Comments on: The Cranky Mechanic – “The New….” http://www.thebuyer.com/2008/the-cranky-mechanic-the-new cycling news, product reviews, original bicycling essays, bike podcasts and video -- Tour de France 2009 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:26:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Echeverria http://www.thebuyer.com/2008/the-cranky-mechanic-the-new/comment-page-1#comment-90925 Echeverria Sun, 23 Aug 2009 05:17:40 +0000 http://www.bicycle.net/2008/the-cranky-mechanic-the-new#comment-90925 Hi, this is really nice post i like it so much thank very much Hi, this is really nice post i like it so much
thank very much

]]> By: Norm http://www.thebuyer.com/2008/the-cranky-mechanic-the-new/comment-page-1#comment-76690 Norm Wed, 04 Mar 2009 17:07:52 +0000 http://www.bicycle.net/2008/the-cranky-mechanic-the-new#comment-76690 Robert, is the snobbery in cycling? Or in SoCal? Robert, is the snobbery in cycling? Or in SoCal?

]]> By: Robert http://www.thebuyer.com/2008/the-cranky-mechanic-the-new/comment-page-1#comment-64247 Robert Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:39:00 +0000 http://www.bicycle.net/2008/the-cranky-mechanic-the-new#comment-64247 I beg to differ with Trust but Verify. In his comment he states "There is far, far more status crawling in the world of golf, with the fine art of snubbing not only about equipment, but aspects of social status as well". A lot of the club riders will pass you on the road and look down their noses at you. They refuse to acknowledge your existence on the road if you are not riding a $5k bike and flying Club Colors. This is why I have ridden alone or just with select friends for so many years. I still ride the roads and say hi to people as I ride, I offer assistance to people with flats and stop for people who have crashed. There is definitely snobbery and conceit in cycling. Just come ride the roads in SoCal to see! I beg to differ with Trust but Verify. In his comment he states “There is far, far more status crawling in the world of golf, with the fine art of snubbing not only about equipment, but aspects of social status as well”. A lot of the club riders will pass you on the road and look down their noses at you. They refuse to acknowledge your existence on the road if you are not riding a $5k bike and flying Club Colors. This is why I have ridden alone or just with select friends for so many years. I still ride the roads and say hi to people as I ride, I offer assistance to people with flats and stop for people who have crashed. There is definitely snobbery and conceit in cycling. Just come ride the roads in SoCal to see!

]]> By: Rusty http://www.thebuyer.com/2008/the-cranky-mechanic-the-new/comment-page-1#comment-61906 Rusty Mon, 11 Aug 2008 07:37:24 +0000 http://www.bicycle.net/2008/the-cranky-mechanic-the-new#comment-61906 Cycling is definately the new golf, and trust me, training is only going to get you so far in cycling too (just like golf) in the end physiology and natural talent is not something you can buy or train to overcome (unfortunately). If you suck at cycling your most likely not to be riding the tour de France! (EPO anyone?) Just like golf there is always something else you could buy that might not make you suck so much, like that carbon bidon cage for 120 bucks - you NEED that (forget the fact that you're carrying an extra 40kg round you're middle, saving 15g on a bidon cage has to make you faster - doesn't it?) Cycling is definately the new golf, and trust me, training is only going to get you so far in cycling too (just like golf) in the end physiology and natural talent is not something you can buy or train to overcome (unfortunately). If you suck at cycling your most likely not to be riding the tour de France! (EPO anyone?)

Just like golf there is always something else you could buy that might not make you suck so much, like that carbon bidon cage for 120 bucks – you NEED that (forget the fact that you’re carrying an extra 40kg round you’re middle, saving 15g on a bidon cage has to make you faster – doesn’t it?)

]]> By: trust but verify http://www.thebuyer.com/2008/the-cranky-mechanic-the-new/comment-page-1#comment-56354 trust but verify Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:27:31 +0000 http://www.bicycle.net/2008/the-cranky-mechanic-the-new#comment-56354 My parents had the golf bug, and tried to infect me with it, but it did not take root. Despite the $6000 bike issue, at the bottom cycling many hours a week is about pain tolerance and exertion, very often alone. There is far, far more status crawling in the world of golf, with the fine art of snubbing not only about equipment, but aspects of social status as well. There aren't exclusive country cycling courses, nor carts or caddies to do the heavy lifting for you. There's no need for special facilities (the rare velodrome excluded), and all that goes with that. I don't know if there is another recreational activity that combines capital-intensive equipment for participants with lack of special facilities and low incremental expense the way cycling does, making it hard to be "the next X", because there is nothing quite like it. Any form of motorsport needs a facility or reserved place to paticipate (track, course, closed desert); Boating requires a place to put the boat; Tennis needs courts, and is not that expensive to outfit; downhill skiing needs facilities; cross country skiing isn't that capital intensive; Surfing isn't capital intensive the same way. Maybe equestrian riding? You can buy a horse at almost any price point, and can either ride with facilities or without, and can get as snobby (or not) as you want to be. TBV My parents had the golf bug, and tried to infect me with it, but it did not take root. Despite the $6000 bike issue, at the bottom cycling many hours a week is about pain tolerance and exertion, very often alone. There is far, far more status crawling in the world of golf, with the fine art of snubbing not only about equipment, but aspects of social status as well. There aren’t exclusive country cycling courses, nor carts or caddies to do the heavy lifting for you. There’s no need for special facilities (the rare velodrome excluded), and all that goes with that.

I don’t know if there is another recreational activity that combines capital-intensive equipment for participants with lack of special facilities and low incremental expense the way cycling does, making it hard to be “the next X”, because there is nothing quite like it.

Any form of motorsport needs a facility or reserved place to paticipate (track, course, closed desert); Boating requires a place to put the boat; Tennis needs courts, and is not that expensive to outfit; downhill skiing needs facilities; cross country skiing isn’t that capital intensive; Surfing isn’t capital intensive the same way.

Maybe equestrian riding? You can buy a horse at almost any price point, and can either ride with facilities or without, and can get as snobby (or not) as you want to be.

TBV

]]> By: sheila lieberman http://www.thebuyer.com/2008/the-cranky-mechanic-the-new/comment-page-1#comment-50823 sheila lieberman Sat, 19 Apr 2008 20:37:31 +0000 http://www.bicycle.net/2008/the-cranky-mechanic-the-new#comment-50823 Uncle Sean!!!! YOu are the funniest!!! This is my first read, but I feel I know you already. Thanks for the laughs, sheila in Miami Uncle Sean!!!! YOu are the funniest!!! This is my first read, but I feel I know you already. Thanks for the laughs,
sheila in Miami

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