# Whats the dumbest thing anyone ever said about your single speed?



## robtre (Apr 9, 2008)

What? No Gears? 
How do you get up a hill? 
How do you shift?
You ride that thing on hills?
I guess you cant go too fast.


----------



## wjphillips (Oct 13, 2008)

Once someone asked me if I was a hipster.

I nearly fed him my SPDs.


----------



## thrasher_s (Oct 5, 2009)

What, you can't afford more gears?


----------



## raganwald (Mar 1, 2011)

“That thing is stupid-light."


----------



## ALBM (Jan 16, 2012)

What do you do when you get too a hill?


----------



## surreal (Jan 25, 2008)

I misread the title of this post; I thought it read "what's the stupidest thing _you've_ ever said about your singlespeed??

I'm willing to bet that some of the stupidest comments come from us singlespeeders ourselves, and I bet the comments often include terms like "zen" and phrases like "become one with my bike".

I once had to watch, silently, as my wife (at that point, my girlfriend) was being sold a bike by an REI salesman. (My orders were to "shut up and let me buy a bike.") Thing is, dude kept trying to pull me into the conversation, and he said some pretty weird ish about SS, too.

-rob


----------



## Dave94024 (Dec 18, 2010)

My first SS is on back order. Hope to get it in a couple weeks. 
So given I don't actually have one yet I don't know if I truly qualify to answer this&#8230; but&#8230; here's mine&#8230;

My wife said&#8230; "Won't it be harder to go uphill? The next time you want to make your biking harder, instead of spending money on *yet another bike*&#8230; just skip riding for a month and sit on the couch eating chips and drinking beer *gaining weight*&#8230; and then go ride one of the bikes you already own&#8230;"_ (yeah, I ordered it anyway)_ :thumbsup:


----------



## raganwald (Mar 1, 2011)

surreal said:


> I'm willing to bet that some of the stupidest comments come from us singlespeeders ourselves, and I bet the comments often include terms like "zen" and phrases like "become one with my bike".


Thanks for reminding me. A previous incarnation of my SS was an "AM-SS:" Wide DH bars, front suspension with remote lockout, flat pedals, sturdy AM wheels, and even a dropper post. It was great for rock crawling and riding shore-style stunts. I met a hard-core SSer who admonished me for not fully embracing "simplicity" with all my gizmos. I told him that I embraced the simplicity of not having an epic repair session every time I bash a derailleur on a stunt or rock, and that was simple enough for me.


----------



## Glide the Clyde (Nov 12, 2009)

ALBM said:


> What do you do when you get too a hill?


When I get this question, I tell them that I throw my bike into the brush, sit down on the ground kicking my feet, sucking my thumb and calling for my mommy.


----------



## goforbroke (Nov 11, 2008)

My 12 year old nephew laughed at me when I told him I was taking my gears off.

Him: Uncle what are you doing to your bike?
Me: Taking me gears off and it making it into a single speed.
Him: hahahahahahaha
Me: It's going to be a over sized BMX bike now.
Him: Thats silly Uncle

So we went outside and I bunny hop over his BMX bike.
Him:


----------



## ernesto_from_Wisconsin (Jan 12, 2004)

"A single speed?" said a pro looking guy at Kettle Moraine once... then later, I passed him going up hill.


----------



## AtotheZ (Nov 16, 2007)

Someone once told me that my single speed rigid 29er was a total fad and that I would be back to geared 26er soon - 5 years strong on my fad bike


----------



## OneBadWagon (Mar 29, 2007)

I was at the trailhead of the most SS friendly trial around, having pre-ride chat with some roadie type. I was just zipping up my camelbak as he extolled the greatness of his Carbon FS and said:
"Well, you've only got one gear, so I guess I'm going to head out now so I don't get stuck behind you."

So I finished putting my helmet and gloves on as he rode into the trail, thinking I'd seen the last of him... Until I passed him less than a half mile into the trail. 

That was definitely the dumbest statement I've heard about my SS. Most of the folks around here who haven't tried it do the usual "I could never ride one of those." rhetoric. Nothing too crazy.


----------



## borbntm (May 4, 2011)

"Great way to blow your out your knees and give yourself a hernia".... direct from the mouth of a person who rides a 30 lb. all mountain bike in xc races!


----------



## b0mb3r (Feb 12, 2011)

Someone recently said that my single speed was not a mountain bike because you can't ride up the mountains on a single speed... :facepalm:


----------



## robtre (Apr 9, 2008)

Dave94024 said:


> My first SS is on back order. Hope to get it in a couple weeks.
> So given I don't actually have one yet I don't know if I truly qualify to answer this&#8230; but&#8230; here's mine&#8230;
> 
> My wife said&#8230; "Won't it be harder to go uphill? The next time you want to make your biking harder, instead of spending money on *yet another bike*&#8230; just skip riding for a month and sit on the couch eating chips and drinking beer *gaining weight*&#8230; and then go ride one of the bikes you already own&#8230;"_ (yeah, I ordered it anyway)_ :thumbsup:


This I like. I call this football season.


----------



## JeffL (Jan 25, 2009)

Conversation at Tsali a few weeks ago:

"Man, that's light. Wow, there's no shock either. So how does riding that thing compare to your main bike?"

This IS my main bike. It's the only bike I own.

