With YS talking about bicycles, I am reminded of my own stubborness when it comes to bikes. I have had the same old Repco mountan bike since 1992. It’s getting rusty, the spokes are loosening and it makes more noise than me when it goes up a steep hill.
If my bike could speak, it would tell some interesting stories. Especially stories of drink driving riding. In my mid-twenties I rode everywhere – well, from pub to pub anyway. Once I can recall falling off it about 10 times while trying to ride 200 metres from the All Nations Hotel (64 Lennox St. Richmond) to the front door of my old shared house (140 Lennox St. Richmond). Why I didn’t just walk it home I will never know. I reckon it’s clocked up thousands of kilometres and besides my 15 year old Panasonic mini-system, it’s probably the best purchase I have ever made. If I remember correctly it was $229.
Most bikes that I see now have all sorts of wank attached to them. While it may not be wank to anyone else, I just fail to see the need for complexity when it comes to designing something that should last a decade at the least. I just don’t get fancy gear levers, excessive cabling, non-weatherproof nuts and bolts and seats made from anything but steel and vinyl. Give me a sore arse after a leisurely 20km ride anyday. Just don’t expect me to buy anything that looks like it was put together by the Williams F1 team.
I agree with the simpler the better philosophy.
There’s an old boy at the historic centre who always rides his old bike in and you can tell that he knows everything about maintaining it. I saw fotos of how big the cycling clubs were between wars — cycling’s been downgraded to ‘hobby’ these days — and all the doodads reflect that.
Wha? Sod the old style gear levers, the trigger ones are the best thing since sliced bread. But then I usually break bikes before they get too old. In fact my bike frame is only warranteed for five years.