I was at a bike in movie a few weeks ago talking to another local free software guy when I had an epiphany. At OSCON it seemed that the most popular tshirt size was extra large. Sometimes that was the only size they even bothered to make. However at bicycle events the most popular size is small. Bicycle technology has certainly advanced over the years with better materials, computer aided design, and increasingly sophisticated mechanisms. Still though it doesn’t take that much work to master the basics. Why then has the extreamely tech savvy free software community failed to grok a mature technology that can make them sexy? For a lot of people it actually takes less time to get to get places by bike than by car. Even a locally custom made to your measurements, top of the line bike like this one [1] will set you back less than a decent used car. The gas is free. Actually the obvious money you save is just the tip of the iceburg. As you lose weight hunger decreases, and you spend less money on food. You don’t need a gym membership, or to waste time with one as you get all your exercise doing something you already needed to do. Your health gets better, so you spend less money on health realated things. You will also waste less as having to lug something up a hill tends to make you think small, and lite. Sexy is like a refund. You don’t get it right away, and you have to do a bit of work to get it, but when you do you will know you made the right choice.

[1] http://www.sweetpeabicycles.com/blog/2007/07/04/introducing-the-farmers-market/