So here's a thread to hopefully pass away a few hours at work... I'm going to convert my ride to a Singlespeed one day. Something just seems right about it. Something in the simplicity of it. And whenever I google SS bicycles - I invariably find countless uber-cool, arty websites with amazing pics up, seemingly taken by some cool-cats who lead the types of lives where, if they feel the need to hop on to their sleek "I have all day and you don't" steeds - well then, they just do.... B) But here's the thing... I caught myself thinking the other day about how SS riders surely only worry about lubing their chains - and seemingly nothing else... They just hop on and ride - with no worries really about speed, gear ratios, maybe even fork/shock compression issues etc. etc... You know - just roll with the breeze through the hair etc etc... Then I started thinking, given how long it usually takes me to get everything ready before going on any of my longer rides - how much more chilled it would be, if I was on a SS instead - and chose to just "BE", rather than freaking out like a Boy-Scout ("be prepared") everytime I go riding... But then I had a moment of doubt - would things really change? So with tongue-shoved-firmly-in-cheek - I put it to the SS hubbers out there: How do you Roll? Me? In no particular order [for that 'long' ride] --- Grab Garmin Edge - pop it outside, to start finding satelites; Pump tyres / check pressure [i run tubeless converted]; Grab Camelbak bladder - fill it up; Insert bladder; Find phone - pop into Camelbak; Grab shoes - off to room; Put on HR Strap; Put on Chamois Cream; Get dressed; Back to garage - grab banana going through kitchen; Banana in back-pocket; Gloves on; Sweat bandana on; Sunglasses on; Helmet on; Pepperspray cannister and house keys in back pocket; Grab bike - out front door; Grab Garmin Edge - pop on bike/mount; Out gate - keys in Camelbak; Strap up/put on Camelbak; Attach Pepperspray canister; Push start; Ride... Somewhere in between all of this - I've done rudimentary stretching - kissed goodbye to the little one etc etc; All of the above - +/- 20 minutes, sometimes (ok, often) longer... NOW - in my dream world of Singlespeeding... Pump tyres; Grap keys / maybe phone; Get dressed - shirt and mtb baggies/stovepipe jeans/hip & happening Put on my helmet; Ride... But this is where reality kicks in... Surely, SS or not - you run the risk of still getting a puncture [tubeless or not] etc? What about a chain snapping? What I mean is - barring the 'tools' you'd need to 'repair' a gearing malfunction - most of what I have in my camelbak presently - would still foreseeably be used were I to be riding a SS... However, I've yet to see a SS with a saddlebag on it? At least not in the websites I'm looking at... And since a Camelbak presumably clashes with the simplistic approach to life's riding - I assume that's a big no-no as well? Which must mean - that if one looks as cool as one potentially could on a sweet SS machine - then one is instantly too cool to ever have mechanical issues? B) That's it - isn't it? Look uber-cool - and say bye-bye to the over-burdened rigours of one's past, multi-geared and complicated life? Would love to hear your thoughts - and please don't take any of the above too seriously, and ruin what could be a fun thread... In fact, take all of the above SS-style - and simply roll with it!
