President’s Message – March 2025
byWarren Tessler
As members of the Skagit Bicycle Club and being active riders (redundant, I know), we’re all interested in the act of riding. However, I got to wondering recently about what else in the larger world of cycling interests us.
For many people it’s watching the cycling events on television, especially the three major tours and many of the spring classics and monuments. One could spend a fair amount on streaming subscriptions, but the return is start to finish coverage along with commentary and analysis. I get a real kick out of occasionally seeing the peloton ride a route or through a town that I’ve visited myself. It sure beats the days, such as when Greg Lemond was competing, when the Tour de France coverage might be 90 minutes of highlights on a couple of weekends. And that was about all the cycling coverage that we got for the year.
A surprising number of people have been introduced to the sport by things like some of the “behind the scenes” shows on the streamers. I know some folks, non-cyclists, who became enamored of the Netflix show “Unchained: Tour de France” and who plan to watch the race itself this year for the first time. Who knows, maybe they’ll buy bikes later on.
For those cyclists who are mechanically inclined, there are rabbit holes galore to go down. Who makes the best bike tools? Do I really need all those tools? How about that new bottom bracket specification? Do you really want to try to dig into one of those newer integrated cockpit set-ups? In my own case, how much maintenance/repair can I do on my own and when do I admit that I should hand it off to the pros?
The avenues of inquiry are similarly varied for those with a more scientific bent. There are articles that go on a great length analyzing the various chain lubes that are available and purporting to measure the differences in energy gained or lost by using one vs. the others. The same goes for tires, wheels and the ever popular aero anything. Then there’s the grams vs watts debate. It’s a seemingly endless nerd world.
When we get down to the bike itself, there are few things that compete with the fun, dare I say excitement, of those first few rides on a new bike. That’s especially true if it’s a bike that you have longed for or lusted after for quite some time. Getting out there on that new acquisition, running through the gears, taking the corners and going up and down the hills are all changed in different ways. If you had a pretty good bike before, now you’ve got a really good bike. Or, maybe it’s even a dream bike. In any case, it takes that riding experience that you’ve always enjoyed and made it just that much better.
This brings it all back to the act of riding. At its most basic, that’s why we’re here. All that other stuff is certainly important to us, some more than others. What’s common to all of us though, is that we are bicycle riders. So, let’s get out there…
Warren TesslerWTessler48@gmail.com 360.941.3014
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