had "back in the day" has been lessened to a degree. So, what has all this got to do with cycling? 

Technology has brought people's accomplishments, that used to be amazing, down to "everyday happenings". This is our perception now. The accomplishments haven't changed, but our awareness of them, and the frequency of our awareness of them, has made them seem ordinary. Knowing that things can be done sometimes makes them repeatable on a larger scale by more people. This gets driven into social media channels until it becomes "just more noise". Take any ultra-event as an example.

I'm not sure what the point of all this is, if I am honest with you. It is something I struggle with though. I see, on social media, someone finishing, what I know is a technically, mentally, and physically challenging event, and I have to really try to not be the guy that says, "Oh....that's nice. Congratulations and all....", with no real feeling of wonderment and joy for the person. Because I know how hard it is to do those things. I know how I'd feel if I accomplished those things in cycling. Or at least I have an inkling of how I'd feel. I know it is a wonderment and a joy for that person who is finishing whatever event it is they have done.

Standing here watching- you cannot help but "feel it". DK200 finish line 2016

I blame technology and spending too much time on it. Because I also know that when I am out in the World- either participating in these events, or as a spectator at these events - that wonderment and joy is easily felt. No matter how many people are accomplishing something. How do I know that? I know that from spending hours at the Dirty Kanza 200 finish line. I've done that several times. Just standing there and watching. I find it heartening, uplifting, and  yes- joyous. I don't know the vast majority of finishers. It doesn't matter. There is something about being in the moment that is special.

I suppose it was the reason I got into promoting an ultra-distance gravel event as well. It was hanging around all those people at Trans Iowa v1 that really turned me on to having the desire to recreate that again and again. The awe inspiring people that took part in that event were super. They, and the ones that followed them afterward, were why I did what I did. They were, and still are, some of the reasons I ride in these crazy deals I have trouble finishing.

So, the point is - if there is one in this post - is that while more and more people can be "super", it still is special. It still is meaningful. It matters. But only if you engage. Go cycling, get out there. It doesn't have to be an event. It doesn't have to be splashed all over social media. Share these times with friends, or savor them alone. But the only way to beat being cheated out of the joy and wonderment that achievements in cycling- or anything, I guess- is to enjoy them in a real, face-to-face community. There is something magical about that. Something technology cannot replicate, no matter how hard the purveyors of it try to convince us that it can.

Thanks for reading!

Minus Ten Review - 21

A Diamondback Overdrive hard tail I tested for Twenty Nine Inches

Ten years ago on the blog this week I was writing about three things that caught my attention now in 2018. First and foremost was a realization that I had one morning ten years ago that really rad people are into cycling.

Sure, we squabble about whether or not e-bikes are this or that, whether we need 12 speeds and 1X drivetrains with rear cogs the size of road bike front chain rings, and let's not forget the baggies vs Lycra debates.

But in the end, we all seem to be, in my estimation, pretty rad folks. I know I am blessed by all of you out there and I get excited about seeing old friends and meeting new ones anytime we cyclists gather together.

The next thing I noticed that it was ten years ago when I started taking Wednesdays off to be dedicated to my website work. That didn't pay off very well for a long time. But now it has, and I'm grateful for that. Plus I got a lot of extra family time due to this decision. But the point is, I made a decision that has significantly affected my life ever since.

Finally, on a somber note, I noted that it has been ten years since the devastating F-5 tornado in nearby Parkersburg, Iowa. It was a striking reminder to me that I was a survivor of one of these tornadoes myself, and how I could "pay back" the efforts made on my behalf by volunteering to do clean up in Parkersburg, which I did.

Minus Ten Review - 21

A Diamondback Overdrive hard tail I tested for Twenty Nine Inches

Ten years ago on the blog this week I was writing about three things that caught my attention now in 2018. First and foremost was a realization that I had one morning ten years ago that really rad people are into cycling.

Sure, we squabble about whether or not e-bikes are this or that, whether we need 12 speeds and 1X drivetrains with rear cogs the size of road bike front chain rings, and let's not forget the baggies vs Lycra debates.

But in the end, we all seem to be, in my estimation, pretty rad folks. I know I am blessed by all of you out there and I get excited about seeing old friends and meeting new ones anytime we cyclists gather together.

The next thing I noticed that it was ten years ago when I started taking Wednesdays off to be dedicated to my website work. That didn't pay off very well for a long time. But now it has, and I'm grateful for that. Plus I got a lot of extra family time due to this decision. But the point is, I made a decision that has significantly affected my life ever since.

Finally, on a somber note, I noted that it has been ten years since the devastating F-5 tornado in nearby Parkersburg, Iowa. It was a striking reminder to me that I was a survivor of one of these tornadoes myself, and how I could "pay back" the efforts made on my behalf by volunteering to do clean up in Parkersburg, which I did.

Carbon Is Black Not Green

Carbon fiber: Ultimate frame material or environmental disaster?

Bicycling in the 21st Century is a much different affair than it has been anytime previous to this era. While much of the past in bicycling was accomplished in and on metal, today it is increasingly being done on bike frames, forks, and parts made from carbon fiber.

Most of us never think twice about this. Carbon fiber usage maybe will raise a few concerns about strength and failures, but we almost never consider the origins of our lightest, most sexy bits for cycling. When you start to dig in to this, and how the end cycle of these carbon bicycles looks, you begin to realize it isn't as sexy and cool as the industry makes it out to be.

The situation is somewhat tragically ironic. Many think of cycling as the most green and efficient means of human transportation. The impact of cycling on our world is all too often focused on the end activity and how that compares to other activities. However; we really need to take into account the origins of the bits and baubles we pedal. When one sits down to do this, it becomes apparent that carbon fiber has an ugly, black side to it.