(silent, dumb stare)


----------



## robtre (Apr 9, 2008)

raganwald said:


> Thanks for reminding me. A previous incarnation of my SS was an "AM-SS:" Wide DH bars, front suspension with remote lockout, flat pedals, sturdy AM wheels, and even a dropper post. It was great for rock crawling and riding shore-style stunts. I met a hard-core SSer who admonished me for not fully embracing "simplicity" with all my gizmos. I told him that I embraced the simplicity of not having an epic repair session every time I bash a derailleur on a stunt or rock, and that was simple enough for me.


Im building one of those this summer for the steeper gnarly trails in Pisgah. Steep gearing probably 32-22, 120mm fork, stout wheels, chunky tires, short stem, and 750mm+ handlebars.


----------



## NEPMTBA (Apr 7, 2007)

"Dude, is that a single speed? How do you ride that?"
Usually said after riding with me on the hilly trails for a while! DUH

or

Why don't you get a "real mt bike?"
I just ride to the nearest rock and hop up on it and ask: "Do you have any non stupid questions, or do you wanna see me do this with your geared bike also? 

My best is to guys who ride 5 inch travel FS 29er rigs on some trail sections I build when they say "You gotta make that section easier" as I show them an old guy on a rigid ss can clean it!


----------



## ne_dan (Mar 19, 2007)

This "Whats the dumbest thing anyone ever said about your single speed?"


----------



## henrymiller1 (Apr 25, 2008)

AtotheZ said:


> Someone once told me that my single speed rigid 29er was a total fad and that I would be back to geared 26er soon - 5 years strong on my fad bike


Heard that one, still riding my fad as well.


----------



## tribug (Dec 16, 2009)

Right before I converted my SIR9 from geared to SS, my riding buddy told me that I would never pass him on uphills again. After a couple of months, I started passing him again and it's normal now.


----------



## robtre (Apr 9, 2008)

"Man I bet you would be fast on a geared bike"


----------



## fryed_1 (Nov 8, 2010)

Neighbor kid on his wally world special Next bike said something like... "That thing sucks! At least mine has badass coils and springs and **** on it!"


----------



## k29er (Aug 21, 2011)

"No gears? How does that work?"


----------



## robtre (Apr 9, 2008)

Tomorrow I ride with a friend who is "getting back into riding" he asked me if I would be embarrassed riding with him on his older bike I said no I dont care. He asked me what "good" bikes go for? I replied well I guess thats a matter of personal preference depending on what you like. Then he asked what do I ride? I said I have a steel SS rigid 29er which I had to explain what that meant exactly. I said "basically its a fat tire bike with one speed and no fork I built for trail riding". His first reply was " are you sure its not a beach cruiser?"


----------



## fishcreek (Apr 10, 2007)

"a track bike for mountain biking?"

"what do you do to make it go faster?"


----------



## SS Hack (Jan 20, 2012)

In my hood it's more like the opposite where everyone seems to think single speeders are super human - which is also silly.


----------



## blackgriffen_1 (May 18, 2010)

The one that constantly annoys me when I hear it even from experienced riders: "Why?"


----------



## asphaltdude (Sep 17, 2008)

SS Hack said:


> Everyone seems to think single speeders are super human - which is also silly.


Aren't we, then?


----------



## J3SSEB (Jun 1, 2009)

"Is that a fixie"... I guess that's not that dumb.


----------



## MarcusSommers (Sep 11, 2008)

robtre said:


> "Man I bet you would be fast on a geared bike"


This is by far the most common comment I get here in Pisgah.


----------



## todwil (Feb 1, 2007)

They ask how do you shift gears? I say I down shift by standing up!!


----------



## zaskaranddriver (Oct 14, 2009)

blackgriffen_1 said:


> The one that constantly annoys me when I hear it even from experienced riders: "Why?"


Just quote George Mallory.


----------



## TheSingleGuy (Mar 11, 2004)

This is only a bit stupid, but multiplied by the incredible number of times I've heard it, it becomes stupidly annoying: "My knees are too bad to ride SS"

Next best: "*I* could never ride a SS..." Why not?

...and about my bike (although not directly SS-related) when looking at my One-One SL carbon fork - "What sort of shocks are those?"


----------



## blackgriffen_1 (May 18, 2010)

zaskaranddriver said:


> Just quote George Mallory.


I feel the significance would be lost on most of the philistines in question.


----------



## byknuts (Aug 9, 2008)

"so what do you do when you get to a hill?"
I pedal harder.
"what if it's a really big hill?"
I... pedal a lot harder.


----------



## MAGAIVER (May 8, 2012)

People always ask me how will I manage to get on top on the hills, as if riding with only one gear was some sort of Herculean task. 
And since almost everyone around here is riding on full suspension all-mountain rigs I get all kinds of nicknames for keeping up with them on my singlespeed. They are very amazed at it but at the same time too scared to give it a try.


----------



## banks (Feb 2, 2004)

"belts break"


----------



## Spinning Lizard (Nov 27, 2009)

At a race sign in this year, the check in guy told me to start in the back because I would not be able to make the first climb. I replied can the geared guys ride it? He responded, yep no problem. I replied so can I then. I was first up the climb and down the other side and to the finish line.


