It is OK to ride a bicycle and not do nor enjoy any wrenching
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Though they're not 50+ (i.e. not good enough for this forum), I suspect that Lance, Levi, and Alberto don't do their own wrenching. Assuming, for sake of conversation, that statement is true, are they respected as cyclists?
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Now, YOU I respect. But, I always have, for a variety of reasons, not just your bicycling.
In my own way, given my life and circumstance (wife - and me - with medical problems, child with a disability, etc.), I have done my best to limit car use and do chores, shopping, etc., without using a car.
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In retrospect, that prior post of mine seems a little on the snarky side. Apologies for that.
Where I wanted to go with it was that the dictionary definition of "dedicated" says, wholly committed to something, as to an ideal, political cause, or personal goal. Thus, a dedicated cyclist would be "wholly committed" to cycling.
It seems to me that a car owner or driver would be less than "wholly committed" to cycling. They could be very committed, or even extremely committed, just not wholly committed, and so, not dedicated.
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Depends on if they're doping or not, or using hidden electric motors or not.
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I would qualify that by saying: If you are wealthy, it is OK...
If you like paying $50 or more every time you fly your bike somewhere, it's also OK. Otherwise, who are you going to get to take your S&S-coupled bike apart into small enough pieces to fit into the 26x26x10 case, and then put it all back together again at your destination?
I would suggest reading Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I have way more respect for people who can wrench bicycles than those who can't (or choose not to). Wrenching motorcycles is another level altogether, so wrenching bikes should be a no-brainer!
My personal line of demarcation of what separates dedicated cyclists from casual bike riders is whether or not they build their own wheels. But that aside, when I wrench my bike, I have no doubts about anything not being sound mechanically. When someone else does it, there is always some doubt...
The above might sound arrogant, and it is at odds with what everyone else is posting, but realize that I am not disparaging those who can't or choose not to wrench, and I hope I am upholding the other side of the argument. The top pros don't do their own wrenching when they are in a stage race, so who am I to disparage those who choose not to?
- Luis
If you like paying $50 or more every time you fly your bike somewhere, it's also OK. Otherwise, who are you going to get to take your S&S-coupled bike apart into small enough pieces to fit into the 26x26x10 case, and then put it all back together again at your destination?
I would suggest reading Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I have way more respect for people who can wrench bicycles than those who can't (or choose not to). Wrenching motorcycles is another level altogether, so wrenching bikes should be a no-brainer!
My personal line of demarcation of what separates dedicated cyclists from casual bike riders is whether or not they build their own wheels. But that aside, when I wrench my bike, I have no doubts about anything not being sound mechanically. When someone else does it, there is always some doubt...
The above might sound arrogant, and it is at odds with what everyone else is posting, but realize that I am not disparaging those who can't or choose not to wrench, and I hope I am upholding the other side of the argument. The top pros don't do their own wrenching when they are in a stage race, so who am I to disparage those who choose not to?
- Luis
Wrenching a bike is nothing - NOTHING - compared to prepping your skis for cross-country ski racing and training. Talk about time-consuming!
I must say I am surprised by the tone of responses to my post. I just said I have way more respect for people who do their own wrenching. Yes, they deserve more respect, just like I had way more respect for camera-bugs who did their own developing (I never got that much into it). This does not mean that I disrespect those who don't do their own wrenching, or who can't bother to Photoshop their digital phiotos. I have way more respect - perhaps I should have said "awe" - for people who service their own cars. I do not, and I certainly don't disrespect myself!
Why are people so darned defensive, so ready to attribute the basest of motives to my post?
L.
I must say I am surprised by the tone of responses to my post. I just said I have way more respect for people who do their own wrenching. Yes, they deserve more respect, just like I had way more respect for camera-bugs who did their own developing (I never got that much into it). This does not mean that I disrespect those who don't do their own wrenching, or who can't bother to Photoshop their digital phiotos. I have way more respect - perhaps I should have said "awe" - for people who service their own cars. I do not, and I certainly don't disrespect myself!
Why are people so darned defensive, so ready to attribute the basest of motives to my post?
L.
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#32
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Well, lets see. Since I got rid of my vintage Raleigh Sport 3,
1) I have not changed a tire, nor have
2) I adjusted a cable (nor have I had a flat, or needed to adjust anything).
3)I have swapped seats in the last couple of weeks and
4) swapped my Torker North Road bars for a bit higher set of Dimension WIDE Cruiser bars.
5)I haven't needed to change brake pads, nor have I needed to adjust my front roller brake or my rear coaster brake either. The most I do is pretty much like a computer repair man, swapping parts.
I can of course put together a local area network, tell you why you should or should NOT use a particular form of network security, I can program in COBOL 68, Fortran IV/ 77, C, LISP, RPG II and Java, and I can wire up a serial connection for a terminal in about 5 minutes from a standing start. I can prove that my programs are correct, that my local area network is functional and secure, and that my terminal is wired correctly. I can run a UNIX system, Linux, or Windows 3, Windows 95, Windows NT, Windows XP, well enough for a bunch of professional scientists to use it, and the same for a bunch of professional programmers.
And I find worrying about getting respect or not is pretty damned USELESS, if you can't go to bed and get to sleep at night, or if you can't wake up in the morning and look at your face in the mirror. That's a bit more important, and you know what? It's ALL self-contained, you need no-one else to cause you to have self-respect, and no-one can take it away. And what I think of you should have no bearing on your sleep at night nor looking in the mirror in the morning.
Okay?
1) I have not changed a tire, nor have
2) I adjusted a cable (nor have I had a flat, or needed to adjust anything).
3)I have swapped seats in the last couple of weeks and
4) swapped my Torker North Road bars for a bit higher set of Dimension WIDE Cruiser bars.
