Originally Posted by
Velo Vol
What triggered me were the posts earlier today, which I've seen plenty of times before, about one needing to get a bike whose appearance will motivate the owner to ride.
I suppose the newness factor might work for a month or so, but not long-term.
Can one like the way a tool looks? Sure. Can one develop a connection with the way the tool performs, responds to the user's efforts? Yes.
But the passion doesn't come from aesthetics. Take the Stradivarius away from the virtuoso and she'll still want to practice.
Imagine going to a running forum and reading posts about a shoe speaking to you, making you want to run.
Silly.
I still stare at and admire bikes I've had for >25 years. Is it the SOLE thing that motivates me? No. But on any given Saturday, I find myself thinking about the bike I'm going to ride, going down to the garage to get it ready, often just looking at it for a bit, then thinking about riding it the next day. Sure, it's an inanimate object with no soul of its own and only that soul which we put into it. Cripes, more than once I've gotten back from a particularly satisfying ride, and after I put the bike away I pat it and tell it "Good job!"
And I'll bet I'm not the only one here who's like that.