International Single Speed Day Report

My Pofahl Signature single speed.

So yesterday was "International Single Speed Day" as I reported last week. I didn't know why it was and I had no idea where this 'day' came from. I just decided that since it was on a Monday, of all days, that I would just do a single speed ride commute to work and back to be a part of the goings on. 

Well, Monday, after my commute, I found out what this was all about. Apparently, somehow or another, I was on an email list that helped to point to what the deal was here. It turns out the entire thing was an idea hatched by Paul, of Paul Components, you know.......'The Paul', of Paul Components, not to be confused with the "Apostle Paul", unless you are talking about an apostle of single speeding....... Maybe.  

So, Paul just figured he and another gal friend of his with birthdays on November 2nd should have this be a special day. But not just for them, but all who claim the single cog as "all they need". Thus November 2nd has been declared "International Single Speed Day" henceforth and forever.  

I decided to pull out my Pofahl Signature Single Speed. It's representative of single speeding as a whole, I think. You see, being a rider of The Single Cog can be seen as weird. Possibly stupid. Definitely 'not right' by most folk's standards. My Pofahl, with its design that I came up with, all goofy and whatnot, is pretty much an embodiment of the anti-establishment sentiment that the modern day off-road single speed movement had when Paul Components made the WORD hub and rebels against The Shimano Empire rejoiced to have a completely non-Shimano, non-multiple geared bicycle to flash between the narrow margins of single track. 

Anyway...... I rode my Pofahl and it was a ride. Nothing spectacular. At least I know now why the day was Monday and not on a weekend when proper single speed shenanigans could have been promulgated. Oh well. It will fall on a weekend someday, this "special day" of single speedness. 

In the meantime, I figured that in honor of International Single Speed Day that I would show some of my single speed devices in one post. You've seen the Pofahl already, so........

The OS Bikes Blackbuck

 

The Twin Six Standard Rando v2

Black Mountain Cycles "Monster Cross" aka "Orange Crush" aka "#49"

On One Inbred Limited SS specific frame

2003 Karate Monkey (The stem has been changed since this image from 2019)

And finally- a 'dual single speed drive train' or "Dingle-speed". The Salsa Cycles Blackborow

That's about it for single speed devices with the exception of my rat-ride Raleigh Gran Prix fixie. I don't have a current image of that one. This does not include my other Inbred which I traditionally ran as a single speed but has gears on it now. 

You might say I'm a bit of a single speed freak. But I do have geared bikes I love, and one that looks like a single speed but has 14 speeds in a hub. (Ti Muk 2 Rohloff) I guess single speed and my style of riding just works and even though people keep telling me my knees will one day tell me I am no longer a single speeder, that day has not arrived just yet. 

I hope that y'all had a wonderful 'International Single Speed Day', even if you don't engage in the madness of a single gear. 

Also- Don't forget to vote if you live in the USA TODAY!