The inexorable link between cycling and pain

Riding a bike is never 100% pure easy fun, and whoever told you it was flat out lied.  To the degree that you want to move forward beyond the short commute and explore, corresponding levels of physical and mental exertion will always be required.  Whether its negotiating traffic, climbing arduous hills, descending technical roads and trails or managing your limits in adverse weather: these aspects of cycling can all be both physically and mentally strenuous at times.  Regardless of mental tenacity, the physically demanding aspect of cycling can often times be summed up into one word: pain.

We all love this whole cycling thing; you know, that ability to freely move from point to point in a relatively unhindered fashion, limited only by our motivation, imagination and mental/physical strength.  But the grunt and grind of pedaling in various conditions to various locations takes just that; a little bit of hard effort.  It wont be the optimal tire selection, perfect saddle, best gearing options or the most premium weather conditions that exclusively give rise to the conditions of a nice long ride that calls for a few challenges.  Its the ability to push a little when the going gets tough; when things go a bit sour or when we begin to hit the literal and figurative wall of discomfort that helps us move forward on our little journeys.

How far you want to go will be entirely dictated by your desire to press on and adventure, to explore the unknown realms of not just your environment, but of both your physical and psychological strength.  This isn't about masochism as much as it is about acknowledging that some work is involved in the long haul.  It wont be about the miles traveled or grades of the hills climbed.  It wont be about the friends you left in the wake of your efforts by powering along.  Cycling is in and of itself just a game really.  It stands both as a completely innocent and amusing activity while also being a deeply elating cat and mouse chase between a lot of joy and a little pain.  Enduring the slight pain necessary to experience the joy is simultaneously finding joy and solace in those very moments of discomfort.  Its only when we become so intimately involved with the act itself that we begin the blur the line between the two.

The recent merits of a good effort.  Arriving to this destination was only half the fun.  (Photo by Dave R)

 

Electronics and fluids: The inevitable future of cycling?

Bicycles, just like any other rapidly expanding sector of technology, will continue take a continual turn toward the ever more "exotic" and "enhanced" tech in the name of "progress".  Most of such supposed refinements come, of course, at the cost of money (go figure), additional high frequency labor and hyper specialized tuning/installation methods.  Hydraulic brakes and electronics have been making their way into the professional cycling stable (road, mountain and cyclocross) for a hand full of years now and are certainly here to stay.  They certainly have their place within the racing groups and exhibit great merit for myriad reason. This is all fine for those who have healthy finances or high dollar companies sponsoring a team with ever replenishing product and mechanics; but for us (and by us I mean everyone) weekend riders and commuters now find ourselves facing an increase in outward pressure from the bicycle industry at large to make that same transition into hydraulics and electronics, regardless of whether we want them or not.  The real question here pertains to whether or not we truly benefit from the gains had by diving into the hydraulic and electronic world.

Analogue is dead, or is it?

Big box bicycle brands are exceptionally phenomenal at selling us new things that enhance our rides in myriad ways for the pleasure of our cycling experience.  Hydraulic disc brakes stop you faster, are lighter, modulate better and seem oh so pro.  Electronic shifting shifts more accurately, weighs less, and can even automatically trim for miss shifts and cross chain scenarios on 2/3x front chain ring setups.  All of the aforementioned is indeed true, and as I hold no posture of desire to argue the contrary, I do indeed have a few words about these topics that might be thought provoking to whom it may concern.

Wireless, electronic, hydraulic disc brakes.... the best of both worlds.  We
will all see a refined version of this sooner than not.

Hydraulics

Hydraulic disc brakes started to appear on the mountain bike scene in the early 00's.  Hays, Magura and Avid made the first commercial offerings and were soon to be followed by others such as Shimano and even eventually, yes, Campagnolo!?  The hydro disc brake setup was, like most new tech rushed to the market, expensive and full of immediate bugs.  Brake line failure, cooked rotors, leaky pistons ect.  Most of these kinks were worked out to a reasonable(?) fashion and soon hydros were being outfitted on even the most entry level mountain bikes by the mid 2010's.  Be it the super high end or bottom of the barrel stock kit, hydro's graced the lines of virtually any "respectable" or "serious" mountain bike from the ranks of cross country to downhill.

