Picture: My old Specialized bike - still going great after many years
Factory recalls are things that we have unfortunately seen commonly in products such as cars or electrical goods. This week Specialized look likely to join the trend, issuing a recall for one of their popular road bike models. Check out the full article here, but this might prompt some of you to think things like “Should I avoid Specialized bikes? Are they dodgy? Specialized’s SL7 road bike was released to much fanfare in July 2020, so after 15 months in the marketplace, there would generally be several thousand bikes affected, although shipping limitations during the Covid-19 pandemic might have limited the spread of distribution globally. However, similar to the rush of people that buy the latest Apple iPhone, Specialized have created a following of loyal consumers who will eagerly add the latest model to their collection or trade in their existing model for a new one upon release. So what if you’re thinking about buying one of Specialized’s other bikes? Should this recall steer you away to another brand? Let’s dig a bit further to see what it’s all about. Firstly, the recall relates to the potential for the steering tube to crack under significant pressure. If you’re not familiar with one, the steering tube runs inside the frame and connects the top of the front fork to the stem that supports the handlebars. I’ve had perfectly good frames and components crack before and if the force is significant enough, any part of a bike could crack normally – I also experienced this first hand when I was hit by a car where the driver fell asleep at the wheel and my bike was scattered all over the road. So this recall is relatively minor overall and the article notes how Specialized recommend users get their bikes checked over by a dealer after a significant force or crash anyway – this is the sort of thing a dealer would find pretty quickly. So I would only see this as a major problem If the cause of this recall was from general riding or storage, which are much more passive events and would suggest a more significant quality concern. Additionally, Specialized’s recall is voluntary, so it hasn’t been mandated by a regulator, which shows the brand is being proactive and that the potential fault has been identified through user/dealer networks, rather than the court system. Furthermore, the recall is conservative and recommends people don’t ride an affected bike until it has been rectified by a dealer. This also emphasises the brand’s consideration of customer safety. You might not see many recalls for bikes. That’s likely because Specialized is such a big brand, it has a dedicated R&D department and stands to lose plenty if they sell an inferior product. Lesser brands wouldn’t necessarily have the resources or networks to identify these issues and it would be easy to blame other causes for accidents, such as traffic collisions - particularly if the impacts were as significant as my own accident. So I think this recall is a good thing – it shows Specialized are prepared to do what’s right to ensure their product remains high quality, while considering their social responsibility. If you’re looking for a great new road bike, consider joining the queue for a Specialized SL8 when it’s released!! Top tip: if you’re looking for a used bike, a late model Specialized road bike can often be great value for money as they’re popular (i.e. they don’t have a rarity ‘premium’), well-made and depreciate as soon as the next model is released.
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Cycling has evolved from its early origins as a form of transport, through to riding a bicycle for sport, leisure, skills development, fitness or even as a mode for adventure such as bike-packing. This is where bicycles laden with camping equipment allow riders to venture on long, multi-day journeys. Over 200 years ago in 1817, German inventor Karl Drais created the Laufmaschine which was a primitive bicycle concept that the rider propelled by running while seated on the frame. This concept can still be seen in toddler balance bikes today. Pedals began appearing in the 1860s and bicycle development has continued at a rapid pace ever since, with today’s bicycles utilising exotic materials such as carbon fibre and titanium, with super-efficient geometry and suspension designs. Cycling is a large global industry, worth over $US55 billion annually and this figure is expected to rise to approximately $US80 billion by the year 2026. The cycling market includes parts, accessories and cycling-specific clothing as well as bicycle purchases in its figures. Approximately 3.4 million Australians cycle for leisure or transport in an average week, while 55% of Australian households have at least one working bicycle. As an avid bicycle collector, I’ve purchased lots of bicycles at garage sales at bargain prices. Cycling has a diverse range of disciplines and bicycle styles to suit. There are broad categories for on-road and off-road bicycles, but then each category has multiple sub-categories for specific styles of riding or terrain. For example, Mountain Bikes are a popular off-road choice and there is a sub-category of downhill bicycles that feature long-travel suspension, fat grippy tyres and compact frames to tackle steep, rocky downhill trails, similar in nature to alpine skiing. These bicycles would be far less efficient to ride on road due to their weight and rolling resistance from fat tyres. With lots of cycling styles, and different bicycle types to suit each one, there is a common cycling saying that the correct number of bikes to own can be stated as (n) +1, where n equals the current number of bikes owned. So the pursuit of the ultimate personal cycling collection is never over! My own collection used to occupy 2 sheds, but is now at the stage where my wife says I can buy another bike, but I have to get rid of one in the process. This has been good as it has forced me to be quite judicious about any bikes I purchase, resulting in each one being meaningful beyond just its purpose. Picture: Early Laufmaschine, circa 1820. Bicycle Network. 2019. Accessed from https://www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/tips-resources/inspiration/history-of-the-bike
I still remember getting my very first bike. It was an old, used hybrid with a 3-speed coaster hub. It wasn’t the sporty BMX style I lusted after, but it was a huge advance from my scooter as my neighbourhood transport prior. So it was a bit different, but that suited me as I was a quiet, nerdy kid and different too. After a few attempts practicing in the backyard I was off! I experienced an exponential rise in my independence and ability to explore.
