Bike guys are way more anal than audio guys. - I went for a ride earlier today and a younger guy ""in his early 30's - haven't seen before" showed up with a crazy looking CF bike - in conversation it's a custom build and had approx. $20K invested - wow! In conversation he competes and everything he has was way better and way more expensive than mine for example but I couldn't resist and said that's all good but what real advantage do you think you have say over me and mine? He went on blah! blah! like he would leave me in the dust - I enjoy competition
I said well that's great - it's time for us to all ride and we will see, talk is cheap. For the first half hour he was good, right there and aggressive but the next hour not so much, 2nd hour mark he was well at the back of the pack - then we exploded for the last 40 minutes of the ride like normal followed with a 1/2 cool down. That was a good ride, the youngster at this point wasn't talking much smack anymore because it took him some time to catch up
We all said what time for tonight - youngster was very quiet, will see if he shows up.
So in the end it really doesn't matter all that much what you ride
Its always the Indian, not the arrow.
One of the reasons I train hard, is to overhear the young guys say 'that ol' dude can really hammer.' And, for those times I'm able to ride them off my wheel, laying down the V. And what is the V? Start with 'the rules'
http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/, and meditate on Rule #5.
And repeat the Prophets Prayer: (for those truly dedicated roadies, in honor of the Prophet, Eddy Merckx)
THE PROPHET’S PRAYER
Our Hardman who art in Belgium
Eddy be thy name
thy cobbles come, thy hands are numb
from pavé
as it isn’t heaven.
Give us this day our daily V (five),
and forgive us our Rule violations,
as we drop those who attack against us,
lead us not off our line
but deliver us from Anti-V.
For thine is the big ring,
and the power, and the glory,
for Eddy and ever.
A-Merckx.