I have been intrigued by platypusses since I was in elementary school. Not
yearly, it hasn't been a mind-worm, but I've always felt a little bit closer to
them, a little fonder of them and interested in them, than my friends. When I
was a teenager and young adult, whenever I came across the name for whatever
reason, it was like coming home, instant comfort. Seriously. I know more about
them than anybody in the bike business. I know that the Latin name doesn't
include any variation of "platypus" because a kind of beetle got it first. They
swim with eyes closed, They have one hole for everything and no stomach. They
use sonar, have venomous spurs, are NOT endangered, have been around more than
200 million years (experts argue, but nobody thinks this is outrageous). There
were early huge ones, three feet long.
When Europeans started killing and stuffing them in the name of science, they
were accused of hoaxing. How could this animal exist? And yet, it has existed
666, 6666667 times as long as Homo sapiens (if you believe we've been here for
300,000 years (formerly 200,000), and you go by the 200 million year duration
of the platypus. It's a successful animal. Less changed, in that time, than any
other. I don't know what "deserves respect" means...I know the suggestion that
something does tends to make me take the opposite stance no matter what it is
we're taking about--but think of it's success. It's not just a funny looking
animal with a funny name. It is success itself.
Our names are consistently quirky-nutty-dumb-different. A. Homer Hilsen, Sam
Hillborne, CLEM SMITH JR,Hunqapillar, Glorius, Wilbury, Atlantis (not too
quirky, there), Roadini, Roadeo, Joe Appaloosa ("Appaloosa" sans Joe sounded
too mainstream-perfect to me. It was hard to add the Joe, but I like saying we
have a Homer, Sam, Joe, Clem...
Platypus won't be Arnulfo Platypus. At one time I was thining of a gender-fluid
name ("A.", Sam, George, CLEM are all that. Twenty-eight percent of the Georges
born in the U.S. lack external plumbing.) So it was going to be Leslie or
Taylor, but even I have my limits.
It is fantastic that so many people feel so strongly. It's flattering even if
it's not intended to be, and if everybody dug it, I'd think something was
wrong, and I wouldn't like it anymore.
As I explained to one person privately, in biological taxonomy or whatever it
is, you know what I'm talking about--Kingdom holds the most, a phylum next
most, and in descending order of capacity.....class-order-family-genus,
species.
Kingdom: Inanimatalia?
Phylum: Tangibulis?
Class: Planet-and-animal friendly..us?
Order: Two wheelers
Family: Muscle-powered ones
Genus: Rivendell
Species: Name your model
Once the species has changed enough, it can't be in that species anymore. The
Pbike comes in the same sizes as the Cheviot, but it's longer, has V-brakes, a
different mid-joint, bigger wheels in the 55, a different diagastay
connection...and to me, those things didn't just justify a new name, but
demanded it. I dig (understand) that Stumpjumpers, Mustangs, and Thunderbirds
keep their names even though they change, but we don't copy Specialized or Ford.
I am really, really happy with how this bike rides and fits tires, etc. Will
wanted the V-brakes, and I love Will and happen to also love V-brakes. We both
knew it would bum out some people, but they're really good brakes. Being good
brakes doesn't mean the Silver/559 sidepulls aren't. Will is, in his way, as
much or more of a rebel as I am. He's comfortable with moves that he KNOWS will
bum people out, as long as he believes he's doing it for the right reason. I
wouldn't have been that bold, so I'm glad he was. On the other hand, he kinda
wanted Cheviot to stay, but he's cool with Platypus. He knows all the changes.
This taxonomic ideology is...and ideal. We may have violated it in the past, a
nd we may do it again, because we're not (or at least I am not) perfect. Hang
in there with us for a while. These are tough times. We'll get about a hundred
of these. We don't know what the future holds, and don't read anything into
that--just look around. I need to name this wonderful bike Platypus. I don't
want to look back and wish I had, so I'm doing it now.
My logic is only mine, and yours is yours, and they don't have to fight it out.
It's not a right or wrong thing. I don't need total agreement (and wouldn't
trust it). I do, really really really like that you care. OK then...where were
we? :) -- Grant
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