I have been riding bikes in some form or another for over 20 years, and yet during those times, it was only in my formative years that I enjoyed biking at its simplest: coaster, brakes, one speed, get on and go. After that it was a ten-speed “jack of all trades” mountain bike with skinny road tires and terrible brakes. Then it was a mountain bike, then a full-suspension mountain bike, then finally a real mountain bike. And I thought I was done evolving; I was content in my little 27-speed front-suspended aluminum-framed niche.

But then I was bitten by the single speed bug. Hard. So I bought one. And except for 2 outings at the local singletrack, It’s all I’ve been riding. I estimate that I’ve put about 250 miles on it in the past two months, and while it hasn’t all been fun and games (like the times I smacked my knees against the top tube or last Friday when my crankarm fell off), I love it.

It started off being a bit painful, considering my normal riding style. I’m used to riding in the largest chainring and one of the smaller cogs and only downshifting when I need to. This is fantastic for my efficiency and I can haul ass relatively easily, but it’s not getting me any exercise, and my bike’s drivetrain made all kinds of noise. So trading efficiency for simplicity has been a win-win in my opinion. I’m able to maintain a higher cadence than I would’ve on my other bike, because I’m spinning a lot more to go the same speed and I’m getting used to it.

Yesterday was a prime example of the type of ride I love; a nice ride around town, punctuated by some moderately technical off-road tomfoolery. My other bike sits neglected and I’m not getting the technical workout that I would at a place like 9 Mile, but I’m having fun and that’s the important thing.