Why Single Speed? No.... seriously why?

******* UPDATE *********

I remember mountain biking when it was the new counter culture blue collar take care of their own type group.  Local shops had not embraced it yet and it was the rare small boutique that carried brands we had never heard of before.  I had to beg my parents to drive me to those shops and I just was in awe.  Of course I was on a huffy budget, so the old bontrager and bridgestones.  A few years later I rode a Nishiki full suspension...  Bikes were changing quickly... and Mountain biking was too.

In the mid 1990s, I wanted a GT Karakoram.  Steel, Rigid, XT components.  I wanted it horribly bad and had saved up for it.  I went to the local GT dealer (that did not have the karakoram in stock) and they told me I was misguided and then tried to point me toward the "better" aluminum frames they had in stock.  I walked out empty handed and found a small shop that sold Cignal & Jamis bikes.

I talked with the owner and realized he was a mountain biker, not a business man.  He wanted to do everyone right, because he knew if you actually ride, he will see you on the trails.  The last thing he wanted was hard feelings in his recreational life.  The shop was small, but only stocked MTBs.  It was just cozy and welcoming to mountain bikers.

After talking with David, I decided to actually save some money and bought a Cignal Zanzibar.  Still steel, but STX.  The bike rode awesome and I was stoked.  My next 5 or 6 bikes were purchased from this shop- a Jamis explorer xr, an aurora (when it was still an MTB), a Dakota, a Komodo & a Dragon.  I brought friends there and they bought from the shop.  Quickly, this shop became a second home and I was working there part time.  This is a feeling that was lost when David closed up his shop and moved to be closer to his grand kids.

With this void, I was surrounded by Specialized, Giant, Cannondale, etc... Shops were owned by people who probably have never ridden a trail at all and probably never more than 10 miles on a road bike.  Yet here the were - marking things up, often over MSRP so they would haggle with you and make you feel like you won if you paid MSRP... what?  And service?  While some of the service guys were top notch, they would way over charge for services and seemingly make you wait and extra long time if you were not in their inner circle.

To me the culture of mountain biking was dead.  The sport itself was doing awesome, but the "take care of one another" feel had left the room.  Maybe it was where I lived, maybe it was everywhere, I don't know.  My experience just left me riding with a few buddies and with nowhere to hangout with others to meet new riders.  Not that we needed new blood, but it is always fun to ride with someone new.

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Several years ago, I couple of people I briefly met at a shop in Williamsburg decided to leave their comfortable job working for someone else and try their go at starting their own shop.  Red Barn Bicycles is born.  I was not close to either Robert or Sharon and honestly, I knew their faces, but not their names.  A mutual friend actually dragged me out to an event they hosted and I had a complete blast.  I was surrounded by people at the event who had almost nothing in common with me outside of bikes.... but the love of bikes brought us all together and made for a great event and night of camping and mayhem.

Cause this is how a race is supposed to look....

Since I have moved to Japan, I have bought my Soma from them and a couple kits and some misc rebuild parts.  It may cost pennies more, but in the end, I know who I am giving that money to and I am very comfortable knowing my money is going into supporting a great shop that is going about things in what I consider, the right way.

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Since being in Japan, I have yet to find a local shop that feels like home.  Of course the language barrier si real and that is hard.  Most small shops have been super nice, however they don't have anything in my size.  NOTHING.
The larger shops are like the large shops back home.  If you are in their circle, great!  If not, well, you are generally ignored.  Not a good way to convince me to spend money with you.  Could the language barrier be a part of it, yes; however the smaller shops can still be warm with the same barriers.

There there is Koh.  We met via a mutual friend on Facebook and we rode together.  Koh is the reason I even considered the SSWC this year.  He is engaging and quick to answer questions.  Even though I had never bought anything from Koh - he always is willing to answer a question or talk bikes.  Recently "Prosok" has been mentioned several times by people on FB.  It is a sock made with bamboo.  Heard a few good reviews and Koh's shop (http://altbikes.jugem.jp/) sells them.  A quick email and paypal and they were in my hands in 2 days!  Fantastic!  And they match the Redbarn Kit!

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My experience with Shanna from Endless Cycles was equally inviting.

She answered questions and gave feedback even though I had bought nothing yet.  We talked gear ratios and maybe beer?  But in the end, I was talking to another cyclist.  The love of SS was obvious and she was obviously hoping I would get the same feeling after giving this a shot.

**** Original Post ****

I have had the opinion that the "hardcore Single speeders" are non inclusive.

