A fine non ranty read about all things bikes by a frame builder

[baabaa]

Well worth a few minutes to slowly read and ponder over

Notes, 2023-03-06
Spencer Wright

One of the more interesting aspects of hanging out around young kids is watching them fail at something. Kids are constantly failing at something, and the ways in which they might misunderstand a problem (and misapply solutions to it) are surprising, and enlightening, and funny.

But as with a lot of parenting, watching my own kids fail can be terrifying. Not because of any imminent danger, but because managing, accepting, and responding to failure are all skills that I wish I was better at.

When someone fails at something over and over again, we call that practicing. It’s a word that my kids seem to have an innate repulsion to, and which I know I avoided as a child as well. To practice is to admit that you could improve, and also that you desire to improve – things I’m sure I was afraid to admit as a middle schooler, and which aren’t exactly natural to me now. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that deliberate practice – failing at something over and over again with purpose – is one of the most gratifying things I can do.

-Spencer Wright



The author, with a hacksaw, about to destroy a bicycle frame that he spent the previous month building. 2014.

[rkelsen]

There is no better way to learn than from your own mistakes... dissecting your own messes to see where you went wrong. Sometimes it takes a hacksaw!

“The life so short, the craft so long to learn.” ― Hippocrates. Still true, even in the age of instant gratification.

Not sure if I'm getting slower or time is getting quicker... but 2 x 10 minute jobs took me all day on Friday.

[baabaa]

There is no better way to learn than from your own mistakes... dissecting your own messes to see where you went wrong. Sometimes it takes a hacksaw!

“The life so short, the craft so long to learn.” ― Hippocrates. Still true, even in the age of instant gratification.

Not sure if I'm getting slower or time is getting quicker... but 2 x 10 minute jobs took me all day on Friday.

And so much so I even forgot the link....big wooooops

https://www.scopeofwork.net/2023-03-06/

[zebee]

My mother started riding a bicycle again at the age of 78. She had last ridden one with me on the back to take me to kindergarten so that was a very long time ago!

She liked my Brompton but didn't want to spend the money on one to start with so bought a more standard folder because it would fit her small stature and could be put in a taxi boot if need be.

I was fascinated by how she approached it. She would sit on in the back yard and scoot along the path, feeling for balance and how to brake. She would then scoot and get a foot on the pedal. This is over several afternoons. Then slowly to the point she was riding. Next we went to the nearly bike path and she tried a bit there. Over another few afternoons we did more and more. She struggled with the gears (never ridden a geared pushy) especially the lack of engine braking! But day after day she spent some time on the bike and got more used to it.
About a week after I left to go back home she told me she had ridden all the way to the post office (about 2 and a bit km) to pick up mail and some lunch. I was so proud I nearly cried!