new perspectives

 I was in the middle section of a long climb when another rider slowly closed the gap behind me. As he started to crank past me I heard a slight swiping sound in the cadence of his pedal strokes. Vip,vip,vip,vip.

He didn't say anything as he rode past, but I looked over at his rig and saw the cause of the swiping sound. He had his knee pads on the wrong knees and the straps were on the inside. With each rotation of the pedals the nylon straps rubbed against his frame and shock.

I try to be a helpful mountain biker. I'm always willing to give trail directions or help change a flat. And I try not to be judgmental, everyone was a beginner at once. I remember someone pointing out a tire I had mounted backwards, the little rotation arrow going the wrong way. I also wore a women's ski jacket for several seasons. I never would have known if someone didn't notice the buttons on the opposite side.

It's also possible to be a bike rider for a long time, yet not be very familiar with knee pads. I started wearing knee pads  early on when I was riding the plywood halfpipe in my back yard. My heroes were Mat Hoffman and Tony Hawk. Knee pads were cool. We'd slide them down on our shins when we walked into the convenience store for a Yoohoo. Then I wore them as a mountain bike freerider and dirt jumper. Once knee pads finally made it onto trail rides I was totally ready for them. Now I feel naked without them. I've been wearing them for a long time, so I know the straps always go on the outside.

The guy was cruising along right along side me, I gave a smile and he nodded. I checked for earbuds, none visible. I really though I was doing the right thing. 

Me: Nice knee pads, are they new?

Him: No, I've had them for forever.

Me: I think you might have them on the wrong knees.

Him: I always wear them this way.

Me: Don't the straps bother you?

Him: Why aren't you wearing your helmet?

Me: I don't wear my helmet when I'm climbing because it's hot and if I fall  climbing a dirt road and get concussed, I'll take that as a sign to quit riding. But, you just pivoted away from the knee pad question.

I dropped behind him and took another look at the knee pads.

Me: They even say Left and Right on them, and you have them on the opposite legs.

Him: Do you ever think about the structure of the knee pads, man? Like who decided that knee pads go on specific sides? It's a construct. I  threw my pads on this way because it just felt right in the moment. Who cares about the norms, right? Because it's all about comfort and how you perceive your reality.

Me: I've put my pads on wrong before and the straps can catch on the edge of the seat.

Him: Wearing my pads on the other legs isn't just a fashion choice. It's a statement! It's like, you're breaking free from societal constrains based on arbitrary labels. We're obsessed with rules and guidelines that don't even make sense when you break it down.  So yeah, I wear my pads this way and you know what? It's liberating. It challenges your perception of normal. Plus, think about the potential benefits. Maybe it alters the way I move or provides some sort of weird proprioceptive advantage, man! You're only wearing your pads that way because you're a follower who refuses to step out of line.

Me: I wear mine this way because it puts the straps on the outside. Do you think both knee pads are the same?

Him: Don't try to gaslight me. I know how knee pads work.

Me: Do you see any benefits from wearing them your way?

Him: You know, it's interesting people often ask me about the way I wear my pads. It might seem unconventional to have them on the wrong way, but it's all part of a broader philosophy that I embody. I look at it as an experiment in breaking norms and challenging the status quo, which is fundamentally what innovation is about. There is something to be said about comfort and perspective. By wearing my pads this way I'm essentially recalibrating my cognitive load. It's a metaphor for how we should approach problems - from a different angle. It's not just about knee pads it's about embracing unconventional approaches in everything we do.

Let's consider the implications of my choice. When you step outside the unexpected, you open up new pathways for understanding, for creativity. It's about redefining what is possible. So yes, my pads might be on "wrong" to some, ( he held up one gloved hand and made an air quote) but that's just part of the journey to something greater. It's all about possibility, experimentation and pushing the limits of what I can achieve.

I was quiet for a moment. I watched a small pine cone get caught between two knobs of my tire and ride up the backside headed for the crown of the fork. The pine cone collided with the crown and was shredded into tiny pieces. I knew we only had a few more switchbacks before we reached the top and I did not intend to ride down with this guy. I opened my mouth to ask a follow up, but the idea died before it took flight. I closed my mouth, stupified.

Me: I guess I just believe that each company, like Race Face or Fox puts a lot of thought into the design of these knee pads. They talk to racers and test different designs. See how mine have more protection on the outside than on the inside? So by doing this research and exhaustive testing, these engineers and designers have determined that the optimal way to wear these pads is with the right one on my right knee and the left one on my left knee. By disregarding their recommendation for how to properly wear the pads, I'm  basically saying that I know more about knee pad design than they do. Which isn't true, because I have never designed a knee pad.

He glanced over at me and gave a condescending smirk, as if he felt pity for me.

Him: Let me tell you, wearing pads on the wrong way? It's actually a tremendous idea. A lot of people don't understand this. You look at it and you think: why should I let someone else tell me what's left and right, they're knees! A lot of people tell me that the way I wear knee pads is perfect. Beautiful knee pads they say. They've never seen anything like it. One time a pro rider came up to me, big guy, strong guy, tears in his eyes. He said, 'Sir, your knee pads! Everyone's wearing them that way. And  you know what? They tell me it makes you faster.'

I stopped pedaling and rolled to the side of the trail. I took a long pull from my water bottle, I wiped my sleeve across my chin and watched the guy turn the next corner and go out of sight. I looked down at my knee pads suddenly unsure of my foundational beliefs. 

Disclaimer: I'll always admit when I've used ai for some writing assistance, and I used it for this post. I asked the ai to respond as a few different celebrities so I could have this silly imaginary conversation.