Bike & Jeep

Why the Rant?

In the early years of my biking, I was guilty of a few of these acts of ignorance. It took a back injury, 8+ months of physical therapy, 2 years off the bike to wise up and realize that I was not indestructible, I wasn’t so damn good! It was quite humbling to go from a good rider (so I thought) to not riding at all. Three years after the injury, I bought a used full suspension bike from my buddy and started peddling around the neighborhood for exercise. I never thought I’d ever be able to really ride hard again. But here I am 11 years later ridding harder than ever before. These days, I don’t think of myself as anything other than a mountain biker. I’m no better than the next guy. I may at times be a little faster, or a little slower… but I’ll ride with anyone, no matter how fast or slow they are. For me biking is about the people I ride with, being outdoors, breathing in the fresh air and seeing new places

Biking should be much more than our ego.
That’s a hard lesson I learned. So the rants below are to remind me of who I do not want to be.

I’m so damn great…

You’ve probably seen them before. Those guys who think they are doing something so unique, so different from the other bikers that they think they’re enlightened and so much above everyone else. They rag on each guy that rolls by that isn’t part of their little click of enlightened riders. If you talk to one of them you’ll soon discover that everything you do is wrong, you got the wrong bike, too many gears, wrong wheel size, wrong frame… you’re completely clueless to what it means to be a real man and your bike is crap. That is if they take the time to talk to you at all. These are the same guys you’ll see jumping from one new trend to the next as the older trend becomes more main stream and their uniqueness is no longer exclusive to themselves. And as it goes… you’ll always be on the wrong bike and doing something wrong, if you’re not following their lead.

The Bike Doesn’t Make the Rider…
The Rider Makes the Bike

What an old topic… After 17+ years of biking, I can’t even count how many times I’ve heard someone say this. Yea, it’s true to a certain degree and a load of crap too!

If it was 100% true, we’d all be riding $89.00 department store bikes!

A rider is as good as they chose to be… that’s all there is too it. But the rider is only as good as they are, if the bike he or she rides performs like it should. Tell me, how are you going to keep up with the pack you ride with, if your bike is having mechanical issues, it isn’t shifting well, the fork is junk and rattles your teeth loose while blazing downhill, your bike weighs considerably more than the others you ride with, your frame cracks, your wheel tacos, or the geo is not correct for you. If you really think this is true… go get a $89.00 bike and lets go ride… prove me wrong!

Yea… the rider makes the bike, but a bike that performs makes that good rider better!

Counting Grams
Been there done that.

I like building a my bikes and I’ve built many over the years. I’ve done the gram counting thing and went the cheap route too. After going in many different directions, trying various options. I finally settled into where I need to be with the build I want and what I desire out of my bikes. I gave up on the top of the line components about 5 years ago. I liked how light the parts where, but they where not very reliable and tended to break on the trail. Maybe I’m just too rough on my bikes.

These days, I build up with SRAM X9 Drive Train & Shifters, Beat up Reba Fork, King Headset, Salsa Bar, Thomson Stem and Seatpost, old school Race Face Turbine Cranks and Rings, Hope/Mavic/DTSwiss Spokes Wheelset on a Ventana Padrino frame.

It’s not a cheap build - but it’s not too expensive.
It’s not the lightest build - but it’s not too heavy.
But it is Strong, Reliable and Performs Great!

Which is better?
Single Speeds, Full Suspensions, Hard Tails, 29ers, 26ers… Who gives a xxxx, Shut up and Ride!

I find it funny when a guy rags on someone else because they do not ride the same type of bike they do. I guess they’re just so thick headed, that they just can’t comprehend that not everyone is the same, nor wants to be like next guy. I’ve ridden many different types of bikes over the years. Each had it’s own unique purpose and did what it was meant to. But just because one guy likes to ride a Full Suspension 26er and another likes to ride a SS 29er, doesn’t make one better than the other. They’re two different types of rides. I myself tried the SS thing for a little while and eventually went back to a geared bike… I just like those gears! Has nothing to do with punkin on climbs… No, I simply like the speed I get out of my geared 29er! And I’ve got a 27 Single Speeds to chose from.

As for 29ers vs 26ers, I dig the speed of a 29er… they’re fast rolling bikes and climb great. But they can’t touch a 26er in maneuverability and general goofing off. But as it stands, my 26er is tore down and hanging in the garage. SOLD! So I guess I’d have to say, I definitely like 29ers more. But I am considering building up my 26er again, so I can have a bike to huck around on. Strike my last… I got to demo a 650b and liked it! A lot! So I got a frame on the way, the 26er is gone. Not really sure what will happen with the 29er.

But I sure wouldn’t rag a guy for riding something different than what I ride.
Personally I like variety, it makes life more interesting.

I don’t get this kind of xxxx from the Wife, what gives?

So your buddy is dropping a ton of cash on a sweet custom ride. Completely tricked out, top of the so called line of components. All the Bike Bling and the Rave. Are you going to rag him more than his wife about what he spends? It’s his money, his bike, his life… He can do what ever he wants. Be his friend, quit ragging on him. This one reverts back to the default (Shut Up and Ride!)