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Here's one of Victor's posts from "Outside" last year that's very illuminating...

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In Reply to: A serious question for Victor posted by Len_ on March 18, 2004 at 09:48:56:

This reply was offered when someone questioned why Victor, although only an amateur cyclist, needed a $500 handlebar for his road bike. Clearly, he has the money for it and it's his business whether or not he wants to spend it; no one was questioning that. A professional cyclist might consider such an upgrade to cut a few milliseconds off his race time. But, apparently, there are other reasons for $500 handlebars....

Posted by Victor Khomenko ( M ) on October 19, 2003 at 08:22:01
In Reply to: Let's try again posted by late on October 19, 2003 at 07:26:49:

There is something special about fine things... their feel, their history, their beauty. You cynically reduce it to the "serious bucks" thing, but it is far from it. This should be clear to anyone who has ever collected art, for instance. Or emptied that $500 bottle of wine... who... clark? All that his $50 an ounce cheese! There is an undeniable enjoyment one receives from looking at a $15,000 Patek Calatrava that looks just like a $19.95 Timex to the rest of the world.
Which is to say many fine things are also subtle. Some $300 ties look like something from the church sale.
Most of the time "fine" coinsides with "expensive", but there are other, far more obvious ways of telling the world you have made it.
Riding in the Central Park is very different from tugging along the Rt. 82 in Delaware - here no one sees you and your equipment, so only you (plus Den and late...) know what it is. There the other riders size you instantly from the distance, and if you have anything less than the titanium straight block, you are shit - so it becomes clear case of slamming dicks on the table.
Of course any time you own fine things you want to talk about them to other similar nuts. Unfortunately often this is not possible.

Follow Ups:

Amazing how that stuck in your craw all these months. Get over it. (nt - dennzio 18:15:03 03/18/04 (5)
nt
- It didn't "stick in my craw", denzio.... - Dalton 20:14:57 03/18/04 (4)
  I have a MEMORY. It got jogged. It doesn't have anything to do with bicycle parts per se. As I said, no one is denying that he has enough money to buy a "fine thing" that he feels is worth the expense. It's why he felt it was worth more that some would question.
  I think that post of Victor's just illustrates a certain attitude toward "fine things" (be they watches or bicycle handlebars or films). It's not enough that he appreciates them. What seems to tickle him more is when he appreciates something so much more than someone of less refined taste (i.e. someone who supposedly can't appreciate the difference between a $15,000 watch and a $19.95 Timex) and can flaunt his superiority. Call it snobbery, if you will.
  Of course, I could be wrong. Maybe he's just coming off this way in print. But I'm not the only one who sees it this way. I understand that Victor is a major contributor to the Asylum and a well-respected designer of esoteric audio equipment. The only way I could afford one of his amps would be to skip about six months of mortgage payments. There's no way there's going to be a separate film forum at the begging of lesser or (in my case) non-contributors. That's fine, but that shouldn't give Victor and his friends the right to behave like arrogant jackasses here. That's what "Outside" is for.
  - I don't know... - Chris Garrett 20:31:33 03/18/04 (3)
    I've got an Belgian FN-FAL 50.00, a German HK-91 and a nice early 80s Colt SP-1 carbine that I admire from a mechanical engineering POV. There's something that I value in these military weapons that goes beyond exclusivity, per se. They were engineered to be the best of the best and operate under harsh and adverse conditions. I guess I do admire them and take pride in ownership. I also like that when I go to a range to shoot them, people invariably come over and ask me questions because they are kind of rare, to a degree.
    The cheap knock-offs and repos are all over the place, but they're just that.
    Call me vain.
    Chris
    - The metaphysics of quality at work. (nt - dennzio 08:25:09 03/19/04 (2)
      nt
      - It's a cliche', but Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance comes to mind.....nt - Chris Garrett 08:27:39 03/19/04 (1)
        
        In Reply to: The metaphysics of quality at work. (nt posted by dennzio on March 19, 2004 at 08:25:09:
        
        nt
        
        ZAMM is one of my favorite books, obviously. Sad about his son Chris. (nt - dennzio 08:48:41 03/19/04 (0)
        
        In Reply to: It's a cliche', but Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance comes to mind.....nt posted by Chris Garrett on March 19, 2004 at 08:27:39:
        
        nt
Re: Here's one of Victor's posts from "Outside" last year that's very illuminating... - patrickU 11:22:04 03/18/04 (0)
And? A very honest and true statement. Self ironic and humorfull.
Sigh... you ARE a liar... - Victor Khomenko 11:20:44 03/18/04 (0)
For your information, the handlebar on my bike is a $100 part. Not that I would feel any guilty over having that $500 beauty, but... why did you have to stoop THIS low?
What exactly is illuninating about the bike story, anyway?
You guys are doing your best to trash this forum.

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