----------



## Glide the Clyde (Nov 12, 2009)

Spinning Lizard said:


> At a race sign in this year, the check in guy told me to start in the back because I would not be able to make the first climb. I replied can the geared guys ride it? He responded, yep no problem. I replied so can I then. I was first up the climb and down the other side and to the finish line.


pshhhhhh


----------



## Sheepo5669 (May 14, 2010)

"ohhhh, so I guess thats an Up-hill bike!"


As I tried to relate ss mtbing to a guy in the shop I used the BMX analogy. "you know how you enjoyed riding your BMX as a kid? You just hop on it, ride, and have fun. You diddnt need to shift or anything"

And he responded, "oh, thats pretty cool. So, its like a mountain bike you can do tricks on???"
***Facepalm***


----------



## rockbasher (May 30, 2012)

You guys are so macho with your 1 speeds. I always see the things being carried up the steep stuff in the local trail system,I mainly wonder how you get em up to 50 mph on the fun downhills? Legs must spin Real Fast!


----------



## Oliver (May 18, 2005)

I must be too big and look too intimidating. I have only been asked what gear I am running, other than that peeps mind their business.


----------



## bluntadelic (Dec 28, 2011)

goforbroke said:


> My 12 year old nephew laughed at me when I told him I was taking my gears off.
> 
> Him: Uncle what are you doing to your bike?
> Me: Taking me gears off and it making it into a single speed.
> ...


i've met someone in bike shop n said the same 
"just like big BMX" when he sees my SS


----------



## drofluf (Dec 12, 2010)

todwil said:


> They ask how do you shift gears? I say I down shift by standing up!!


I say "well I go to the shed and get a chain whip and then..."


----------



## can't get right (May 15, 2005)

After riding a full day with a group of So Cal, full sus guys, and kicking their trash up and down the mountain.

"I can't tell if you are insane or totally awesome."


----------



## Glide the Clyde (Nov 12, 2009)

can't get right said:


> "I can't tell if you are insane or totally awesome."


And this is dumb how?


----------



## jackspade (Jul 23, 2010)

'You're awesome, you ride BMX to get here'


----------



## bt (Nov 24, 2007)

"why?"


----------



## pecsokak (Sep 23, 2010)

my favorite is when SSers see me on my geared bike, and spout the whole rant about "simplicity" when my whole geared HT costs less than their wheels.


----------



## Velokid1 (May 3, 2005)

"You would LOVE that trail... it's perfect for a singlespeed."


----------



## extremedave (Aug 25, 2011)

byknuts said:


> "so what do you do when you get to a hill?"
> I pedal harder.
> "what if it's a really big hill?"
> I... pedal a lot harder.


That's gold there.:thumbsup:



SS Hack said:


> In my hood it's more like the opposite where everyone seems to think single speeders are super human - which is also silly.


Around here too.

This weekend I'm climbing next to my riding buddy, and he jokes deadpan, "hey, how come you're standing?". I sputtered back at him, "cause I have to!!!"

We also have a running gag referring to my mental capacity as "singlespeed", as in "we're lost...why did we let singlespeed lead?".


----------



## drofluf (Dec 12, 2010)

On road but on my singlespeed I was caught by a guy on his lightweight carbon machine. We chatted for a while and then he noticed my lack of gears, he asked the usual "why" questions and finished by saying.

"Well you'd never get up Bear Mountain on that!"

At that point I'd never heard of Bear Mountain, but Google was my friend and I realised I could get up there and make it my first ever century. Rode up there a few weekends later and on the way home got my coolest compliment on a bike from a lady at the lights.

"You rode Bear Mountain on singlespeed, dude that's hardcore" :thumbsup:


----------



## blackgriffen_1 (May 18, 2010)

I forgot about the nice guy and his son who stood aside to let me clear a tech section; I'd taken off my rear canti, didn't have the new one yet, so I went riding with just a front BB7. Quoted the nice guy: "Fixed gear offroad?!?!???" I corrected him, but he was still shocked I only had a front brake. :thumbsup:


----------



## wjphillips (Oct 13, 2008)

I went on a group mtb ride this past Saturday. All the riders (except me) were riding boutique full squish bikes. One of the lead riders looked at my full rigid 29er SS and asked: "Is that a road bike???".

Effing classic!


----------



## Andrea138 (Mar 25, 2009)

Velokid1 said:


> "You would LOVE that trail... it's perfect for a singlespeed."


Gawd, people tell me that about the Lumberjack 100 all the time.

"Do you think you'd be faster if you rode gears?" 
I hate that one.


----------



## 4nbstd (Apr 12, 2012)

wjphillips said:


> Once someone asked me if I was a hipster.
> 
> I nearly fed him my SPDs.


Being on rigid 29er ss, I felt like a hipster. :madman:


----------



## 4nbstd (Apr 12, 2012)

wjphillips said:


> I went on a group mtb ride this past Saturday. All the riders (except me) were riding boutique full squish bikes. One of the lead riders looked at my full rigid 29er SS and asked: "Is that a road bike???".
> 
> Effing classic!


And you would think that a lead rider would know better.


----------



## mtnbikej (Sep 6, 2001)

Some dumbass punks laughed at my Surly 1x1.....said I needed to get it fixed because my King SS rear hub was making too much noise. 

If only they really knew.


