5 Things I LOVE That SERIOUS Cyclists HATE 

You described everything I do while cycling... Crocs, rim brakes, 3x10 gearing, friction shifting, floppy flappy clothes, bikes are meant to be fun

I hated all of them! Great video.

This is great stuff! Thanks, Russ for once again reminding us that we don't need to ask permission from the bicycle police to ride what and how we want. The older I get the more I appreciate practicality and simplicity. Keep up the great work. I love the inclusivity of your content and the sincerity of your delivery.

Russ you are a serious cyclist... a professional even. (Look at all the support you're getting.) There is clearly a market for folks who aren't interested in competitive cycling and you've found us. And we're serious too... about simple components, casual clothing, comfortable bikes, and relaxed riding,.

Refreshing to hear someone speak on the nonjudging and noncompetitive side of bicycle riding. I started with the idea of wanting to feel free and have adventures so that's what I hope to keep my focus on. I tend towards liking these same types of things you listed.

I guess I fall into the “serious cyclist”category but I don’t hate anything your doing. I totally dig your style. Respect!

I love them all! I did my longest ride (200km loop) wearing flat pedals, sandals, and cargo shorts. It was amazing.

I dress for my destination, not the ride. I like using my bike to go to places to enjoy...sight seeing, hiking, shopping and coffee shops. I guess I am not a "serious cyclist" LOL! I love sandals on my bike!

I have absolutely migrated from aero to comfort as my biking has migrated from training to, Just get to where I'm going and be super comfortable, and enjoy the ride. I'm a path less pedaled convert for sure!

Since Ive gotten into cycling in the past few months, this is the channel I resonate most with. I love crocs, I love being comfortable, I love going at a nice steady pace and not being a speed demon. This is the cycling I love!

I think the worst mistake anyone can make is to do what someone else thinks is right vs doing what feels right for them.

Totally agree with the flat pedals.

I"m definitely with you on riding with Crocs. They are comfy and they grip flat pedals really well. Fishing shirts are great too. The fishermen have it figured out. Might as well be comfortable. I also dig the simplicity of good mechanical disc brakes. The less one cares about what others think of them, the happier that person becomes. Do your thing bro.

I like tubes. Talk to most cyclists and they look at you like you're crazy if you haven't converted to tubeless. I can't remember the last time I had a flat, so I think I'm good.

As a 'serious' cyclist: 1: Soft-soled shoes resulted in massive foot pain and fatigue on longer rides for me. Stiff-soled shoes drastically improved my comfort on the bike. Your mileage will vary. 2: People misunderstand flat vs clipless. It was never about efficiency, but rather for extra security on the pedals when pushing out a lot of watts, and for being able to pull up on the upstroke when sprinting or smashing up a climb. If you're riding casually, that doesn't really come into play. 3: Wearing lycra means I can sweat gallons and not even notice. Loose clothing, no matter how fancy the fabric is, always ends up sticking to me in weird ways and getting really annoying really quickly. But if you're not sweating, there's nothing to gain here. 4: No opinion on friction shifting. if it works, ride it. 5: Rim brakes have some downsides but they're perfectly serviceable and have more than enough power in all but the most miserable conditions. Mechanical disc brakes are a case of "the 1% of good ones get a bad name from the 99% of crappy ones". There's no reason that applying the braking force via cable should be inferior to applying it by cable (at least not by such a huge amount), but because it's a budget option you end up with corners cut everywhere and brakes that barely work, unless you know enough to shop around for the few models that aren't completely awful.

The longer I ride the more I appreciate this type of advice. This is a great channel. “Functional, durable, adaptable, and no-fuss” are very underrated categories when judging bike components!

Great video Russ. You reminded me that years ago I had a “5” speed bike with a friction gear change (and rim brakes). Learned to use it in minutes and never missed a gear. Why do we over the years suddenly NEED all the new stuff introduced?

I love my flat pedals with keen sandals, my fly fishing shirt, and my rim brakes. Plus I miss my friction shifter and how I could fine tune it.

When it comes to haters or detractors or even anally retentive bastards in cycling I've often postulated that the most highly opinionated cyclists are the the hard core mtb'ers and roadies. Us folks in the middle are more care free and casual, are willing to try new things (cave of bad ideas) and our rides and biking experiences are just as fulfilling with half the prep, gear, miles, etc. Shimano GRX 2x10 gives me hope that the industry might actually realize there is a demographic other than the race oriented worth marketing to.

