The joy of riding your bike
Remember…
Remember the joy you got when your Mum or Dad took their hands off the back of your bike seat, and you sailed forward on your bike without training wheels for the first time?
I still remember my Dad taking his hands off the seat (one of those long old school 50s ones!) and sending me along our driveway, whooping and laughing as I steered the handlebars oh-so-nervously.
Remember the pure freedom you felt?
Every time you got on your bike, you, and probably your buddies, just had fun. Freewheeling the streets, out in the bush on some jumps you made…great memories.
But then…
As you got older, your life got really serious.
Bills, commitments, a 9-5 …. responsibilities.
Cycling got serious too.
Expensive (probably tubular) wheels, high end groupsets, carbon everything – it all became an arms race – who had the lightest and fastest.
You might have even started racing, which most of us take really, really seriously (at least I did).
Cycling still defined us, of course, but it seemed to have lost that stripped back beauty and simplicity amongst a technicolour rainbow of endless kit, themed Oakleys and endless accessories.
The fun we had as kids sometimes seems a distant memory.
But we yearn for those simple, carefree days.
When you're in the echo chamber of a big city surrounded by all your riding pals, it's all too easy to lose perspective.
It's easy to forget what riding our bikes is really all about.
Reconnecting…
Since I've moved to northern NSW, I've taken a break from racing and training, and spent a lot of hours riding by myself in the Byron hinterland, re-connecting with cycling and rediscovering the joy of just riding my bike. If I don't feel like riding, I go do some gardening, or go for a run, or do something else.
Point is, there's no obligation.
I've found riding out in the warm, sunny, countryside, and not taking it all so seriously, has rekindled my obsession for cycling.
…Out on a ride the other day I was really pushing up a hill, heart rate red-lining, really just belting myself. All I could think was “Wow, this is fun.”
VeloNomad is all about adventure and living your cycling dreams. Above all, it's about fun and not taking life too seriously.
In honour of all those memories and the VN value of fun, VeloNomad is releasing steerer caps! These will stare you right in your face whenever you're riding, and remind you that cycling is really just about having fun.
So…
…if things in your life are a little serious,
…if you get the angries when you don't win a race,
…if you find yourself riding out of obligation,
…if you're out riding and it's wet and cold,
…you're tired and sore,
…you get really bummed if someone knocks off your Strava KOM (bloody Sydney blow-ins!),
…or you are DEEP in the hurt box at Etape,
This little token is there to remind you that being on the bike is better than being stuck inside, or stuck at work.
Available in VeloNomad purple and ninja black, these laser etched, anodised aluminium caps will fit all standard 1″1/8 steerers with standard bolts. For shipping and pricing info, step right this way to our webstore.
And remember…
It's ok to just ride, so get out there and have some fun.
Support VeloNomad
A significant amount of time and effort goes into these reviews, all with the aim of helping you. As lots of readers say, I give way too much information away for nothing, and it really does take a lot of time and effort (but I do love doing it!).
If you found the site useful, and you didn’t need a SIM card or ebook, I’d really appreciate it if you dropped something in the Paypal tip jar below. Or if you’re buying something online, use one of the affiliate links below the Paypal button.
Paypal tip jar (choose your own amount)
These affiliate links provide me a small commission (2-4%) on each sale and they don’t cost you a cent extra.