----------



## Brooks424 (May 18, 2012)

As my brother and i were at the trail head, a guy rides by laughing and saying " Yall are crazy, where's your climbing gear?" as we passed him later laughing, he didn't have yit to say at the end.


----------



## gsxrawd (Apr 2, 2004)

I rode my single speed mountain bike to the local triathlon bike shop to buy some chain lube. One of the worker at the shop told me "that's a nice fixie you got there". I looked at him and said you know that's clearly a single speed mountain bike and not a fixed gear bike right? Then he said "well at least you got brakes on it". I shook my head and just left the shop. 

Maybe my single speed is too colorful and he think I'm one of those fixie punks?


----------



## SS Hack (Jan 20, 2012)

gsxrawd said:


> I rode my single speed mountain bike to the local triathlon bike shop to buy some chain lube. One of the worker at the shop told me "that's a nice fixie you got there". I looked at him and said you know that's clearly a single speed mountain bike and not a fixed gear bike right? Then he said "well at least you got brakes on it". I shook my head and just left the shop.
> 
> Maybe my single speed is too colorful and he think I'm one of those fixie punks?


Did you have skinny jeans on? Or maybe a $90 flannel shirt that looks like the one I got for free from grandpa?


----------



## FirstStateCamber (Jul 4, 2006)

I came up on another rider and he heard my hub buzzing along and he says, you got a motor on that thing? then i proceeded to pass him on a hill as he sat and moaned, yip yip peace out Mr. Irideacouch...


----------



## veeco (Apr 10, 2009)

"Whats the dumbest thing anyone ever said about your single speed"...
HA, I was walking through the hotel lobby after StarCrossed last year and a bunch of people in there said something like....
"Dude nice "fixie"....hipster"

I just smiled and walked through.

silly silly people.


----------



## Cotharyus (Jun 21, 2012)

Actually, I thought this was more funny than stupid, but:

I was leading on a club ride one night, and stopped at the end of a good sized loop to let everyone catch up. One of the guys' 9 year old son was there, riding third in the line, right behind the club director. He rolls up behind us and says "Man, you're pretty quick on that beach cruiser!"

The director and I just about fell over laughing.


----------



## serious (Jan 25, 2005)

One of the dumbest things about singlespeeds came right out of my mouth when I told my wife that a singlespeed race bike will be much cheaper.


----------



## SS Hack (Jan 20, 2012)

serious said:


> One of the dumbest things about singlespeeds came right out of my mouth when I told my wife that a singlespeed race bike will be much cheaper.


Not dumb. It sounds like you we're trying to make a sale.


----------



## Sage of the Sage (Nov 10, 2011)

Person at store: where's the gears?
Me: one on the cranks and one on the hub.
Person: cool, do you ride hills on that thing?
Me: No, I ride mountains.
Person: ......


----------



## cdn-dave (Jan 6, 2007)

I tend to sweep during group rides, except when it comes to hills. So the dumb comment was when I explained to a buddy as we approached the beginning of a technical climb "I need to keep up my momentum and can't really ride slow" (as someone spinning in a granny gear)

I still get a chuckle when I remember passing another dude on this climb, who just bought a brand new race fully, when he sighed "oh dave...."


----------



## brent878 (Apr 17, 2007)

SS Hack said:


> In my hood it's more like the opposite where everyone seems to think single speeders are super human - which is also silly.


I get that alot too. Either I am crazy or super human. I don't think I am crazy and I now I am not super human. Every other single speeder I come across always have atleast 2 gears smaller on the back than me. And they are riding the same trails as I am. Maybe those are the SS everyone is meeting at my trails, haha.

On another note, I am the only SS in my group of friends. Have you guys tried to convert any others to SS and did you have a hard time? I have been working on my friends for years now and no dice. One of my friends is building a HT frame now and I offered to give him a chain tensioner and cog to try it out before he buys gears for it. He is on the fence about it but needs a nudge. I let him try my bike for a uphill and he even commented it was easier to ride uphill than his 5.5" FS bike. But I still think he is going to go gears unless I can knudge him in the right direction, haha. Just don't know how to.


----------



## SS Hack (Jan 20, 2012)

brent878 said:


> I get that alot too. Either I am crazy or super human. I don't think I am crazy and I now I am not super human. Every other single speeder I come across always have atleast 2 gears smaller on the back than me. And they are riding the same trails as I am. Maybe those are the SS everyone is meeting at my trails, haha.
> 
> On another note, I am the only SS in my group of friends. Have you guys tried to convert any others to SS and did you have a hard time? I have been working on my friends for years now and no dice. One of my friends is building a HT frame now and I offered to give him a chain tensioner and cog to try it out before he buys gears for it. He is on the fence about it but needs a nudge. I let him try my bike for a uphill and he even commented it was easier to ride uphill than his 5.5" FS bike. But I still think he is going to go gears unless I can knudge him in the right direction, haha. Just don't know how to.


Nobody I know will convert, but my wife wants to give it a try!


----------



## can't get right (May 15, 2005)

brent878 said:


> But I still think he is going to go gears unless I can knudge him in the right direction, haha. Just don't know how to.


Try getting a few pops in him to loosen him up first.


----------



## SS Hack (Jan 20, 2012)

can't get right said:


> Try getting a few pops in him to loosen him up first.


