Earlier today I posted that I had no interest in the Dura Ace electronic shifting. Well, on my way to work I changed me mind. If these expensive little gizmos were cyclocross-proof I might be very interested. They would have to be able to take being run through mud, muck and be able to shift well in conditions were the normal cable actuated stuff just goes to pot. If it could work well out here in our cross series I would buy it as soon as I could afford it. If not--then again no interest.
Stereotyping other riders
I often do this when I see others riding that I don't know. It comes automatically. Today on my way into work I caught up with some guy at a signal. I soon realized that he had a very nice ride. A lugged DeRosa frame of unspecified age with a newish Campy Record groupo. It was the newer Record stuff with carbon bits on it. Wow I thought, cool ride. It was a very pretty bike. Then I started to look at the rider. Minimal muscle tone. Hairy legs. So the guy is into nice stuff, but he doesn't shave this legs and thus is not truly committed. To me if you are going to have a Euro road bike, especially an Italian one with all the bells and whistles, you as the rider need to fit in with the bike. Unshaved legs just do not go with that sort of bike set up. Maybe he used to be into it, I don't know. Maybe he hangs out with a bunch of non-cyclists that think the shaved legs of a cyclist are just wrong. regardless, the guy was not fully committed. I argue that when riding a bike that cool and PRO (albeit, old school PRO) you gotta rock it and go all the way. Hairy legs when combined with that particular bike just screamed "POSEUR!". I was still behind him right after we went through the signal and crossed some railroad tracks. Yuck, I did not need to see butt-jello wiggling in his lycra shorts. Yeah, so he doesn't ride that much anymore, that is for sure. I couldn't take it anymore I passed him and hammered enough that he would be able to catch up at a future stop light. I know that I don't always shave my legs, but when I am riding an American-made steel frame or Taiwanese carbon, I don't think those rides demand such PRO-ness from the rider. My bikes are not nearly as snooty. The DeRosa was definitely a snooty bike. Perhaps the guy was a Fred instead of a Poseur. Maybe he just doesn't know better.
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