Linux-fueled Thoughts Unhinged

Originally written on May 31, 2024

I assure you – I'm not a bike geek.

The Kent Ridgeland: a bike I see frequently, mostly abandoned

In my area, I see the Kent Rideland bike frequently... most of the time, abandoned. Some have started to rust, while others have missing wheels. They never linger around for long.

I didn't realize that these usually sell for around $100 in retail stores, such as Walmart. That's why they become abandoned quickly.

I think they look alright, in its “stock” or “out-of-the-box” look. Yet, I did see an entire video (from a man whose voice literally reminds me of Wendigoon for some reason), where the Ridgeland was converted into a gravel bike (and that same bike was already converted into a mountain bike in-between from its stock configuration to grave bike setup).

However, the lack of any bolts for bike bottle cages or other accessories make even the rather lackluster SE Bikes Lager bike seem genuinely compelling (though I really shouldn't be complaining, as most of the modern in-production wheelie SE Bikes models have no quick release bolts for any accessories; but that's a very off-topic aside).

Still, I'd salvage even the frame of a Ridgeland, if I could.

Why the recency bias for long-running SE Bikes models?

And before readers ask — no, not in the traditional sense that Wikipedia uses to explain the concept; but as in how the main user feeds on American Big Adtech social media sites timelines outright favor the most recent posts and nothing that is older than 1 week.

Take for example, the DJ Ripper, which is the dirt jumper (“DJ” for short) version of the PK Ripper (a more popular SE Bikes model line that is inspired by Perry Kramer, which his initials “PK” christening this line; this is not to be confused with any limited edition brand collaborations with Perry Kramer to make any limited editions of the PK Ripper — I know, it gets confusing real fast), which we will use to examine this example of consumer recency bias.

There is a lower costing model from 2021. (Look, I'm inferring this from the metadata in the URL above, ok? It's not like SE has updated its catalogs since 2020 on Issu, alright?)

(Trust me, for whatever reason, this bike model costs much less in an approved SE Bikes bike shop, ok? I got mine for about $800 with assembly included — and that was before my “VIP” discount of 10%, long story short.)

I really like this model. If you can't hide, then you enter the fray while making the loudest statement possible. You steal this bike and you're going to die, just like John Wick and his car in the first film, ok?

Meanwhile, the latest DJ Ripper model is from 2022.

Kind of weird, considering that spotting the DJ Ripper is kind of rare to spot in a crowd, at least from what I've seen from Greater Boston bike life ride outs. Among SE Bikes in the wild, you see much many more Big Flyers or Big Rippers; though to be honest the geometries of those model lines are probably much easier to pull off combo tricks than the DJ Ripper. (Not like my opinion really matters, as someone who hasn't actually even attempted bike life tricks yet. Yes, hypothetically you can perform a rear wheelie on any bike, but I'd rather start learning on a more popular SE Bike model or a Mafia bike than the DJ Ripper. Yet again, I didn't buy the DJ Ripper with the primary purpose of pulling off wheelies in mind.)

Anyways, SE Bikes sort of engages in “limited drops” (a.k.a., limited edition items in artificially small numbers) tactics that are usually used by the largest streetwear brands. I was told some people collect SE Bikes in a similar fashion like for limited edition sneakers; but I find this rather foreign as someone with absolutely no refinement in culture at all. SE's site says a particular model was made in a lot of 300, but... somehow I still see that limited edition model available? This is sort of awkward, as I'm pretty sure that model has been available for purchase for more than 1 month.

I mean, the sales are relatively as slow as molasses when it comes to the Colette special edition of the OnePlus 3T or the Star Wars: The Last Jedi OnePlus 5T. I mean, even the 25th anniversary ThinkPad (which was a more T470 given a sort of but not exact 7-row keyboard with a tri-colored IBM ThinkPad era-inspired color palette — well, as much color as you can color an all-black ThinkPad) and the 30th anniversary ThinkPad (a more expensive ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 with a carbon fiber finish, totally normal X1 Carbon keyboard, and not as many tri-colored IBM ThinkPad era-inspired accented accessories).

(Yes, I liked The Last Jedi, I won't let a bunch of Gamergate-minded Star Wars fans intimidate me — even though I have absolutely no enthrallment with Star Trek at all, at least I still respect its general fanbase today more than that of the current Star Wars fanbase when it comes to decency and respecting differences in opinion).

So, you better believe me that as a non-bike life person, the Fat Ripper collaboration bike with Creme is more of a theft liability than an actual transportation tool. Yes, high schoolers will literally come by and touch your non-standard (actually slightly wider than) gum wall-colored 2 inch wide tires of your 2021 DJ Ripper out of curiosity when it's only secured with a U-lock and no cable lock (although I know my proper bike locking technique, I still need to purchase a cable lock) as I sit no more than 10 feet in front of them, watching everything happen. Yes, they're only looking, but the fact that the silver stainless brush finish and the electric blue of the 2021 DJ Ripper, though eye-catching, is still not the most outstanding bike color palette currently sold by SE Bikes makes any SE Bike hands down a target for theft.

Although I'm not into the collector/selling world, at least I could see how SE Bikes (and competitor brands) could justify the aftermarket selling of good condition (non-limited edition) parts.

Conclusion

The 2021 DJ Ripper's color scheme still looks better than the 2022's colors. I know the color refresh is part of the justification to make a new DJ Ripper model. However, the electric blue and black scheme from 2022 honestly doesn't catch the untrained eye as much as the 2021's silver brush finish and electric blue color scheme.

Still, this is probably my favorite single-speed bike with front fork suspension and hydraulic disk brakes — with the stipulation that I give up any bolt mounted accessories, the option to add a tag-along bike trailer, and/or the option for a folding bike design. (I have other candidates in mind when it comes to full-size design folding bikes, and smaller-size design folding bikes.)

Although I'm not a native to the bike life world, I know enough to make my own decisions.