The time has come
Cell phones. They’re simply a necessary part of our existence these days. Like the internet, it’s hard to believe we ever survived without them. For most innovations and modern advancements I find myself holding out just…one….more….day…before finally jumping ship on the tried and true. I held out until late 1997 to join the celly bandwagon and then, of course, became one of the many – yet another ‘cellout’. With items such as these it’s downright inevitable that you’ll succumb to their wrath; simply brilliant inventions marking progression of mankind.
Yet with bicycles I’m a bit more cautious of the next great doo-hicka-majig. The industry seems to have literally re-invented the wheel repeatedly as companies and engineering compete for the consumer and true advancements in bicycle ride quality and enjoyment. Good driving forces, I admit, but whether a frame is made of sustainably-farmed minerals from Saturn or features a saline-dampened rebound adjuster on its fork, it doesn’t make it game-changing in my book. I’ve stubbornly and slowly accepted suspension, disc brakes, tubeless wheelsets, and cycled through all 7, 8, 9, now 10-speed drivetrains. The pointed differences I search for are vast when choosing frames and componenets, but the wheel size has never really dipped into focus. I see myself as a 26er and not a 29er guy. It’s what I know, the snappiness of the O.G. small wheel is comfortable & predictable, I feel my height is better suited for a 26er, and uh, you know, I’m a 26er guy.
Well, after much curiosity and research, I’m finally giving it a go. The time has come to sample the offerings of cycling-related scientific innovations of our era. I’m gettin’ me a big wheeler. Niner, Yeti, short-travel, hardtail? Oh boy, let the ‘geek-out on specs’ game begin. Whatever I get, I’m gonna ride it like I stole it and finally see how 3 extra inches handles in the varying terrain I predict slaying in the not too distance future. Hold off on those snickers about the ’3 extra inches’ and tune in to this awesome discussion that sums up current 29er debate. I don’t think I’ll ever not have a 26er, but I’m not naive enough to ignore the possible next-best-thing – especially if it gives me an excuse to buy another bike! As a side note, my current phone isn’t a smartphone. It’s got a keypad to txt ur hrt out but no net or social msturbation, er…networking, apps. For months it has been shutting off / shorting out sporadically and I keep putting getting a replacement on the back burner. Ironically, I dealt with this exact issue when trying to place a call to my Niner rep earlier today for a pro form. Priorities….
‘You will never have a Sam Hill level game with wagon wheels on your bike’
