I get that this is a culture piece, and I don't have any issue with writing about how people are interacting with each other as it pertains to their interests. But this is very much a story where the bikes are just props and the characters are the stars. And that sort of story is a dime-a-dozen, since we could always have a look at similar characters but involving cars, or pets, or model figurines.

My trouble here is that the focus gets lost when the drama is elevated to become the point. IMO, bikes are tools of exploration, of community, of access, of land use, and so much more. No doubt that bike riders fall into many different camps, and those camps don't necessarily mingle with each other. But if the point strays any way away from "just get on a bike and go", then I think that's complicating people's relationship with bicycles for no good reason.

I'll be frank when I say that only a few lines in this article gave me any value when reading. I like that people are trying new rides they've never done, or seeing existing bikes in a new perspective. Those sorts of experiences are what I'd want to read more of, rather than episodes of opinions with a smattering of tangential facts sprinkled in between.