Just the making of carbon fiber fabric is intensely unfriendly to the environment. Fabric is heated in several stages, but not burned since this process lacks oxygen. It is done in a controlled way in order to render the fabric into carbon fiber. It is an energy intensive process and it creates several gasses, including CO2, as a byproduct. Hmm....not looking so green already. But then you have the resin which binds the fabric together, more pressure and heat, and the hand labor, don't forget that part. In one resource I found, it was stated that carbon takes about 14 times more energy to produce than steel.

A sheet of carbon fiber

One of the byproducts of making carbon parts, besides the greenhouse gasses, is........left over carbon fiber bits. Sheets are cut, carbon parts are sanded and ground down, and the resulting waste, about a third of each sheet ends up so, cannot be recycled easily. In fact, according to one account, the waste is dumped into the sea!

As I stated, carbon fiber can now be recycled, but the process is expensive, energy intensive, and it isn't widespread. Waste carbon is typically dumped into landfills where it can stay in its original state indefinitely.

Of course, alternatives to carbon for cycling are not  without their own environmental issues. The making of steel, aluminum, and especially titanium, is pretty "un-green". That said, most of these bits and frames are recycled and repaired more easily than carbon fiber frames and parts are. While carbon fiber can have a long lifespan, it does fail, wear out, and when it does, it becomes a liability. Not to mention how where this stuff is made is being polluted by the processes necessary to make it. If you are a cyclist that cares about the environment, that might be a concern.

It's hard not to fall for the lightweight charms of carbon fiber, that's for sure. However; I'm not so sure most of us have considered, or even know about, carbon fiber's creation processes and end of life cycle concerns. It is definitely something to take seriously, in my opinion.

Carbon Is Black Not Green

Carbon fiber: Ultimate frame material or environmental disaster?

Bicycling in the 21st Century is a much different affair than it has been anytime previous to this era. While much of the past in bicycling was accomplished in and on metal, today it is increasingly being done on bike frames, forks, and parts made from carbon fiber.

Most of us never think twice about this. Carbon fiber usage maybe will raise a few concerns about strength and failures, but we almost never consider the origins of our lightest, most sexy bits for cycling. When you start to dig in to this, and how the end cycle of these carbon bicycles looks, you begin to realize it isn't as sexy and cool as the industry makes it out to be.

The situation is somewhat tragically ironic. Many think of cycling as the most green and efficient means of human transportation. The impact of cycling on our world is all too often focused on the end activity and how that compares to other activities. However; we really need to take into account the origins of the bits and baubles we pedal. When one sits down to do this, it becomes apparent that carbon fiber has an ugly, black side to it.

Just the making of carbon fiber fabric is intensely unfriendly to the environment. Fabric is heated in several stages, but not burned since this process lacks oxygen. It is done in a controlled way in order to render the fabric into carbon fiber. It is an energy intensive process and it creates several gasses, including CO2, as a byproduct. Hmm....not looking so green already. But then you have the resin which binds the fabric together, more pressure and heat, and the hand labor, don't forget that part. In one resource I found, it was stated that carbon takes about 14 times more energy to produce than steel.

A sheet of carbon fiber

One of the byproducts of making carbon parts, besides the greenhouse gasses, is........left over carbon fiber bits. Sheets are cut, carbon parts are sanded and ground down, and the resulting waste, about a third of each sheet ends up so, cannot be recycled easily. In fact, according to one account, the waste is dumped into the sea!

As I stated, carbon fiber can now be recycled, but the process is expensive, energy intensive, and it isn't widespread. Waste carbon is typically dumped into landfills where it can stay in its original state indefinitely.

Of course, alternatives to carbon for cycling are not  without their own environmental issues. The making of steel, aluminum, and especially titanium, is pretty "un-green". That said, most of these bits and frames are recycled and repaired more easily than carbon fiber frames and parts are. While carbon fiber can have a long lifespan, it does fail, wear out, and when it does, it becomes a liability. Not to mention how where this stuff is made is being polluted by the processes necessary to make it. If you are a cyclist that cares about the environment, that might be a concern.

It's hard not to fall for the lightweight charms of carbon fiber, that's for sure. However; I'm not so sure most of us have considered, or even know about, carbon fiber's creation processes and end of life cycle concerns. It is definitely something to take seriously, in my opinion.

Ride For Randy

Special Announcement: Cyclists are a vulnerable user group and with drivers being more inattentive and impaired than ever before, we sometimes have tragedies occur like that of the death of Wade Franck, which hit the Iowa cycling community hard in 2015. 

Unfortunately my friends in the Lincoln, Nebraska cycling community are going through similar emotions after the tragic death of Randy Gibson, an accomplished, well known, and well liked cyclist from Lincoln, Nebraska. Besides being a cyclist many may not know that Randy was also heavily involved in Gravel Worlds and was responsible for the artwork used for this year's edition of the event, as well as helping to produce the event itself.

A memorial ride in Randy Gibson's honor will happen on October the 1st in Lincoln, Nebraska. I encourage anyone that can to attend in support of Randy Gibson's family, friends, and in support of the Lincoln cycling community and cyclists everywhere.

Following is a press release for the event:

Cyclists Organize Ride to Celebrate Life of Randy Gibson

Lincoln’s Hub Café to host the ride and remembrance October 1 at 10:00 a.m.

LINCOLN, Neb. (September 27, 2017) – Friends and family of Randy Gibson are planning a ride to celebrate the life of the Lincoln cyclist killed Saturday, Sept. 23, by a suspected drunk driver. The ride will take place Sunday, Oct. 1, from the Hub Café, 250 N. 21st St in Lincoln.

According to Gibson’s friend and ride co-host, Corey Godfrey, the ride will give friends and family an opportunity to reminisce and share stories.

“Let’s get together and remember Randy by doing one of the things he loved most – ride bicycles. We will meet at the Hub Café and roll out at 10:00 a.m. The plan is to ride around Lincoln and end up back at the Hub Café around noon for lunch,” Godfrey said.

