As you’re no doubt aware thanks to all the media hype, the 2021 edition of Spring has “dropped” (except in the Southern Hemisphere, and places where it’s unavailable like the desert or wherever). I’ve been testing Spring 2021 since March 20th, and while it’s still fairly early I figured I might as well share some impressions:
Overall, if you’re accustomed to the operation of Spring you won’t be too surprised. For the most part it remains fundamentally unchanged, and the wild temperature fluctuations, the alternating sun and rainfall, the dazzling colors, and the sinus-assaulting pollen are all here. What’s different is that Spring 2021 loses many of last year’s more radical features, in particular the dire warnings about crashing and overwhelming the healthcare system, as well as the heavy emphasis on solo rides. Masks do carry over and Spring 2021 does ship with them, but many riders are opting not to install them, and overall this latest iteration of the season should serve everyone from hardcore racers to casual cyclists looking for a more “back to basics” approach.
So far I’ve ridden Spring 2021 with everything from road bikes and Lycra to vintage mountain bikes and jorts, and I undertook this morning’s seasonal test ride on a Rivendell while wearing custom artisanal hand-curated clown shoes (paired eye-crossingly with a pair of stripey socks from Vulpine), which afforded me ample grip not only on my flat pedals, but also upon wet rock:
As someone who thought Spring 2020 was a rare misfire from one of cycling’s most popular seasons, I’ve been quite pleased during the current testing period, and at this point I’m getting on so well with it I’m even willing to consider last year’s debacle water under the bridge:
At this rate Spring 2022 should be even better—unless it goes electronic, or the season is discontinued altogether, as climate activists keep insisting it will. No doubt Spring will continue to see constant refinement, but as a season that’s been around for at least the past 10,000 years, odds are that cyclists will continue to enjoy it for many, many years to come.
SPRING 2021
Buy It If: You love the exuberance of nature and you don’t mind getting wet every once in awhile
Don’t Buy It If: You really just want to keep Zwifting