|
So, in last month’s Dispatch I was making an argument that relatively affordable bikes are more affordable than ever and that to find your way into daily transport there is no need to spend more than a thousand bucks or so. All of that is still true. In an increasingly expensive world, a bike that’s good enough and actually gets used a lot beats a fancy one collecting dust next to a trainer and that box of good intentions you keep moving from one place to the next. If/when a transport cycling habit starts to stick, maybe even becoming your primary mode of city transport, your bike starts becoming more than a bike and starts becoming actual infrastructure. And infrastructure is worth investing in, especially of it’s personal. And let’s be real for a sec: If your city won’t invest in safe, reliable cycling infrastructure that works for you, choosing to make those investments in yourself isn’t a bad idea, if you can afford it. Investing in a better bike that’s durable, comfortable, low-maintenance, and always ready to take you where you need to go, year round. A really good bike turns “should I ride today?” into “of course I’m riding today.” Adjacent, the cost of everything is getting jerked around too by decisions made continents away. Geopolitical misadventures send commodity prices soaring, and suddenly everything costs more, not just gas, but food, consumable goods, all of it. Turns out the “global economy” is just a fancy way of saying “your wallet is not in charge here.” And then, in a truly inspired bit of policy theatre, we’re told that cutting fuel taxes will help us, which is insane if you think about it for half a second. Stupid decisions like this trades long-term infrastructure investments in (you know, maybe options to help people drive less) for short-term optics, while keeping you locked into a system that keeps getting more expensive. Ok…breathe Sean…think about the tools you rely on daily. Your coffee maker. Maybe your computer. The really good kitchen knives you reach for every time (thank you Knifewear!). You invested good money into those things because they work, every day, without drama. Kinda like what good infrastructure is suppose to offer us. A truly good bike belongs in this list. Something like a Brompton G Line Electric or a bike with a Pinion gearbox or maybe a little bit more expensve electric bike with a Bosch motor will always cost more upfront. That part is obvious. What’s less obvious is what happens later: Fewer repairs, better performance, fewer excuses between you and getting out the door and choosing to bike. It replaces car trips or transit delays, gets you where you need to go and just… keeps working. That’s the shift. You’re not buying a bike anymore. You’re buying a system you’ll use constantly — a piece of personal infrastructure in a world that isn’t building enough of it for you. So yes, start with what you can afford. Always. But once cycling becomes your daily transportation, spending more on a better bike isn’t indulgence. It’s you investing in your own infrastructure and resiliency - and that’s worth every penny. ~ Sean
|