 The early (and perhaps most) Hayes brakes were plagued with failure rates early in the decade.  Other companies took stabs at the product but suffered from many of the same issues. Fast forward fifteen years an we see the Sram subsidiary Avid for example being notorious for successive failure after failure with first their Elixir line and then eventually their Guide brake systems.  From over heating cylinders to leaky pistons and blown o-rings; like most hydro disc brakes the feel and stopping power was exceptional up until the point at which they failed, as they usually did at a rather accelerated rate.  Even the highest end brake systems today have, and eventually will exceed a very narrow service life window (we are talking a few years at best here if lucky).

this is what the inside of your hydraulic looks like.
tight ports, hot pads, DOT fluid.  What could go wrong?

Assuming that the hydraulic brake system gives its users no problems up until the point at which brake bleeding is required, a special bleed kit that is typically manufactured by fill-in-the-blank bike brand and required with a very specific hydraulic fluid (dot 5.something usually or mineral oil).  There are many of these oils that are each specific and integral to every different braking equation. 

 What i am getting at here is that in most circumstances, a new bleed kit, with a new type of fluid is required for each brake system from each brand.  That means that you will not be re using your tools (yes a bleed kit is a tool and just as costly as many) for the Avid Juicys you had last season in replacement of the new Shimano Slx kit you just picked up.

  New brakes, new fluids, new tools, more brand marriage and more planned obsolescence is what I see here.  If I may, nearly every hydraulic brake system I have come across is by my standard a disposable component.  Designed to work well for a few seasons; engineered to lack backwards compatibility, heavily proprietary by design and lacking in basic serviceability for DIY tinkerers and home mechanics.

Electronic Shifting

Shifting into a gear used to be a relatively simply exercise.  Push or pull a lever: move respective shift cable: actuate derailleur and engage a newly selected gear while pedaling (exclude internally geared hubs).   This in essence sums up the act of shifting and accounted for all gear shifts made for the last century (excluding the notoriously pathetic attempts from Suntour and Mavic in the 90's).  As of 2009 the pro Peleton has and will continue to primarily use electronic shifting in road racing.  Fast forward 8 years and we see the biggest competitors offering electronic shifting in their 2rd and even 3rd tier group sets (Shimano Ultegra, Sram Rival and Campagnolo Chorus).  What this means is that more and more mid level bikes, and eventually entry level, will for better or worse boast all the merits of electronic shifting.

your mind will be absolutely blown by the performance gains .. just sayin

As I also stated earlier, electronic shifting does a lot of things well, but at a hell of a price.  This new form of gear shifting operates in principle utilizing a lever actuated micro-switch which in tern signals the servo motorized derailleur, via wire or wireless signal, to shift a gear.  This sounds amazing and super simple but is effectively a logistical nightmare for those of us who care to look beyond the surface.  The first and most fundamental issue with the electronic varietals comes with the fact that these electronics have no manual override whatsoever.  If and or when your battery dies, your derailleur gets bent, a cable gets snagged or you simply cant get a relay, there is no way to engage back into manual gear shifting.  At this stage it either works or it doesn't; simply put. 

 The second huge issue is the inability to install and tune these new shifting packages with relative ease. As many of you know I am a huge proponent of simple fixes and home-mechanic friendly serviceability.  I look for simple solutions to big problems and often find none in the name of marketed convenience.  Electronic shifting is no different when it comes to installation and tuning as blindly routing wiring through a frame is an absolute nightmare.  Save for wireless setups the whole system depends on numerous wires and connectors, which if disconnected take a good chunk of time to diagnose and correct.  The electronic system is also wedded to the number of gears in your drive train in a very deliberate fashion.  If you buy the new Ultegra Di2 11 speed setup it will not be compatible with the new 12 speed system whenever it comes along (lets face it Shimano will bite eventually).  Open source software has never been a feature of these new shifting systems and entirely lacks the ability to create desired gear shift increments.  How nice it would be if the big players gave you the option of selecting different spacing intervals for shifting indexed gears ranging from 7 to 11 speeds or more for past, present, and future compatibility.  How about the ability to hold the micro switch down for a continuous friction option if your latest cassette was giving you poor shifting before a big ride and you needed to switch it out with an old cassette you had from a different brand or shifting era.  No way.

