Directed by
Jason Reid
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Shiny new bikes

There is something about a new bike, the look, the smell….something. First, you give it a once over looking at all the new gadgets and shiny new parts, second the urge takes over and you jump on… you want to see what this baby can do! Every new bike has a wow factor, like wow, this rides nice or wow, it handles great. Then it happens… you want to see how fast you can go on it… the wind whipping in your hair ( or the lack of it ), speed tears running down your cheeks, you are tucked low to the handle bars. Your mind is totally present, your senses are heightened and you are trying to feel every little thing about the bike. How does it react when I do this or what about if I give this much brake here? Everything looks and feels different. You are totally in the moment.

We all recently received new bikes for our trip. Pete at Norco bikes in Canada hooked us up with new VFR2 touring style bikes and a full array of all the Axiom bags and all the other goodies we could eat. Pete seemed to know exactly what we needed. The bikes are really beautiful and it was quite hard to keep our cool when they wheeled them out fully loaded with bright red Axiom bags and jet black frames. It also didn’t help that with in seconds Jason and Sean where hooting and hollering as they road around the parking lot. But that is just what happens with shiny new bikes…. Thanks Pete.

The VFR2 really handles nice

The VFR2 really handles nice

For more pics, click below:

The first road test

The first road tes

a view from the cockpit

a view from the cockpit

a good look at the axiom bags, these will be fully loaded for the trip.

a good look at the axiom bags, these will be fully loaded for the trip.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 29th, 2008 at 4:51 pm and is filed under camera corner. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

140 Responses to “Shiny new bikes”

  1. SleepyHead Says:
    September 23rd, 2008 at 2:20 am

    I wouldn’t trust those spokes. Death on wheels

Man Zou is a common phrase in Mandarin. It is more of a philosophy than anything. Man Zou literally translates to "Walk Slow."

"Slow and steady wins the race," they say. This is at the heart of the meaning of Man Zou. Walk slowly and you won't fall. Act carefully and you won't go wrong. A slow walker is faster than someone who walks fast but always has to stop and rest. Persistence is important in learning or doing anything.

To explain a little more in depth, read this quote from The Challenge of Trekking in China by Kyle Acierno:

"I recently underwent the most thorny, intricate, and demanding trek of my life. China is no walk in the park. The county is extremely diverse, and with diversity comes complexity. There is no smooth road laid for backpackers and attempting to do anything or get anywhere can be incredibly arduous...I really needed a break and I didn't know where I would be next. I sat down to a plate of rice noodles and peanuts. A hardy meal for a hardy man. A giant of a woman served me, but with her giant body came a giant heart. With a quick phrase that I have become accustomed to, she filled me with self-assurance that I needed for the rest of my trip. ?Man Zou!? she shouted with a big smile on her face. This literally translates to ?Walk Slow?. To me this means more then just ?be careful.? To me this means take the time to see the wonders of life. The power it gave me changed the rest of my trip. From then on everything went smoothly...I learned a lot from this Trek. I learned the beauty that exists just off the beaten track. I learned that anything amazing takes time. I learned just how much you could learn from people without even using language...By taking the time to notice all the small things in life you can really appreciate who, where, and what you are. Patience, persistence, and practice makes perfect."