The Lameness That Is...

I don't know whether to be sad, appalled, or vindicated.

My significant other is looking to get an entry level mountain bike, so
I've been doing a little research to see what might be a good deal that
fits her. I have done extensive website geometry/component/price
comparisons and we're at the point where she needs to get on a few
bikes so we can see what geometry fits her best and then we can
determine the best frame/component bang for the buck.

The search brought me into a LBS today to see what size bikes they have
on hand for a few test rides/fittings this weekend. The sales people
were nice enough in offering assistance, but I left them to tend to
other customers in the store. That's when I overheard the "state of
the union". A dude was looking at mountain bikes and stated his
intentions as being what I would deem as very light use on paved
trails, roads and a few (by name) South County a-technical trails
systems. That was when the salesperson started in with the hard-sell
on FS, filling his diatribe with myth and bicycle company propaganda on
how a hardtail bike would not be a good choice for this individual. I
bit my tongue so hard, it bled and I had to walk out before going off
on this lying creep.

With bike shop salespeople all over the World being trained to spew
these myths and party lines, it's no friggin' wonder that not many
people know how to ride a bicycle anymore. The hard-sell that full
suspension designs climb universally better than a hardtail will never
get those lazy neophyte asses out of the saddle and thus help in
creating a new generation of a-holes who can't ride and ruin trails
because of this.

The one saving grace in all of this is that 99% of these people who
have been created by the bicycle industry will never be able to pedal
more than ten miles at a time. Show me the way to the remote goods,
please...

JD

JD wrote:
I don't know whether to be sad, appalled, or vindicated.

My significant other is looking to get an entry level mountain bike, so
I've been doing a little research to see what might be a good deal that
fits her. I have done extensive website geometry/component/price
comparisons and we're at the point where she needs to get on a few
bikes so we can see what geometry fits her best and then we can
determine the best frame/component bang for the buck.

Show me the way to the remote goods,
please...

Someone once told me that Trek or Gary Fisher are "great!"

I, on the other hand have been drooling over Ventana and Turners. Who
know people in California would know *anything* about mountain bikes.

Bruce

On Tue, 26 Sep 2006 15:43:10 -0700, JD wrote:

I don't know whether to be sad, appalled, or vindicated.

My significant other is looking to get an entry level mountain bike, so
I've been doing a little research to see what might be a good deal that
fits her. I have done extensive website geometry/component/price
comparisons and we're at the point where she needs to get on a few
bikes so we can see what geometry fits her best and then we can
determine the best frame/component bang for the buck.

The search brought me into a LBS today to see what size bikes they have
on hand for a few test rides/fittings this weekend. The sales people
were nice enough in offering assistance, but I left them to tend to
other customers in the store. That's when I overheard the "state of
the union". A dude was looking at mountain bikes and stated his
intentions as being what I would deem as very light use on paved
trails, roads and a few (by name) South County a-technical trails
systems. That was when the salesperson started in with the hard-sell
on FS, filling his diatribe with myth and bicycle company propaganda on
how a hardtail bike would not be a good choice for this individual. I
bit my tongue so hard, it bled and I had to walk out before going off
on this lying creep.

With bike shop salespeople all over the World being trained to spew
these myths and party lines, it's no friggin' wonder that not many
people know how to ride a bicycle anymore. The hard-sell that full
suspension designs climb universally better than a hardtail will never
get those lazy neophyte asses out of the saddle and thus help in
creating a new generation of a-holes who can't ride and ruin trails
because of this.

The one saving grace in all of this is that 99% of these people who
have been created by the bicycle industry will never be able to pedal
more than ten miles at a time. Show me the way to the remote goods,
please..

JD



I know where you weren't ----- The Path
--
Slack

Hehehe

I'd say my Fisher is doing okay for how and what  I ride at present....though myself, I am thinking of something a little more Intense for when I get to building a ride in the future.

Michael Halliwell

NotaKnob wrote:

JD wrote:



I don't know whether to be sad, appalled, or vindicated. My significant other is looking to get an entry level mountain bike, so I've been doing a little research to see what might be a good deal that fits her. I have done extensive website geometry/component/price comparisons and we're at the point where she needs to get on a few bikes so we can see what geometry fits her best and then we can determine the best frame/component bang for the buck. Show me the way to the remote goods, please...



Someone once told me that Trek or Gary Fisher are "great!" I, on the other hand have been drooling over Ventana and Turners. Who know people in California would know *anything* about mountain bikes. Bruce

Slack wrote:
On Tue, 26 Sep 2006 15:43:10 -0700, JD wrote:

I don't know whether to be sad, appalled, or vindicated.

My significant other is looking to get an entry level mountain bike, so
I've been doing a little research to see what might be a good deal that
fits her. I have done extensive website geometry/component/price
comparisons and we're at the point where she needs to get on a few
bikes so we can see what geometry fits her best and then we can
determine the best frame/component bang for the buck.