We had a small reserve close to home where bigger kids had made tracks and jumps. My bike was too heavy to jump, but its fat tyres let me take the dirt corners fast, so I focussed on getting around the tracks as fast as I could, until exhausted. I’d ride for most of the day, stopping briefly for lunch and returning home when the street lights went on. I returned every day possible, seeking the feeling of flow as I swept between corners, trying to go faster each time. I pretended I was driving on a race track and experimented with racing lines and even developed mechanical sympathy with the bike to ensure I finished my imaginary race. I can also see now, this practice also made the difference in getting me home safely afterwards a few times. The aspect of cycling you’ll hear from me most is the actual riding and locations. Equipment, competition, and technology are all interesting topics in cycling, however they were all secondary considerations when I first started riding and you can still find that sense of flow on any bike. The hip attitude of early 90’s mountain biking was also formed on the basis that any bike that rolls would suffice and it’s the seeking of the flow that was important, like a surfer riding a wave. My interest in cycling is purely personal in nature and a hobby that has ultimately formed a central part of my life, to the point where I feel myself getting agitated if I haven’t cycled for a few days. While I love cycling, particularly exploring new areas, I also recognise it has had several benefits in terms of supporting my health and even self-worth – as cycling became the thing I could do well among my peers, offsetting some of my social awkwardness and giving me a place I felt comfortable. I’ve created an avatar using the Bitmoji app, for a variety of reasons. Firstly, I appear in other photos on my website so feel this style is quite fun and different and lets me link to the blog's theme through stickers. This representative style is also being increasingly used across social platforms, which could increase my integration on those and consistency of my digital identity. Bitmoji graphics can also be easily resized and used in a consistent manner across webpages, without worrying about the technicalities of photography. Bitmoji permits the use of avatars for non-commercial, personal purposes, so they suit this blog application well.
New bike day is always special, even if the bike is an old second hand one. A new bike can mean the start of exploring new capabilities, such as getting a mountain-bike for trail riding after having road-only bikes for several years.
For me, this new bike day was interesting as it was the first mountain bike I've purchased which will not be used for racing. Therefore, I didn't need to worry about it being super lightweight and having race-specific gearing and settings. This meant I chose this bike on pure enjoyment elements alone and look forward to using it in a casual context. It still has enough strength and quality to be used vigorously and I could possibly even attend a casual event riding it, but that would be very much a secondary use for it. The relaxed geometry means the bike will be very stable and easy to ride over rough terrain and the local pump track, but does so at a sacrifice of speed. The wide tyres will help me ride along the beach at low tide and increase my ability to explore nearby islands, by crossing over the sandbars at low tide too. |
AuthorHi folks, I’m David and I’ve loved riding bikes ever since I was old enough to do so. I’ve ridden for fun, fitness, competition and charity on all sorts of bikes from mountain bikes and road bikes to time-trial machines. Some of my favourite memories include riding the iconic climbs in the French Alps of le Tour de France on race day, or competing in grueling endurance mountain-bike events, but I still get the same buzz I had as a child, blasting through a series of sweet corners on my local trails with my kids. ArchivesCategories |