Simple Life

I realize that some people may not exactly understand the simple beauty of the singlespeed. My friend Denis wonders why we would be into single-speed bikes when gears "make so much sense" to him. The question, "why singlespeed?", is a long-standing one. In order to explain this, let me veer off the topic of bikes for a minute.

Japan offers so much of great beauty - the temples, the shrines, the gardens, the food, the ukioe (wood-block prints), etc... What all of these things of beauty have in common is their simplicity. You do not find elaborate temples, over-decorated gardens, or complicated food. In her wonderful book Japanese Cooking, Emi Kazuko compares the "elegant minimalism that is found in all good Japanese cooking" to the simplicity and economy of line found in Japanese art and architecture.

And this brings me back to Zen and the Art of Singlespeeding - the singlespeed bicycle is pure, simple and beautiful.

In our modern lives, where everthing seems so very complicated (our jobs, our relationships), the simplicy provides a wonderful balance and peace.

Simply Riding - notice the clean look of the handlebars; no gears.



Rig - out of the box - notice the simple look of the drive train; no gears.