Again what it comes down to here is that we are being sold products that do not offer practical serviceability, long life expectancy and backwards/cross compatibility.  We are being sold a life long relationship (or so they hope) when we buy into the big brand notion of the ultra specified, homogenized systems.  We abandon our ability to repair on the fly or at all in the name of a little bit of shaved weight, an ever so quicker shift or slightly better brake feel.  When buying into the big-bike cult consumer trap we abandon our creative freedom with bike builds, our ability to change up individual components, and the option to keep old rigs up and running indefinitely.  Are hydros for you?  Whether the answer is yes or no, only you can be the judge here.

The joy of riding classic (and classic inspired) bikes and components

Lets face it, bikes have changed and the experience of riding these bikes has proportionally changed along with it.  Working behind the counter at the bike shop and teaching bike maintenance clinics has taught me that even those relatively new to and "serious" about cycling know that bikes "should" come with integrated brake/shift levers, 10 or more gears in the rear and aluminum building materials at the minimum (but lets be real, nearly everyone wants carbon these days).  Power meters that measure wattage output, micro switch actuated electronic derailleurs and hydraulic disc brakes are no longer the tech for only pro-level riders.  Much of this technology can be found on even the low end offerings from most major bicycle manufactures.

It seems that most future cyclists and mechanics alike might never know what it feels like to pull a smooth friction shift lever without indexing, find the sweet spot adjustment of a cup and cone bearing or adjust and modulate mechanical brakes.  Many will never experience the feel of a steel bicycle frame underneath them as they pedal as most recreational cyclists won't even ride without a bicycle specific shoe/pedal apparatus these days.  Suffice it to say that though cranks are still spun with two wheels beneath and handlebars above, the bicycle market, riding experience, aesthetics, and over all feel of it all has changed greatly.

GCN plants the seed.  It is a given that modern bikes will be faster,
but over what given life expectancy and at what cost?  Is speed a measure
by which retro and modern bikes should be compared?

The feels..

For a lot of people a big part in the joy of riding classic bikes is the nostalgia factor of years gone by.  The look, feel and sounds of vintage bikes along with its accessories, attire and even lifestyles are a holdover for some while being a purely aesthetic desire for others.  In the golden ages of cycling the sport embodied culture and style in a way that it seems to lack today.  Custom frame builders, handmade cycling garments and fine components made to last generations were the earmark of a time long gone.  Leather, copper, wool, canvas and polished alloys characterize much of what constitutes a vintage bicycle and its accessories/apparel.  Within the classic bike communities there tends to be a push toward "era-correct" builds that emphasize a desire to stay true to the ways of the past.  There are even organized events on a massive scale that encourage participants to ride bikes and wear garments that only date past a certain point to maintain the spirit of early cycling.

Though these forums, blogs, events and bike shops that specialize in vintage-only cycling topics and activities do a huge service to those of us who wish to learn about and engage in classic inspired cycling, one has to ask questions as to where the line should be drawn in the compromise of function, ergonomics, aesthetics and practicality.

someone's beautiful dirt bike, modern refinement with classic lines..

Finding the sweet spot

Retro for retro's sake has never been my game.  Though I absolutely love the look, feel and aesthetics of vintage bikes, I have never felt the need to greatly sacrifice comfort, quality, reliability and serviceability in the name of retro.  Some vintage concepts have stuck so strongly with me due to the time tested nature of their design and quality while others needed (in my opinion) to hit the wayside.  Things of massive impracticality like tubular tires, ultra narrow mtb handlebars, knee busting, thigh churning road gearing (39/52t x 13-26t and higher) and mega long stems with drops are the first that come to mind.  

When I build a bike for myself or for others, I do my absolute best to bridge the gap between the aforementioned sensibilities and new refinement.  For me there are without doubt many big improvements that have graced the bicycles that I ride today.  Micro ratcheting friction shifters that maintain a consistent tension and feel in pull, more ergonomic handlebar options for comfort, platform pedals that grip and support a huge portion of my feet, wide clincher tires that give more suspension and grip via air volume/larger footprint and optimized brake pads/braking surfaces are all things that I appreciate and incorporate into my cycling.  Sure, some of these things might be refinements made 30+ years ago, but then again I am a person who in no way subscribes to the notion that every new, yearly crop of cycling related products offer inherent improvement.  In terms of quality vs function vs cost there are many products and designs that are decades old that I feel have yet to be superseded.

"Dirt Drops" and "all road" tires!? recycled ideas from a century ago

Don't knock it until you try it, or buy it... or ride it.. or break it... or..

