Thanks for reading the newsletter.I hope your ride is powered by tailwinds.

Components:

Bikes are made up of frames, forks, wheels and small parts. Have you ever looked at your bike and wondered why a component was made and shaped the way it is? It’s human nature to be curious and this curiosity can make your bike your own just by changing a part or two. Big bike companies spend huge amounts of money to make homogeneous designs that sell to the masses. These bikes work well, some more so that others. Many new bikes never get modified or changed and that's a crime in my book. Let’s expand this a bit...

For example, the correct geometry for the style of bike you desire can reap handling rewards that you may be missing out on with your current bike. Does this mean you need to scrap your ride and start fresh? Not necessarily. Changing a handlebar or even a tire size can make your bike better for you. I encourage all riders to customize their bike to fit them. By fit I could mean geometric fit, or style fit. The importance of geometric fit is critical to comfort and performance, however, the style fit of any bike is also an important piece of the whole that cannot be overlooked. Style and cool factor of any bike are an extension of the owner and rider. A cool bike is more likely to be ridden. Simply ask any teenager about a bike and the reply will either be "that's cool" or "no, I’m not riding that!" I hear it at the shop too from so-called adults that will proclaim with a raised chin "I’m not riding that anywhere!" Maybe they disagree with the paint scheme or the brand, but perhaps the geometry of the frame would lend itself to being the bike that they really need to satisfy the performance they are looking for. This level of "no" is frustrating from a sales standpoint and also from a knowledge base, or resistance to knowledge you could say. That cool factor is lost from their standpoint and that is everything in their mind. For this very reason I always encourage people to look past the paint and decals and just ride the bike and see how it works. Cracking open the doorway to something new won’t hurt, in fact, it will open your eyes.

Handlebars

I mentioned components and small parts. If you want to make a dramatic change to your bike for a relatively low cost get a new handlebar in a different shape. They come in all sorts of rises, sweeps, and widths. Just a small change of 10mm or so can turn your rides into something completely different than you’re accustomed to. Better handling can come about from just a slight change to your position that will make your bike feel like new again. Or you could get radical and add a wider bar that creates more stability at speed if you like to go fast? Remember, make your bike a genuine extension of yourself, and your style, and it will reward you with the experience you’re looking for.

Thanks for reading, have a great week and don’t stress on the holidays.

Peace,
Paul