At 03:47 PM 12/1/2012, [a friend] wrote:
"...and remember the social aspect. It is not only about riding (mountain) bikes. It is pretty much our lives and lifestyle..."
(Mostly brought together by their websites and message boards -- which proves my telling that mountain biking was raised out of the internet! The secret building and meeting for rides in the woods -- which could not happen without the advent of the internet -- which has been around since mountain biking started to grow in leaps and bounds...
This one is out of Denmark -- you can see that all mountain biking culture/lifestyle/addiction is alike, no matter where you go in the world. Sad, isn't it?
That's because addictions are all alike, as far as I know: they feel that they need their "fix", regardless of what it takes and who gets hurt in the process. Mountain biking is only slightly less addicting than heroin, and -- like heroin -- only attractive to certain types of people. Also like heroin, it provides diminishing returns, and must be increased in intensity or danger, to provide the same "fix". 26-inch wheels no longer provide the required satisfaction. They must be 29-ers. Daytime isn't enough; they must also ride at night. Etc.
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Trails-...ideo-2012.html