The Problem with Single Speeds and 29ers

Brian has had his Gary Fisher Rig for a year and eight months, while I’ve had mine for a year and two months. Since buying our Rigs, we’ve sold our other cross-country (fully geared, 26”) bikes, and are in the process of selling off our downhill bikes, too. We’ve become dedicated singlespeeders and 29” riders, and we love the little niche we’ve discovered. There is nothing more precious than the silence of a bike cutting through the mountains without shifters slipping and gears gnashing; nothing more beautiful than the simplicity of a handlebar uncluttered by shifter cables…

So then, what’s the problem? Well, since we’ve had our bikes, there’s really been nothing to buy for them. In the old days, we used to buy newer/better/lighter cranks, chain rings, rear cassettes, chains…all those things that suffer wear and tear from constant shifting. We would also frequently buy new tires, either because ours were worn out or the tires were on sale – now we are in such a small niche that 29” tires are a)rarely on sale, and b)hard to come by.

Our bikes are simply perfect. Simply. Perfect. There is nothing we need for them – our happy hours of browsing the bike shops has come to an end. My last purchase was a little bit of luxury – a Thomson Elite stem. Now, there is nothing I need. Nothing that Brian needs. Sometimes perfection can be painful. Brian has had his Gary Fisher Rig for a year and eight months, while I’ve had mine for a year and two months. Since buying our Rigs, we’ve sold our other cross-country (fully geared, 26”) bikes, and are in the process of selling off our downhill bikes, too. We’ve become dedicated singlespeeders and 29” riders, and we love the little niche we’ve discovered. There is nothing more precious than the silence of a bike cutting through the mountains without shifters slipping and gears gnashing; nothing more beautiful than the simplicity of a handlebar uncluttered by shifter cables…

So then, what’s the problem? Well, since we’ve had our bikes, there’s really been nothing to buy for them. In the old days, we used to buy newer/better/lighter cranks, chain rings, rear cassettes, chains…all those things that suffer wear and tear from constant shifting. We would also frequently buy new tires, either because ours were worn out or the tires were on sale – now we are in such a small niche that 29” tires are a)rarely on sale, and b)hard to come by.

Our bikes are simply perfect. Simply. Perfect. There is nothing we need for them – our happy hours of browsing the bike shops has come to an end. My last purchase was a little bit of luxury – a Thomson Elite stem. Now, there is nothing I need. Nothing that Brian needs. Sometimes perfection can be painful.