Laid Out

Mr Mike Levy could not have put it better! Forgetting about all the new gear - Given that a big part of my job is to ride and write about the latest (and possibly the greatest, but not always) mountain bike gear out there, this is one that I often bomb at. I love anything that allows us to go further or faster, don't get me wrong, but the truth is that I'm always a bit jealous of the guys out there who pull a seven year-old bike out of the back of their car and then proceed to not only push my shit in both up and down the hill, but also be completely oblivious to whatever bike I'm on that hasn't even been released it. This guy has no idea that I've got the latest super-wide carbon rims, or that 27.5'' is even a thing. He does know that the dropper post that he spent $500 on failed after only a few rides so he gave up on that junk, but not that single-ring drivetrains work anywhere besides on a downhill bike. Despite the fact that I may feel something move in my pants when I see a new carbon wonder-bike for the first time, I am truly jealous of this guy. To simply not care, and therefore to never need a gear-related excuse or have that consumer-driven desire to have the newest kit, is a thing of beauty, and he's a dude that is truly in it for the love of the game. He's also way ahead of me on the trail, which makes me feel a bit stupid as I'm breathing through my eyeballs trying to keep up with him on my 25lb, carbon fiber bike with six inches of travel and 27.5'' wheels.