Stepping Stones

There was a recent article in Velonews about whether people jumping on the bicycle bandwagon with a ss road bike is a bad thing or not... This got me thinking.

One of our favorite customers, who we will call Tobi, because that is her name, got into cycling this last year or so. Her trainer felt that cycling would be a great way to cross train and that she would just like it. We sold her a bike that she liked aesthetically and would function for her needs. She was absolutely not comfortable with a bike that was going to have a lot of things to adjust and play with. She just wanted a bike to figure things out with. We obliged. And she reacted with such incredible vigor and excitement that we got worried about her. She rode that bike a lot. So much so that she became very comfortable with paths and sidewalks and roads. She became comfortable with other cyclists and us. In essence, she graduated to the next level. As a reward, she bought a different bike; it is a bike that appealed to her new aesthetic wants and her new level of needs. It was really fun to watch.

My question is this: How is that different than the accused fixie rider that is still figuring out that they aren't as big as a car? We have seen a great deal of riders come in and discover their life's passion is cycling. Personally, I don't care how this happens. But, people are in a stink about it. The pattern is there. The aesthetic wants and the simplicity needs. Function (sometimes but not always) before form?

A cyclist is born when they see a bicycle as a part of who they want to *be*. Then, they can *become* a cyclist. Try before do.

Ride around on my bicycle like a pony

One of our favorite customers just bought a bike from us. We are proud of him because he has got some things figured out that we would like to share:

1. Bikes are less expensive to operate than cars. He doesn't drive his car except because he "has to" to keep the engine from seizing.
2. If you don't drive, and you save that money up, buying almost EVERYTHING you want is easy. Hence, the new bike.
3. You don't need to be concerned about what other people are riding as long as you have the biggest $hit eating grin on your face. Even less thought should go into what others might think, or heaven forbid, FEEL about your bike.

He owned only a really nice fixie that can take everything but trails and dirt. He remedied that situation with a 29" mountain bike in Single Speed Form. Now, he is unstoppable and is praying for snow each day. He figured out that he really just likes bikes and that bicycles are the best thing ever (ever).

*Our plan now is to take him to the mountains to see what real smiling is about. Hopefully, he is up for it.