Whenever I publish a new blog post, one thing is certain: a shitstorm on social media. Even on innocuous topics such as the (excess) weight of e-mountain bikes, I get a good load of fat. Or when I express my critical opinion of Strava because timekeeping on shared trails doesn't seem like a very sensible approach to me. Even on such topics, which are actually harmless, the comments columns are a hotbed of criticism.

On other topics, the harsh reactions are understandable. My fundamental renunciation of protectors or my skepticism towards integral helmets are aimed at health, and that's where the fun stops for most people. The reactions to the spoofing of the rear wheel offset were also predictable; after all, nobody should make fun of the sacred cow of riding technology, not even Giger.

At first glance, you might think I'm making fun of everything I can think of in the blogs. Provocation for provocation's sake. But that's not the case, quite the opposite. I'm someone who thinks a lot on mountain bike tours. About myself, about my surroundings, about mountain bikers and about the world in general. And I'm someone who tries to see things in a different light. These thoughts give rise to the columns in which I express my personal opinion in a nutshell. I don't put anyone down with these articles, I don't dictate a pattern of behavior to anyone, let alone impose my position on anyone. Everyone should do what they want, what they think is right and what seems justifiable to them.

The intention behind the blogs and the quite pointed formulations is a different one. I want to encourage readers to think, to question themselves, to break through fixed thought patterns. Because that's exactly what moves us forward: the world, society and, in this case, the microcosm of mountain biking. That's what I want to achieve with the pointed pen: to think about ourselves. No more, but above all no less.

Mountain biking is like any other situation in life: if you always wallow in your comfort zone, you won't develop any further. Sometimes it has to hurt a little, and that's exactly the purpose of my provocation. It's okay that I regularly get a good smack in the mouth for it. But it's a shame. Because instead of venting in a rage in the comment columns, thinking about the other opinion might be a more solid strategy. Especially when it comes to trivial matters such as bike sizes, riding technique or mobile apps.

More blog posts by Thomas Giger

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