Technically you shouldn't have to _look for_ RVM.  Simply running `ruby` should give you the ruby that you want, if you have ruby installed via RVM.

For example, on my system I alter my pre-commit hook, to remove this conditional.  I.e., the file looks like...

    $ cat .git/hooks/pre-commit

```ruby

#!/usr/bin/env ruby

OPTIONS = "-r rubygems"

#cmd = if system("which rvm > /dev/null")
#  "rvm default do ruby"
#elsif system("which rbenv > /dev/null")
#  "rbenv exec ruby"
#else
#  "ruby"
#end

cmd="ruby"

puts `#{cmd} --version`

if !system(%Q{#{cmd} #{OPTIONS} -e "require 'pre-commit';" 2>&1})
  $stderr.puts "pre-commit: WARNING: Skipping checks because the pre-commit gem is not installed. (Did you change your Ruby version?)"
  exit(0)
end

exec(%Q{#{cmd} #{OPTIONS} -e "require 'pre-commit'; PreCommit.run"})
```

This gets rid of a few warnings from RVM due to the fact that git changes the path (inserting itself first) while running hooks.

What is the legacy behind these conditionals?  Is it still required?

To me, getting rid of the conditional for RVM isn't "abandoning" RVM as much as it is embracing it, since RVM sets up your environment properly, and you can use whatever Ruby you want with pre-commit.