After many months of pondering, my husband converted his old rigid aluminum frame into a singlespeed. Both of us wanted to try the singlespeed experience without spending a lot of money. So the shifters came off and a ghetto singlespeed was born from parts that were lying around the garage. Since he built it, he got dibs on the first ride but I wanted to feel the pain too and test if I could ride a singlespeed so I set my gears to a 2:1 ratio and vowed not to touch them the entire ride.
Riding up to the trail was actually quite relaxing. We were going slower than we would normally go but just about as fast as that gear ratio allows one to go without pedaling like a maniac. Once we hit the dirt, we had a choice of a sustained, less steep climb or shorter but steeper climbs broken up by more level sections. Either way you do the same amount of climbing. The relaxing ended rather abruptly as we decided to go up the sustained climb. At first, it didnt feel too much different. It was a little harder to pedal but pretty close to the same gearing I usually use. However, about halfway into it, there is a steep section where I usually drop down to a lower gear. After that is also when I start to get tired and plop back onto the seat. Being determined not to be wimpy, I kept standing, pulled on the bars and powered on. The grimace on my face would have prevented anyone who saw me from ever picking up a mountain bike. Strangely enough, I was having fun.
We hit the high point on a ridge, took a short breather and then hit the rolling hills of the ridgeline. Coasting downhill and up short hills without worrying about shifting made me feel like I was a kid again on my banana seat bike. Its hard to describe the feeling other than exhilarating. By not being able to push it in a higher gear, I was able to enjoy the scenery, from the storm clouds to the tarantulas scurrying along. Once we got to the end of the trail, the grin on my face made every bit of the pain worth it. Instead of an intense race home, we cruised down the street as the rain started to fall without a care in the world. Tonight, the gears on MY old hardtail are going away too.
Riding up to the trail was actually quite relaxing. We were going slower than we would normally go but just about as fast as that gear ratio allows one to go without pedaling like a maniac. Once we hit the dirt, we had a choice of a sustained, less steep climb or shorter but steeper climbs broken up by more level sections. Either way you do the same amount of climbing. The relaxing ended rather abruptly as we decided to go up the sustained climb. At first, it didnt feel too much different. It was a little harder to pedal but pretty close to the same gearing I usually use. However, about halfway into it, there is a steep section where I usually drop down to a lower gear. After that is also when I start to get tired and plop back onto the seat. Being determined not to be wimpy, I kept standing, pulled on the bars and powered on. The grimace on my face would have prevented anyone who saw me from ever picking up a mountain bike. Strangely enough, I was having fun.
We hit the high point on a ridge, took a short breather and then hit the rolling hills of the ridgeline. Coasting downhill and up short hills without worrying about shifting made me feel like I was a kid again on my banana seat bike. Its hard to describe the feeling other than exhilarating. By not being able to push it in a higher gear, I was able to enjoy the scenery, from the storm clouds to the tarantulas scurrying along. Once we got to the end of the trail, the grin on my face made every bit of the pain worth it. Instead of an intense race home, we cruised down the street as the rain started to fall without a care in the world. Tonight, the gears on MY old hardtail are going away too.