Of course if you say "well, I guess you're just not strong enough" ...


----------



## dredul (Sep 19, 2010)

"that's dumb... why would you want just one gear on a mtb?"... I then passed him on the trail...


----------



## rydbyk (Oct 13, 2009)

serious said:


> One of the dumbest things about singlespeeds came right out of my mouth when I told my wife that a singlespeed race bike will be much cheaper.


I know...I always think I will build my new SS for around 3K bucks.... never happens..haha How does it all add up so fast with fewer parts...wft..

It's like the missing sock mystery or something..


----------



## brent878 (Apr 17, 2007)

rydbyk said:


> I know...I always think I will build my new SS for around 3K bucks.... never happens..haha How does it all add up so fast with fewer parts...wft..
> 
> It's like the missing sock mystery or something..


haha I set a 1k budget for my last build. When the frame ate up that whole budget I said oh well screw it and came in right around 5k. And people think I am crazy spending that much on a bike with no rear suspenion or gears.


----------



## A1an (Jun 3, 2007)

Few months ago my phone rings while riding so I pull over to the side to answer. Already on the side of the trail is a guy with a FS geared bike that looks totally spent. After I get off the phone the following conversation takes place:

Me - "Hey there...everything okay?"
Him - "Yeah. Fixed gear, eh?"
Me - "Nope not a fixed gear."

Spin cranks backwards to show it is not fixed.

Him - "Nope that is a fixed gear. That is what we all call it. Fixie singlespeed."
Me - "Oh is that so?"

End conversation.


----------



## rydbyk (Oct 13, 2009)

A1an said:


> Few months ago my phone rings while riding so I pull over to the side to answer. Already on the side of the trail is a guy with a FS geared bike that looks totally spent. After I get off the phone the following conversation takes place:
> 
> Me - "Hey there...everything okay?"
> Him - "Yeah. Fixed gear, eh?"
> ...


Funny stuff


----------



## Just1Gear (Jan 14, 2011)

A1an said:


> Fixie singlespeed


Haven't heard that before.....good one


----------



## ZXFT (Oct 17, 2010)

Why?

Because I'm too stupid for gears.

Oh, I'm sorry...


----------



## stackwalker (Jul 7, 2011)

This wasn't a dumb thing to say.. it more just inflated my growing ego.

I was on a good mile long climb today of about 500 ft vertical and I pass a guy huffing his way up in granny. I slowed down considerably since I had to go in the sand to get around him. He gives me a look and then looked at my rear cog as I passed by and said,

"you f**kin kiddin me?"

I laughed to myself and of course that got my adrenaline going and I charged the rest of that sucker. I think the whole SS thing is a badge of honor in a way. It's one thing to smoke past a guy on your $3500 carbon bike that weighs 3 lbs, but it says something totally different when you cruise past a guy on your $300 POS with rigid forks, no derailleurs or shifters. I've spent a lot of time training this season and the SS gives me a chance to show it off.. I'm not ashamed to indulge in a little machismo and dig the hardcore image that SS riders enjoy.


----------



## thickfog (Oct 29, 2010)

Why do you ride that?


----------



## Flyin_W (Jun 17, 2007)

Get far more comments, or questions RE: rigid. 
"Why wouldn't you want a suspension fork? It makes trails so much easier".
As a dinosaur who started MTB-ing before suspension, it seems natural. Unless the trails have sustained climbs/descents, or loaded with brutal rocks/roots, then I can usually hang with the group.


----------



## aka brad (Dec 24, 2003)

Cotharyus said:


> Actually, I thought this was more funny than stupid, but:
> 
> I was leading on a club ride one night, and stopped at the end of a good sized loop to let everyone catch up. One of the guys' 9 year old son was there, riding third in the line, right behind the club director. He rolls up behind us and says "Man, you're pretty quick on that beach cruiser!"
> 
> The director and I just about fell over laughing.


You stole my dumb thing someone said. There were two young guys on a couple of hard tails when I reached Sand Point, which is 8 mile climb in the redwoods; I was on my rigid Bontrager. The first said to the other, "Look dude that guy road a beach cruiser up here." The other guy responded, "I didn't know Bontrager made beach cruisers".


----------



## metrotuned (Dec 29, 2006)

"fixie singlespeed" is technically correct for a direct drivetrain bike. If you are freewheelin' then you are single speed. Climbing Diablo on my steel SS MTB with 700x59 knobby tires, passed two carbon framed cytomax roadies, and one said to the other, "check out that fixie!" ... It wasn't dumb on their end, just a mis-identification.


----------



## 4nbstd (Apr 12, 2012)

Flyin_W said:


> Get far more comments, or questions RE: rigid.
> "Why wouldn't you want a suspension fork? It makes trails so much easier".


Same here with riding rigid. People think I'm loony when I tell them my rigid ss was $1000 stock and I put $1500 worth of components over the years.


----------



## jackspade (Jul 23, 2010)

'Is that fixed gear? Oh wait your tire too big for fixed gear'


----------



## spity (Mar 7, 2012)

Its been said but I still love it because I get asked all the time. 
A friend asked me at a bar. "What do you do when you get to a hill."?, Me; "I usually wait at the top for everyone else!"


