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Re:Stringbike: Benefits (2020) by ygjb on Wednesday August 10, 2022 @07:13PM (#32419620)
Using your logic, I must not be a serious driver because I don't drive with the equipment necessary to repair my car. Or my bike, when I am riding. Or my e-bike when I am riding that.

Folks who are serious about any hobby or activity are also often relentlessly practical. I used to ride 100km from the city I lived in, out to my brothers farm. It was not a particularly long or challenging ride, and it had cell service most of the way, even 20 years ago. I always did a gear check, and carried spare tires, but in 4 years of doing that 20-30 times per year, I replaced tires, but never a chain on that ride. I also never carried the tools to do that work because it fell into the category of unnecessary gear. If there was a problem, I was only about a 30 minute wait for help from either side if I needed to be picked up.

I also used to do a fair bit of trail riding, and for a much longer period of time, and for significantly technical trails. Again, a gear check ahead of time, and proper maintenance meant I took tubes, but not the chain repair tools (and one time I regretted not taking 4 tubes, because it was a long and hot 14km hike back carrying my bike on a July afternoon).

I am not going to gatekeep your ability to gatekeep, but you should at least understand that your perspective on what constitutes a "serious" cyclist is completely subjective and not rooted in anything meaningful.

Re:Stringbike: Benefits (2020) by shellfisher on Thursday August 11, 2022 @12:11AM (#32421503)
Pretend instead of “serious” they said “frobnozz”. You’re not a frobnozz cyclist unless you can do a handstand on your handlebars! How absolutely un-frobnozz can you get??

There’s a tendency to ascribe value to words like “serious” but it’s a temptation, nothing more. Who cares that some bozo thinks “serious” drivers drive manual transmission cars, or ride bikes in a particular way.