Godfrey said the route would primarily utilize Lincoln bike paths, with a total distance of just under fifteen miles. 

Following lunch, the group will gather at the Jayne Snyder Trail Center, adjacent to the Hub Café, for a brief memorial, and to share stories and write well wishes to Gibson’s family. Participants are encouraged to bring along pictures, videos and other memories of Gibson to share with the group.

The Hub Café kitchen will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

Learn more about the ride and memorial at the Ride for Randy event page.

Ride For Randy

Special Announcement: Cyclists are a vulnerable user group and with drivers being more inattentive and impaired than ever before, we sometimes have tragedies occur like that of the death of Wade Franck, which hit the Iowa cycling community hard in 2015. 

Unfortunately my friends in the Lincoln, Nebraska cycling community are going through similar emotions after the tragic death of Randy Gibson, an accomplished, well known, and well liked cyclist from Lincoln, Nebraska. Besides being a cyclist many may not know that Randy was also heavily involved in Gravel Worlds and was responsible for the artwork used for this year's edition of the event, as well as helping to produce the event itself.

A memorial ride in Randy Gibson's honor will happen on October the 1st in Lincoln, Nebraska. I encourage anyone that can to attend in support of Randy Gibson's family, friends, and in support of the Lincoln cycling community and cyclists everywhere.

Following is a press release for the event:

Cyclists Organize Ride to Celebrate Life of Randy Gibson

Lincoln’s Hub Café to host the ride and remembrance October 1 at 10:00 a.m.

LINCOLN, Neb. (September 27, 2017) – Friends and family of Randy Gibson are planning a ride to celebrate the life of the Lincoln cyclist killed Saturday, Sept. 23, by a suspected drunk driver. The ride will take place Sunday, Oct. 1, from the Hub Café, 250 N. 21st St in Lincoln.

According to Gibson’s friend and ride co-host, Corey Godfrey, the ride will give friends and family an opportunity to reminisce and share stories.

“Let’s get together and remember Randy by doing one of the things he loved most – ride bicycles. We will meet at the Hub Café and roll out at 10:00 a.m. The plan is to ride around Lincoln and end up back at the Hub Café around noon for lunch,” Godfrey said.

Godfrey said the route would primarily utilize Lincoln bike paths, with a total distance of just under fifteen miles. 

Following lunch, the group will gather at the Jayne Snyder Trail Center, adjacent to the Hub Café, for a brief memorial, and to share stories and write well wishes to Gibson’s family. Participants are encouraged to bring along pictures, videos and other memories of Gibson to share with the group.

The Hub Café kitchen will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

Learn more about the ride and memorial at the Ride for Randy event page.

My History With "Twenty Nine Inches"

Wes Williams, a 29"er pioneer, and myself at Interbike

First things first. Twenty Nine Inches, as a site, is done. On the passing of that site I thought I would share my history with it. The whole deal I had with Twenty Nine Inches began here and was an outgrowth of this, the Guitar Ted Productions blog. I was writing about 29"ers here and getting news and tips on gear before I ever wrote for another site. Lately I have been recapping the history of that and of this site in my sort of weekly "Minus Ten Review" posts. You can check those out if you care to. The following is a personal recollection and my personal opinions on the history I have with Twenty Nine Inches. This does not necessarily reflect the opinions or recollections of others. So, as always....

NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

The Twenty Nine Inches site, (here after referred to as "TNI"), was started by a guy named Tim Grahl. Tim had several cycling related sites, but first and foremost he was an opportunist. He had a rather successful blog/website called "Blue Collar Mountain Bike" which was documenting he and a friends first forays into the world of off road cycling. Basically, these guys were total noobs and they were stumbling through the learning process of mountain biking openly on-line. This brought them a ton of attention from opportunistic marketing wonks who saw an avenue to tell their product story via a "real" and "honest" pair of budding cyclists. Grahl saw an opportunity to get money and product via other cycling based ideas as well. So, he observed that 29"ers were a new and upcoming force in the cycling world. He also noted that I seemed to be a big fan of 29"ers and knew a lot about what was going on with them. Of course, being new to the scene, Grahl did not have the credibility or background knowledge necessary to speak to this new audience. That's where I came in.

As I have said here, I wasn't looking for more opportunities to write. I was already doing reviews and writing for a site called "The Biking Hub", where I learned basic principles of writing for an audience and gained a framework for doing reviews from a guy who had a journalism background. Basically, I was learning a craft and gaining experience, otherwise I wouldn't have engaged with the "Biking Hub" at all. I simply wasn't interested in becoming anything other than a blogger. I had two children, at that time they were 4 years and two years old. I wanted to be around to raise them, not gallivanting around chasing down stories in the bicycle industry. I had a decent job as a bike mechanic which I had arranged to work around my family's needs.

Riding a Lenz Sports Lunchbox at Bootleg Canyon during Demo Days for Interbike

So, when Grahl came a knockin' on my door to write for him I was not biting. I didn't want more on my plate, I wanted less. Then the "Biking Hub" began to become more difficult to communicate with. Eventually the site shut down. Meanwhile, Grahl paid for airfare to get me to Interbike where he offered to pay me for writing and reviewing for TNI. Eventually he promised me that I would make the same amount of money I did at the bike shop so I could quit my job and go full time into TNI. That would allow even more "home time" and free me up for travels.

Well, the travels happened. Between '06 and '09, I was gone a lot. But, the dollars never materialized. In fact, Grahl began to falter on promises to others in the "Crooked Cog Network", his collection of other cycling sites, and eventually he bailed out on them all. In the process, he botched up a picture hosting site contract where he had convinced me I should host images, resulting in the loss of many images. You can still see the "empty holes" on this blog from posts dating from '08 and '09. He bailed on advertisers, and eventually was going to shut down TNI and sell it.

