Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Pretty Hate Machine - Why Singlespeed?

People often wonder and ask why on earth would you choose to ride a single speed mountain bike?

Below are some of the reasons I have convinced myself to like singlespeeding:
  • It is just so simple and therefore, beautimous!
  • less gears, more beers
  • or is that less gears, less brains?
  • It is hard 
  • It is easy - you have NO options when things get steep...ride or hike...
  • It helps you build some intestinal / mental fortitude (or is that derangement?).
  • You become a better rider - you learn to use what the trail gives you and take advantage of it.  If you see an upcoming hill, you try to leverage any and all momentum from the preceding flat or downhill to carry into that hill
  • Fewer moving parts - you have one gear, no deraileurs, shifters, blah blah blah
  • as a result, fewer things to fix/replace
  • Because it is a small brotherhood - or in some cases, sista'hood
  • Because it is sweet to pass people on the up-hills
  • It is even better to pass people on the downhills if you can!
  • It is even mo' better (or that would be 'bestest') if you can clean tekkie sections that gearies can't - ahhh pure sweet NECTAR!
  • Because you can ask people if they found your lost derailleur on the trail
  • Because people accuse you of being crazy and it just prevents you from having to explain all the OTHER reasons they could call you that
  • You have a built in excuse for just about everything if you need...
  • Back to the basics
  • You can shed weight of excess parts
  • You become more dialed with the trail
  • Because in all likelihood people will NOT want to steal your bike!
  • You can talk gear ratios with other singler's - "Dude, what are you running today?"
  • Because people give you props when riding 100 miles on your own little 'pretty hate machine' (for you NIN fans!)
Better yet is if you can run a fully rigid singlespeed set up!  ohh Daddy!  no cushiness anywhere!  I have converted to this option for this year...not sure how long it will last but right now, me likey!

No comments:

Post a Comment