Thanks Russ, Im just about Finished building up my first modern gravel/dirt touring bike. I've been a long time commuter and always had a pile of bikes since I was a kid but I never really liked sport cycling much so always had old tech that was reliable and just felt better suited for me in appearance. I Just wanted to say that your Chanel has really helped me find my way and enabled me to explore new possibilities for riding and gain exposure to some great designers and manufacturers. I don't know how long it would have taken me to find Grant Peterson on my own amongst many others that have really gotten me re-engage with cycling that without your contributions may not have been possible. Thanks so much for your hard work!

This may be your best video, because I agree so strongly with everything you say here. I’ve been cycling seriously since 1975, and I’ve used all the things you eschew here. I loved them. And I’ve come back to doing what you do. I loved my SPD cleats, and I don’t blame my former self for loving them, but I’m falling in love with flat pedals, and now I’m going to try some Crocs and a fly fishing shirt.

Love this video. I actually really like hydraulic disc brakes because of the smooth modulation they provide, but rim brakes and cable disc brakes are totally able to stop any bike in any situation, and I would never even consider hydraulic brakes for touring or bikepacking in a really remote area. (I've often thought that disc brakes are a solution to a problem that never existed.) I totally agree with you about flat pedals; clip-in pedals do perform very slightly better while sprinting and on hills, in my experience at least, but if you're not racing, a 5% performance advantage in some situations is not worth having to wear uncomfortable, expensive, ridiculous shoes. I'm ambivalent about your comments on friction shifting. Friction shifters are wonderfully worry-free, and they work really well pretty much always. I used friction shifters for over 15 years and totally loved them. However, I've been riding with Shimano 105, 11-speed, indexed gears for the last two years. They honestly don't need much more care than friction shifters, once they're dialed in, and they are pretty awesome once they're properly adjusted. Dialing them in, though, is a frustrating, tear-inducing PITA. With friction shifting, you basically just set the limit screws and never have to think about anything ever again.

Love your attitude! Always a healthy, honest, and insightful perspective. Can't argue with any of your points! I'm all in on flat pedals and long sleeve button down shirts. Consumer driven cycling has created a strange set of "rigid" rules for how to build and maintain a bike. All you need to do to realize those rules are bunk is to go down to your nearest United States urban bus hub or convenience store and take a look at all the bikes being ridden by folks that are relying on those bikes for the majority of their daily transportation. There is abundant ingenuity and inspiration to be found amongst those crowds.

Thank you for the permission to do my own thing on the bike! I really needed that statement in my bikelife. Also now I'm officially friction shifting curious.😁

My buddy and I toured across central and eastern Oregon a couple of years ago in Hawaiian shirts and Tevas. At first, people didn't believe us because we didn't "look like cyclists." But we ended up making friends with some locals because we were more concerned with having fun adventures than riding fast or looking cool. Now, we have a network of free places to stay the next time we're in the area! Take THAT lycra and carbon fiber!

Love the idea of one shoe only, when touring. Have you tried the Keen Venice H2 water sports sandal, as stiffer and more robust than Crocs (which I also love). You can add waterproof sealzskin socks if dewy grass, rainy and cold etc and whip them off when sun comes out. Wash under tap. Or just add normal socks if chilly but dry. Plus we've been wearing trekking shirts for years, so good call. Finally I use flat pedals with toees just for touring, you get some pull up and can stand in them climbing hills. Never see them mentioned in blogs or RU-vid...don't they exist in US? The Keen sandals have a rubber toe bumper which fits perfectly under the toee. Love yourvideos -happy cycling😊

Ha! Good stuff here :D I'm reminded of a newbie lady that just joined my local bike club. She rode with us "slower folk" for starters, but she had already been caught up with the "in" things, including lycra shorts and shoes with cleats. I was in jeans and wearing sandals with socks, on my flat pedals. She asked "how can you ride like that?". I took off from a signal right away while she struggled to get clipped in and going. Later, I teased her asking "how can you ride like that?". In any case, she didn't ride long (neither with us nor with the faster group). I hear ya with the cable/disc or rim brakes. When I got my latest bike (a Soma), I wanted rim brakes but I ended up with the frame that only supports disc. Got Shimano cable disc brakes. They stop plenty fast and with no maintenance problems at all.

