Starting to get pissed at the bike situation

[arkmundi]

Alright, that was fun. Having looked through that Wikipedia article on Gary Fisher and finding https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klunkerz:_A_Film_About_Mountain_Bikes, getting copy via bittorrent, and then watching it, learned an amazing amount about the history of the Mountain Bike and the people who made that happen. Here's the second bike built by Gary Fisher in the early days among the Mount Tam Clan:

Gary would go scavenging for usable bike parts at all the small local bike shops in the area and build a bike from scratch from all these parts. '40's era klunker frames from Schwinn and others, add in gears & brakes, etc. He'd have to file and bend and make it all work together. Product was a bike you could ride up Mount Tam on and then down at high speed and survive.

 

[John in CR]

Robin Williams and Dario Pegoretti: The Comedian and the Bike Builder

From the end of the article "I asked Robin Williams why he loved riding a bicycle so much. I'll always remember his answer, because it was wonderful and true.
He said it was the closest you can get to flying."

Someone needed to put that man on an ebike...might been a different outcome. I know in my case ebikes are truly liberating. As soon as I'm in motion my focus turns 100% outward to the road and all it's obstacles both moving and stationary. For me cycling is very different with the far slower motion and required control over the human motor and all it's sensory feedback, so much of my focus is turned inward. That's where someone fighting depression could get into trouble, but get on my bike and twist the throttle and all is forgotten, instantly. That's probably why I actually enjoy riding in traffic.

Interesting, I never delved into the "EV grin" in that direction. Take it a step further...Would putting everyone in the world on an ebike end war?

 

[arkmundi]

...delved into the "EV grin" in that direction. Take it a step further...Would putting everyone in the world on an ebike end war?

Unequivocally yes! But its because ALL wars are resource wars and in the modern era that's oil & natural gas. If every country, every society became self-sufficient, we'd end the wars. But that's a big if, considering. It'd mean primarily food and energy sufficiency, only possible by vastly curtailing demand. Every one on an eBike would mean its possible to drive transport on renewables alone. Possible - yes, today. Probable - no, until the oil runs out. BUT, we'll never run out of oil because before that happens climate catastrophe will decimate the human population. Haahahaaaa..... :lol: :lol:

 

[John in CR]

...delved into the "EV grin" in that direction. Take it a step further...Would putting everyone in the world on an ebike end war?

Unequivocally yes! But its because ALL wars are resource wars and in the modern era that oil & natural gas. If every country, every society became self-sufficient, we'd end the wars. But that's a big if, considering. It'd mean primarily food and energy sufficiency, only possible by vastly curtailing demand. Every one on an eBike would mean its possible to drive transport on renewables alone. Possible - yes, today. Probable - no, until the oil runs out. BUT, we'll never run out of oil because before that happens climate catastrophe will decimate the human population. Haahahaaaa..... :lol: :lol:

That's the way they like to explain it anyway, and I'm sure it's a contributing factor. I think there's a more sinister cause, which is those who profit from arms sales creating their own demand by stirring up shlt. It's easy and cheap to amplify discontent to plant the seeds, and fan the flames of war were there is poverty and high unemployment of young men and boys. There's just too much money involved for that not to go on.

 

[arkmundi]

With you on that account, bro'. I often wonder what the total USA gross product is, including sales to our military, but also overseas. Must be massive, but unquantified, hidden as it is by secrecy.