Seriously, it takes time and repeated experimentation to decisively tell someone that X product/design is better than the next X product/design for X application.  Different people want different things for different purposes and when it comes to riding a classic vs fully modern bike the same must be understood.  With the use of vintage or vintage inspired bikes and components my goal is not to have the fastest or lightest bike out there.  It is not to say I did the most miles or climbed the highest passes.  Its not to say that I can hang with the fastest riders or earn the most shop cred.  Riding vintage style bikes and components is for me about returning to an emphasis on quality, aesthetic, serviceability, interchangeability, readability and simple fun.  If its easily accessible, affordable and easily replaceable at the same time all the more!!!

The groupo illusion

Somewhere along the line in the mid 60's our friends at Campagnolo in Vicenza, Italy conceived the idea of a component group that would match in aesthetics, function mechanically in conjunction, and be sold as a complete package to bicycle frame manufactures for soon to be built bicycles.  This new idea coined the "groupo" changed consumer perception, distribution dynamics, marketing exploits and pricing variations in a completely new fashion.  Both bicycle and component sales would forever change beyond this point.

Fast forward

 Its June 6th, 2017 and the high-end Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 (mechanical 11 speed) group set trends at a whopping $1,800.  This parts kit includes the Bottom bracket/crank set, Brifters (brake and shifter combo), brakes, chain and cassette.  The Shimano 105 group set from this same year (also mechanical 11 speed) with the same parts package trends at $500.  For point of reference, in the higherarchey of the mechanical component groups Dura-Ace Ranks #1 while the 105 group ranks #3 with a price differential of roughly $1,300 - $1,400.  For the +/- 300% up charge one would have to imagine that the variation in quality would be roughly correlated as being threefold.  The fact of the matter is that the actual cost-benefit ratio when purchasing the Dura-Ace group over the 105 is no where close to the company's (and many others alike) attempted rationalization in price hike.  The big reason for this is that the big 3 (Shimano, Sram, and Campagnolo) do not hedge their status quo on the sales of their top tier groupos, but instead have a very focused sales effort that lies within the mid range of the barrel.  Shimano tiagra (the lowest in their groupo ranking) exists primarily for the same reason as Dura Ace does; to sell 105.  When it comes to squeezing the trigger on that Dura Ace upgrade you have been waiting so eagerly to make, you are in principle being duped by the big players in the component game.

Value perception

When races are being dominated by those running the newest, most lightweight and aerodynamic kit the marketplace has to offer, race fans and consumers will know it.  Through myriad adverts, those watching and listening are subjected on full blast to notion that the lightest, most race winning gear is what all of us would-be, weekend warrior hobbyists really need.  Though most of us can not, and never will be able to afford the en vogue, super kit of today, many of us can indeed jump into the "price point" gear of the component middle ground; and that is exactly the goal of the major component manufactures.

Though dating 2014, factor for slight inflation and this chart more or less represents today's groupo pricing standards

When juxtaposed perfectly between the lowest and highest end offerings, the value perception is the key to solidifying sales to on-the-fence, semi discerning consumers.  The perceived take away is that even though the mid level Shimano group set is heavier (ever so slightly), made using inferior alloys and materials (ever so slightly), and holds a lower resale value; when stacked up against something roughly 4 times the cost it indeed seem like a hell of a deal.  The Dura Ace (just like most quality hierarchies in marketing) stands as a component group that introduces technology that will inevitably be trickled down to the future years mid range stuff.  When you line up for the 2017 105 group, you are in practice getting that 2014 (ish) level quality that was standard to the Dura-Ace group of that year.  

a 5 step program to success!

Step 1: have pro level, race winning cyclists advertise the kit that "granted" them their prestigious victories.  Step 2: slap an astronomically high sticker price on the "pro level" gear.  Step 3: convince buyers that the "value oriented" lesser (though not bottom) level group sets carry with it technology of something close to the high end of today's standards.  Step 4: "modestly" price the aforementioned group sets in a way that seems like a massive comparative bargain.  Step 5: Repeat.

If In-da-rain can win tours on Campag so can you!

When it comes to outfitting your next road or mountain bike, please do your best to cut through the fluff that seems to permeate every corner of the industry.  Upgrading when necessary is the best way to get the most out of your not so inexpensive parts (especially if purchased new) and avoid more of the unnecessary waste with the "throw away" mentality that comes with the notion that your components are supposedly obsolete.  Asking yourself if an extra 500 grams will make the difference in your riding experience is something worth while.  If the time comes, entertaining the notion of "downgrading" to a lower line of components is also a clear way to save money while still getting what is often a very similar product to the "mid" level stuff.  There is always the discussion of buying used altogether, but I will save time here having written extensively about that in previous posts.  Just try to remember when you gear up for your post work ride that you are not chasing records and stage race podiums, but simply trying to enjoy the merits of riding while doing so in a affordable and reliable fashion.

