Le Poseur..

 

Parts are officially ordered as of now. I will be racing Singlespeed this summer in a 32/21 setup. Lets review.

3 Speeds actually

1. Pedaling
2. Walking

3. Crawling in pain.

A lot of people call SS riders posers. Some are. Hell I might even be given the bling I just dumped on the bike but I'll tell you why I swapped after only one summer.

1. Climbing hills. I would find myself constantly trying to find the right gear to sit and spin my way to the top of a hill. I found myself doing it during the 24 hour race I was in and I also found myself hating the grinding of my gears mid hill finding I was too low, or to high or ending up 1 wheel'd and falling over backwards stopping other riders. After the 24 hour race and a new drivetrain, I hit hills in the 32 / 19 setup and instead of changing gears, I just stood and hammered. Lo I find myself at the top of hills I wouldn't normally find myself at, ungassed and kinda surprised at myself. The hill I ride is about 250M of what I'd say about 20-45" incline alternating between the 2 with a couple of roots. It does not stop me when I stand and crank.

2. So if I ride in this gear all the time since I find myself powering out on fire road and any other section on it including hills, why subject myself to having derailleurs when I could just not worry about changing gears at all.. one less thing to worry about when every problem is a nail, and every solution is stand and hammer.

3. Less maintenance. I hate bike maintenance sorta. I'm not good at it *yet*. I can do minor on the field repairs but adjusting derailleurs is still a mystery just given how complex stuff is now. All I need to know now is how to change a break pad, and re-seat a tire, and viola we're good. Simplicity appeals to me.

4. Its harder. I know this. It can make you a better rider, but so can a geared bike so that argument is moot. Its not ideal for a clyde... so what. My goal is to enjoy riding, and race because I enjoy the camaraderie between mountain bikers. I'll root for gearies and ss's on the shitty hills as much as I hope they will me when its my turn to crank.

5. It reminds me of being a kid, and how much I loved my BMX.... minus the pedal back brake.

Stupid Niner fork... why are you so far back ordered.