----------



## Utilityman (Feb 19, 2011)

rydbyk said:


> I know...I always think I will build my new SS for around 3K bucks.... never happens..haha How does it all add up so fast with fewer parts...wft..
> 
> It's like the missing sock mystery or something..


Put a hankerchief in your camel bak!!!


----------



## rydbyk (Oct 13, 2009)

ridefast84 said:


> Put a hankerchief in your camel bak!!!


Do what now? Is the the new "put a bird on it"?


----------



## buddhak (Jan 26, 2006)

"I could never ride a bike like that" - numerous times

My thoughts to myself: not with that attitude you couldn't.


----------



## robtre (Apr 9, 2008)

ZXFT said:


> Why?
> 
> Because I'm too stupid for gears.
> 
> Oh, I'm sorry...


I have been quoted " I am not smart enough to shift"


----------



## Utilityman (Feb 19, 2011)

rydbyk said:


> Do what now? Is the the new "put a bird on it"?


You know... Rather than go home with only one sock take a henkerchief! Just incase...


----------



## Sage of the Sage (Nov 10, 2011)

Got a new one... At the lbs talking to my riding buddy (he's the manager) , and this customer walks in- " you didn't warn me about the handling on that new 29er! I hit the bottom of a wash and the fork rebounded and made me wreck!" 
Me- you could try a rigid fork
Him- Why?
My buddy- John's singlespeed handles pretty good, for sure
Customer- wait a minute... A singlespeed with no shocks? 
Me- yup.
Customer- and you ride it up hills?
My buddy- he's faster than me up hill!
Customer- blank stare as my buddy and I are trying not to laugh.


----------



## JDYMTB (Aug 20, 2012)

him: "Whoa... you ride rigid?"
me: "yup"
him: "what the fvck... singlespeed??? That sh!t is straight out of the 80's!
me: "well... no, its pretty new..."

After a few more minutes of convo they he thought it was pretty badass. 

I actually like the looks i get in the parking lot... the looks say it all. I just smile and say "Hi"


----------



## erichwic (Mar 3, 2004)

I don't get it.


----------



## atomicmanatee (Sep 1, 2012)

"Why the hell would you do that?" - my riding buddy finding out that that i was abandoning my 26" hardtail geared bike for a full rigid SS


----------



## drofluf (Dec 12, 2010)

*OK Confession Time*

I may have been guilty of making a dumb comment in my past 

Was staying with my brother in law in Ojai and the local bike shop owner showed me round some of the local trails. At the end of the ride he introduced me to a customer in the shop saying "he rides single speed" I made some allegation about his sanity or lack thereof or something similarly crass.

Roll the clock forward 6 months and I'm riding single speed. Go figure


----------



## reedfe (Sep 5, 2011)

"can you still do wheelies?" -riding buddy's brother after we came home from a ride


----------



## Stockli Boy (Feb 3, 2012)

I explain that it has one gear but three speeds:
1. Riding it (fastest)
2. Pushing it (not as fast)
3. Leaning over the bars, puking (a bit slower)


----------



## edouble (Apr 16, 2004)

*The dumbest thing ever said to me was...*

NOTHING. I said hello to a guy on his 5k, Fox forked, hydraulic disc braked, xtr'ed out Turner fs bike at the trail head. He looked at my rigid, ss, v-braked Voodoo Soukri and turned his head without speaking. When I went into the woods to take a leak, he was gone. Later when I caught and passed him I looked at him and said, NOTHING! :thumbsup:


----------



## BBXTC (Jan 26, 2011)

Ive had a few: Hey how did you get up here? Is there another trail?

Followed by: Dude thats impossible. I just smile and say, yup it is...


----------



## stackwalker (Jul 7, 2011)

[other rider] "Nice Fixie!"

"It's a single speed"

[other rider] "It must be really light"

"Not really - it's kind of a junker - and weighs almost 27 lbs"

[other rider] "You'll be pushing that soon"

"But we are at the top" <confused>

[other rider] "Good luck!" <rides away>

<befuddled>


----------



## brianW. (Nov 15, 2010)

Rider: "Hey, that only has one speed"
me: "Sh*t! The others must of fell off, can you help me find them?"

I also have more looks/comments because of my bike being a rigid then being ss.


----------



## treesmasher (Sep 27, 2008)

I don`t think your supposed to be drinking beer on the trail.


----------



## ozzybmx (Jun 30, 2008)

Singlespeeder at an enduro event- What gear did yous guys run ?

Me- 30:18

Singlespeeder at an enduro event- Ah....SPINNERS.

Me: (nods head) I found it a pretty good gear to ride the whole race without pushing.

Singlespeeder at an enduro event- yeah there was only about probably 7-8 hills that i had to walk.

Me- Yeah, good (then watched their facial expressions as they bathed in their own shite, not even an idea what they had just said)


----------



## ozzybmx (Jun 30, 2008)

Heres another.....

*Work mate who rides a roadie-* What do you mean, a single speed mountain bike ?

*Me-* One gear, no suspension.

*Work mate who rides a roadie-* You ride up hills with that ?

*Me- *Yeah its not as hard as people think.

*Work mate who rides a roadie-* How do you control heart rate and cadence ?

