Secondly, Dan of XARK writes in defense of rule breaking generally, and in defense of cyclists breaking traffic laws in particular. I’d sign on to that manifesto even if I had no idea what a bicycle was. Meanwhile, Slate features a more balanced overview of the bicycles-in-traffic issue.

But then, I do commute by bicycle, and my cultural sympathies lie with the left-wing environmentalist Europhiles, even if we often disagree on questions of policy.

Shopping for bicycles was fun, although considering how many times I drove back and forth across Albuquerque in the process I’m not sure my purchase did much for the environment. I rode a lot of bikes. Most of them were perfectly good machines, but all of them are different, and ergonomics and subjective preference play a large role in one’s opinions of bikes. The only truly bad bike I rode was a Kestrel Talon, which had remarkably unstable handling. Then again, some people ride them and like them, so maybe it’s overreaching to claim that the Talon is an objectively bad bike (though it’s hard to imagine how anyone could like that thing).

My favorite bikes, aside from the Madone, were a 2007 Jamis Eclispe and a 2006 Giant TCR1. The former is a mixed steel and carbon fiber frame; it’s an uncommon combination, but the bike rides wonderfully smoothly, and it has character. Though the Eclipse has undeniable appeal, the Trek and the Giant are lighter and stiffer and ride almost as smoothly. The Giant TCR1 is a full-carbon bike which felt quite similar to the Madone; I’d be very happy on either bike. After hearing several anti-China quips from salespeople trying to sell me bikes made in America and Europe, I was rather tempted to buy the Giant to spite them — I think that sort of economic nationalism is perfectly odious. But ultimately I followed the guidance of a less spiteful cosmopolitan spirit and simply bought the bike I liked best for its own qualities. The Trek Madone was somewhat cheaper than the Giant, and I think it cuts a more elegant image.

I’m on the road again. Woohoo!

sales associate Babs Brockaway says she’s seen the number of customers leaving with shiny new fixed-gear (“fixie”) and single-speed bikes skyrocket. …The simplicity appeals to neophyte riders overwhelmed by too much technology. “It’s simple: You just pedal,” she says. “This is shocking, but there are people who buy bikes with gears, who don’t shift gears.”

…and I dismissed it as an anecdote.

Then I found out that Shimano and Trek have both confirmed this in recent market research.

Both sets of research determined that people who hadn’t ridden for some time were intimidated by multiple gears and complex shifting systems and didn’t feel comfortable using cable hand-braking systems. This untapped market, the research showed, longed for a simple bike that reminded them of childhood. “Expecting someone to learn how to shift is a pretty tall order for someone who hasn’t ridden since they were a kid and is now 40 years old,” Bryant says.

It’s one thing to not know how to assemble a bike from scratch, or write computer programs, or fly an airplane. But shifters? Hand brakes?!? Like Babs, I too am shocked.

Although I’m rather horrified by the commonality of such extreme technophobia, I applaud the industry’s efforts (such as the Trek Lime) to get “mainstream consumers” to ride bikes. These people should not be driving cars.