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I think that’s different and cool. Unsure why. Wanting to be a racer is way cooler than actually being a racer? Like how the vintage moto stripey jerseys are cool and a speedsuit is not? I dunno.
My first bike was a Huffy with a big seat and a number plate. 54. I think I still have the plate actually. That’s cool. Riding around with your cat 6 masters sport number plate still on your bike is ummmm
Now that I’m too old to be cool, I am comfortable talking about what’s cool. But back when I was cool, it was strictly a “if you have to ask you’ll never know” situation. I was cool for like four years? Three? Maybe not. my friends were cool dude I swear
I was convinced one of the things that made skateboarding superior was that we DID it in our normal clothes, man. We didn’t put on some uniform and fuckin follow the rules dude! This was our life. And we definitely stunk.
Now I am so happy to have clothes that only ride bikes in and change out of. Immediately. Not surprised gravelers are walking around in day old creamy chamois…they’re all sorts of confused right now
Regarding Ai Amflow racing:
I still ride around with my number plate from a halloween graveyard crit on my road bike. It's at night, in the cemetery, in the dark, and you've got to put a beer down every lap and it's rad as hell.
I had a lot of crow to eat from this one...Luckily crow is a great hangover cure 🥴👍
@TEAMROBOT finally getting on the pro media circus bandwagon with his elders because, although its work, it doesn't seem like it until deadline.
...a bicycle should get ridden, check. Got that. Does not extract itself from the rest of the functioning world where people need to have problems, IE obstructed taillights by bikes on racks and non-visible marker plates. But that's secondary to the fact that this contraption has no base in logic, like said - dude should put down a bicycle. If that much wheelbase is needed in order to have control out on trail, then you likely have a concussion.
Mountain bike, for the most part, it has become nothing but ridiculous.
Anything but steel for a frame is crazy
Suspension is for those who have no skill
Every descent has to be earned with a climb
Disc brakes are a solution in search of a problem
If you can’t ride a single speed stick to the walking path
(Sarcasm 👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻)
FRONJ @Sanjay Shanbhag ? Someone must have said his name 3 times!
By the way...who took this pic of him boosting the dirt jumps at Sea Otter?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEMRTjqGUEr/
I was there but didn't take the picture. That dude was a LEGEND! And so nice!
I followed his FaceBook account as he went all over the world. He did a combo of working his ass off at odd jobs and getting free stuff from people from all over inspired by his adventures. The 2 that stick in my head are hiking the PCT in just mesh sneakers and bikepacking crazy rural parts of India. I learned a boatload about the real world over there from his pics & updates. Was pretty jealous of how much help people threw at him. He'd have nothing. Was good with it. And people would always show kindness & give him that next boost to the next place just I think to see it through his eyes.
@sspomer @TEAMROBOT @Jason_Schroeder can we get a podcast with a 3 hour account of all the crazy stuff Fronj did on bikes & in life? His accounts could hit Rogan but he's not on his radar.
I hounded all our sponsors for the better part of 6 months to get him product cause I wanted to see what the guy who won Expert Big Bear National on a hardtail by 30 seconds could do with a real bike & parts. Got several to send him freebies. But also got ones from "I don't know...he runs his stuff so clapped out, we're not sure we want to be associated with janky set ups." Talked a certain savant suspension brain into it though.
He still raced Nats (a regional team backed him if I remember) with his stuff ripped apart & destroyed (from his own wild styles) but the stories on RideMonkey of what he'd accomplish despite adversity were awesome!!!
THIS - I would hate it when people came in to the shop after a ride in their stinky top and knee pads around the ankles. It's not hard to at least have a clean t-shirt in the car to throw on afterwards, or a full change if you're not going straight home from the ride too
That’s the Nats where he raced with the shell of skate helmet padded only by his dreadlocks right?
I helped him install "rudders" on the back of his skate lid by slapping large ass Romic stickers on a long ziptie sticking out.
Before 32", Sanjay continued the blazing pioneering efforts started my Morgan of BCD (Buffalo Composite Designs - look up his homemade carbon 29" DH frame) by racing on probably the only 29" bike in the downhill scene when we're still smoking 26 inchers. He didn't need social media, social media needed someone like Sanjay. LOL
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