An ambitious entry
BE WARNED! this is going to be an ambitious entry touching on such subjects as the state of our national ecomonomy, the bike industry's role in said economy, ways it might affect us, ways we might affect it and international trade.
i'm going to keep this shy from politics since mine are mostly irrelevant.
What is on my mind are reports from the "bicycle industry press" i.e. a few publications and websites that probobly source info from a small circle of folks paying attention, that we need to batton down the hatches and prepare for hard times in the bike industry. the industry trickles down from shareholders and asian business people all the way down to the kid saving his lunch money to buy a 3.99$ tube from k-mart for his bmx bike so he can ride it to his pal's house to play guitar hero on an x-box.
i have to say that i think it is bullshit. our nation's economy might be in a drought but the bike industry is moving at a good pace. there are companies in existance right now selling bourgious up-sale bike bling that cannot keep up with production, and that aint the stuff that you NEED to keep your bike rubber side down. Continental and Michelin have told bike industry press that they expect to have to pass 20%-35% of their inflated costs onto the consumer, yet are in no way slowing down on production or even introducing new products for their customers... but geez lets face it! YOUR BIKE NEED TIRES! and most bikes *still* use tubes. rubber products on your bike (yep grips too) are made from petroleum sources, and are delivered too, from, and on petroleum consuming vessels. petroluem isnt cheap and it isnt the only cost inducing factor.
i could continue all blog long about how and why things cost what they do. but i wont, it aint the point and before getting back to the point i will interject that these cost inducing factors will likely be bringing more of the bike industry back state side... we might even start seeing bicycle clothing being made stateside and we have a history with textile in the southeast.
The point is that no matter what the economy does, we as cyclists dont see the things we consume as priviledge like many other hobby sports, to us the shit is way of life. CYCLING IS A CHEAP HOBBY! no shit compare it to golf, rock climbing, owning a boat, motorcycle, or classic car. compare the industry to realeastate, or investment banking for a moment. i dont care who you are, you will never get rich in cycling. unless you are previously independantly wealthy and you just want to maintain your cashflow you arent making big gains. most shop owners simply want a pleasurable way of life and a hope to sell their shop to some one young and ambitious come retirement age. i think it is fair enough and honest. ther are bicycle companies right under your nose that have invested in detatched side companies just to keep you garage full of dirty bikes, the example that comes to mind sourced gyms with equipment seen being produced while visiting a production site in asia!
i know this is all kind of a ramble and you might be thinking, drew just go for a ride... but i have been in the sun a lot lately.
i'm not proof reading this or going back for grammar errors but just do me the favor of supporting your local community, so that your local community can contribute regionally, and your state can benifit from the money your spending anyways. it will help us all in the long run, even sahreholders in asia.
want to read more about waht makes the bike industry so expensive? read about costs of metals and carbon, as well as rubber products from any news source and read
Masiguy / Tim Jackson OR B.R.A.I.N. and if you are involved in the industry chaeck out http://www.NBDA.com
otherwise i'll be in charlotte tomorrow for the carolinatt.org time trial at Lowes Motor Speedway. i wont be on said tt rocket i mentioned in blogs past because it hasnt shipped from bianchi yet BUT i will be on one of my bikes in some form or another to be raced in the series' fixed gear catagory. my goal this year is just to get into the 23.30 or faster range for the 10 mile tt. my PR is a 24.16
i'll leave you all with
a picture i snapped of rachel while we were riding back from the pier for beers yesterday afternoon.
SO HOTTT!
i'm going to keep this shy from politics since mine are mostly irrelevant.
What is on my mind are reports from the "bicycle industry press" i.e. a few publications and websites that probobly source info from a small circle of folks paying attention, that we need to batton down the hatches and prepare for hard times in the bike industry. the industry trickles down from shareholders and asian business people all the way down to the kid saving his lunch money to buy a 3.99$ tube from k-mart for his bmx bike so he can ride it to his pal's house to play guitar hero on an x-box.
i have to say that i think it is bullshit. our nation's economy might be in a drought but the bike industry is moving at a good pace. there are companies in existance right now selling bourgious up-sale bike bling that cannot keep up with production, and that aint the stuff that you NEED to keep your bike rubber side down. Continental and Michelin have told bike industry press that they expect to have to pass 20%-35% of their inflated costs onto the consumer, yet are in no way slowing down on production or even introducing new products for their customers... but geez lets face it! YOUR BIKE NEED TIRES! and most bikes *still* use tubes. rubber products on your bike (yep grips too) are made from petroleum sources, and are delivered too, from, and on petroleum consuming vessels. petroluem isnt cheap and it isnt the only cost inducing factor.
i could continue all blog long about how and why things cost what they do. but i wont, it aint the point and before getting back to the point i will interject that these cost inducing factors will likely be bringing more of the bike industry back state side... we might even start seeing bicycle clothing being made stateside and we have a history with textile in the southeast.
The point is that no matter what the economy does, we as cyclists dont see the things we consume as priviledge like many other hobby sports, to us the shit is way of life. CYCLING IS A CHEAP HOBBY! no shit compare it to golf, rock climbing, owning a boat, motorcycle, or classic car. compare the industry to realeastate, or investment banking for a moment. i dont care who you are, you will never get rich in cycling. unless you are previously independantly wealthy and you just want to maintain your cashflow you arent making big gains. most shop owners simply want a pleasurable way of life and a hope to sell their shop to some one young and ambitious come retirement age. i think it is fair enough and honest. ther are bicycle companies right under your nose that have invested in detatched side companies just to keep you garage full of dirty bikes, the example that comes to mind sourced gyms with equipment seen being produced while visiting a production site in asia!
i know this is all kind of a ramble and you might be thinking, drew just go for a ride... but i have been in the sun a lot lately.
i'm not proof reading this or going back for grammar errors but just do me the favor of supporting your local community, so that your local community can contribute regionally, and your state can benifit from the money your spending anyways. it will help us all in the long run, even sahreholders in asia.
want to read more about waht makes the bike industry so expensive? read about costs of metals and carbon, as well as rubber products from any news source and read
Masiguy / Tim Jackson OR B.R.A.I.N. and if you are involved in the industry chaeck out http://www.NBDA.com
otherwise i'll be in charlotte tomorrow for the carolinatt.org time trial at Lowes Motor Speedway. i wont be on said tt rocket i mentioned in blogs past because it hasnt shipped from bianchi yet BUT i will be on one of my bikes in some form or another to be raced in the series' fixed gear catagory. my goal this year is just to get into the 23.30 or faster range for the 10 mile tt. my PR is a 24.16
i'll leave you all with
a picture i snapped of rachel while we were riding back from the pier for beers yesterday afternoon.
SO HOTTT!