Seeing as how I had responsibilities to companies and people concerning reviews and products still ongoing, I convinced Grahl to give me the site at no charge, since he never paid me in accordance with our '06 handshake agreement in Vegas. Reluctantly and with much resisstance on his end, I eventually got the reigns to TNI in 2010, I believe it was. However, basically since the beginning of 2009 I had been running the site. Free of charge. No pay. Nuthin.

Obviously, Grahl was the brains behind the computer end of the sites he ran, what him having a college trained background in computer sciences and all. Me? I was as bad at computers and websites as Grahl was about cycling. Only difference being that I didn't pretend to know anything about computers. I was getting a serious crash course in website operations, and stress levels in 2009-2010 were at an all-time high.

Meeting Gary Fisher in happier times with TNI. Grahl is on the left here.

That's where Grannygear came in. I met him at Interbike, via Jason Boucher, at the Salsa Cycles booth. Some things are pre-ordained, and not a chance happening. I believe meeting GG was just such a moment in my life.

I know that without GG's technical background that I would have shut down TNI at the end of 2010. In the meantime, we got a European contributor in "cg", a German based rider. His skill in reviewing and communication brought TNI a lot of respect. Grannygear, a natural  born communicator, made connections I never dreamed of making. Meanwhile, I took less and less opportunities for travel, passing all that off to GG and cg instead. I got to stay home, like I wanted to, and the TNI site quickly gained its feet back underneath it. Due to GG and cg's efforts and talents, TNI, regained its status as a well respected site. Or at least I'd like to think so.

Then 27.5"ers came along, fat bikes came along, and gravel bikes got to be a thing. TNI wasn't getting the review stuff it used to, and marketing turned away from smaller sites. The entrenched cycling media finally figured out 29"ers and other niche cycling growth areas were not to be ignored, as 29"ers had been for several years. This all conspired to make TNI less of a value to advertisers. While I, nor GG or cg, made anything off the site, at least the money we did get "kept the lights on",  paid for business trips for GG and cg, and sometimes for things necessary like tools and supplies at times that we needed them to put bicycles together and maintain them. But even that got to be thin by 2012.

Then I decided that full time editing after doing bicycle mechanic work by day was getting to be too much. I was translating articles from German, going over GG's submissions, doing my part for TNI, writing this blog, running Trans Iowa, and "Gravel Grinder News", all at the same time. It was too much. I decided that TNI was in good hands and I had done more than my fair share in getting it back to a respectable standing after the trashing Grahl put the site through in '09. It was time to bug out.

So, I did just that at the end of 2014. I joined Ben Welnak and we formed Riding Gravel. I gained a partner well versed in the IT side of sites and a trustworthy business partner that had a proven track record of success with making websites and podcasts make money. Not a lot of money, mind you, but enough to make life doing RidingGravel.com worth my attention. Something I never got from TNI, nor did Grannygear.

Twenty Nine Inches outlasted its lifespan that it should have had based on the passion and efforts of individuals that cared about the industry and the people that were involved in it, but mostly for the riders out there who read the site and relied on it. We knew it was a worthwhile effort for them. We spent a lot of our own blood, sweat, tears, and suffered a lot of mental anguish working on TNI to make it the best we knew how to. I am proud of my work there, and while it is no longer a thing, I count it a big blessing to have done it. Especially because of the people I connected to through TNI.

I'm not a businessman. I am a story teller, I guess. So, TNI was a big energy suck with little reward beyond the people part I mentioned. How TNI made it to 2017 is an amazing thing. I tip my hat to Grannygear and "cg". To Jeff J, Captain Bob, and anyone else that contributed to our time there at TNI. I am super thankful for every industry contact. You all are much more to me than an opportunity to "get stuff" or gather news. You are all fantastic folks that gave me so much of your precious time, energy, and knowledge. I could never repay any of you for that.

So long Twenty Nine Inches. It was a good ride while it lasted.

My History With "Twenty Nine Inches"

Wes Williams, a 29"er pioneer, and myself at Interbike

First things first. Twenty Nine Inches, as a site, is done. On the passing of that site I thought I would share my history with it. The whole deal I had with Twenty Nine Inches began here and was an outgrowth of this, the Guitar Ted Productions blog. I was writing about 29"ers here and getting news and tips on gear before I ever wrote for another site. Lately I have been recapping the history of that and of this site in my sort of weekly "Minus Ten Review" posts. You can check those out if you care to. The following is a personal recollection and my personal opinions on the history I have with Twenty Nine Inches. This does not necessarily reflect the opinions or recollections of others. So, as always....

NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

The Twenty Nine Inches site, (here after referred to as "TNI"), was started by a guy named Tim Grahl. Tim had several cycling related sites, but first and foremost he was an opportunist. He had a rather successful blog/website called "Blue Collar Mountain Bike" which was documenting he and a friends first forays into the world of off road cycling. Basically, these guys were total noobs and they were stumbling through the learning process of mountain biking openly on-line. This brought them a ton of attention from opportunistic marketing wonks who saw an avenue to tell their product story via a "real" and "honest" pair of budding cyclists. Grahl saw an opportunity to get money and product via other cycling based ideas as well. So, he observed that 29"ers were a new and upcoming force in the cycling world. He also noted that I seemed to be a big fan of 29"ers and knew a lot about what was going on with them. Of course, being new to the scene, Grahl did not have the credibility or background knowledge necessary to speak to this new audience. That's where I came in.

As I have said here, I wasn't looking for more opportunities to write. I was already doing reviews and writing for a site called "The Biking Hub", where I learned basic principles of writing for an audience and gained a framework for doing reviews from a guy who had a journalism background. Basically, I was learning a craft and gaining experience, otherwise I wouldn't have engaged with the "Biking Hub" at all. I simply wasn't interested in becoming anything other than a blogger. I had two children, at that time they were 4 years and two years old. I wanted to be around to raise them, not gallivanting around chasing down stories in the bicycle industry. I had a decent job as a bike mechanic which I had arranged to work around my family's needs.