A few things that your local mechanic will love you for

As a bicycle mechanic who deals daily in service, consultation and repair, it goes hopefully without to much saying that there are some very small and very big things that help make both our day as well as yours go far smoother than not.  To help put an end to the stereotypical trope that is the "grumpy mechanic", this post is a attempt to talk about some of these things that we as mechanics/sales people/consultants notice, endure and try our best to deal with in the bike shop setting.

We are your friend.. at least most of us are

The bike shop is a sacred place where sacred things happen; bike stuff.  We are here working in this industry because it is our innate calling to do so.  Although many of us didn't ask to be sucked into the gravitational pull that is the world of wrenching, sales ect, here we are; and whether we show it all the time or not, the probability is high that most of us absolutely love being in such a place.  To not only be around this stuff all day but also help others with similar interest is godsend that only few of us have the luxury of engaging in at the professional level.  In a previous post i have talked about the massively broad spectrum of ups and downs that come with the territory; but for better or worse, we are here because we want to be, and we want to help you.

Yes that is correct: at the end of the day the bicycle shop employee has one job; to cater to your needs.  Regardless of what that means in the moment, we are usually doing our absolute best to juggle your individual desires as well as a handful of others.  But really, we need your help.  We catch alot of complaints, insanely high expectations and unrealistic deadlines (often time not even agreed upon).  Though we are expected to work magic, and though this is sometimes possible, more often than not we just barely managing to balance the act in such a way where everyone is at least somewhat happy when it is all said and done.  

As bicycle shop customers/hommies/bums/volunteers there are indeed some things that you can do that will massively contribute to the overall experience on our end, particularly those who are less patient and understanding than others.

 somehow this mechanic working out of a suitcase on the ground is more stoked
 to be wrenching on your pile of bike than the next.
Gets friendly compliments and free smokes?

A small list with big implications

1. We are open when we are open. - Catching me slip through the gate as you wait forty five minutes before hours of operation is not an invitation to pry your way in and make yourself at home.  The fact of the matter is that we have a mountain of things to catch up on before we actually "open".  Please wait patiently as we get our dysfunctional mess of a bike family together so as to allow for an experience that is tenfold in enjoyment factor.
2. Whatever you do, for the love of god, please do not bring us your bike looking like it was dipped in a swamp, frozen for thirty years and then thawed ten minutes prior to arriving.  When taking your 1990-something, automatic Ford Taurus to the local garage for the obligatory transmission rebuild, there is no way in your right mind that you would expect the mechanic, covered in grease and gunk and yesterdays midday munchies to detail your interior and wash your entire car: expect laughs, invoices and wrenches to fly your way.  At the shop we are happy to give your bike a nice once over wipe down, but please understand that a full bath can sometimes take as long the repair itself.  Being that labor and resources simply can not hang with such expectations, please be so kind as to bring your bike in at least semi clean.  Oh, and please don't try to help out by giving your bike a bath in wd40.
3. Tips/donations are optional (wink wink).  Most of the time, we are bending over backwards to do what it takes to keep you on the road for that early morning commute or mid day weekend ride you have been planning for way too long.  By all means, please feel free to throw something in the beer fund.
4. Do not act surprised if we splice in seemingly unwarranted input.  A huge chunk of our job is to be realistic, honest and vocal with regards to so much of what goes with bike stuff.  Most of us speak from experience (and sometimes not so much every once and a while) and usually know what it is that we are talking about.  If we don't find it in your best interest to squeeze the 26 x 1.25 presta valved tube into your schrader drilled rim sporting a 2.35 tire, please understand that we are trying to save your life.
5. All mystique aside, we are mere mortals.  Bike wrenching seems to carry this clout of unspoken wizardry that grants us a supposedly divine ability to power our way through a 25 bike Q in the inconceivable span of 4 days... right? Wrong; labor gets tied up in cyclical bike shop banter, unaccounted mechanical issues, endless streams of walk in customers, fatigue, answering phone call after phone call (while wrenching at the same time usually), ect.  We try to get to you and your beloved bike as soon as we can, but priority is first come first serve.  If the other 24 bikes in that Q predate yours, you will have to just mount up that "winter" bike on the trainer and hope that Zwift gets you through the week, because regardless of that century ride or weekend race, your bike may or may not be done.  Please wait for us to call you and let you know. 
6. No, that one bike or kit won't make you faster.  To end it here and now, Shimano Dura Ace will not make you faster than last years Ultegra.  Loosing five pounds off your belly will grant you innumerable gains in all things Bike-Fast in a far more substantial way than upgrading your already expensive groupo of last season to the head ache inducing, astronomically over priced new buzz kit of the moment. Mercx was once quoted saying "don't upgrade, ride up grades".