*Me-*


----------



## JDYMTB (Aug 20, 2012)

*The Squishy Squad*

So I pull into my local trail system with mr rigid 29er SS on the back of the car and park next to a small group of FS geared riders (The Squishy Squad is the nickname I gave them). They were talking about which trails to ride and picked two of the more technical ones totallying about 5 miles of single track. the discussion was how hard those trails were and blah blah blah, then one of the belts out with "well we could make it even harder and ride a rigid 29er singlespeed" and then he just looked over at me. 

All I could say was... "riden those trails and cleared them faster then on my full suspension". I almost asked if I could join them but did not want to hear the excuses after I were to leave them in the dust.

I ended up doing about 8 miles in a shade over an hour and when i got back to my car they were still not done with their planned 5 mile ride.


----------



## UnderPar (Aug 11, 2009)

A guy at the bike shop to me "I have a single speed too, but mine has three gears."


----------



## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

*important message from the department of redundancy department*



illnacord said:


> "fixie singlespeed" is technically correct for a direct drivetrain bike. If you are freewheelin' then you are single speed.


"fixie singlespeed" is not the preferred nomenclature -- "fixed gear" or "fixed", please.

because it is extremely rare to encounter a multi-speed fixed gear hub a direct drivetrain bike is by definition a singlespeed. thus "fixie singlespeed" is redundant. it's like saying "completely unanimous", "closed fist", or "prior history".

and honestly, one should never use the term "fixie" period unless they're a hipster with skinny nutcracker jeans, thick framed glasses, and a $90 flannel shirt just like the ones i got for free out of my grandpa's closet.


----------



## monzie (Aug 5, 2009)

^^Amen brother. Also, please for the love of Satan, stop saying "fully rigid". It hurts on the inside.


----------



## A1an (Jun 3, 2007)

^ But my wife doesn't like it when I say it is half rigid.


----------



## monzie (Aug 5, 2009)

How about just "rigid"? We would accept that there is no bounce to your ride as rigid already means completely stiff.


----------



## A1an (Jun 3, 2007)

There are times when I have to stop to let air out of my front tire on the rigid. Someone will of course ask "letting air out of your tire". My response is "no...adjusting the rebound on the front suspension".


----------



## Kaizer (Jul 19, 2010)

A1an said:


> There are times when I have to stop to let air out of my front tire on the rigid. Someone will of course ask "letting air out of your tire". My response is "no...adjusting the rebound on the front suspension".


LOL... This is a good one! :thumbsup:


----------



## Cotharyus (Jun 21, 2012)

A1an said:


> There are times when I have to stop to let air out of my front tire on the rigid. Someone will of course ask "letting air out of your tire". My response is "no...adjusting the rebound on the front suspension".


This is good, we have a mechanic at the LBS who is obsessed with suspension setup, to the point of using dial calipers to get x% sag to the millimeter when he's setting a bike up for a customer. As a result, I refer to my tire pressure adjustments as "setting my sag".


----------



## 4nbstd (Apr 12, 2012)

From one of the forum members who has a singlespeedphobia



> You guys and your stupid SS rigid comments. It seems like anytime someone with a hard-on for a SS gets a chance to suggest it they do. WTF?
> 
> How do I climb better....get a SS
> Which squishy fork should I get.....go SS Rigid.
> How do I lighten my bike up....go F yourself.


----------



## A1an (Jun 3, 2007)

^ lol


----------



## Vegard (Jul 16, 2009)

brianW. said:


> Rider: "Hey, that only has one speed"
> me: "Sh*t! The others must of fell off, can you help me find them?"
> 
> I also have more looks/comments because of my bike being a rigid then being ss.


Stuff like that is a perfect pickup line if ms.right or ms.right-now shows up on the track.
I got a date once after asking for help to find the other half of my lefty 'fork'.


----------



## have2ride2day (Nov 7, 2009)

treesmasher said:


> I don`t think your supposed to be drinking beer on the trail.


 Hilarious


----------



## Lord Humongous (Jan 12, 2004)

It's not what people say, it's what they do. Many of those I ride with are at most two gears away from being SS riders. They hover on one ring in the front and between two or three at the back for ninety percent of the trails we ride together, then express incredulity that I ride in only one gear.


----------



## jonathan creason (Jun 26, 2012)

LH, that was my main reasoning for converting to SS. I didn't shift anyway, so why bother with trying to maintain all that crap.


----------



## metrotuned (Dec 29, 2006)

After much thought, no one has said anything as silly as the terrain I ride on a single speed.


----------



## MichaelStewart (Sep 23, 2012)

These are hilarious...hope I hear some of these and others!


----------



## AlexCuse (Nov 27, 2011)

illnacord said:


> After much thought, no one has said anything as silly as the terrain I ride on a single speed.


Just how it should be 

I had a guy come close once though - as we neared the end of the ride he asked "How are you keeping up on that Amish bike?".

This was the day after I'd gotten new Stan's wheels put on and felt like my bike was SUPER high tech :lol:


----------



## Obi (Oct 16, 2005)

Dumbest question has to be "Why?"

I always hear that one.


----------



## SlowPokePete (Mar 27, 2006)

I was out riding my rigid SS (SC Highball) early this morning when someone asked me ...

"is that a tri bike ?"

SPP


----------



## MMS (Apr 11, 2011)

Newb here...

Hardtail, not rigid...

