I ride a bike to work, most days in fact, it saves me a modest amount of money and raises the heart rate a trifle which is purported to be good for me, and yet I don't have an irrestible urge to splash out on acres of lycra or a carbon-fibre bike on any other amount of cycling-orientated frippery.
My bike, though hardly used, was I think a fall-out from the previous cycle fad of 'Mountain Biking' and built some time in the 90s - it cost me 18 pounds form our local auction house. The tyres were a bit bit perished so it now has some road tyres on it which when pumped up high roll quite well. It's a tool for a job.
BUT what job does all of the modern multi-thousand pound bike crappola serve? Do please tell!
In the past 5 years I see nothing but fat blokes on spindly bikes grimacing and panting their way up modest hills like their life depended on it. Why ?? If it's purely for fitness purposes then surely any old bike would do, right ? In fact the cheaper and heavier the better surely. If however these clowns are somehow in training for the next Olympics (or indeed even the next club cycling event) then wouldn't it be better to shed a couple of stone in on-board-lard rather that a couple of thousand quid on some titanium, carbon alloy-fibre wizzo-wheels that save them just a few ounces in weight ?
But of course I'm missing the point aren't I - it's that lifestyle thing again. No different to attending a Div 1 footbal game in the 80s wearing a Sergio Tacchini polo shirt - probably the same set of tossers with grown-up kids and (too much) time on their hands. Pah !
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