I used to be terrible about switching things up on my bike. I wanted nothing to change, unless it was brand new and determined to be clearly better, after a lengthy vetting process. Otherwise I wanted the same grips, the same tires, the same saddle, and the same pedals. If I was away at a media camp and the bike I was testing had grips that were too skinny, I was lost. 20 years of bike testing has forced me to become much more adaptable, and this job has forced me to try new things because they arrive at my doorstep. This has thankfully moved the needle a little, because experimentation is almost always beneficial.

Every time I’ve experimented with some set up change, or taken the time to adapt between flats and SPDs in either direction, tried different tires or tire sizes or inserts, gone to one finger braking, tweaked my body position, or changed my bar width, I’ve learned something new and got a little bit better at bike riding. Despite this experience, and the positive reinforcement that should have come with it, I don’t mess around enough.

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