The amount of money we put into equipment etc is one thing.
Yes, people sometimes laugh at me when they hear my carbon bike costs more than 30x more than those 9,800 JPY mamachari they use. But those same people are also amazed when they hear how I ride 200km a day just for fun or race the Azami line. Then they don't laugh at me anymore. I use my equipment for something worth it, competition or not.
But the article is not about how much money this guy spent; it's about how he crossed the line KNOWING that it's against the rule and how he ultimately lost the "feeling" he once had for the sport.
I have nothing on my concience. I'm glad I can enjoy the fun and pain of cycling with you guys.
But that’s the thing - why do you need to ultimately spend all that money when you could easily just by a GIANT Defy or any other low end bike for 58,000 JPY?
the rider in the article hit a very important factor and that was his reasoning, what did you tell yourself when you dropped that amount of money on the bike, wheels, group set?
"I deserve it"
"I will only upgrade it later" etc,etc.
There are more reasons which many won't admit and that’s the social standing, many of us a riding DA, Ultegra and Super Record, that’s some serious money, but your also buying it because you hope that it is going to make you faster, give you that marginal gain or weight difference that will get you over that hill faster and give you the ‘Kudos’ and ‘Recognition’ we are all looking for?
Why else do we post our rides for everyone to see, dropping altitude gain and distance covered or for the hardcore trainers IF and TSS if not for social acceptance and accolade then what?
This leads to us trying to beat it, ride long, higher, faster – add STRAVA to the mix and now that adds a new element to the equation and ultimately turns every ride in to a race or sorts.
But it doesn’t stop once you dismount the bike, what about recovery drinks the protein shakes and creatine and other supplements that will enable you to recover faster, push harder and go longer?
Already our reasoning and mentality is on the same page as this guy - he is just much, much further up the ladder.
Some will never reach the point where they contemplate using PED's, some who race might have contemplated using or even gone over the edge, but as many will tell you it’s a very gradual process that starts at the very bottom of the ladder which we are all on.
