I’ve been cycling for a while now. When I was young I cycled as a means of transport. Those days the gear didn’t matter. You cycled because it was faster than walking and gave me more freedom to move around. And since I want brought up as a spoilt kid, my first bike was a hand me down and I used it for a very long time. I think I only got a new bike as a present for getting through an exam.
As an adult I started cycling. Again. But this time around its more as a sport. It’s my weekly cardio workout. Is time around, I started with a locally made bicycle that I we picked up as gift that was given to a kid. Since my kid already had a kiddies bike and since we had a choice I picked up a bike for me. When I was freelancing at home I used to cycle alone on and off.
Then I wanted to do it regularly. So I joined up with a gang who cycled regularly. They are a really fun bunch. Also, thy are serious about their gear. So I too upgraded my bike to better bike, albeit used but with better components. But else or guys are far more serious than me. They keep upgrading their gear. Their gear becomes better and better. So I too keep getting tempted. Since then, my bike also has been getting accessories. It got lights, speedometers, better lights and now better speedometers. Then there is the temptation to upgrade the bike itself.
But the minimalist in me somehow keeps pulling me back. A voice within me keeps saying, it’s not the gear, it’s the usage that matters. It keeps telling me to make do with what I have. Use the gear I have to e maximum potential. And once the you have really outgrown the gear, when it’s been used till the end of its life, only then to upgrade, which will be in a very long time as these gear will last a lifetime. They just need e components to be replaced. And even those components, to use them until they become unusable.
They say cycling is the new golf. I think a lot of it has to do with the new sexy gear that keeps coming out. Bicycles nowadays use space age materials and this designs themselves are eye catching. So it’s natural to end up wanting so etching newer. More than the performance, I think it’s more eye candy. Of course they keep getting better. But I am determined to stick to what I have as long as its usable. And I think that’s a pretty long time.
Sampath's Mindspace 