Riding a Lenz Sports Lunchbox at Bootleg Canyon during Demo Days for Interbike

So, when Grahl came a knockin' on my door to write for him I was not biting. I didn't want more on my plate, I wanted less. Then the "Biking Hub" began to become more difficult to communicate with. Eventually the site shut down. Meanwhile, Grahl paid for airfare to get me to Interbike where he offered to pay me for writing and reviewing for TNI. Eventually he promised me that I would make the same amount of money I did at the bike shop so I could quit my job and go full time into TNI. That would allow even more "home time" and free me up for travels.

Well, the travels happened. Between '06 and '09, I was gone a lot. But, the dollars never materialized. In fact, Grahl began to falter on promises to others in the "Crooked Cog Network", his collection of other cycling sites, and eventually he bailed out on them all. In the process, he botched up a picture hosting site contract where he had convinced me I should host images, resulting in the loss of many images. You can still see the "empty holes" on this blog from posts dating from '08 and '09. He bailed on advertisers, and eventually was going to shut down TNI and sell it.

Seeing as how I had responsibilities to companies and people concerning reviews and products still ongoing, I convinced Grahl to give me the site at no charge, since he never paid me in accordance with our '06 handshake agreement in Vegas. Reluctantly and with much resisstance on his end, I eventually got the reigns to TNI in 2010, I believe it was. However, basically since the beginning of 2009 I had been running the site. Free of charge. No pay. Nuthin.

Obviously, Grahl was the brains behind the computer end of the sites he ran, what him having a college trained background in computer sciences and all. Me? I was as bad at computers and websites as Grahl was about cycling. Only difference being that I didn't pretend to know anything about computers. I was getting a serious crash course in website operations, and stress levels in 2009-2010 were at an all-time high.

Meeting Gary Fisher in happier times with TNI. Grahl is on the left here.

That's where Grannygear came in. I met him at Interbike, via Jason Boucher, at the Salsa Cycles booth. Some things are pre-ordained, and not a chance happening. I believe meeting GG was just such a moment in my life.

I know that without GG's technical background that I would have shut down TNI at the end of 2010. In the meantime, we got a European contributor in "cg", a German based rider. His skill in reviewing and communication brought TNI a lot of respect. Grannygear, a natural  born communicator, made connections I never dreamed of making. Meanwhile, I took less and less opportunities for travel, passing all that off to GG and cg instead. I got to stay home, like I wanted to, and the TNI site quickly gained its feet back underneath it. Due to GG and cg's efforts and talents, TNI, regained its status as a well respected site. Or at least I'd like to think so.

Then 27.5"ers came along, fat bikes came along, and gravel bikes got to be a thing. TNI wasn't getting the review stuff it used to, and marketing turned away from smaller sites. The entrenched cycling media finally figured out 29"ers and other niche cycling growth areas were not to be ignored, as 29"ers had been for several years. This all conspired to make TNI less of a value to advertisers. While I, nor GG or cg, made anything off the site, at least the money we did get "kept the lights on",  paid for business trips for GG and cg, and sometimes for things necessary like tools and supplies at times that we needed them to put bicycles together and maintain them. But even that got to be thin by 2012.

Then I decided that full time editing after doing bicycle mechanic work by day was getting to be too much. I was translating articles from German, going over GG's submissions, doing my part for TNI, writing this blog, running Trans Iowa, and "Gravel Grinder News", all at the same time. It was too much. I decided that TNI was in good hands and I had done more than my fair share in getting it back to a respectable standing after the trashing Grahl put the site through in '09. It was time to bug out.

So, I did just that at the end of 2014. I joined Ben Welnak and we formed Riding Gravel. I gained a partner well versed in the IT side of sites and a trustworthy business partner that had a proven track record of success with making websites and podcasts make money. Not a lot of money, mind you, but enough to make life doing RidingGravel.com worth my attention. Something I never got from TNI, nor did Grannygear.

Twenty Nine Inches outlasted its lifespan that it should have had based on the passion and efforts of individuals that cared about the industry and the people that were involved in it, but mostly for the riders out there who read the site and relied on it. We knew it was a worthwhile effort for them. We spent a lot of our own blood, sweat, tears, and suffered a lot of mental anguish working on TNI to make it the best we knew how to. I am proud of my work there, and while it is no longer a thing, I count it a big blessing to have done it. Especially because of the people I connected to through TNI.

I'm not a businessman. I am a story teller, I guess. So, TNI was a big energy suck with little reward beyond the people part I mentioned. How TNI made it to 2017 is an amazing thing. I tip my hat to Grannygear and "cg". To Jeff J, Captain Bob, and anyone else that contributed to our time there at TNI. I am super thankful for every industry contact. You all are much more to me than an opportunity to "get stuff" or gather news. You are all fantastic folks that gave me so much of your precious time, energy, and knowledge. I could never repay any of you for that.

So long Twenty Nine Inches. It was a good ride while it lasted.

The First Rule Of Cycle Club........

From Dale Jr's Twitter Feed- Guess who shamed him for his short socks?

Cycling is a weird sport. Really, truly weird. I know this because when I fell in love with the activity of bicycling when I was but a kid, it wasn't what I found as an adult. Back then no one thought about what clothes you wore or how you put your sunglasses on when you rode. You just rode your bike and had fun. That was pretty much the only rule- fun!

Things got more fun as I got older when I picked up a friend's ten speed bicycle for a bit as he couldn't find anywhere to store it while he was in transition between homes in two different states. During that time I rode his bike along trails and roads I hadn't been on. I often would ride down to hang out at an ice cream stand in a small town, eat my confection, then I would turn around and ride back home. I never heard a negative word about how I was doing all of this. Well, that is, until I started cycling with "serious road cyclists".