One of your best videos Russ! Tell it like it should be told brother. I have some crank brothers stamp composite pedals on one bike and I’ve never seen a set of flat pedals stick to my feet the way these things do. You can’t even tell if your clipped in half the time. They are extra large for my size 12 shoes. And one bike has a friction downtube shifter for a 1x10 set up. Thanks for this video

I'm 100% with you on all 5 things, although I currently have a Microshift Advent X groupset on my main bike ( it works great).

I like your list, Russ, tho' I have a Croc alternative: Walmart casual dress shoes without socks on flat pedals, works a treat on my commutes and errands. And I was on my bike twice today, a 20-mile dash at noon to a nearby town and back and then an evening ten-mile ride around town, all to get things done. And my shoes were as comfortable as ever. And if you haven't watched lately, GCN is working to take itself and cycling less seriously and I think that's by popular viewer demand. And without GCN, I might never have found you, Russ, as they are the big dog drawing lots of viewers to cycling channels, not just their own.

Subscribed! This is a cool and cozy place and I think theres stuff to learn here. I will stick around.

my hawaiian shift has become one of my favorites for cycling-lightweight and nonrestrictive but short sleeve. i’ll check out fly fishing shirts!

Totally with ya’ on Flat Pedals, Shirts, Friction Shifters (Surly LHT), and Rim brakes or Cable Disc brakes. I mean I am really with you. Damn, now I have to try Crocs! LOL…..Thanks!

Damn, watching cycling and fly fishing in one video has just made me really really happy. Keep up with the great content!

Love it! 100% Paul Thumbies are sweet on the albatross & mustache style bars, BTW.

Love your taking a swipe at the "must have" mind set! I started moving away from the road race, equipment junky, mindset in the mid-80s. Prior to that if it wasn't Reynolds 531, Campagnolo and tubulars I wasn't interested. Then, one fateful day in 1982, while working in a bicycle shop, I was perusing the catalogs for the new season's bicycle offerings. I saw the first Schwinn Mtn. Bike and asked the owner to order me one. He asked "What are you going to do with that?" My response was "I don't know, but it looks like fun." When the bike came in I assembled it and the owner said "That stuff will never sell." 😉The next season I ordered a Trek 850 Rough Terrain bicycle--Trek's first mountain bike offering--and after replacing many worn out components over the years still ride it regularly. In 1986 I toured over 3,100 miles on that bike... Yesterday I took a 32 mile rail trail ride on it. I currently have 6 other bikes and have had 30+ other bikes over the years but I'll never get rid of that Trek 850! I got rid of the toe clips and straps, and clipless pedals, on several bikes and put flats on. Being able to walk around in my shoes around town and while touring became more important to me than any theoretical advantage of the "clipped in" variety. I currently have Adidas Five Ten shoes... got them before I noticed Danny MacAskill wears them.😜 A notable exception is my Specialized Epic mountain bike... I ride clipless on that to keep my feet on the pedals in rough conditions. This as I found that ripping meat off my shins and calves wasn't fun... Crocks??? Not sure I'd go that far but I've noticed some thru-hikers are wearing them so maybe I'll try them some day. Friction down tube shifters still grace one of my bikes... a 1983 Trek 620. I don't feel handicapped at all with them as I grew up with them. Index shifting is Okay but not necessary. I have cable actuated cantilever and V brakes on several bikes and they work just fine... even in the Rockies on a loaded touring bike. Clothing... any theoretical advantage of tight lycra is lost when you ride long distance with paniers or around town! I was just looking at fly fishing shirts as I prep for my next tour... this after looking at Club Ride shirts and thinking that fly fishing shirts are basically the same and in stock! Keeping poking fun... I enjoy it!

Hahaha I LOVE this. I ride in crocs sometimes too and totally agree that they're an awesome touring shoe!! Also agree with everything else on this list. Rim brakes, flat pedals, friction shifters, and non-cycling clothing. Awesome. A bike is a tool for fun. Tech is cool too, but it should never get in the way of you having fun. That's priority #1 👍👍 thanks for keeping it real.

See also: 26" wheels. How, JUST HOW, did anyone ever get anywhere on 26" wheels without being super-slow & having zero-traction in any & all conditions. You do you, is a great message, Russ!

