What It Means to Choose
Hello everyone, it has been a while.
I had hoped to make this a monthly publication and deliver it regularly, but the past two months have been busy with MADE, then BESPOKED in Europe and Japan, and finally our major exhibition this year. Now that everything has concluded without a hitch, I have finally managed to carve out a little time to write.
That said, I am still swamped with work after returning, from tidying up after the exhibition to making the final preparations for RIDEALIVE, our last event of the year. I had planned to write once things settled down, but it feels like the new year will be here before I know it, so I have decided to sit down and write for now.
Now, walking around various exhibition venues, I encounter so many different bicycles.
Different makers have different philosophies. Some are built with a relentless focus on lightness and construction, while others seem capable of carrying you on a long journey. And sometimes, regardless of the reasoning, there are simply some you just want to try riding.
Each has its own appeal, which can make choosing difficult. Even for me, having lived surrounded by objects for so long, choosing something still feels like a truly difficult task.
Choosing a bicycle, skis, a car, sneakers, clothes, or even the everyday tools we use.
These are all things we do as a matter of course in our daily lives, but in many cases, aren't we actually choosing them without having any clear criteria in mind?
“Which one is best?”
When you run a bicycle shop, you are often asked this question.
Of course, it is a perfectly natural question.
There are so many options, and they differ in price, materials, intended use, and appearance. It is only natural to feel unsure about what criteria to use when choosing.
But answering that question right away is actually very difficult.
This is because there is no single “good” bicycle.
Some people want a lightweight bicycle.
Some want a sturdy bicycle.
Some need to ride fast, while others need to carry luggage.
For some, it is important to feel excited the moment they see it, while for others, it is important that it fits seamlessly into their current lifestyle.
What is the best bike for one person may be completely unnecessary for another. That is why choosing an object is not simply a matter of comparing specifications.
I believe it is a process of gradually discovering what you value.
Choosing Without Clear Criteria
Whether it is a bicycle or not, most things have criteria for choosing them.
But the harder those criteria are to see, the more confused we become.
It is the same when choosing skis. Is it length, stiffness, lightness, or stability? Do you want to glide comfortably through the slopes or venture into deep snow?
The same applies to cars, clothes, and sneakers.
Lightweight, sturdy, on-trend, easy to match, long-lasting, true to yourself, likely to be complimented by someone else… Many such criteria are actually layered within a single object.
But in most cases, we choose without clearly articulating them.
“It seems good somehow.”
“Everyone is wearing it.”
“That person uses it.”
“I see it often on social media.”
“Apparently, this is what is popular now.”
Of course, there is nothing wrong with choosing this way.
Trends have their own power, and things imbued with the spirit of the times have a unique appeal.
There are clothes you want to wear now more than ever, and bicycles you want to ride now more than ever.
However, relying solely on trends can make it difficult to see what you truly want.
You are happy the moment you buy it. But after using it for a while, you begin to feel that something is wrong.
It may not have been the object itself, but simply that you had not yet seen your own criteria clearly.
The “Three Axes” of Choosing
When choosing a bicycle, I personally believe there are three main axes.
Lightness (Lightweight)
Durability (Strength)
Timeliness (Current Mood)
I believe the balance between these three largely determines the price and value of an object.
Lightness (Lightweight)
Lightweight objects have their own value. In the case of bicycles, lightness translates directly into responsiveness. It makes pedaling off easier, makes hills a little easier, and reduces the strain on your body when lifting it. And sometimes, that lightness can give you a little courage.
It responds naturally to your body’s movements, allowing your effort to propel you forward as efficiently as possible. That is the pleasure of lightness.
But lightness often comes at a high price. Making something light requires high-quality materials, removing unnecessary parts, and achieving high precision. And the lighter it becomes, the more you have to balance it against durability and ease of use.
It is not as simple as the lighter, the better.
Durability (Strength)
The second is durability. Being able to use it for a long time, being difficult to break, being easy to repair—in other words, whether it can withstand everyday use.
For a bicycle, this means being able to ride it every day. Whether it rains, you have to carry luggage, or you handle it a little roughly, it can take it. If something happens while you are traveling, you can somehow manage to fix it.
