When did 'just going for a ride' disappear?

[legrandefromage]

I know I know, its just me moaning/ whining/ whinging but my befuddled brain cant cope with the amount of gear people have just to go for a bicycle ride.

I went for a ride yesterday, muddy mtb shoes, fleece and a couple of t-shirts and the usual jeans.

Top half was getting too warm in the lovely 14 to 15c and I was more than a bit surprised at how quick I'd got round my usual road bike route.

The guys I saw out were tooled up with rain jackets, gloves, everything that they could possibly have, pumps, lights. God knows what I must have looked like to them.

When did that happen? When was it decided that cyclists needed to crash into a Wiggle store before they could go for a ride?

I'm confused but then my nurse hasnt been yet and I've run out of crayons to eat.

Especially after watching this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04x1zg2

 

[The History Man]

What no tweed?


Maple cured bacon and happy eggs here. No crayons.

 

[gradeAfailure]

Re:

How do you know they weren't out for an unsupported century? To each their own though - I have a 15 mile off-road loop that I do from the door on the SS, usually with no more than a phone, multi-tool and one bottle. A flat at the furthest point a few rides ago left me with a 5 mile walk home in the cold and dark. Still don't take a pump or tube as I don't want a pack or saddlebag but I wished I'd had it then!

 

[mk one]

Its how the market is, sad really. Got to have the matching this and that only to have to buy it all again next year when the colours change, spend spend spend, or your not a proper biker, apperently :roll:

How do you know they weren't out for an unsupported century? To each their own though - I have a 15 mile off-road loop that I do from the door on the SS, usually with no more than a phone, multi-tool and one bottle. A flat at the furthest point a few rides ago left me with a 5 mile walk home in the cold and dark. Still don't take a pump or tube as I don't want a pack or saddlebag but I wished I'd had it then!

you can pack your tyre with grass to get you home. A friend once left the grass in for months after as it was working fine and never needed to change it. My top tip for the day

Mark

 

[mdvineng]

At 63 it's all I can do these days, go for a ride, without looking like a candidate for the lantern rouge or a luminescent lycra fool! I let the grandkids look at the cycle computer these days.
It's probably another example of the success of marketing, you cannot do this without having bought x y and z. I'm sure that are many people in between either extreme. I got a lecture off someone the other week for not wearing a cycle helmet whilst riding across a soft grass field but he was quite happy not to wear one when walking on a pavement when questioned

 

[longun]

it never disappeared, we just got a little more prepared haha

most my rides are just that, but i have always liked taking a few get out of jail cards. learned waaaaaay back when i had to walk home from the bleak moor of dart to my home in plymouth. very good learning curve haha

 

[Spibblo]

Re:

Like others have said I cant go out with a spare tube and a mini pump. I'm happy to pootle about in jeans, T-shirt, Fleece etc but not for more than a few miles.. I can't cycle in jeans, I get horrific chaffing but then my testicles are mighty huge.

 

[The History Man]

Tuck them up a bit so the rear tyre has clearance.

 

[legrandefromage]

The missus has mine so I dont ever need to worry about them.

ever.

 

[MarinMartin]

Re:

I wear all the gear purely because its more comfortable for me. Auto immune disorder is no fun plus all of my rides are at least 15 miles. As for tools I have a few in my camelbak because I have the worst luck and can guarantee the one time I go without something will break (as demonstrated by last weeks incident)