5)I haven't needed to change brake pads, nor have I needed to adjust my front roller brake or my rear coaster brake either. The most I do is pretty much like a computer repair man, swapping parts.
I can of course put together a local area network, tell you why you should or should NOT use a particular form of network security, I can program in COBOL 68, Fortran IV/ 77, C, LISP, RPG II and Java, and I can wire up a serial connection for a terminal in about 5 minutes from a standing start. I can prove that my programs are correct, that my local area network is functional and secure, and that my terminal is wired correctly. I can run a UNIX system, Linux, or Windows 3, Windows 95, Windows NT, Windows XP, well enough for a bunch of professional scientists to use it, and the same for a bunch of professional programmers.
And I find worrying about getting respect or not is pretty damned USELESS, if you can't go to bed and get to sleep at night, or if you can't wake up in the morning and look at your face in the mirror. That's a bit more important, and you know what? It's ALL self-contained, you need no-one else to cause you to have self-respect, and no-one can take it away. And what I think of you should have no bearing on your sleep at night nor looking in the mirror in the morning.
Okay?
Last edited by Fat Tire; 06-15-10 at 07:49 PM.
#34
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Of course it is OK not to wrench if you don't want to. It is also OK to wrench if you like. I guess it is even OK to be overly sensitive to what others think about what you like to do, but it sure doesn't seem like fun to me.
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I remember riding to San Diego from the bay area when I was a kid in the back of a 49' chevy P/U. I'm sure glad Dad knew how to break down a split rim and hot patch a tube. AAA and cell phones have made life much easier. It's a good thing. Really, most area's with a lot of riders you'd never need more than a puzzled look to get some help.
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#39
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Its called cycling not mechanics, so if you want to have the pros do it for ya have at it. Just need to do the basics in order to get home like change a tire or repair a chain. Heck just make sure the bike is in good shape you shouldn't have too much trouble riding around. If something feels out of whack it probably is so have it looked and and don't worry when you ride.
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That's what keeps the LBS' service department humming.
'Cause they HATE me!
Local service manager suggested that, when I received the new spring for my fork, that I have the fork serviced; would have, but the weather was too nice to be without the bike for a week. So I just swapped out the spring, checked what I could check, and reassembled. That was 15 months ago. No problems.
'Cause they HATE me!
Local service manager suggested that, when I received the new spring for my fork, that I have the fork serviced; would have, but the weather was too nice to be without the bike for a week. So I just swapped out the spring, checked what I could check, and reassembled. That was 15 months ago. No problems.
#41
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I can't speak for others, and am trusting that when you ask for feedback, you really want it. For my part your post is a bit more judgemental than I appreciate. You tend to state things in absolute terms. As I read through your posts, I see that you attempt to moderate your response, but it's hard to get past opening slavos such as, "Yes, they do deserve more respect..." Don't know if you intend it, but my knee jerk reaction is to wonder who made you the judge of what is worthy of respect. Then again, I'm a child of the sixties and don't like anyone telling me what's what.
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You left out a space for "Non Issue". Whether or not somebody tunes his own bike, changes the oil on his car, or reshingles his house has very little, if any, effect on the amount of respect that I have for him.
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I've been tinkering with my bikes ever since the Schwinn Racer I got for my 12th birthday. I've always liked it and for me the fixing/overhauling/maintaining is just another facet of the hobby. Lots of the folks I ride with have no desire to pick up a tool. Sometimes I do it for them, most of the time, they use their favorite LBS. But, I'll guarantee they have at least as much fun and get every bit of the enjoyment out of their bikes as I do mine.
I like stargazing too, but if anything goes wrong with my telescope, (like the stinking motor drive - again ), I ain't touchin' it. No interest, no skill for it, and would rather pay to get it fixed.
I like stargazing too, but if anything goes wrong with my telescope, (like the stinking motor drive - again ), I ain't touchin' it. No interest, no skill for it, and would rather pay to get it fixed.
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This guilt thing isn't making any sense to me. Some people enjoy mowing grass and do it themselves. We have landscapers. Should I feel guilty about making a contribution to their wages? Or, on the other hand, should I feel guilty about working on our bikes and thus depriving our local shops of income? The technical term for this is, I think, mind **** (starts with a "f" and is disallowed here).
#45
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All in favor of allowing Dnvrfox to say the following statement; "It is OK to ride a bicycle and not do, nor enjoy, any wrenching", Say Aye...
#47
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Man this went into the dumper as fast as some of the stuff on road cycling. Must be all the rain we are going through.
As to Lance and Levi doing their own work. It is a pretty safe bet that a paid professional team mechanic does it for them.
Some of the best 50+ riders I know take crap care of their bikes. So the link between being a good rider and a good wrench is a no starter. As for me the only thing I have not done with a bike is face a bottom bracket and build a wheelset. Planning to learn how to build up a wheel when the snow fly's again. It has nothing to do with the LBS not doing it just my choice.
I think building bikes is a fine hobby just don't ask my wife for an opinion on that hobby.
As to Lance and Levi doing their own work. It is a pretty safe bet that a paid professional team mechanic does it for them.
Some of the best 50+ riders I know take crap care of their bikes. So the link between being a good rider and a good wrench is a no starter. As for me the only thing I have not done with a bike is face a bottom bracket and build a wheelset. Planning to learn how to build up a wheel when the snow fly's again. It has nothing to do with the LBS not doing it just my choice.
I think building bikes is a fine hobby just don't ask my wife for an opinion on that hobby.
#48
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I think building bikes is a fine hobby...
#49
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DnvrFox, you don't know what you're missing.
Under each grease spot is a deep hole left by the tooth in a chainring (wrench slipped while removing a stuck pedal).
Under each grease spot is a deep hole left by the tooth in a chainring (wrench slipped while removing a stuck pedal).