Now, I could blame this on "roadies", but that would be too simple. It really isn't roadies, or any other sub-culture of cycling, it is really just endemic to how males in cycling are, for the most part. I cannot speak for the females in cycling, but I do know all about the "rules" of "Cycle Club". Boy do I.....

Those guys I first started riding with on the local training loop weren't friendly. They weren't about teaching you anything, and they figured if you couldn't hang, well then, too bad. Heaven forbid that you wore something wrong, didn't "pull through", or took a flyer when it wasn't appropriate. There was a semi-secret language and all these unspoken, untaught "rules" which made riding with these jerks no fun at all.

Lance doesn't like your socks, Dale Jr. (Image courtesy of Bike Portland)

Ya know, if I hadn't had cultivated a couple of decades worth of "fun cycling" ahead of this group ride experience, I might have just quit the whole deal then and there. I had already spent a small fortune on clothing, the "right bike", and then I got treated like an unwanted step-child by these guys, which was really discouraging. Well, I went and did my own thing for rides after that and never went on another group ride for years. In fact, I still don't do road based group rides.

Ironically, Dale Earnhardt Jr just got into road cycling. He has been pretty open about the process on his social media. He says he feels odd wearing Spandex/Lycra outfits. He says he thinks the equipment "necessary" for road riding is expensive, and he revealed that he was shamed for wearing too short socks by none other than Lance Armstrong. He detailed how his first few rides have gone- he got thrown the bird by a motorist and had a flat tire from hitting a rumble strip due to an unannounced sudden move by a seasoned cyclist he was with. That's pretty encouraging stuff right there. Yep! Makes you want to jump right in and follow along, it does.

Sounds like the rules of "Cycle Club" are still in full effect. Too bad. No wonder folks get turned off by cyclists, or from trying cycling if they get into this subset of dudes that seem to have sucked all the fun out of riding a bicycle.

The First Rule Of Cycle Club........

From Dale Jr's Twitter Feed- Guess who shamed him for his short socks?

Cycling is a weird sport. Really, truly weird. I know this because when I fell in love with the activity of bicycling when I was but a kid, it wasn't what I found as an adult. Back then no one thought about what clothes you wore or how you put your sunglasses on when you rode. You just rode your bike and had fun. That was pretty much the only rule- fun!

Things got more fun as I got older when I picked up a friend's ten speed bicycle for a bit as he couldn't find anywhere to store it while he was in transition between homes in two different states. During that time I rode his bike along trails and roads I hadn't been on. I often would ride down to hang out at an ice cream stand in a small town, eat my confection, then I would turn around and ride back home. I never heard a negative word about how I was doing all of this. Well, that is, until I started cycling with "serious road cyclists".

Now, I could blame this on "roadies", but that would be too simple. It really isn't roadies, or any other sub-culture of cycling, it is really just endemic to how males in cycling are, for the most part. I cannot speak for the females in cycling, but I do know all about the "rules" of "Cycle Club". Boy do I.....

Those guys I first started riding with on the local training loop weren't friendly. They weren't about teaching you anything, and they figured if you couldn't hang, well then, too bad. Heaven forbid that you wore something wrong, didn't "pull through", or took a flyer when it wasn't appropriate. There was a semi-secret language and all these unspoken, untaught "rules" which made riding with these jerks no fun at all.

Lance doesn't like your socks, Dale Jr. (Image courtesy of Bike Portland)

Ya know, if I hadn't had cultivated a couple of decades worth of "fun cycling" ahead of this group ride experience, I might have just quit the whole deal then and there. I had already spent a small fortune on clothing, the "right bike", and then I got treated like an unwanted step-child by these guys, which was really discouraging. Well, I went and did my own thing for rides after that and never went on another group ride for years. In fact, I still don't do road based group rides.

Ironically, Dale Earnhardt Jr just got into road cycling. He has been pretty open about the process on his social media. He says he feels odd wearing Spandex/Lycra outfits. He says he thinks the equipment "necessary" for road riding is expensive, and he revealed that he was shamed for wearing too short socks by none other than Lance Armstrong. He detailed how his first few rides have gone- he got thrown the bird by a motorist and had a flat tire from hitting a rumble strip due to an unannounced sudden move by a seasoned cyclist he was with. That's pretty encouraging stuff right there. Yep! Makes you want to jump right in and follow along, it does.

Sounds like the rules of "Cycle Club" are still in full effect. Too bad. No wonder folks get turned off by cyclists, or from trying cycling if they get into this subset of dudes that seem to have sucked all the fun out of riding a bicycle.

Iowa Bicycle/Car Crash Data

I had my own, bizarre car/bicycle/ped incident in rural Iowa

 Cyclists the world over have one similar issue facing all of them- That being the vulnerability they all share when traveling on roads with automobile and truck traffic. When a car or truck get into a crash with a cyclist, the outcome for the cyclist is often dire. We here in Iowa were recently made acutely aware of this when a cyclist was killed by the name of Wade Franck. 

That said, there are a lot of folks that don't believe cyclists belong on the roads, (they have every right to by law), and some that say cyclists cause a lot of their own issues by disobeying the laws, (some do), but neither excuse holds up and is not worth risking the life of, or maiming forever, a cyclist who stands no chance against distracted drivers, drunk drivers, or self righteous cowards behind the wheel.

Check out this Des Moines Register story with a poignant video interview with Heather Wince and many stats illustrating the issues, at least here in Iowa. There are some silly hoops you have to jump through to see the story, but it is well worth the minor trouble the Register puts you through.

Let's be safe out there and try to continue to work toward safer routes and better educated drivers.

Iowa Bicycle/Car Crash Data

I had my own, bizarre car/bicycle/ped incident in rural Iowa

 Cyclists the world over have one similar issue facing all of them- That being the vulnerability they all share when traveling on roads with automobile and truck traffic. When a car or truck get into a crash with a cyclist, the outcome for the cyclist is often dire. We here in Iowa were recently made acutely aware of this when a cyclist was killed by the name of Wade Franck. 

