Comments on: A Grant Petersen Interview

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 19:36:00 +0000

P-E-T-E-R-S-E-N

Peterson is that Kent guy who rides the Great Divide Race and drinks chocolate milk.

Hail Kent!

By: michael

michael — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 18:31:00 +0000

I fall somewhere in between. I have a road bike with STI brake/shifters which rock but I also ride an old school steel MTB with BMX bars and Suntour XC friction thumbies which I love because they never go wrong however much I abuse them. I also love clipless when I’m feeling sporty but prefer Powergrips and steel toe capped work boots for tooling around the city. My problem is that most bike shops can’t be bothered to cater to all cyclists only those willing to lay down cash for latest dingleberry and that is a shame.

By: Gino Zahnd

Gino Zahnd — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 23:41:00 +0000

Maintainability, not maintainabiblity.

By: Gino Zahnd

Gino Zahnd — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 23:40:00 +0000

Some innovations are great, no doubt. Some things also make no sense for the everyday rider.

It also comes down to what “friendly” and “simple” means to different folks. Some people despise STI/Ergo shifters, and having their butts above their hands – it looks goofy unless you’re a racer. Some folks prefer the simplicity, maintainabiblity and tactile feedback of downtube shifters to the new school stuff.

That’s the beauty of bicycles; they’re easy to make *yours*. Cameras, and most other digital products, on the other hand, aren’t designed nearly as well to adapt to the user’s desires.

Me, I ride a comfortably designed steel bike with barend shifters and modern components. I reckon I’m somewhere in the middle.

By: James

James — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:46:00 +0000

Amen Fritz. I have no desire to ever use my old friction shifters or toe clips ever again. That reminds me, I need to get more of that stuff listed on ebay. I am always amazed at what some of that old, I mean vintage, stuff goes for.

By: Fritz

Fritz — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 17:56:00 +0000

I think some of the innovations coming from the racing world that Grant gripes about have come a long way to make cycling easier and more fun. In particular, I don't miss my old downtube friction shifters at all.

Integrated brake/shifters, indexed shifting, and all the incompatible pieces required to make it all work add significantly to design complexity, but they sure enhance my user experience.

I like having brakes that actually work, especially in rain. Improved manufacturing processes make great bikes affordable to many people. Clipless pedals -- I can't live without them now.