We Need To Teach American Males How To Ride A Bike
We Need To Teach American Males How To Ride A Bike!
There was a time, in the not too distant past, when people knew that you do not jump things, hop curbs or deliberately run through a pot hole. Bicycles have never been designed for this kind of abuse. Well, at least not efficient, reliable and comfortable bikes for adults.
Unfortunately, the 60’s introduced a generation to motocross. Every kid with a Schwinn Stingray wanted to pretend they were racing motorcycles. For a while it wasn’t too bad. Most of those kids graduated to road bikes and learned a harsh reality. The whole idea of Vehicular Cycling (taking your lane) came out of the idea that we needed to protect our bikes as much as ourselves. That is until BMX came on strong in the 80’s.
I never sweat it when a man over 60 comes in wanting an e-bike. It is either leisurely recreation or commuting. He knows how to care for his bike and is rarely upset that the correct bike for their application isn’t, “cool,” “tough,” or “mean” enough (no kidding, grown men actually use those words)…I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, no one is going to be throwing their panties at you because your bike is cool or tough. It’s a BICYCLE!”
Today I know that any male over 30 and under 60 has no idea how to properly ride a bike. Well, unless he has been active in road cycling with a club like The QCBC. We have a couple generations that don’t understand why their 200+ pound body can’t, “do jumps, bunny hop and bash curbs” like they did on their BMX bikes when they weighed 90#’s. What’s more, they want to be comfortable while they’re doing it… oh and BTW, “I never had any problems with my $200 Walmart bikes when I was a kid.” Everything has a price!
This is one of the reasons the sport of mountain biking is dying. Basically, these same people just don’t understand why the more they spend, the more likely it is to break. Off-road bikes are designed to perform, not to endure. Upset feelings over this have spawned two whole new classes of bikes. The dying Fat Bike they are finding too cumbersome and The Adult BMX bike (admittedly, a cool and fun concept).
The problem remains: If it is heavy-duty enough to perform jumps and tricks, it is too heavy to be efficient. So, they get these great bikes and let them sit. Oh they might go out once in a while for maybe an hour (ten miles or less), but it’s embarrassing when they can’t keep up with road or gravel bikes.
Eventually, they bring these bikes to me for conversion. Unfortunately, the quality isn’t what it needs to be, for the riding they want to do. Now 200#+ men want to do jumps and tricks, but at much higher speeds (God forbid I should restrict them)! I made the mistake of building just seven of these. Four have been in serious crashes…no more.
“I’m sorry {insert popular 90’s name} your bike was designed to be ridden 6-8, MAYBE 10-12mph (for short periods). You know, like you did as a kid. You’re going to destroy it riding 15mph for 20+ miles a day hopping curbs and smashing roots, carrying your weight (we aren’t skinny anymore). Tailwhips were impressive when you were 12. They’re just plain stupid and a waste of energy as an adult (yes, they slow you down).
Fun Fact: ONE woman has brought her e-bike in with performance issues in three years (lost power under load… misaligned magnet). ALL my other service has been for men abusing their bikes. I can’t prove it to their satisfaction. They don’t consider jumping curbs and bunny hops abuse anyway, so I repair them under warranty. BTW, you can do these things on any bike. If you do it a lot, you’re going to have more maintenance issues. That’s okay. Just be prepared to pay for it, the same as you would for doing burnouts with your hot rod or getting your bass boat into the perfect shallow fishing location or taking your boulevard cruising motorcycle on an epic road trip. Hobbies, even healthy ones, cost money to do right.
“Well, I gotta hop curbs to get on and off the street!” No, you don’t. It’s okay to stop, go to a ramped curb or to lift on approach. Get off your saddle and rotate your weight! Why are you jumping a curb to get on a sidewalk in the first place? 90% of the time I find they are also wanting this long distance commuter to ride, “light trails” and “maybe a few jumps.” How do I warranty such abuse? Even MTB’s are designed to perform in these conditions, not to endure them!
It’s okay to be in traffic. Put on the big boy pants and ignore any harassment (hardly ever happens to me anymore). Take your lane and they’ll know to change lanes to pass. You do not have to get out of their way unless conditions exist that they can’t pass, AFTER traffic gets backed up. It’s your right! They will not lose one minute out of their day waiting for an opportunity to pass you safely.
It’s okay to swerve around a pothole. There is not room to share your lane with another vehicle. Not every root, crack or washout needs to be bashed. If you were racing cyclocross, gravel, enduro or mtb’s, you’d know these things slow you down anyway.
I promise, you’ll be a lot more comfortable. Your bike will perform better, last longer and cost a lot less to maintain, if you avoid obstacles. If you want to do tricks or ride off-road, you just need to understand that abuse means more repairs. I reiterate; Off-road bikes are designed to perform in rugged conditions, not to endure them. Breaking them is half the fun!
It’s been hard enough helping people understand that no one bike does everything, much less well. Adding a motor makes it even tougher. Always choose a bike based on the riding you are going to be doing most of the time. Not the worst conditions you will encounter sometimes! There is no shame in getting off once in a while. You won’t die of embarrassment. Take care of your e-bike and it will take care of you.