Durable objects are not necessarily flashy. They may not be easy to understand through numbers, nor may they immediately catch the eye. But as you live with them for a long time, you gradually come to understand their value.
Not breaking, being able to keep using it, not having to worry too much about it, and always being able to rely on it. I believe that is what makes them “strong.”
Timeliness (Current Mood)
The third is timeliness. Using the word “trend” may sound somewhat superficial, but I do not think trends themselves are inherently bad.
Trends are the atmosphere of the times. What many people think is cool at that time, and what they feel is comfortable. Just like clothes, bicycles cannot be completely free from trends.
There are times when wide tires are in fashion, and times when skinny tires look cool. Fitting your current mood, blending naturally into your current city and lifestyle, and making you want to ride when you see it—these are also important criteria.
However, choosing based solely on timeliness can be a little risky. What looks very new today may suddenly look very old in a few years.
That is why I believe the important thing is not to reject trends, but to understand how much you need them.
The Three Elements Cannot All Be Maximized at Once
Lightness, strength, and timeliness. All three are important, but they cannot all be maximized at the same time.
“Light, strong, on-trend, and cheap.”
If such a thing existed, everyone would want it, but in reality, that will always be reflected in the price.
Light and strong things are expensive.
Strong and cheap things may be heavy.
Light and on-trend things may be delicate.
What is at the center of trends may feel out of fashion in a few years.
The price of a well-made object usually has a reason.
It includes the cost of achieving lightness, the cost of maintaining strength, and the cost of giving shape to the current mood.
That is why the truly important thing is not simply whether it is expensive or cheap. It is discerning whether the value you need is included in that price.
Are you paying for lightness?
Are you paying for strength?
Are you paying for the current mood?
Are you paying for the peace of mind that it will last a long time?
If you look only at the price without knowing that, choosing an object becomes very difficult.
Choosing Is Also Giving Up
Choosing an object is difficult not only because there are too many objects. It is also because we often do not know very well what we are looking for.
You may think you want to ride fast, but in reality, you may just want to be able to go far with peace of mind.
You may think you want a lightweight bicycle, but you may really just want a bicycle that is easy to carry up the stairs.
You may say you want something sturdy, but you may really just want the peace of mind to use it roughly without worrying about it breaking.
People think they know themselves, but they are often surprisingly unaware. That is why I believe the act of choosing an object includes “time to know yourself.”
And choosing also means “choosing not to have something.”
If you choose lightness, you accept a certain degree of delicacy.
If you choose sturdiness, you accept that it will be a little heavier.
If you choose timeliness, you accept that your mood may change in a few years.
I believe the power to choose is the ability to give up what you do not need.
If you cling to too many possibilities, saying, “I can do this, and I can do that,” the objects will gradually become blurred. A good choice is not about having everything. It is about keeping what is important to you and letting go of what is not.
The Role of the Shop
The job of a bicycle shop is not just to recommend products in the store, or to sell the latest lightweight or on-trend items.
In truth, I believe it is more important to help discover what kind of balance that person is trying to find when choosing an object.
In conversation, what they say they want at first and what they really want often differ slightly.
Someone who says, “I want a lightweight bicycle,” may realize as they talk that they are actually looking for a bicycle they can use for their daily commute with peace of mind. Someone who says, “I want a fast bicycle,” may realize that they really wanted a bicycle they could ride far without getting tired.
That is precisely why conversation is necessary in the shop. It is about discovering together the “criteria within yourself” that cannot be seen from specification sheets, prices, or photos alone. I believe that is the important role of the shop.
Choosing is choosing yourself
In the end, there is no single “good” thing.
Lightweight objects have the appeal of lightweight objects.
Sturdy objects have the appeal of sturdy objects.
Objects that fit your current mood have an appeal that exists only in that moment.
I believe the important thing is not to compare them and decide which is better.
The power to choose an object is not only the power to see objects, but also the power to see yourself.
Choosing a bicycle is an act of gradually confirming what kind of path you want to ride, what pace you want to live at, and how far you want to go.
That is why choosing is, in every sense, “choosing yourself.”
Until then, everyone, goodbye, and I look forward to seeing you again.