Yes I am a real rider. I ride bicycle for the following reasons 1. To get from point a to be without using an automobile and it related costs to me and cost to society 2. I enjoy seeing towns, cities, the country at pace faster than walking and slower than driving and automobile. A bicycle provides that in spades. 3. I like to eat an apple about ten. So I hop on my bike and have it in a park, on top Mt Diablo, by a lake, while riding with friends at a stop point. 4. to relive stress from work a ride after works great for me 5. to wake up and go for a ride in the cool crisp morning air is a time to be remembered. 6. to know my strengths physically is a joy and too maintain those strengths into my 70's is very hard to put into words. 7. To be required to put out a lot of physical effort for a full six to eight hours for no other reason than to do it while bicycling is a joy. 8. to be self Suffient when touring and having nearly all you need in life on your bicycle providing shelter,clothing and food and realizing that is all the physical items your need to own in life gives a sense that the rest is just some junk you never needed is a very wonderful feeling. 9. to feel the wind in your face, the sun on your body and the power emulating from your body thru legs moving you down the road and thru life is a treat every time I ride. 10. just to know that your bicycles patiently for you to mount it and go were who chose to go, how can not be heaven on earth Has to what type of bicycle your on and what it is made of and what components it has matters only in that it does what you ask of it to do. Charles Nighbor Walnut Creek, CA USA