The search brought me into a LBS today to see what size bikes they have
on hand for a few test rides/fittings this weekend. The sales people
were nice enough in offering assistance, but I left them to tend to
other customers in the store. That's when I overheard the "state of
the union". A dude was looking at mountain bikes and stated his
intentions as being what I would deem as very light use on paved
trails, roads and a few (by name) South County a-technical trails
systems. That was when the salesperson started in with the hard-sell
on FS, filling his diatribe with myth and bicycle company propaganda on
how a hardtail bike would not be a good choice for this individual. I
bit my tongue so hard, it bled and I had to walk out before going off
on this lying creep.

With bike shop salespeople all over the World being trained to spew
these myths and party lines, it's no friggin' wonder that not many
people know how to ride a bicycle anymore. The hard-sell that full
suspension designs climb universally better than a hardtail will never
get those lazy neophyte asses out of the saddle and thus help in
creating a new generation of a-holes who can't ride and ruin trails
because of this.

The one saving grace in all of this is that 99% of these people who
have been created by the bicycle industry will never be able to pedal
more than ten miles at a time. Show me the way to the remote goods,
please..

JD



I know where you weren't ----- The Path


Tani closed shop for the week and took all of his employees to
Interhype.

JD

JD wrote:
I don't know whether to be sad, appalled, or vindicated.

My significant other is looking to get an entry level mountain bike, so
I've been doing a little research to see what might be a good deal that
fits her. I have done extensive website geometry/component/price
comparisons and we're at the point where she needs to get on a few
bikes so we can see what geometry fits her best and then we can
determine the best frame/component bang for the buck.

The search brought me into a LBS today to see what size bikes they have
on hand for a few test rides/fittings this weekend. The sales people
were nice enough in offering assistance, but I left them to tend to
other customers in the store. That's when I overheard the "state of
the union". A dude was looking at mountain bikes and stated his
intentions as being what I would deem as very light use on paved
trails, roads and a few (by name) South County a-technical trails
systems. That was when the salesperson started in with the hard-sell
on FS, filling his diatribe with myth and bicycle company propaganda on
how a hardtail bike would not be a good choice for this individual. I
bit my tongue so hard, it bled and I had to walk out before going off
on this lying creep.

With bike shop salespeople all over the World being trained to spew
these myths and party lines, it's no friggin' wonder that not many
people know how to ride a bicycle anymore. The hard-sell that full
suspension designs climb universally better than a hardtail will never
get those lazy neophyte asses out of the saddle and thus help in
creating a new generation of a-holes who can't ride and ruin trails
because of this.

The one saving grace in all of this is that 99% of these people who
have been created by the bicycle industry will never be able to pedal
more than ten miles at a time. Show me the way to the remote goods,
please...

JD

Not that I'm defending bull****ting shop employees, but when 300lb guys
make choices based on the most feathery pick-up weight, after a while
you probably throw up your hands and gleefully turn to the dark side.

/s

Scott Gordo wrote:
JD wrote:
I don't know whether to be sad, appalled, or vindicated.

My significant other is looking to get an entry level mountain bike, so
I've been doing a little research to see what might be a good deal that
fits her. I have done extensive website geometry/component/price
comparisons and we're at the point where she needs to get on a few
bikes so we can see what geometry fits her best and then we can
determine the best frame/component bang for the buck.

The search brought me into a LBS today to see what size bikes they have
on hand for a few test rides/fittings this weekend. The sales people
were nice enough in offering assistance, but I left them to tend to
other customers in the store. That's when I overheard the "state of
the union". A dude was looking at mountain bikes and stated his
intentions as being what I would deem as very light use on paved
trails, roads and a few (by name) South County a-technical trails
systems. That was when the salesperson started in with the hard-sell
on FS, filling his diatribe with myth and bicycle company propaganda on
how a hardtail bike would not be a good choice for this individual. I
bit my tongue so hard, it bled and I had to walk out before going off
on this lying creep.

With bike shop salespeople all over the World being trained to spew
these myths and party lines, it's no friggin' wonder that not many
people know how to ride a bicycle anymore. The hard-sell that full
suspension designs climb universally better than a hardtail will never
get those lazy neophyte asses out of the saddle and thus help in
creating a new generation of a-holes who can't ride and ruin trails
because of this.

The one saving grace in all of this is that 99% of these people who
have been created by the bicycle industry will never be able to pedal
more than ten miles at a time. Show me the way to the remote goods,
please...

JD

Not that I'm defending bull****ting shop employees, but when 300lb guys
make choices based on the most feathery pick-up weight, after a while
you probably throw up your hands and gleefully turn to the dark side.

/s


The customer in question was probably about 5'-6" and 160 lbs.

JD

JD wrote:
Scott Gordo wrote:

JD wrote:

I don't know whether to be sad, appalled, or vindicated.

My significant other is looking to get an entry level mountain bike, so
I've been doing a little research to see what might be a good deal that
fits her. I have done extensive website geometry/component/price
comparisons and we're at the point where she needs to get on a few
bikes so we can see what geometry fits her best and then we can
determine the best frame/component bang for the buck.

