Every now and then we like to feature a comment from our loyal readers. Here’s one from my friend David Holt.
– Vinnie
You’re not only the guy who came up with the idea of half-priced yogurt but also the guy who’s made the point more than once that the bicycle doesn’t matter as much as some people may think. If Colnago let you ride one of their $10K bikes for the week, the “paint job” spell may be broken and you’ll realize that that $1000 Beater on ebay may ride almost as well. Not good for Colnago.
On the other hand, I don’t underestimate the power of beauty and elegance for its own sake. So what–you’re not that much faster or comfortable on the Colnago than the Beater–but you own something that was done well and has a grace of its own. Terry Lentz at the 508 this year rode a classic bike to the overall win demonstrating from one perspective that the bike itself is not all that important. But Terry made that bike himself. It was beautiful and elegant. He obviously spent lots of hours, money, and tender- loving-care building it. It was, in that respect, very much about the bike.
“I can think of nothing better than riding a fine horse into a new country.” Gus McCrae/Larry McMurty “Lonesome Dove”
By the way, it just occurred to me that the word “Sophia” means wise or wisdom–which perhaps explains why I’ve always respected SL for her mind as much as her other assets. (Surprisingly, Serena means…serene. I just looked it up.)
mc
