People don’t tend to buy bikes frequently, unlike skateboards or skate shoes. I cycle 20km per day and it’s usually once a year I change my tyres for new ones. Add new brakes, assorted cables and the occasional service would usually mean a spend of €150 per year. I’d love a garage full of cool bikes in rad colourways, but I can only ride one at a time and I don’t have the space, so it’s not like the shoe rack in the hall with 10 pairs of aging trainers.
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But every day somebody new learns to ride a bike, or decides to ditch the car and get into cycling.
Was speaking to a friend who distributes a very popular brand of bikes in Australia and he was saying that all the effects of covid etc is fucking the industry with over ordering etc. To the point where the biggest chain of bike stores in Australia is sending existing stock straight to landfill to fix some of their own issues with over supply.
I have a mate that works for a bike company and said the amount of waste is ridicules, older stock that just gets chucked out. If you sneaked in at night and went through their bins you’d be laughing. He asked them to let him try and sell it on eBay and such for a discount… now he is working from home chilling, doing that as he is now making them a good chunk of money.
I think the bike industry leans too much on the weekend lycra warriors who are upgrading frames and forks every year or racing at low levels and think the bike will give them the edge. Turn up at any of the trail centers and it’s carbon bikes strapped to Audis.
I’m firmly in your camp, one bike, replace parts as needed, still using a Crud Guard from about 20 years ago and a saddle that’s seen 3 bikes
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It’s not the same though, on any level. How often does somebody on a bike snap their frame, compared to skaters snapping boards?
Ha, totally. Certainly from my perspective, I think Cycling UK’s gold medal successes in LDN 2012 and beyond has made the lycra/touring cycling far more popular than it should be, definitely at the expense of cycling to get around.
Then look at bike-to-work schemes (which over here in Ireland) disproportionately benefit the already well-paid to the tune of a 52% discount on any bike, as these also seem to encourage MAMILs buying a high end road bike and all the the comedy outfits when they really just need a 3 speed with a porteur rack.
I got into mountain biking in the late 90’s, some would argue a bit too much, spent way too much money until my all singing all dancing hardtail got stolen. Since then I just bought something that would do, currently on a Halfords Boardman because it was what I could get during lockdown. I don’t wear cycling gear because I’d look like burst sausages. I never got the 2012 Olympic buzz or the desire to wallop 5k on a carbon bike i’d probably just fall off or get in other peoples way with
Each to their own, but there really is nothing like a simple big BMX style bike for funsies
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Bought this for my daughter, presented her with a choice at the local halfords and she went for this. No interest in gears or disc brakes, just wants to pootle about. Tiny bit jealous so off to see if I can get myself something similar in a more muted colour. Kids, don’t know they’re born
More muted colour? No way, I love the iridescant paint job on that.
