[BLANK] is everything.

[Baron Blubba]

Some time ago Specialized coined the phrase, as it relates to bikes, "Aero is everything."

If one were solely meriting a bike based on its ability to go fast, then that might be (mostly) true. But speed isn't everyone's most important metric when rating a bike. So, for those of you with whom that last sentence resonates, complete the sentence:

[BLANK] is everything.

Mine:

PURPLE is everything.
(And when it can't be EVERYTHING, at least it can always be the handlebars.)

[IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG]

Disclaimer: I am aware that no one thing can be everything. Please remove your scientist lab coat, hat, gloves, and glasses when replying. Keep your pants on.

[Turkle]

I'll play.

For me, FIT is everything. Old steel bikes came in like 25 sizes, and modern carbon fiber bikes come in 4.

I'm exaggerating, but not by much!

I get it. Carbon molds are really really expensive. OK! But, I mean, come on. It feels like it's harder than ever to get a truly great-fitting bike.

And then you have a different fit-related problem: bikes that come with proprietary or integrated parts, so it's super hard/expensive to swap out your cockpit for something that fits better! Come on!

I have had a lot of non-cycling injuries over the years, so having a good fit for me is really important to avoid serious discomfort and/or pain. After suffering for many years on ill-fitting bikes, I now finally have one that is super dialed, just exactly right. And it's a blessing to ride the darn thing.

So, for me - it begins and ends with FIT. Riding a bike that truly fits is a joy, and makes mile 100 *almost* as easy as mile 5.

Cheers.

[fourflys]

Enjoyment..

while there will be times of suffering, at the end of the day, you should have enjoyed riding your bike.. and I would extend that to even just being around bikes since some enjoy the hunt of a new bike as much as riding it seems.. some, me included, enjoy all the stuff that comes with cycling (tools, bags, gadgets, etc).. and, 100%, enjoyment on the bike is personal to the person, maybe that means a hard 25mph avg ride or a difficult (or super easy flat) 10mph ride.. and maybe, just maybe that means a ride on an off the shelf bike that doesn't have a 12cm saddle to bar drop and was sold by a guy named Grant with tires sold by guy named Jan.. Enjoyment!

[cgolvin]

Climbing

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by fourflys

Enjoyment..

^^^This

...or, riding is everything.
Just being on the bike, moving through space, being outdoors propelling yourself forward under your own power.

Everything else is secondary.

[benb]

Originally Posted by Turkle

I'll play.

For me, FIT is everything. Old steel bikes came in like 25 sizes, and modern carbon fiber bikes come in 4.

I'm exaggerating, but not by much!

I get it. Carbon molds are really really expensive. OK! But, I mean, come on. It feels like it's harder than ever to get a truly great-fitting bike.

And then you have a different fit-related problem: bikes that come with proprietary or integrated parts, so it's super hard/expensive to swap out your cockpit for something that fits better! Come on!

I have had a lot of non-cycling injuries over the years, so having a good fit for me is really important to avoid serious discomfort and/or pain. After suffering for many years on ill-fitting bikes, I now finally have one that is super dialed, just exactly right. And it's a blessing to ride the darn thing.

So, for me - it begins and ends with FIT. Riding a bike that truly fits is a joy, and makes mile 100 *almost* as easy as mile 5.

Cheers.

Totally agree with this.

But on top of it being really expensive to make 25 sizes if they made 25 sizes a way higher percentage of riders would be happy with their first bike.

That would make it way harder to make people think they will finally get a good fit if they upgrade to the latest and greatest.

Keep everyone "almost fitted" to the bike and they will constantly have something in the back of their head that it could be better.

Everything these days seems to be about chasing it's own tail and finding a marketing reason to make it seem like it makes sense.

Carbon is cool, make the frame carbon!
Carbon is expensive to make, gotta make less sizes!
Wait the rims are alloy! Alloy isn't cool, gotta make em Carbon so they all get new wheels!
Carbon is cool! Gotta have Carbon wheels!
Carbon braking sucks! Gotta switch to disc brakes!
Disc brakes are heavy and we gotta make the frame heavier! Gotta find a justification!
Aero can hide weight gain! Aero is cool! Everybody needs an Aero bike!

What the bike companies really need is bikes that make you get a subscription! Revenue even if you are super happy with your bike. Software license on the electronic shifters so they stop working if you didn't pay the monthly fee!

[weisan]

Originally Posted by Bob Ross

riding is everything.
Just being on the bike, moving through space, being outdoors propelling yourself forward under your own power.

Everything else is secondary.

I fully embraced this albeit with a slight modification:

I wouldn't mind if it ever gets to the point that I could use some help in the way of an e-bike - so, to me, not so important that I am operating fully under my own power so long as I am on a bike, outside and movin'...

[Philster]

Light and stiff for me.

[benb]

Related question, it is really the "ride" which is everything for me. Just the experience, the way it makes me feel, etc..

Would you actually like riding so much you would do it even if it was unhealthy?

For a while I guess the answer was yes, and I rode a motorcycle sometimes. Motorcycles don't actually make you more fit or healthy.

I gave up the motorcycles in favor of 100% regular bikes, so I think the fact it makes you fit/healthy is part of what is actually important to me.

Motorcycles are also way more complicated.. might be part of the root of my being skeptical if a bicycle gets too complicated.

[smontanaro]

Originally Posted by benb

What the bike companies really need is bikes that make you get a subscription! Revenue even if you are super happy with your bike. Software license on the electronic shifters so they stop working if you didn't pay the monthly fee!

Don't encourage them...

[fried bake]

Originally Posted by Turkle

I'll play.

For me, FIT is everything. Old steel bikes came in like 25 sizes, and modern carbon fiber bikes come in 4.

I'm exaggerating, but not by much!

I get it. Carbon molds are really really expensive. OK! But, I mean, come on. It feels like it's harder than ever to get a truly great-fitting bike.

And then you have a different fit-related problem: bikes that come with proprietary or integrated parts, so it's super hard/expensive to swap out your cockpit for something that fits better! Come on!

I have had a lot of non-cycling injuries over the years, so having a good fit for me is really important to avoid serious discomfort and/or pain. After suffering for many years on ill-fitting bikes, I now finally have one that is super dialed, just exactly right. And it's a blessing to ride the darn thing.

So, for me - it begins and ends with FIT. Riding a bike that truly fits is a joy, and makes mile 100 *almost* as easy as mile 5.

Cheers.

I wish I could upvote this post. I ride a couple bikes now and they’re all ok fitwise, but I cannot get that one bike I had that fit me like a second skin outta my head.

[smontanaro]

Originally Posted by fried bake

I wish I could upvote this post. I ride a couple bikes now and they’re all ok fitwise, but I cannot get that one bike I had that fit me like a second skin outta my head.

You need a custom.

[fried bake]

Originally Posted by smontanaro

You need a custom.

And this is why I love this forum—enablers abound!

[Waldo62]

Even earlier, MTV coined the slogan "Too much is never enough," which has been often paraphrased on this forum as N+1.

[Waldo62]

Baron Blubba, I think you have irreparably damaged your POC.