Introduction: It's known as the party class. In CXSS you might race a gorilla, battle with Batman or tangle with a triple tandem. Bacon, bananas and beer are acceptable hand-ups. You choose one chainring, one cog and seal your fate with burning lungs and acid filled thighs. There is no description of this class that doesn't include the word: Crazy. This made me wonder if my sullen disposition and oft poetic ruminations were simply too serious for singlespeed. Then I thought... screw it! I'm gonna write whatever I feel. Stoopid Loop:  Mileage is a measure of accomplishment in the world of cycling. A rider's confidence is often attached to the longest distance they have completed. I've heard it said that CX racers don't need more than 2 hours on the bike at a time to train for competition but that blanket has some holes in it. It's not the minutes that matter but rather what happens during those minutes. A Pro, hauling ass, could shred singletra...

Introduction:  It's known as the party class. In CXSS you might race a gorilla, battle with Batman or tangle with a triple tandem. Bacon, bananas and beer are acceptable hand-ups. You choose one chainring, one cog and seal your fate with burning lungs and acid filled thighs. There is no description of this class that doesn't include the word: Crazy. This made me wonder if my sullen disposition and oft poetic ruminations were simply too serious for singlespeed. Then I thought... screw it! I'm gonna write whatever I feel. The Perfect Gear: Perfection is an ideal developed for suckers. Striving to attain ultimate glory with calculated inches is akin to maximizing horsepower with a new transmission. The vehicle is a tool. Only operators can fail. Only riders can lose. When I asked my local bike shop about dropping to 41t in light of my struggle to conquer ascents, they said no. Build stronger legs, they said. Build stronger lungs. When a retailer tells you not to ...

"Bikes have gears for a reason," said a friend of mine who is a very accomplished off road rider and while I usually respect his opinion, the phrase struck me as odd. If you can go faster on a geared bike then why would someone choose to limit themselves? What is it about riding with a single chain ring that attracts such a passionate following? Having recently bought a Nashbar Single-Speed CX , I was now a new member of this unusual tribe and I was determined to understand their pathos. The first place to start was on my new bike. Let me give you a little history. I rode bikes as kid, like most people but it wasn't until I was 35 that my interest was re-ignited by a newly blooming bicycle culture. I started on mountain bikes, dived right into XC racing, Downhill and later BMX racing. Now I've decided to try Cyclocross, hence the new SS. Why does all this matter? My history suggests that I ride a lot but that's not entirely true. My riding history has bee...