The search brought me into a LBS today to see what size bikes they have
on hand for a few test rides/fittings this weekend. The sales people
were nice enough in offering assistance, but I left them to tend to
other customers in the store. That's when I overheard the "state of
the union". A dude was looking at mountain bikes and stated his
intentions as being what I would deem as very light use on paved
trails, roads and a few (by name) South County a-technical trails
systems. That was when the salesperson started in with the hard-sell
on FS, filling his diatribe with myth and bicycle company propaganda on
how a hardtail bike would not be a good choice for this individual. I
bit my tongue so hard, it bled and I had to walk out before going off
on this lying creep.

With bike shop salespeople all over the World being trained to spew
these myths and party lines, it's no friggin' wonder that not many
people know how to ride a bicycle anymore. The hard-sell that full
suspension designs climb universally better than a hardtail will never
get those lazy neophyte asses out of the saddle and thus help in
creating a new generation of a-holes who can't ride and ruin trails
because of this.

The one saving grace in all of this is that 99% of these people who
have been created by the bicycle industry will never be able to pedal
more than ten miles at a time. Show me the way to the remote goods,
please...

JD

Not that I'm defending bull****ting shop employees, but when 300lb guys
make choices based on the most feathery pick-up weight, after a while
you probably throw up your hands and gleefully turn to the dark side.

/s



The customer in question was probably about 5'-6" and 160 lbs.

JD


I think some people probably also just believe this to be true (you
/have/ to have FS). Now the guy could have been BSing but he may also
believe that the FS rig was required for the guy.

As I'm sure you have, I've heard "You wouldn't want to do that on a
hardtail" about a trail you or I are fine with doing on a hardtail (or
rigid, and without gearing choices).

It's all about people projecting their beliefs or preferences on others.
Seems to be a human condition that we've been doing forever and the
basis for many wars.

Matt

MattB wrote:
JD wrote:
Scott Gordo wrote:

JD wrote:

I don't know whether to be sad, appalled, or vindicated.

My significant other is looking to get an entry level mountain bike, so
I've been doing a little research to see what might be a good deal that
fits her. I have done extensive website geometry/component/price
comparisons and we're at the point where she needs to get on a few
bikes so we can see what geometry fits her best and then we can
determine the best frame/component bang for the buck.

The search brought me into a LBS today to see what size bikes they have
on hand for a few test rides/fittings this weekend. The sales people
were nice enough in offering assistance, but I left them to tend to
other customers in the store. That's when I overheard the "state of
the union". A dude was looking at mountain bikes and stated his
intentions as being what I would deem as very light use on paved
trails, roads and a few (by name) South County a-technical trails
systems. That was when the salesperson started in with the hard-sell
on FS, filling his diatribe with myth and bicycle company propaganda on
how a hardtail bike would not be a good choice for this individual. I
bit my tongue so hard, it bled and I had to walk out before going off
on this lying creep.

With bike shop salespeople all over the World being trained to spew
these myths and party lines, it's no friggin' wonder that not many
people know how to ride a bicycle anymore. The hard-sell that full
suspension designs climb universally better than a hardtail will never
get those lazy neophyte asses out of the saddle and thus help in
creating a new generation of a-holes who can't ride and ruin trails
because of this.

The one saving grace in all of this is that 99% of these people who
have been created by the bicycle industry will never be able to pedal
more than ten miles at a time. Show me the way to the remote goods,
please...

JD

Not that I'm defending bull****ting shop employees, but when 300lb guys
make choices based on the most feathery pick-up weight, after a while
you probably throw up your hands and gleefully turn to the dark side.

/s



The customer in question was probably about 5'-6" and 160 lbs.

JD


I think some people probably also just believe this to be true (you
/have/ to have FS). Now the guy could have been BSing but he may also
believe that the FS rig was required for the guy.

As I'm sure you have, I've heard "You wouldn't want to do that on a
hardtail" about a trail you or I are fine with doing on a hardtail (or
rigid, and without gearing choices).

It's all about people projecting their beliefs or preferences on others.
Seems to be a human condition that we've been doing forever and the
basis for many wars.

Matt


I wonder if that salesperson was too afraid to ride a rigid bike 20
years ago. The punkification of "mountain biking" is sickening and
it's all driven by industry myth and hype.

JD

JD wrote:
MattB wrote:
snip
I think some people probably also just believe this to be true (you
/have/ to have FS). Now the guy could have been BSing but he may also
believe that the FS rig was required for the guy.

As I'm sure you have, I've heard "You wouldn't want to do that on a
hardtail" about a trail you or I are fine with doing on a hardtail (or
rigid, and without gearing choices).

It's all about people projecting their beliefs or preferences on others.
Seems to be a human condition that we've been doing forever and the
basis for many wars.

Matt



I wonder if that salesperson was too afraid to ride a rigid bike 20
years ago. The punkification of "mountain biking" is sickening and
it's all driven by industry myth and hype.

JD


Yep, but you gotta choose your battles or you'll just end up fighting
all the time.

Matt