Technically this happened is 2023. Insane nonetheless.

Most bikes that retail for more than $600 or so will likely be very repairable. Department store bikes where the stem is integrated and has cheap components are harder to repair in that the parts typically just need to be replaced when they stop working and the metal used is so soft they tend to get chewed up easily as soon as you start working on it.

The parts will likely be held together using a combination of hex or torx bolts and very few if any use of Phillips screws. That can be a sign of a bike that is hard to repair if they’re cheaping out on parts. That being said there are some bikes made of steel and large bolts and nuts which are designed for rugged use and ease of repair in 3rd world countries.

Watching YouTube videos on bike repairs like park tools or some of the Berm Peak flip bike videos can get you an idea of what bike repair entails and some red flags.

Is collaborating with another party a bad thing here? Is there a specific type of collaboration you’re referring to? That’s a strange thing to lump in to an argument. This is the kind of partisan bullshit that got us here. A completely dysfunctional system where any cooperation between the two parties is viewed as corruption if not fully aligned with a single party’s interest.

If the collaboration was to harm the general public, then that’s a different story. But a general statement just adds to the vitriol.

Data aside, the GOP has been uniting over the RNC and joining hands for their support of the candidate while the Democrats are imploding and casting doubt on themselves left and right. Will be curious to see how things shift in terms of polling. But at the end of the day, we have two very different candidates with different values. Would not surprise me to see a shift like we did in France and UK where last minute coalitions tip the scales.

It’s easy to complain now about disliking one candidate over another, but when left with the final decision at the end of the day, things change.

The supporters aren’t going anywhere though, even if the bullet hit. And JD Vance has essentially inherited the MAGA base now such that the movement doesn’t die with Trump anymore. Pence was never going to really do that when he was VP. But Vance could carry the torch as running mate and gave the party a more clear view of what succession looks like.