I
have heard some hard core single speeders say “if you have to ask you just don’t get it”, I have also heard and read most of the other quotes too. You know the ones that go something like this “gears are like eyes or testicles, if you have more than 2 it is too many” I prefer to think (but not say): why do you care and what is there exactly to “get” about riding any bike or genre thereof?
I am not going around questioning your bike choice and component preference because quite frankly, I am just stoked to see you out there enjoying yourself, Just like I am, on my bike! In fact I am not that abnormal at the end of the day, out there riding, having fun, releasing ourselves and becoming better people for it. I just choose to accept you living your life with all your gears and it would be cool if you let me live mine without them and without the dodgy labels you give guys like me.
After all my single speed is the mother of your 20/27 speed. (oops another cheesy quote slipped in). There are always the obvious and boring answers of efficiency, low maintenance, durability, light weight etc etc. Lately however the cachet or cool factor seems to be at the fore instead, which is a little disturbing and is not coming from the right places. I am by no means a guru or grand master at the discipline, heck I would not even rate myself an infant yet. But I know my fundamental answer to the question of: “if you ride a single speed and nobody sees you, is it still cool?” I hope you do too, deep down where it really counts (the right places).
More importantly I can undeniably proclaim that single speeding makes ME want to ride my bike more, and to me that is always the best kind of bike, irrespective of form, shape, wheel size or component choice, the same may not be true for YOU however as the SS thing is not for everybody. Some roady dude once said “it’s not about the bike” but sometimes it actually is. It takes me back to the fun old days of carefree neighbourhood biking on my BMX, no gears, no expectations just fundamental fun, im sure you started there too, life’s a circle. It is also a fringe excuse to head out in your flannel pyjamas or any other form of fancy dress to give convention and expectation the big old finger because your bike already bucks the norm. Sure I may not sound or seem “normal” but I am the same as you, just different, see?
The best part when heading out on a SS ride is my clarity of mind, safe in the knowledge that it is just me against the terrain, my legs and lungs will handle what they can and when they can’t I walk. No sound pollution from clanging derailleur’s or gear shifts, just you, your god given engine and some good old fashioned hard work. It liberates me, it makes me smile, it helps me lead an uncluttered life and gives me sensory overload as opposed to a technical one. I do it for me and absolutely nobody else, no matter their misconceptions or technically advanced choices and arguments, but most of all its my absolute personal choice. Be happy for me. |
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have heard some hard core single speeders say “if you have to ask you just don’t get it”, I have also heard and read most of the other quotes too. You know the ones that go something like this “gears are like eyes or testicles, if you have more than 2 it is too many” I prefer to think (but not say): why do you care and what is there exactly to “get” about riding any bike or genre thereof?
I am not going around questioning your bike choice and component preference because quite frankly, I am just stoked to see you out there enjoying yourself, Just like I am, on my bike! In fact I am not that abnormal at the end of the day, out there riding, having fun, releasing ourselves and becoming better people for it. I just choose to accept you living your life with all your gears and it would be cool if you let me live mine without them and without the dodgy labels you give guys like me.
After all my single speed is the mother of your 20/27 speed. (oops another cheesy quote slipped in). There are always the obvious and boring answers of efficiency, low maintenance, durability, light weight etc etc. Lately however the cachet or cool factor seems to be at the fore instead, which is a little disturbing and is not coming from the right places. I am by no means a guru or grand master at the discipline, heck I would not even rate myself an infant yet. But I know my fundamental answer to the question of: “if you ride a single speed and nobody sees you, is it still cool?” I hope you do too, deep down where it really counts (the right places).
More importantly I can undeniably proclaim that single speeding makes ME want to ride my bike more, and to me that is always the best kind of bike, irrespective of form, shape, wheel size or component choice, the same may not be true for YOU however as the SS thing is not for everybody. Some roady dude once said “it’s not about the bike” but sometimes it actually is. It takes me back to the fun old days of carefree neighbourhood biking on my BMX, no gears, no expectations just fundamental fun, im sure you started there too, life’s a circle. It is also a fringe excuse to head out in your flannel pyjamas or any other form of fancy dress to give convention and expectation the big old finger because your bike already bucks the norm. Sure I may not sound or seem “normal” but I am the same as you, just different, see?
The best part when heading out on a SS ride is my clarity of mind, safe in the knowledge that it is just me against the terrain, my legs and lungs will handle what they can and when they can’t I walk. No sound pollution from clanging derailleur’s or gear shifts, just you, your god given engine and some good old fashioned hard work. It liberates me, it makes me smile, it helps me lead an uncluttered life and gives me sensory overload as opposed to a technical one. I do it for me and absolutely nobody else, no matter their misconceptions or technically advanced choices and arguments, but most of all its my absolute personal choice. Be happy for me.
More importantly I can undeniably proclaim that single speeding makes ME want to ride my bike more, and to me that is always the best kind of bike, irrespective of form, shape, wheel size or component choice, the same may not be true for YOU however as the SS thing is not for everybody. Some roady dude once said “it’s not about the bike” but sometimes it actually is. It takes me back to the fun old days of carefree neighbourhood biking on my BMX, no gears, no expectations just fundamental fun, im sure you started there too, life’s a circle. It is also a fringe excuse to head out in your flannel pyjamas or any other form of fancy dress to give convention and expectation the big old finger because your bike already bucks the norm. Sure I may not sound or seem “normal” but I am the same as you, just different, see?
The best part when heading out on a SS ride is my clarity of mind, safe in the knowledge that it is just me against the terrain, my legs and lungs will handle what they can and when they can’t I walk. No sound pollution from clanging derailleur’s or gear shifts, just you, your god given engine and some good old fashioned hard work. It liberates me, it makes me smile, it helps me lead an uncluttered life and gives me sensory overload as opposed to a technical one. I do it for me and absolutely nobody else, no matter their misconceptions or technically advanced choices and arguments, but most of all its my absolute personal choice. Be happy for me.
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