Firstly, I’ve got a new Outside column, and it’s about why bike advocacy isn’t for everybody:

Seems to me the best thing about bikes is you can use them to follow any path you want, both literally and figuratively.
Secondly, I’ve been tweaking it ever since I received it, and I’m pleased to report that the Normcore Bike has finally attained a state of perfect mediocrity:

I will fight the misconception that road cycling is elitist until my dying breath, because you can find a bike like this for less than a dropper post costs, it’s fast, it’s fun, it’s mechanically simple, and it’ll happily wear 28mm tires (and probably wider) so there’s very little you can’t do with it. This could be my only bike and I’d be perfectly happy…but of course it’s not my only bike and I have lots of others that are a lot nicer than this one, so I’ll never, ever have to back up that claim. That makes me even happier.
Finally, I’m pleased to present you with a quiz. As always, study the item, think, and click on you answer. If you’re right you’ll know, and if you’re wrong you’ll see what remains my favorite bike review of all time after all these years.
Thanks very much for reading, ride safe, and may your bottom bracket run smoothly and silently.
–Tan Tenovo


1) CUES from Shimano is their new:

2) What’s he pointing to?

3) What is the silver bike?
- A spraypainted Citi Bike
- A spraypainted Lime bike
- A spraypainted Capital Bikeshare bike
- The Klein’s bodyguard

4) Which local stakeholder has opened a rest area and battery recharging station for New York City food delivery riders?

5) What are these?
- Decaleurs
- Tire wipers
- Ultralight pedals
- Transistors for the new Rene Herse electric Nivex derailleur

6) “15-Minute City” refers to a chain of automotive oil change shops that competes directly with Jiffy Lube.

7) The POC Omne Ultra MIPS foam bicycling hat is gravel-specific because:
- It’s dirt-colored
- It’s got a gratuitous strap on the back
- It has a gratuitous cargo net on it in case you kill a desert rodent and want to carry it home so you can get it stuffed
- All of the above
***Special “Follow The Science”-Themed Bonus Video!***
Clean cars make people happy and dirty ones make them sad, go figure. Next time someone runs over a cyclist they can use this as a legal defense. Thanks Jiffy Lube!