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On cycling

I love riding my bikes. There is too much to say and not much I can articulate beyond simple bullets. Mostly because I prefer to be out than writing.


  • No ride is perfectly smooth, consider type 2 fun
  • Quality of a ride depend on hydration and excretion
  • Handlebar bag are the purse you need
  • Music is only a nice to have
  • Hip packs compress the bladder
  • Layering rules
  • Technical materials are often overrated
  • Snack, carboloading is a bad idea
  • Don't chug water
  • Close your mouth, breath through your nose
  • A bike isn't an armchair, discomfort is normal, don't agonize over ergonomics
  • Four bikes does not make you 4X happier than one bike (Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility)
  • Quit strava already
  • Upgrade the tires firsts
  • For long ride and bikepacking, consider YAGNI (You ain’t gonna need it)
  • Buy basics locally, buy the fancy stuff online
  • Sanity is somewhere between miles 2 and 5
  • Learn to talk to yourself, or strap something to your handlebar
  • You can, and should change your chain, break pads and tires yourself
  • Nobody cares about your watts
  • Stop (at least) every hour
  • Beware of cars and dogs
  • You will never fully understand gear ratios and derailleur adjustments, try anyway
  • Lube the chain everytime you get out further than 3 miles
  • Steel is all you need, be honest with your needs and desires when buying
  • Find the right side saddle, marry it
  • Don't be too nice, you're the one sweating
  • Anticipate, wether on asphalt or in nature you're the smallest around
  • Cables over electronics
  • Stock pedals are fine
  • Group rides are odd
  • If someone wants to talk about bikes, it's a hit or miss
  • Cycling as a few sub-niches that don't uderstand each other
  • Popping a tire bead is very rewarding
  • The rain is not ideal, wind is always harder
  • Keep your helmet on - great conversation starter, and filter
  • What goes up, goes down
  • Cables > hydraulics > electronics
  • It is always worth it, once you are out
  • Stretching makes a huge difference
  • Dead hang after a ride
  • Patch kits
  • Outdoor > Indoor
  • Take layers off before you start sweating
  • Gloves and helmet is all you need
  • Most tech/accessories are overrated
  • You need to prepare for 90% of your rides

← Index / Published on 2024-03-28