Loved the video. I wear a long sleeve fishing/sun shirt when riding to help limit uv exposure and wear Toms as my shoes :) I might need to try the crocs…

Thank you for this! I’m just getting into biking and I’ve been super intimidated by all the “gear” and didn’t really understand what I truly needed to start cycling. I’m learning as I go, and I don’t really understand everything that “serious” cyclists use.

I love flat pedals! Like you said, very little in the way of efficiency and it just makes your bike so much more versatile.

I love this video dude! I’m a bike tech and I always try to educate people about bikes and I always get those people that have been influence by there “ know it all bike friend “ that need 1x12 or hydro breaks, full suspension when all they are doing is riding around the neighborhood lol I believe 3x9 has its place just like 1x12 and mechanical breaks

Good stuff, as usual. The only gripe I would have is over the friction shifter. But I ride where there’s a lot of short, steep climbs, and then short descents so there’s a lot of shifting. Totally agree on everything else, though. I love your approach to biking.

The fly fishing shirt tip is fantastic. When it's cool out, I'm wearing big thick L.L. Bean shirts, but it's pretty hot this time of year (what do they call this season?) and we have year-round blue skies at altitude here, which is a deadly combo.

Heck Yeah Russ, I'm right there with you on all of these! I'd never wear anything but Crocs anywhere and everywhere if I could get away with it! Flats for easy bike shoe options - absolutely! Long sleeve camp shirts - yes! Friction shifting - big yes! Mechanical discs - biggest yes of all (won't do rim brakes anymore as I hate grinding rims in wet and muddy Oregon)! Your "Party Pace" approach to the world of cycling is why your content is the best online. Thanks for representing those of us who love bikes but hate the go-fast-be-light-new-new-new-spend-spend-spend side of things.

You are really the ONLY Sane person out there Thank you very much for just being normal. Bicycles - fun Mark from Maryland

I'm with you on most of them. I recently tried going back to friction shifting, but "grind 'em till you find 'em shifting" still seems to be too much for my ocd. You have a very valid point about the compatibility issues though that I never considered. My bike packing bike has two wheel sets. 1x11. Currently, rear wheels need identical cassettes. With a friction shifter, slap on whatever cassette you have laying around and just make sure the range adjustment screws keep the chain from falling off.

Great video, I totally agree with all points .... with the exception of friction shifters as I've never had the opportunity to ride with them. I ride in Keen sandals, quick dry t-shirt, no helmet, flat pedals, and recently realized that you are totally correct about the brakes 😀

Loved the poke at GCN. Agree with all five of your points especially friction shifting. I tune my friction shifting in the spring and unless a cable breaks it never gets touched again. I'd also add to your list carbon fibre bikes. If you're not in a competative environment I just don't see the point. I don't want to worry about getting a scratched frame but I'm a steel 80's bike guy so take that for what its worth.

Heck yeah. In >50 years of cycling I've never had a cable fail me. Have been failed by hydraulics twice, so it's cables for me. I love platform pedals with aggressive steel pins. Friction shifters require a little bit of experience but in the end work better. Another thing I like that serious cyclists hate is comfortable upright bars. Of course it's totally cool to use whatever you like, those are just my prefs.

Thanks for the tip about fly fishing shirts. I don't fish, but you described the perfect casual ride or tour shirt. I'll have to check them out. Lightweight long sleeves in the summer is really great.

Awesome channel man. Riding out and fishing looks so good.

I completely agree with your take on brakes. I have hydraulics on my mountain bike because of what I ride but the cable disks on my gravel bike do just fine for what they're used for and hydro would be overkill

I so much totally agree with all your points!!! Personally I would add: "I love a folding mechanism in a bike!"

Bought some Bedrock Sandals last Spring and combined them with some OneUp Composites and haven't looked back since!

I just started cycling again for leisure and on paved paths. I like wearing my Crocs as well. Need to look into fishing shirts now haha.

In my arc as a cyclist, I've pretty covered all categories. But after pushing hard for roughly 20 years and, in doing so, almost killed my love of cycling, I've come back as a much more relaxed cyclist. So I love everything thing you've suggested. I still ride with lycra and road shoes on the road bike, but anything goes for the other bikes. Great video.

Right with you on all of this! My last tour was in Taiwan in November 2019. I wore a short-sleeve button-front outdoor shirt, zip-off shorts and Chaco sandals on flat pedals the whole time. Worked great for me! What is your take on 9-speed+ chains for strength and longevity? They seem sort-lived to me - especially in gritty/grungy conditions where one can't swap it out for cleaning and re-lubing every night.

Agreed on all points, although i switch between modes. Flat pedals and sandals on the town basketbike for calm errands around town and then full roadie kit for roadbike weekend century rides. For long rides the tights and road shoes are not really to go faster, it's to make riding into half day headwinds just a little easier. Proper bike and kit for either disciplines methinks Remember ditching shoes in favor of sandals on my first long tour. Situational fluidity

My current favourite bike is 1x7 with an old Suntour friction shifter, a much newer Deore XT derailleur, Uni glide sprockets (when one wears down you first turn it and then replace the single sprocket), historic Dura Ace brake levers (non-sti), and Shimano cantilevers. Works wonderfully.

As a “serious cyclist” I can appreciate most of these but not Crocks. I wear Crocks around the house and office all day but when it comes to cycling I want something with more protection and keep my feet clean and happy. I did ride flat pedals last year at knee surgery and I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable and efficient they are. The only downside was inconsistent foot placement. Thanks for great content.

Still use my pd mx 15 flat pedals,and rim brakes while iam wearing summer shirt and shifting by friction...iam 50 now still using an 1982 specialized stumpjumper..miles and miles of easy happy non competitive cycling life and finally this counts...i do agree with you..kind regards from Greece Europe

I rode to town in a seersucker shirt and flip flops yesterday. What a blast!

Yes, I am a crocs rider too in the heat of summer in the inferno of the California central valley. Crocs go great at the gym, shower room, shopping store, camping, boating, and great house and night slippers. Greetings from the Republic of California.

I do agree with this. I also ride flat pedals on my bikes and dress casually. I hate those wild looking tight clothing kits. You stop at a coffee shop and you look like you just finished a tour de France stage. Cycling is suppose to be fun and a way of exploring places. There are some really good dual piston mechanical brakes on the market nowadays. I think the hydraulic brakes are quite overrated.

A good friend of mine loves his Crocs. Being he beat Lance by a few minutes at the Rattlesnake 100, I'd say he's a fairly serious rider. He also has been know to wear less than aero cutoff jeans and "Foreigner" cutoff shirts. I'm a former pro-mountain bike dyude who was quite serious. Serious enough to win several 6,12 & 24 hour races, yet I rock the cable-actuated disc brakes and rim brakes on my fun-to-drive daily-driver bikes. Hydraulic disc brakes are overrated - until it gets really wet or muddy. Mebbe you're a touch polarized with fast people? Tip: Merino shirts. So practical and stink-free! Like, 5-days in a row odor-free. Is that quirky enough? 😛

I agree with all of your recommendations. Being a roadie/gravel biker who's been riding for decades, we used to race mountain before SPDs were invented with flat pedals and Power Grips Toe Straps. We wore big clunky mountain boots and if you try it, you'll have the best of both worlds.

I only bikepack in Crocs. In the cold spring I add waterproof socks. The all terrain models have decent grip and don’t forget your Sport Mode strap when things get rowdy.

Agreed -- 90%! I used to do a a commute with a 200m altitude drop, with lots of fresh greywacke gravel. That stuff eats through alloy rims like crazy. I've had two rims explode, one at speed. No fun. My brake of choice is now the BB7, even upgraded the mountain bike. Happy trails!

Hell yeah, stick it to the man. Coming from being a roadie for years I feel bamboozled. The tech has become a distraction to the stuff that matters to have a good time on two wheels. Swapped my clipless for flats and my fancy STI levers for some Gevenalle shifters and I love it. Unless you're racing, do yourself a favor and just be comfortable, you know you want to. ;-)

Thumby shifters are awesome! My bike is setup 2x10 and the front mech is friction and the rear derailleur is indexed...although the thumby for the rear derailleur can be set to either index or friction shift! I like having it indexed. :)

I'm glad you mentioned the clothes. Anytime I go for a ride and see another group of riders, it's like they're all competing to wear the most "bike" related clothes and items for the day. I think it's the online shopping effect, where you go to amazon for one thing, and get suggested 10 others. Come out the other side wearing what everyone wears without even asking why or if you really need to.

I’m somewhere in between. I’m digging how gravel kind sorta made cycling more fun, informal. I still like kitting up, but on occasion throw on a t-shirt with some bibs, because of my bar bag. I have one rim brake road bike and a new fangled hydro disc brake on my gravel.

Absolutely love friction shifting. I converted an old 10 speed to a 2x10 using downtube shifters. Works like a charm and incredibly easy to set up. Way less faff than what i expect will be the other STI mod coming up with Ultegra ;) Also i love the looks of DTS!

Love the attitude. After reading Grant's book Just Ride a few years ago, I went with flat pedals and all knee popping stopped. Then slowly replaced my kit with more comfortable shorts that can be worn anywhere and club ride shirts, life has been stress-free on the bike ever since!

Love it! I don’t have a fly fishing shirt but I use a long sleeved linen shirt

Well,I am a ‘Roadie ‘ always ride in cycling gear. Never use flat pedals on any of my bikes....but TOTALLY agree with everything you say. I just choose to ride in the way that suits me.. I love crocs and wear them loads.. Here in wet,windy Co. Donegal, N.W. Ireland it suits me to be heading out today for a few hours in my Castelli Nanoflex shorts and jersey in the wind and rain. However it is my considered opinion that we humans are allowing ourselves to be manipulated and coerced into compliance in many,many ways. Cycling is an activity that can offer freedom and adventure..things sadly lacking in modern life,plus can fulfill aspects of life denied by modern living. Hence don’t just put oneself into another box by missing the point! It is also a consequence of our culture that the ‘bike industry’ has been largely taken over by the ‘profit over people’ ethos of Global Corporations...

Thankfully I am not a serious cyclist… love sandals and fishing shirts! 😜

Props for using cable brakes! If they're set up correctly, they're just as good as any hydro brakes I've ridden. Also: the rim provides a larger surface area to cool the brakes. Friction shifting is dope, too. It's easy enough to get in and out of gear without complexity. Back in the day there was Browning Automatic shifting. Even then it seemed ridiculous.

Always enjoyed your outlook. Commonly refer to unique set-ups as Russ-train, or Russ-packer, etc. Took the leap this year….! I actually own… flat pedals and shoes!

I haven't tried friction. Very curious about it. Otherwise I wholehearted agree with everything!! I love my flats and recently used flip flops in material similar to Crocs because of some foot surgery. I keep up just fine. I bought a fishing shirt after watching your videos. It's my favorite cycling shirt. I would add that I no longer use chamois. Ever. Boxer briefs all the way. 👍

Agree on mechanical disc brakes. Gravel bike has TRP Spyre mechanical as I do way more miles on the bike and so easy to maintain. MTB has Shimano hydraulics as it's better suited for that riding where modulation is more important IMHO.

Bikes are my legos so I'm very much a "what's in the parts bin for this build?" guy and that said, friction shifters and cable discs are sometimes the only way to go. I don't run them for everything but oh do they ever save a lot of headaches when I do need 'em. And: +flat pedals. Crocs? Haven't tried riding in them but I will now. +Fishing shirts or the like (heh, looking at you Yeti and those awesome button-up shirt "jerseys" you put out a few years back!) My contributions to this list * Dyno hubs. If you commute a lot, you'll get it. * Bob trailers - the ultimate grocery-getter/trail maintenance truck/fire wood hauler/dog taxi.

Love this episode! I still use rim brakes on my old trusty 26er and gravel conversion. 🤙

I feel the same way with the exception of loose clothes. Loose shirts are still fine but I had a bee get in my loose shorts on my last ride. I'll be trying out some tights instead

The love of bycicles means you integrate them into your life. Race bikes are the other way around: they want your life to integrate/be slaves to them. I thought my whole life I like bikes so I also 'have' to like race bikes, but I never liked anything about them. Everything I love about bycicles is the total opposite of what race bikes represent.

I like index shifting too but i will always have at least one friction shifting bike in my steed. It might be on my heaviest bike, but when/if i go touring, itll also be my most comfortable and reliable bike too. Also great point about being able to switch your brakes to moto config!

I'm very close Russ. My warm weather standard riding setup: sandals, flat pedals, dry fit t shirt, cargo shorts (padded liner if going more than 25 miles). I love my friction shifters, but I'm also very fond of the index shifters on my Surly. I never use clipless pedals, almost never wear Lycra, and I rarely wear a cycling jersey. They are not necessary for my casual style of riding

I prefer sandals to crocs. Somewhere over the last 5 years I started regularly receiving comments of genuine astonishment that I ride flats. Not sure why. Also some people cannot imagine how one rides chamois-less. Another great shirt option are climbing button ups. They allow a great range of motion, lots of fabric types and styles to choose from

I still use Shimano Deore Lx v-brake (similar to XTR v-brake) and i love it, even though i have another bike with hidraulic Shimano 105 disc brakes. I still think my v-brakes give me more confidence and stopping power/modulation.

