MEATengines

Today, Tomorrow, and the Bicycle Media’s Social Stand of 2021

It’s the day before tomorrow and that has me reflecting on a special time in bike media. Off the top, in reference to the links I’ve included at the bottom, I want to note that I’m not throwing stones from my annealed glass palace. I’m genuinely not a cynic, and appreciate the energy that folks put into being more about bicycle culture than bicycle crap in 2021. Even if none of us has really {really, really} managed to carry that energy forward.

{Myself/MEATengines most definitely included.}

I recognize that there’s a lot, lot, a lot of work to do. And I’m honestly uncertain where to even start as we, society, continue our march back toward a zero-sum worldview. Pendulums swing by nature. Don’t be crushed. 

MEATengines does not pretend to be apolitical. Whatever the cost in eyeballs and opportunities, short and long-term. Yes, it’s easier to be quiet and write about new bicycle widgets. But we’re (I’m) all about riding simpler bicycles while empathetically processing more complex ideas. And, you’re one of the handful of folks that’s here, so there’s a good chance you are as well. 

Proximity to forest spaces and treasure for bikes & gear are certainly barriers to mountain biking, but it
Proximity to forest spaces and treasure for bikes & gear are certainly barriers to mountain biking, but it’s important to remember, also, that many folks weren’t brought up that, or otherwise do not feel that, they belong in the woods. (Photo: Me)

If I had to describe my own politics, I would say that I endeavour to be for things instead of against things. For example, I’m very much for fiscal responsibility, although generally in the form of increased taxation*. I’m for the Ukraine (including military and monetary support), the rule of law, and territorial integrity, but I’m not anti-Russian. In fact, I take a little time every day to lament the loss of lives, prospects, and treasure amongst the common folks on both sides of that border.

*{Particularly for folks riddled with the most human disease, accumulating more treasure than their children’s children’s children’s children will ever need to live beyond-affluent lives.}

I’m in favour of government developing the simplest possible taxation and procurement processes. I’m for significantly increased parental responsibility within the public school system. I’m for opportunity for all, and a universal income model that recognizes that many of the most important actions happening in our society go uncompensated.

Imagery aside, mountain biking is really just the silly act of riding a bicycle in the forest with your friends or your thoughts. There
Imagery aside, mountain biking is really just the silly act of riding a bicycle in the forest with your friends or your thoughts. There’s no minimum difficulty level required to have fun or to be a mountain biker. (Photo: Penny)

Usually, political posts here take the form of discussing local issues and candidacies since municipal politics are both the least engaged with and also have the most outsized effect on {most of} our daily lives. Give me bike lanes, punitive taxes on empty commercial and residential spaces, and better transit. 

But I also see that the main question, concern, or quandary that every common person in North America is struggling to resolve – regardless of their political ‘tags’ – is how to stop a downward slide in future prospects. One largely driven by the growing disparity between average wages and costs of food, shelter, and security. 

We may disagree entirely on the best way to get there – and we might both be holding our noses as we choose our (view of the) least worst option – but I don’t see how deep down the end goal of better life outcomes is not the same. It’s the common come-together point of every working person no matter how far apart they stand on every other discussion of our time. 

A MEATengines foray into political thought is usually more of the local "Darwin Construction put their shitter in the bike lane again" varietal. (Photo: Me)
A MEATengines foray into political thought is usually more of the local “Darwin Construction put their shitter in the bike lane again” varietal. (Photo: Me)

Whether premeditated or a happy accident {for them}, I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to suggest that the wealthiest few members of society will continue to accumulate and legislate for themselves, if unchecked, until the average person, and family, have returned to a subsistence existence. Charlie before the chocolate factory. 

But in the short term, what’s scarier than debtors’ prison, (voluntary or involuntary) serfdom, and even decreased public ownership of land and institutions, is the way that, throughout human history, folks with power have used ‘the other’ to divide and distract us, the masses. And we’re smarter than that. The fact someone can’t afford to buy a house isn’t because of lattes and avocado toast, but it also isn’t because a person who looks, sounds and believes differently from them is striving for a better life for them and theirs.

New bike market, used bike market, friend
New bike market, used bike market, friend’s unsellable rig in their garage they’d long-term-loan you. Bikes or gear, I don’t know that – financially – there’s ever been lower barriers to getting into the activity. (Photo: Me)

Mountain biking is historically straight, white, male, and (relatively) well-off. And yes, I know that the North Shore riding scene largely ascended from Vancouver’s bike messenger culture and the early participants weren’t necessarily any of those things. But, I’ve spent almost thirty years at trailheads all over so don’t try to tell me who predominantly rides mountain bikes and digs in the woods. 

And by and large the mountain bike world – here, there, and everywhere – has quietly stood behind a large banner that reads “Everyone is welcome” and we could always point to {plenty of?} folks who were visible minorities, plus the women people {we even made bikes specifically for them!}, and that was good enough. Even if, it turns out, a whole heck of a lot of folks didn’t feel welcome in the woods at all. 

Then in 2021, the mountain bike media writ large had an epiphany for our time and some genuinely introspective and important pieces were published. I’ve put together some links below, again as encouragement, I’m for more of this in 2025. As much as we’re just adult-sized kids riding bicycles in the forest, I think it’s as important as ever. 

I know for a lot of folks the future, tomorrow, is foggy and foreboding today. I
I know for a lot of folks the future, tomorrow, is foggy and foreboding today. I’m sorry.

Riding a bicycle, especially on the road, is a political act, and in my experience, a love for mountain biking is a common ground that also can bring together the unlikeliest folks and that’s important, now and always. Actions we take within our chosen community also spill out to the rest of our lives. 

Here I’ll mention that this is by no means an exhaustive list and certainly it’s biased towards sites I follow. So if you have a bike media link I should add (even if it’s not from 2021, and especially if it’s recent, but only if it’s not behind a paywall) then fire me an e-mail and I’ll update.



Discover more from MEATengines

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading