singlespeed: all systems are go

It's taken me about 2 weeks, and 6 visits to bike shops to get this thing going, but I have finally nailed it.


Sometimes, when you blog about adverts and brands for too long, you don't feel very useful or manly. However when you take apart the entire drive train of a bicycle, properly utilising every tool in your cycling-related toolkit, degrease bits, replace bearings, align cogs and have meaningful chats in shops to people with aprons on, you feel a bit better. (Til you blog about it.)

I won't bore you with the details, but the 2nd most fun thing about it is the knowing nods which come from other singlespeed riders. Like when the very first people with iPods would iPod-nod at each other when they saw the white headphones.



Another semi-interesting thing is the insulating tape around the frame. Traditional wisdom says this is to hide the name and deter thieves, and protect the tubes from scratches. I get the distinct feeling that it's now just part of the 'look', and to be honest, most of the well kept bikes with black tape around their obviously expensive frame just stand out a mile. I think this is an example of something that's gone from function to style in the space of a few years.