Vera good advice! I go with flat pedals and Keen sandals when hot (narrow feet, crocs doesn’t fit me), cable before hydraulic always for simplicity! Shirt or whatever you like on top. Only remember old friction shifters from the 80’s and they sucked, have to give it a go! Will change to heavy Brooks flyer saddle so I can skip padded shorts and mount a conventional flat bar with a sweep, just because it give me a relaxed position, I’m getting old.

This is more like five things I can't live without! I have a few variations on your themes but agree with you all the way. There's a lot of dogma and rigidity that trickles down to self-serious (but still casual/weekend) riders about "the right" shoes, jerseys, eyewear, sock height, gloves, etc. I get some funny looks from people for my sandals and not riding in a costume that reflects their own. And yet... I likely ride more frequently and put in more miles than many of them. It seems that some people get started into cycling, acquire a bunch of stuff they don't really need and then assume anyone who isn't sporting the same can barely keep their bike on the road. It's tough if your town only has corporate bike shops without alternatives to modern stuff advertised in catalogs. I don't like Crocs or the Birk equivalents because my feet get too clammy. But I do like my Bedrock sandals, which I think you've mentioned in yr vids before. Flat pedals for life. I like baggy linen and seersucker, short and long sleevers. I don't wear fishing shirts, precisely, but have owned a few from Patagonia. The synthetic content didn't jive with me. Friction is a must, will never go back. Rim brakes are great. Simple, classic. Look way better than discs, many beautiful vintage cantis out there. Paul stuff is great. Field serviceable. Other stuff I love that is cast down upon: Leather saddles, upright bars, baskets, bags! I'm looking for shorts recommendations from other viewers! I like a 4" inseam short that isn't too baggy. I like to ride in cutoff canvas or denim shorts but they're not the most comfy for me. I'd like something that has some stretch. Anything out there? I've tried the 5" Patagonia Baggies, they're fine but too long and too baggy. I'd really like something that's a traditional 5 pocket short with belt loops, zippered fly, 4" inseam, stretchy. My ultimate most comfy shorts are the Kucharik wool cycling shorts with the chamois removed. But they are mega expensive and Kurcharik recently closed forever.

Can't disagree with any of it, especially the flat pedals. The older I get the less I care what anyone thinks, its all about me having a good time. I've only recently discovered that not every ride is a race and chilling on the trail is much more fun.

I think I'm at the point that if a "serious cyclist" hates it, I'm going to want to do it even more. Tar and feather the fun killers.

Love all of this, Russ! Flat pedals and rim breaks all the way. I love my crocs for indoor use but I've never tried them on the bike.

Love the timing on this video. Had a serious cyclist go down the list of things "i needed to do" today. Screw that. The only thing I need to remember is to wear sunscreen on hot sunny days. The rest is just make the wheels turn, brakes work, and pedals turn. I'm not exactly ready for friction shifting yet because i like the convenience of the shifter being right next to the brakes and they work fine so I don't see a reason to change yet. It just works. However, friction shifting does sound great. Fly fishing shirts rock, I've tried them and they are so good. They have vents and so breathable and protect from the sun. I tend to roll up the sleeves tho lol so I need the sunscreen. This channel is gold. So much gold.

Glad I came across your channel from oldshovel. I get very useful did-not-know info from your real life, practical videos. Not doing a disc conversion anytime soon, but I'm all in with cable actuated disc brakes ! Crocs make sense, there's a time and place for everything. But someone actually tried to clear Crocs ?

My main bike is an old Raleigh with bar end friction shifters and old school road bike rim brakes. Never been an issue for me. I'm definitely looking into fly fishing shirts though, those looked really comfy!

I use trekking sandals for gravel riding, same foam material as crocs but are sleeker looking. Love them coz they're very comfy and even if it's warm, hot, muddy or wet, like really raining they're really grippy.

Rus. I could not agree more. I ride in keen sandals both with and without clips. I use fishing shirts. Great in the humid Florida heat. And friction shifting and rim brakes on my Bridgestone XO. Keep up the amazing Chanel