Someone asked, "How do you do it with one gear?"
I asked, "What do you do with all the left overs?"


----------



## TwoShoes (Dec 17, 2007)

I was showing off my new Niner One 9 rigid singlespeed tubeless 29er the other day and the guy who runs all of the mountain bike rides is checking it out. 

Him - "Why only 1 gear?"
Me - "Why not?"
Him - "Why didn't you put a nice 100mm shock on it for the trails?"
Me - "I wanted a simple light weight bike that would just be fun to ride with no worries of parts breaking."
Him - "Well maybe you could go on our cyclocross ride but I doubt you could keep up on Mt Ashlands downhill trails."
Me - "I rode your downhill trails on a hard tail with a 100mm fork and I kept up with you full squishies all day long."
Him - "Dude you're crazy!" 

The group of guys here think I'm crazy but they give me the "He's passing me?" look when I pass them going up the steep hill to the university every day.


----------



## Cools (Jan 3, 2013)

"You paid how much for one gear?!!"


----------



## ride_bikes (Oct 7, 2012)

I've hear a lot of what's been said already, especially the 'why' question is annoying.

One evening I was riding with a group of riders I didn't know too well. We were riding a climb that had 7 or so switchbacks. I started out first on the way back and stopped at the 4th switchback after spinning out on a rock. One guy passed and said 'need more gears?' Don't know why but I simply said no, and jumped back on. He stopped at the next switchback which was the steepest. I hammered through, passing him without a word and was the first to the top.

On another ride, 2 ss'ers and 6 geared riders, we were leading the whole day. Conversation ensued at some point with a geared rider suggesting that his physical therapist girlfriend decided that single speeders will surely have knee problems later in life. I suggested to him that surely we were not pedaling any harder than they should be.

Around here, single speeding is an overall familiar, if not universally understood, style of riding. In a recent 6 hour ride, out of ~230 riders, the 1st and 3rd place overall finishers were on single speeds. While I wasn't on the podium, I stayed around for the awards just to look at faces when the results were announced.

Keep in mind folks that your single speeding can be very threatening to the ego's of geared riders. All those gears are supposed to be used to go faster, not make it easier, right?? So when you pass on climbs, you are forcing them to question their fitness, willpower and expensive bike purchase. (Don't get me wrong, I own a geared bike, and respect anyone that enjoys riding bikes. Hell, when I ride gears I reach for the granny gear too sometimes.)


----------



## ahelmus (Jun 2, 2006)

Question: Aren't you missing some gears?

Answer: Not at all.


----------



## BigTex91 (Oct 28, 2010)

"Shift! Oh, wait...."

While struggling up a short steep. Guy was at the top and didn't notice my lack of gears until I cleared the top.


----------



## Andy R (Nov 26, 2008)

Nobody around here cares what I ride, nor do I ever get any comments, stupid or otherwise.
It's just a bike when all's said and done.....


----------



## thickfog (Oct 29, 2010)

Latest comment: 

Oh it's a single speed. You know you're crazy, right?


----------



## tunaphis (Feb 27, 2013)

When pricing yet more parts the salesman "you could buy a really nice bike for that" Its nice to hire the handicapped.


----------



## borbntm (May 4, 2011)

A guy loading up his bike at the trail head that I rode to asked....Single speed huh? My answer....why yes, yes it is!.....His reply....."I used to have a Sting Ray when I was a kid and it was also a single speed".....Then he says "you wouldn't remember Sting Rays though, your to young" (I am approx. 10 years older than the guy that said this).....I guess single speeds make you look younger also!! (What a tool)


----------



## Cotharyus (Jun 21, 2012)

borbntm said:


> A guy loading up his bike at the trail head that I rode to asked....Single speed huh? My answer....why yes, yes it is!.....His reply....."I used to have a Sting Ray when I was a kid and it was also a single speed".....Then he says "you wouldn't remember Sting Rays though, your to young" (I am approx. 10 years older than the guy that said this).....I guess single speeds make you look younger also!! (What a tool)


I probably assumed you were a hipster college student or something....I get the "you must be really young" thing all the time from people who meet me when I'm on my SS. The same people run into me later on my FS bike and immediately start adding on years to my assumed age. So yeah, SS does make you look younger.


----------



## Bakudan (May 19, 2011)

"Can I ride your SS?"
"Hell no."


----------



## sxshep (Jul 17, 2011)

I told my brother-in-law this weekend that I was debating on piecing together a build for a rigid single speed 29er... He's a road bike guy, so his response was "Why the hell would you want to go back 30 years worth of technology?"


----------



## ParsedOut (Apr 4, 2013)

sxshep said:


> I told my brother-in-law this weekend that I was debating on piecing together a build for a rigid single speed 29er... He's a road bike guy, so his response was "Why the hell would you want to go back 30 years worth of technology?"


You should have said, "The same reason we go back 100 years to go camping and hunting, because it's FUN!"


----------



## IstongKowldPaRin (Apr 6, 2009)

dumbass dude: you removed your gears to reduce weight on your bike?
me: that's only a side benefit.


----------



## singlespeed_shep (Jul 29, 2010)

So YOU bought all this marketing BS


----------



## thickfog (Oct 29, 2010)

singlespeed_shep said:


> So YOU bought all this marketing BS


Now that tops the cake.


----------

