Purists, Cults, and Wheelies

Wham-O Wheelie Bar
Image: Skate and Annoy

Electric bike? That’s cheating!

Multiple gears? That’s cheating too!

Hair on you legs? Get real.

Street clothes? I don’t know you.

As much as I get annoyed by the purists cults within cycling, this morning I was reminded of what that purist impulse feels like:


[Via TUBULOCITY]

That’s right. Back in the day, I could not abide an assisted wheelie. But now the Wham-O Wheelie Bar is looking good to me. I could use a little help.

Our J.O.Y.B.A.G.â„¢ project has predictably raised some purist eyebrows. We are evaluating a few e-bikes, although we are not necessarily convinced that the ultimate J.O.Y.B.A.G.â„¢ bike have an electric motor.

But just as my wheelie skills have atrophied over time, there may come a day when I need a bit of a push to get me going on a bike. In fact, that day actually visited me recently when my leg was in a brace. Yet I was able to continue bike commuting thanks to the A2B Metro electric bike.

Whatever gets people commuting by bike, and keeps them doing it, is likely to be fine by me.

Speaking of Wham-O, in the 1960’s they produced a product with a name more awkward to say than J.O.Y.B.A.G.â„¢

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