That said, there are a lot of folks that don't believe cyclists belong on the roads, (they have every right to by law), and some that say cyclists cause a lot of their own issues by disobeying the laws, (some do), but neither excuse holds up and is not worth risking the life of, or maiming forever, a cyclist who stands no chance against distracted drivers, drunk drivers, or self righteous cowards behind the wheel.

Check out this Des Moines Register story with a poignant video interview with Heather Wince and many stats illustrating the issues, at least here in Iowa. There are some silly hoops you have to jump through to see the story, but it is well worth the minor trouble the Register puts you through.

Let's be safe out there and try to continue to work toward safer routes and better educated drivers.

Friday News And Views

Videos To Waste Away Your Friday By: Okay, today I am going to feature a couple of things that tickled my fancy recently in the form of videos. The first is from a U.K. persona, Ed Oxley, better known on the "inner-web-o-sphere" as "Great Rock". He is a mountain bike guide and skills instructor, and generally all-around good egg, from what I know of him. And.........he has a rockin' beard!


Edventure from Whitenosugar Productions on Vimeo.


Well, recently the video above made the rounds and it is really representative of his humor and shows what you can do to just have fun and "adventure by bike". Check it out. (Note: There may be  a foul word in here, but with that dialect, I have a hard time knowing if I've been offended or not. On the whole this is harmless. I would definitely let my kids watch it, for instance.)

Next up we have this sent to me by T.I. Vet "Dr. Giggles". It is one of those electro-vox-animated deals that you see a lot of, but the subject matter, (concerning cyclist's propensity for odd, pain related activities and for excessive spending on gear), really hits close to home. I found myself laughing, despite myself, at a few points. A bit long at 7-plus minutes, and definitely Not Safe For Work due to language.

 

The "no-name" "Neck Romancer", er..whatever!

A Bit On The Surly Black...er Necro...er....Whatever! Black Pugs!

In what can only be termed as "ludicrous", a recent paint scheme naming frenzy surrounding the innocent looking fat-bike in the image here has occurred.

First shown as the "Black Ops Pugsley", this bike was basically a "murdered out" Pugs with a twist on the typical parts spec. Okay. No big deal, right?

Well, a certain "importer" has used "Black Ops" as a branding name and, (we're guessing), because of that, made Surly change the name. Surly then chose "Necromancer" as the designation for this special Pugs. Well, the "dark" nature of this name brought howls of disapproval from the peanut gallery, and apparently, to assuage them, Surly made yet another change to the name. Now called the "Neck Romancer", it has gotten to the point of being ridiculous and has gone waaay too far. How about we just call it the "Black Pugs" and be done with this madness?

Besides all of that nonsense, the bike itself seems pretty cool. It feels shorter and more nimble than a Mukluk, but doesn't weigh much different, and they both are great bikes. This is a pretty rare bird right now. The "Black Pugs" is tough to come by due to high demand. We were lucky to score this one for a customer at the shop where I work. 

At the 450L/High setting

 Update On The Lezyne Super Drive: Well, I got out on the bike the other evening with the Lezyne Super Drive attached to the Snow Dog. Here are my initial thoughts...

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine!  Uh.......'scuse me! Well, you might find yerself singin' the same tune when/if you try the Super Drive. It is a commuter's dream light, I think. Bright, yes, but that beam pattern! Look at how it floods and throws light down the trail in my, (not so great, I know), shot here. Very even, not much of a hot spot at all, and no halo/ring effect from the lens. The light color is also really good.

Of course, that is on High. What about the other settings? Well, Medium/300lumens is just as impressive and boots the run time up a bit. Only when dropping off to the 150 lumen setting do you see a dramatic dip in visibility, but honestly, I could ride gravel in the country as fast as I dared to go in the day for the entire 4.5 hours of run time available on Low setting. 150 lumens is really quite enough for that sort of riding.

Again, it is the quality of the beam pattern and throw that get me excited about this light. I'll give it some more runs before offering a final opinion, but this thing is really impressing me so far.

Friday News And Views

Videos To Waste Away Your Friday By: Okay, today I am going to feature a couple of things that tickled my fancy recently in the form of videos. The first is from a U.K. persona, Ed Oxley, better known on the "inner-web-o-sphere" as "Great Rock". He is a mountain bike guide and skills instructor, and generally all-around good egg, from what I know of him. And.........he has a rockin' beard!


Edventure from Whitenosugar Productions on Vimeo.


Well, recently the video above made the rounds and it is really representative of his humor and shows what you can do to just have fun and "adventure by bike". Check it out. (Note: There may be  a foul word in here, but with that dialect, I have a hard time knowing if I've been offended or not. On the whole this is harmless. I would definitely let my kids watch it, for instance.)

Next up we have this sent to me by T.I. Vet "Dr. Giggles". It is one of those electro-vox-animated deals that you see a lot of, but the subject matter, (concerning cyclist's propensity for odd, pain related activities and for excessive spending on gear), really hits close to home. I found myself laughing, despite myself, at a few points. A bit long at 7-plus minutes, and definitely Not Safe For Work due to language.

 

The "no-name" "Neck Romancer", er..whatever!

A Bit On The Surly Black...er Necro...er....Whatever! Black Pugs!

In what can only be termed as "ludicrous", a recent paint scheme naming frenzy surrounding the innocent looking fat-bike in the image here has occurred.

First shown as the "Black Ops Pugsley", this bike was basically a "murdered out" Pugs with a twist on the typical parts spec. Okay. No big deal, right?