I don't know.  Maybe it is "angry singlespeeder" and his rants?  Not really.
Maybe in several years of working in bike shops? Possibly.
Maybe MTBR and any other forum that single speeders are almost evangelical and pushing their cycling religion on others while somehow being condescending?  Probably.
But lets face it, the most vocal of any groups - the idiots.

In Virginia Beach - I rode with Jimmy, Christian, and Brian.  All three were about as inclusive as you can get.  It was easy to forget they were single speeders because they didn't constantly remind you (take note cross-fitters).  Jimmy actually isn't a dedicated single speeder... it just happened to be one option in his fleet.  Christian... well he is a single speed road guy, but I forget what his MTB is... we night rode together - so light choice was more important than bike choice. And Brian - I know he was on a single speed because he rode the Buttermilk trail with us the first time I rode with him.  That trail can be tough with gears, so it stuck out he was on a single speed.

Speaking of Buttermilk trail in Richmond... James H is a single speeder that has lapped the james river trail system as fast in one gear as I do in 20 gears.  But he wouldn't mention it.

Then there is the guy that loaned me his geared MTB and he rode a SS the last time I rode in Richmond... yet another James A from NC.  Not sure I recall one condescending or snide remark... well, that isn't true.  I recall plenty, but none of them had to do with gears.  ;)

And lastly... there is Tripper.  Rob is one of those riders that is never self promoting.  He would ride around Williamsburg on his Surly and just make it look effortless.  I have a love/hate relationship with Rob.  He absolutely rides a bike a smooth as anyone I have ridden with and I only wish I could be so 'soft' on a bike while conquering technical stuff.

The guys I have ridden with have been great....  It must have been those guys when I worked at a few shops.  The guys that would nickel and dime you to match Nashbar.  Or the guys they would interrupt someone making a purchase to let them know single speed bikes are better, etc... The guys that bought a single speed seemingly just to let everyone else know they ride a single speed.  It is like the crossfit of cycling.

I hate those guys to this day and refuse to be associated with them.  Those guys have tainted my vision of single speeders.  I have not worked in a shop in over 15 years and they left the largest impression - next to the uber rich guy who wanted to nickel and dime you ever everything.  Those guys are worse.  But to the single speeders during my shop days... if you weren't one of them, you weren't worthy of breathing the same air as them.

That is why I would say I have had a negative impression of "Single speeders" - Maybe it is just the people that identify their self worth with being an activity.... I dunno.

Fast Forward this this past spring in Japan...

My buddy Eric is a trail running freak.  He is an endurance junkie and loves being outdoors.  In late March, Eric is on his way home from a run and happens to meet Koh.  On the train they chat a bit and mountain biking comes up, Eric mentions I am a mountain biker and via Facebook, a connection is made.  2 days later, Koh and I hook up for a ride with a few local guys Shigeru & Hajime and Cjell Monē.
Everyone seems amped for the ride and we spend a Monday exploring Zushi, Taketoreyama, Hayama, etc...  fun ride with a great group... except Cjell is on a single speed... and keeping up.  In some technical sections, he is actually excelling.  hmmm.... I mean, not that it makes him not fun, but it sucks when he clears something you don't....

I mention something to the effect of not being strong enough to ride a single speed.  Cjell and Koh both laugh it off and say not the case.  They encouraged exploring the idea and I kind of blew them off in that respect, but I suppose the seed was planted.

Random conversations happen and I learn Koh happens to the the race director for the SSWC2015.  He also is a great ambassador for the sport.  Unlike some of the Single Speed crowd I've encountered in the past, he is very inclusive.  He just enjoys riding and outdoors and couldn't care less you run gears.  Cjell is a frame builder, world explorer, and some might say.... hippie.  He was also very warm to non single speeders, yet praised the fun that can be had on a SS - but it was solicited by me.  We had a good ride and I enjoyed the company...  hopefully someday, we can get together again, but Cjell has already moved on to Thailand and where ever else....

Hmmm....  Still not convinced this is for me, but my opinion of the riders is changing.

After some time/thought So I have decided 2 things...
1) I like Koh and what he is doing here in Japan for off road enthusiasts
2) If I am ever going to do SSWC - this is the year that will be the least stressful on finances.

Koh imports MTB stuff and other misc cycling gear.  He has Vissago, Apidura, etc.... He is owner of Alternative Bicycles. He test what he sells and keeps a very interesting and fun FB page.

SSWC will only be 5 hours from my house.  I can drive there.  If I ever want to see what it is all about, this is an awesome opportunity. It isn't my thing, but it is here... I could support someone I like...   Well why not, right?

Sign me up!