For many people, single speeding is all about the simplicity and low maintenance. For others, it represents a lot more. It may be about rejecting (often high-priced) technological advancements that promise to make us better cyclists, yet seem go the way of Biopace chainrings in just a few years time. Maybe it's making a stand against the flood of aggressive marketing campaigns from big business conglomerates (otherwise known as "the man"). It might simply be boredom, and the need for a new challenge.

The bottom line is that it's hard to summarize the allure of single speeding into just a few statements. However, Striker (a frequent poster on the Mtbr forums) has put together a fine collection of thoughts attempting to answer the question, "Why ride single speed?" on his website, TriangleMTB.com.