Fast and Simple

Casting an eye around the garage last month, I began to realise I had quite an excess spare bike bits which I could sell to a) clear some space and b) make some money. Then I uncovered all the singlespeed kit I had for the Cove last summer. So, the question was, could I raise enough money from the bits I had to sell to buy the extra bits I needed to get a singlespeed on (or off) the road?

Yes, is the answer, and I have to say I’m very pleased with the result. Despite my previous foray with the larger wheel off road, the whole 29er exeprience is completely new to me, and was something of an experiment. It’s very difficult to express sometimes just what makes a bike good, but I’m very impressed with the handling of the Swift, which was an absolute blast to ride around the tricky rooty trails of Llaneglwys Forest.

For a bike with one gear, funny looking bars (which are considerably more comfortable and confidence inspiring then they look) and no suspension, I was surprised just how fast I could get the bike up to while still feeling in full control. Lots of grip, lots of control and those big wheels just eat up the rough bits I didn’t really feel rigid was a disadvantage. In terms of maintenance, there’s so little to go wrong, keeping it in good fettle should be simple. Problem I have now is not riding it to the exclusion of the Soda…