A Painfully Earnest Notice To My Three Or 4 Readers – Bike Snob NYC

Again in June thirteenth, 2007, my life modified without end. Bored at my job and determined for change, I began a smartass bike weblog. Folks favored it, and I haven’t shut up since.

And right here we’re.

The Web has modified quite a bit since these days. Now, blogs are hopelessly old style, and immediately folks eat their content material by way of…I dunno, podcasts and Instagram and TikTok and stuff? Additionally, I hear newsletters are a factor. And the youngsters immediately certain love the YouTubes, don’t they? However running a blog is how I began, and I’ll in all probability nonetheless be running a blog once we’ve all received mind implants and talk immediately by way of some form of dystopian hivemind.

For me, running a blog is the proper medium, and right here’s why:

• It’s prose-based
• It’s primarily serialized, but every put up can stand alone
• You will have loads of room to be descriptive and nuanced on a weblog, and but it’s essentially unpretentious, which suggests you might be as critical or irreverent as you are feeling like being on any given day
• You get instant suggestions out of your readers within the type of feedback, and interactions are usually constructive, versus social media which is just like the world’s worst remark part metastasized and ate each first rate web site on the planet

Whereas clearly a product of the Web Age, the elemental idea of the weblog is basically timeless; simply somebody cursed with a unending narrative and sharing unceasingly with whoever might be bothered to pay attention. So for a not-particularly-tech-inclined author like me who’s received means too many opinions regarding a extremely specialised topic, it’s the perfect option to share what I’ve to say

Through the years, in addition to this weblog, I’ve printed 4 books, contributed to a number of completely different magazines, written common columns, and even had my very own radio present for awhile. All of those endeavors have been rewarding, together with within the literal sense, as a result of I used to be lucky sufficient to receives a commission. (Effectively, aside from the radio present, which I did free of charge within the naive hope it could one way or the other result in getting paid.) I each love and rely upon writing for different shops, and I’ve been fortunate to work with some nice folks. Sadly, the enterprise of writing for others can be a mercurial one: editors come and go, corporations purchase different corporations, and so forth. (For instance, you will have examine all of the drama regarding Exterior Media, who’ve acquired various biking titles and not too long ago laid off a giant chuck of their employees.) Moreover, you’re typically yet another step eliminated out of your readers, because it’s not your platform, it’s not your timeline, and your voice isn’t fully your personal.

I’m deeply grateful to all of the publications I’ve labored with and proceed to work with, and I’ll hold doing so for so long as they’ll have me. On the identical time, given the unpredictability of the enterprise, it’s important that I depend on them lower than I do. I’d additionally wish to carry extra–and extra bold–content material on to readers. After I’m compelled to inform a narrative I’d like to have the ability to “greenlight” it myself and produce it proper to you in a well timed and unadulterated trend. I’d like to have the ability to cowl prices associated to the telling of such tales and the maintenance of this weblog. I’d like to have the ability to produce extra video content material, and even e-books. I’d wish to make this web site look and work higher, or no less than discover somebody who can assist me try this. Maybe most significantly, I’d like the liberty to ridicule all of the stuff within the bike world I’ve been remiss in ridiculing. Advert hoc writing for others has the unlucky by-product of relegating this weblog to an afterthought, when it ought to as an alternative be a going concern.

Smarter, cooler, better-looking folks than me are capable of create income streams by promoting you bike stuff along with creating content material. Not solely do I lack these attributes, however I’m cursed with the assumption that there’s already loads of bike stuff on the planet, so it’s very arduous to consider one thing so as to add to that. Positive, I’ve offered caps and stuff right here and there, and I’ve nothing in any way in opposition to commerce, however I’m the final particular person within the bike world who may pull off a “capsule assortment,” or some gizmo to retailer weed in your handlebar, or one more $75 rebranded Panaracer.

I’ve at all times been very reluctant to try some form of paid subscription mannequin, partially as a result of I like folks having the ability to learn free of charge, and partially as a result of I believe this place would filter sooner than a room when the canine farts. So long as I’m doing this, you’ll at all times be capable of come right here and discover stuff to learn with out paying. On the identical time, given the entire above, the Board of Administrators is presently exploring the potential for carving out some portion of this weblog for “subscriber-only content material.” Actually that would additionally set off a canine fart state of affairs, but when I stay beholden to the bike media to the extent that I’m then the one that is in the end pressured to go away the room could possibly be me. Given this I’ve to no less than entertain the thought of one thing that would give me some much-needed independence and also you some much-needed bike content material that doesn’t revolve round how superior crabon gravel bikes with digital shifting are.

Within the meantime, under you’ll discover a donation button. Each as soon as in awhile somebody reaches out and asks how they will assist this weblog instantly, and for the primary time in 16 years right here’s a means to do this. I’ve received no expectations right here, and if something it’s simply me testing the waters, but when this crap is price something to you then take into consideration what that may be. And who is aware of, perhaps some gazillionaire is studying and can drop sufficient within the pot to finish any speak of paid subscriptions as soon as and for all.

Thanks for studying,

–Tan Tenovo

TLDR; I need to hold creating extra and higher bike content material, and I don’t need to need to suck as much as anyone aside from you folks with the intention to do it.