Biking life before the internet

Actually CALLING people to meet up for a ride!

My uncle got me into cycling. Road cycling first, then a family friend got me started on a MTB. When ever I went over to their houses, I always poured through the bike parts catalog, mainly Nashbar and Performance.

I remember all that stuff (and still prefer books and paper maps - I'm old enough to dislike the eye strain of looking at maps on my phone).

I was working in a shop pre-internet so was able to research a lot of parts etc. through reps and the trusty shop catalogues.

I also researched trails by just riding around using dumb luck (and lots of free time), word of mouth, and "show-don't-tell". I guess I still prefer it to be that way, especially WRT backcountry ski spots, but it's getting harder and harder as the world shrinks.

My LBS used to close at 6pm on weekdays. I'd be there religiously before closing for the after hours shop ride. Good ol' days. Now, retail requires later hours.

Paper trail maps.

BIKE Mag...

Not internet related except for the timing; Jim Thorpe MTB Festival.

Most of my local shops still close at 6. Which means that I very oddly miss performance for those last minute items you always discover you need.

Trail books.

Nat said:

I know that a lot of you guys have been biking from long before the internet was a thing. Do you remember:

• Picking up the phone to call Colorado Cyclist, Bike Pro, Performance, or Nashbar to place an order out of a catalog
• Researching trails wherever you were headed by buying a guide book then buying a paper map
• Finding out about new products by waiting a month or two for the magazines to print an article

What else?

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Not finding out that the lastest 3D violet CNC geegaw outa the bay area was made of brittle metal and would shatter eventually until it did. Forums are the driver behind bikes becoming so incredibly reliable. It used to be a crapshoot, hoping the new tech you bought worked based on an ad in MBA or Zapata Espinoza's assurance that it was good and hoping they just weren't buddies with Zap.

And USGS quads. Those were great for exploring lands.

Actually being able to get lost.


…… and loving it.

rockcrusher said:

Not finding out that the lastest 3D violet CNC geegaw outa the bay area was made of brittle metal and would shatter eventually until it did.

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LOL, I can only imagine smack talk that we would find in the "Englund Air Cartridge" forum!

OldMike said:

Actually CALLING people to meet up for a ride!

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Still do plenty of that

Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk

You guys are nailing so much of my earlier biking memories. I used to head up the local bookstore an sit on the floor near the magazine rack and read MTB magazines for a few hours. I'm still gently digital map averse...and when I go into the back country riding (mainly CO), I primarily use my paper maps.

Oh and the early days where a $1500 bike was VERY high end.

Cheers,
CJB

I remember spending a lot of time on the phone with Supergo to order up dirt cheap parts for builds.

Nat said:

I know that a lot of you guys have been biking from long before the internet was a thing. Do you remember:

• Picking up the phone to call Colorado Cyclist, Bike Pro, Performance, or Nashbar to place an order out of a catalog
• Researching trails wherever you were headed by buying a guide book then buying a paper map
• Finding out about new products by waiting a month or two for the magazines to print an article

What else?

Click to expand...

Getting paid to write for a bike magazine that doesn't exist any longer.

dir-T said:

Not internet related except for the timing; Jim Thorpe MTB Festival.

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I went to most of them.

or going for a ride and <gasp> not broadcasting the route and details to the entire world...

abeckstead said:

or going for a ride and <gasp> not broadcasting the route and details to the entire world...

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or quantifying rides by the hours ridden not the distance ridden. I used to base everything by how much time I had to ride and being young and attached to a flexible career, unattached to a significant other that rode bikes, had no kids, the hours were measured in the lots category.

Nat said:

I know that a lot of you guys have been biking from long before the internet was a thing. Do you remember:

• Picking up the phone to call Colorado Cyclist, Bike Pro, Performance, or Nashbar to place an order out of a catalog
• Researching trails wherever you were headed by buying a guide book then buying a paper map
• Finding out about new products by waiting a month or two for the magazines to print an article

What else?

Click to expand...

Watching mountain biking on Fox VHS cassettes you bought at the bike store. Kranked and New World Disorder.

Getting lost was part of the fun I remember.