Singularity

I rode with my Jan Ulrich of a brother yesterday and made some interesting observations with regards to single-speed vs. multi-speed bike riding. The single-speed rider will always be cast in the light of some kind of Super Hero. The geared rider will attempt to not use his gears, making a vow, either publicly or privately, to find one gear and to stay with it, no matter what! But as we started grinding up a long incline I heard behind me the unmistakable sound of a drive train moving over gears. Later, Tim yelled out to me that he was not going to use his little chain ring as we started out the Hornbeck Trail. I yelled back that there are no little chain ring sections on the Hornbeck! It wasn't until a few miles in that I realized he meant he was using his Big Ring; I thought he was talking about not using #3, Baby Ring! So there he was, happily grinding away from me, cross-chained like a echelon pace line, stomping like a diesel engine.