Bike envy

[wafter]

Legitimate irony aside I think few peoples' lifestyles don't net contribute to the problem to some extent; although some are far worse than others and at least some of us try to minimise the damage we're doing.

Sadly this is difficult when wasteful / destructive practices are normalised and often endorsed to keep the economic plates spinning and masses placated..

 

[Punkawallah]

You’re right, it’s never us!

Well, never -me-, at least. I’m not so sure about you . . .

 

[Gunk]

Well, never -me-, at least. I’m not so sure about you . . .

Like most of us, I try to do my bit, never been a big spender and really in to “stuff” but always liked my cars and motorcycles, so my footprint is a bit bigger because of that.

 

[Punkawallah]

Like most of us, I try to do my bit, never been a big spender and really in to “stuff” but always liked my cars and motorcycles, so my footprint is a bit bigger because of that.

Never apologise for being ‘you’ ;-)

 

[Drago]

Never apologise for being ‘you’ ;-)

Unless your name is Gary Glitter.

 

[Punkawallah]

Unless your name is Gary Glitter.

Or Adolph Hitler.

 

[All uphill]

Or Adolph Hitler.

You make one mistake and people are still going on about it 80 years later.

 

[craigwend]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penis_envy

 

[Gillstay]

What a load of bollocks !

 

[srshultz]

I would not join a club that had me as a member,now who said that or something very similar.

Groucho Marx

 

[CyclingSteve]

At some point I think you/we all need to simply accept the fact that there will always be someone out there with a nicer frame, wheels, kit, etc. For years I was embarrassed about riding sub-par equipment, but soon realized that I was a bigger part of the equation than my bike was. Weight, aerodynamics, components are obviously all important. I certainly won't argue that. But at the end of the day, it's your body that makes all that equipment work. Train hard, ride hard, ride fast - and it won't matter what you're on.

 

[Moon bunny]

At some point I think you/we all need to simply accept the fact that there will always be someone out there with a nicer frame, wheels, kit, etc. For years I was embarrassed about riding sub-par equipment, but soon realized that I was a bigger part of the equation than my bike was. Weight, aerodynamics, components are obviously all important. I certainly won't argue that. But at the end of the day, it's your body that makes all that equipment work. Train hard, ride hard, ride fast - and it won't matter what you're on.

Wrong! My Pashley Aurora, “Minty” is perfect in every way.
What I have accepted is that I was never going to be the fastest thing on two wheels, unless I bought something by Kawasaki or Moto Guzzi, so escaped the “vanity of speed” fallacy and went back to why I originally started cycling as a pleasant way of spending an hour or two, not making hard work of my pastimes. Is going for a spin round, say Coniston Lake such a chore that the quicker I get it done the better? Speed, like age, is just a number.

 

[slow horse]

Speed, like age, is just a number.

Alas some numbers are perceived to be better than other numbers, leading to number envy.

 

[pjd57]

My cycling mate won a Specialized that costs 10 times what my Boardman cost.
Is it a better / nicer bike than mine ?
Yes , but not ten times better.
I'm happy with mine he's happy with his

 

[Illaveago]

It happened to me back in the 70's. I was looking for a Carlton Kermesse but once I saw it all thoughts of the Carlton went out of my head. I just had to have it.