Bikes in Myanmar

After receiving a flood of advertisements this holiday season about the latest and greatest bikes and accessories, I was a bit overwhelmed.

During our bike trip in Myanmar last year, we shared the roads (and paths) with a lot of bikes. None of them had carbon fiber frames. They were not equipped with index shifters, or disc brakes, or 9-speed cassettes. Their chains were not replaced when they reached .75% wear. They creaked and moaned when pedaled. They were beautiful, efficient, human-powered machines.

Sometimes in the never-ending quest for a better bike, we can lose sight of the simple fact, that the best bike is the one you are riding.

Happy pedaling in 2014!

Photos by Willie Weir and Kat Marriner

—

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS is posted every other Friday. Willie Weir is a columnist for Adventure Cyclist magazine. His latest book Travels with Willie: Adventure Cyclist will inspire you to hit the road and just might change the way you approach bicycle travel. He lives in Seattle with his wife Kat. You can read about their adventures at http://yellowtentadventures.com.