Friday, April 27, 2007

Moab on a Single-Speed

Moab: Day-1

Against advice from numerous other "experts" I took my single-speed (SS) Gary Fisher Ferrous to Moab.

The experts said it would be futile to ride a SS in lumpy, bumpy Moab and that I would need to either take or rent a super-duper-boingy-full-squish-bike with lots of granny gears for climbing those leg-burning steep hills.

After riding in Moab I have 3 things to say:

1) Gears are over-rated and truly shifting gears is a waste of time and effort.

2) Full suspension bikes are over-rated...such a waste of effort to have to push all that extra junk up a hill.

3) 29-inch wheels rule! I have been "thinking" about getting a standard 26" wheeled bike again, but I must say that Moab truly renewed my faith in the advantage 29ers have in riding over obstacles and on rough terrain.

One more thing...I used some Ergon grips for the first time down in Moab and must say I am way beyond sold on the comfort they provide. After a few hundred miles of riding the roughest desert trails my hands felt fresh and ready for more. The Ergon grips on a Bontrager 12-degree Big-Sweep handlebar was heavenly everyday.

The weather was spectacular as was the scenery...every day on every ride I was awed by the views...I truly could not get enough...

2 comments:

monk3y mike said...

Mega-props!!! While the full-squish bikes do have their place, I've ridden hardtails a couple of times in Moab. There's plenty to ride without the extra shizzle. I am guessing that you at least brough a suspension fork? What gearing did you use for Moab? I would've thought that a 32x18 or 32x19 would let you climb those grades okay.

Eric Kop-ski said...

I used a 32x20 and went everywhere with ease and more-often-than-not dusted those geared souls with me (or behind me I should say)...