Now that we got that out of the way, lets pour a pint or two and make it a
point to remember why we are here in the first place...

The "Green" paradox

 With the world we are all equally a part of reaching the peak of its available resources, we must see our rampant hunger for the next best thing as a key proponent in perpetuating a steady sequence of detrimental waves upon our microcosm of life.  We talk and hear about cycling as being supposedly so "green" and "sustainable" with little regard to the simple fact that all of this stuff has to come from somewhere.  With new sub-sub-genres that irrationally generate new niches that us ever so hungry cycling consumers must gobble up, we further dig ourselves into the self defeating hole of what I would like to call non-green cycling.

my neighbor pulling up in his van after having visited with his
LBS and acquiring a bike for every must have nu-style of riding.  

What is green anyway?

Maybe answering the aforementioned question is easier by addressing what is not green as opposed to taking a stab at pinning down the ever fleeting marketing trends that gallivant about while wearing the "green" label on their sleeves.  Running through a brand new frame every year due to promised gains in speed, aerodynamics and lightweight is not green.  Buying new kit simply because pros and peers are doing it is not green.  Destroying cycling gear that was designed on the razors edge of durability/reliability every other season (thinking paper thin gears, ultra lightweight and under built wheels/frame and relatively untested fill in the blank designs/materials/bonding methods/electronics/ultra soft tires ect....) is not green.  Owning thirteen bikes that were all designed to fill ultra niche cycling related activities is not green.  Driving SUVs and trucks to good cycling spots (be it road or trail) just to ride is not particularly green either.  Are you beginning to catch my drift here?  The waste factor involved in facilitating our so called green activity of cycling is not always so clean after all.  In fact, I am very much of the opinion that depending on how one carries about it, cycling can and often is one of the least green recreational activities out there.

youth learning how to service their own bikes as opposed to buying
into the notion that its time for a new one. (yes, that is indeed
a serviceable, real world bicycle)

Its all petrol

Regardless of whether or not we choose to look at it, every single facet of our bicycles are derived in one way or another from some form of petroleum.  Be it the plastics in your shifters, the vulcanization process in rubber tires,  the absolutely toxic nature of epoxy resins and carbon fibers that compose most new "high end" frames or simply the packaging, distribution and reallocation processes involved in getting that new XTR derailleur to the front door: oil was involved in the process, and lots of it.  Even with less toxic materials like steel and aluminum, a tremendous amount of oil is consumed during the extraction, refinement, forging and forming process.  There is really no other way to look at it: more and more stuff means a directly paralleled correlation in natural resource demand.

If we can make it a habit to regularly keep the aforementioned in our field of view we can use, purchase, share and re purpose with a new sense of vigor.  Making due with that 2 or 3 year old mountain bike and its seemingly "obsolete" suspension tech of yesteryear or seeing to it that the bike you or your children outgrew makes its way into someone else's hands as opposed to a scrap yard (the process of recycling is not green either: petrol being the main energy source in such a process) are the kind of things that really make a difference here.  Replacing spokes instead of wheels, rebuilding derailleurs instead of upgrading and gifting instead of scraping are incredibly important acts in an industry that like so many others, tends to center its business models around planned obsolescence and daily performance-gain induced upgrading.

a child (and a man behind) scrape by on what are probably retrofitted/re purposed
discarded bikes while recycling rubber from what appear to be tires and other various
items (I.E our shit)

Your Junk is an other's gold

Though it might seem like i am overselling the message here, the bottom line is that most of what we cast away can be used for a good chunk of time by someone out there.  Though I have lots of wasteful purchases on my track record, I have tried to make the bulk of my purchasing second hand whenever and however I can.  Building bikes primarily from older and often vintage components allows the life expectancy of many seemingly obfuscated parts and frames to see another day out in the world.  It is only when we allow ourselves to be convinced that we need a multitude of seemingly redundant tools for seemingly overlapping purposes that we fall into the classic consumerist trap.  By being critically thinking and questioning the status quo we can make progress with the incredible volumes of waste and over consumption that has us in the peak-everything condition that we are today.