Well, a certain "importer" has used "Black Ops" as a branding name and, (we're guessing), because of that, made Surly change the name. Surly then chose "Necromancer" as the designation for this special Pugs. Well, the "dark" nature of this name brought howls of disapproval from the peanut gallery, and apparently, to assuage them, Surly made yet another change to the name. Now called the "Neck Romancer", it has gotten to the point of being ridiculous and has gone waaay too far. How about we just call it the "Black Pugs" and be done with this madness?

Besides all of that nonsense, the bike itself seems pretty cool. It feels shorter and more nimble than a Mukluk, but doesn't weigh much different, and they both are great bikes. This is a pretty rare bird right now. The "Black Pugs" is tough to come by due to high demand. We were lucky to score this one for a customer at the shop where I work. 

At the 450L/High setting

 Update On The Lezyne Super Drive: Well, I got out on the bike the other evening with the Lezyne Super Drive attached to the Snow Dog. Here are my initial thoughts...

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine!  Uh.......'scuse me! Well, you might find yerself singin' the same tune when/if you try the Super Drive. It is a commuter's dream light, I think. Bright, yes, but that beam pattern! Look at how it floods and throws light down the trail in my, (not so great, I know), shot here. Very even, not much of a hot spot at all, and no halo/ring effect from the lens. The light color is also really good.

Of course, that is on High. What about the other settings? Well, Medium/300lumens is just as impressive and boots the run time up a bit. Only when dropping off to the 150 lumen setting do you see a dramatic dip in visibility, but honestly, I could ride gravel in the country as fast as I dared to go in the day for the entire 4.5 hours of run time available on Low setting. 150 lumens is really quite enough for that sort of riding.

Again, it is the quality of the beam pattern and throw that get me excited about this light. I'll give it some more runs before offering a final opinion, but this thing is really impressing me so far.

A Paved Battlefield: Part III - Car Culture And Cycling

 This is Part III of the series "A Paved Battlefield". You can check out Part I here and Part II here.

In my last post I described how we as cyclists are misunderstood creatures out on the road by non-cycling Americans. That is certainly part of the problem, but there is another issue that is even more subtle and pernicious to the well being of all of us. I call it "Car Culture". Now, I admit to this not being my terminology. Lots of folks use the term, but in this discussion, "Car Culture" will be used to describe the subversive way our culture, our people, have been led to believe that "this is how life works". To help illustrate this point, I have employed a favorite little ditty of mine called "Cars", a "New Wave" and proto-tech song from 1980....................


"Here in my car
I feel safest of all
I can lock all my doors
It's the only way to live
In cars "

From "Cars" by Gary Numan

Mr. Numan explains the basis for the song by saying it grew from an incident of road rage he experienced in the U.K. and says the following as well: 

"It explains how you can feel safe inside a car in the modern world... When you're in it, your whole mentality is different... It's like your own little personal empire with four wheels on it.": Gary Numan

A Personal Empire: I believe Mr. Numan has described very succinctly what has happened to us in America, and perhaps wherever automobiles are the most preferred mode of transportation. We didn't consciously buy into this way of life, it just sort of happened over the last 50-60 years. Everything got built around the automobile, and then, we got suckered into thinking that our car interiors were our own little kingdoms. We wield powers while inside of our vehicles that we would never imagine using outside of them, much less as violently as we do. Yet something odd overcomes our psyche when the car door latch snicks shut and we turn the key in the ignition. (Or push a button, as is becoming more common these days.)

Suddenly we are little dictators, with powers and wills that would frighten even Nero in his most morally bankrupt state. With no regard to courtesy, compromise, or manners, we bully our way down the road playing "chicken" with our cruise controls, racing to the first place at the stop light, and all the while, putting our lives and the lives of others at risk without a second thought. 

I used to work "for the enemy", as I refer to that time in my life nowadays. I was a car mechanic at an independantly owned four bay repair shop that arguably had the highest reputation for the best repairs in town. (Still does to this day, as a matter of fact.) Well, the point is that when I would inform someone that the car they just brought in to have checked out was in too poor a condition to drive anymore, and that they should stop driving it immediately, they would look like I just told them they had cancer and had 24 hours to live. They would freak out in some instances. I would watch as their whole existence crumbled underneath them as they wondered aloud how they could even live their life without the automobile. It was an enlightening thing for me. Cars = life in a lot of peoples minds. Simply amazing. Sick is really what it is.

The Rebel Forces: Now throw these two wheeled pests, these cyclists, out there on the pavement with this "Car Culture" that we have and you have a volatile mix just waiting for a spark to set off a fire. While the law says cyclists have a right to share the road, and slogans, programs, and more are out there trying to proselytize these motorists into compromise with "the enemy", the sad truth of the matter is that it isn't working. Heck, we can't even get motorists to get along with each other in many cases. Laws? ha! Even many cyclists don't obey the laws of the road, much less the car driving public. (Stop signs and speed limits anyone?) 

 The Long Road: It is my belief that this needs to change for all of our good. I think many people agree. The thing is, we're an impatient lot, and folks want to see this get fixed "yesterday". Obviously, that is unrealistic. I think getting things "fixed" in the next ten years is just as unrealistic. My feeling is that it took upwards of 60 years to get us where we are at, and it just might take that long to get things turned around. Hopefully I am wrong, but you know, it might just take decades. 

I think that our culture has to decide that cars are not "all that" and that we, as a people, want to see pedestrians, cyclists, mass transportation, and yes- automobiles as part of an educational system for our youth, and as a main directive for the reshaping of our infrastructure. That means some of our current culture will need to be torn down: spiritually, mentally, and physically, and re-shaped. As with any sort of change, there will be detractors, whiners, and people that will throw down some spectacular tantrums. Get ready for that part. That said, I believe it will be worth it, even if I am not here to see the end result. 

And I think that is the way we current cyclists have to look at this. We may see incremental change in our lifetimes that we can enjoy, but that should not be the "why" of this move to tear down Car Culture. It should be understood that we have to start a process to bring us out of this, and that for a better world sometime down the road for those who follow in our tire tracks.