Arts & Culture

Don't get hung up on the components, don't get hung up on the fashion, don't get hung up on the gimmicks. Just ride your bike; it's a great thing. It's something all of us have in common as cyclists. I really want the book to address that and be a little more clear in that respect to somebody who's not already immersed in the bike world and came to my blog that way.

Your final chapter addresses the non-cyclist. Do you see the non-cyclist as an audience for your book?

I don't know how much of an audience. Maybe somebody who has a friend or a relative or spouse, partner, whatever, who's really into cycling might buy the book for that person and might be inclined to read it themselves. They might enjoy it themselves. It's a window into the psyche.

I get emails from people every so often, "You know, I found your blog because I don't know anything about cycling but my boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, whatever, really loves to ride and I read it because I want to know what the hell is going on. They're kind of freaks!"

You slam bike culture... well, you don't "slam" it, but...

I'm a little skeptical of the concept. One of the things I like about cycling is that you can do it with friends, you can do it all by yourself.

A lot of what I see referred to as "bike culture" I think refers more to a social clique a lot of times than it does to an actual culture. I harp on the fact that you really don't need to belong to any group at all to ride your bike.

You race for a shop team. Do your teammates know of your secret identity?

My teammates know, yeah.

On your blog, you sometimes get a little controversial. Do your feelings ever get hurt?

You really have to learn and understand the way people interact on the Internet. Obviously the Web has its own kind of discourse. You have to understand why people react the way they do. I live this stuff every day – I'm a blogger! It's fighting and all of that.

You have your blog, your book, Bicycling magazine column...

I couldn't be happier for all of it. I absolutely love it. You spend a lot of time in your life asking what you should be doing. I've always loved to write and I've always loved bikes. You'd think it would be obvious at one point where you'd say, "Wow, I should write about cycling." It took a really long time for me to get that out and I did it totally by accident. I'm really enjoying it.

It sounds like you still have to work for a living?

Ahhhh, no. Yeah. No. I do this. What I'm doing now.

I was told to ask what your favorite ice cream flavor is.

Oh yeah. Vanilla, all the way. Like chocolate, it's not pretentious. But I prefer vanilla.

Thank you Mr Snob.

Thank you. My regards to the West Coast and the burritos and everything.