Falling in love with "do it all" bikes

Thin walled steel frames, 700c wheels with 28c tires, narrow handlebars and racy geometry: this fragment about sums up the first 5 years of my cycling as well as a portion of the last 5.  In the pursuit to ride more rugged road and choose different lines throughout the city's inconsistency I began riding fat(er) tired bikes in 2013 and have been an avid all around cyclist ever since.  With a fondness for road, mountain, BMX and cyclocross I have become influenced by and incorporated a wide spectrum of cycling styles into my riding.  Being able to jump on a single bike and do most things was massively attractive to me in the quest to have more unhindered fun.  For some time now I have been infatuated with the idea of making the most out of bicycle builds by utilizing a jack of all trades style mentality; even while riding dedicated road or mountain bikes up until recently.  Simply put; to be capable of tackling a little bit of everything is what characterizes a well rounded bicycle in my eyes.  So here I am today, disenchanted almost entirely with the myriad bicycle genres that seem to do a great job of limiting our cycling experience by being so heavily refined.

You cant get something for nothing 

Road bikes are fun, fast, light weight and super nimble.  They can allow you to travel vast distances with relatively little effort and are great at what it is they are designed to do; ride well on solid road surfaces.  From super clean tarmac to ultra rough pave, the road bike has its place and has indeed proven itself time and time again by granting riders the ability to traverse great lengths quickly; but at a cost of course. The road bike boasts its short chain stays, narrow bars, aggressive geometry, high gearing, and ultra light weight with no attention paid to what it sacrifices in the process: durability, suspension, comfort, poor low speed handling and inadequate gearing for sustained hills are the first that come to mind.  Though the road bike is wonderful and important, it is certainly not for everyone in having its limits.

Four different ways of saying that these bikes are all more or less the same.
Drop bars, 700c wheels, similar tire sizes, brake hoods, high gearing for speed, and
thin walled carbon, aluminum or steel frames with very similar geometry.

Mountain bikes are conversely outstanding and fun while embodying the opposite end of the aforementioned spectrum.  Super relaxed geometry, suspension forks and shocks, mega beefy frame construction (usually), soft compound tires with super tall and widely spaced knobs and ultra wide handlebars dictate the rugged, "off road only" nature of the modern mountain bike.  Though very effective in its elements, such bikes lack massively the moment a ride hits hard packed surfaces or tarmac.

Compromise is seemingly non existent these days within bicycles genres, granting little in terms of diversification.  Very particular goals are met by honing in on very specific attributes that constitute these niches, constricting the consumer into the purchase of a dedicated one-trick-pony.

I wanted it all, but couldn't have it

You want speed; get a road bike.  You want to ride trail; get a suspension mountain bike.  You want to ride gravel and hard pack roads; get a cyclocross bike.  You want to move around fluidly in the urban landscape; get a hybrid/city bike.  These are just the vague big categories of bicycles that most fill in the blank bike shops will carry and try to sell you. Curious as to where this is supposed to leave you, me and the next person as we lead to believe that every one of us should own at least 4 bicycles for each individual cycling related task.  Can most of us even set aside enough time to ride these bikes in a way that truly rationalizes such mentality?  Is it really incomprehensible to try and incorporate a crossover into our riding habits so as to save time, resources and money?  The answer varies massively depending on who you ask.  Big box bike industry will sell you a new bike for every style of riding at every opportunity like a shark seeking blood in water.  Though it is indeed hard to reinvent the wheel, it is easy to reinvent image and redundancy.  Taking an old concept and wrapping it up in new clothing has ultimately been the monetary saving grace of the bicycle industry for what is in my opinion the entirety of the 2000's and prior.  To see it for what it is will simultaneously hear the silent alarm of B.S.

Here is a bike that can do a bit of everything.  All day comfort for mortals: check.  Sensible gearing for the steepness
 factor: check.  Big kushy tires for suspension and a wide footprint when the terrain gets loose: check.   
Racks to move something other than your body: Check.