mikealive

Hi Alicia! I can't imagine you would subject yourself to the punishment of reading every single comment on a Pinkbike article (we know how brutal the comments section is most days), but on the off-chance you make it all the way down here...thank you. A sincere thank you! There was always something about your writing--indeed, there still is, even here--that I always identified with. It has always been creative, at times quirky, and... romantic? Is that the right way to say it? There was, to me, this underlying thread of romance; a reverence for mountain biking and a love of what you did that showed through your words in a way that just felt 'real'. I always appreciated the Mikes' work at PB, but yours was easily my favorite. Thanks for your contributions at Pinkbike, it's sad to see you go. Best wishes in your future endeavors! Absent knowing the heart emoji, please accept the Grinning Levy. May it guide you on your journey from here :levy:

I laughed entirely too hard at the accuracy of your statement!

@Saidrick: My budget is usually about half that, and I still want to like looking at the thing. Totally subjective, sure, but I can't lie and say a bikes looks have zero bearing on my purchase choices. I want it to ride well *and* I want to enjoy waxing the top tube :levy:

Why? Because it's part of the Pinkbike 'community' if you will. Myself, along with thousands of others never *truly* expected to win anything, let's be honest. But it's fun to show up, enter, rabble-rouse, crack some jokes, and otherwise goof off instead of staring at a work computer. I showed up daily to enter and inevitably spent more time on the site than I would have otherwise--that's not a hypothetical, that has actually been born out; it's 12/20, and I think I've visited PB maybe 3 times this month? Levy's gone, I don't care what Seb has to say, and then there's you, calling people 'entitled', lol. It's the comments section on PB dude. If it gets you bent out of shape, go for a ride. Merry Christmas.

@RednBlack802: It has 'minerals' right in the name, duh. It's got what plants crave!

@AppleJack76: I remember that commercial! I think I first saw it circa 2007 or so--funny story, it was watched by two native English speakers, and a Korean girl who was ESL. She didn't get it at first, so we had to explain it.. then she laughed for 2 weeks about it! :D A classic, for sure.

I have to join in on the Process 111 love. Is "capable" the best word to describe the ride? No. But fun? Yes, yes x 10. Hoonin', goofin', jibbin', poppin' F-U-N. So many smiles on that bike!

Put one on my Canfield at the start of the season and have had zero top out clunks or issues. Been a stellar shock for me.

Cathro covers stuff way above my pay grade--racing, skills, etc. But it's simple.. if it has Cathro in it, I click. Stupid sexy Scottish bastard :D

They closed the store in B ham too?? Yeah, I was just mentioning on a story from last week that Kona seemed 'off' these days--and I say that as a person who has owned 4 now, and still have a Honzo as my hardtail. Real bummer man!