At last, I’m back on my bike, and it’s official. No more furtive forrays felling guilty. It’s allowed, but there are conditions, like not falling off, or overdoing it (as if!).

So I’m born again as a cyclist, but this time into the ranks of the Singlespeeders. It’s a purer form of cycling more Zen like, more ‘at one on one’ so to speak. Just man and machine in flowing harmony, feeling more with less, effortless, efficient. Or to quote Supawal, a man ahead of his time if there ever was one, “A journey of deliverance of the second time in a child’s innocence!”.

More importantly, riding a Singlespeed stops me from slapping it in a big gear and winding it up on the descents, and tailwind bits. Having only one gear means having to work hard uphill, wrestling the bike with arms and legs. And, when it’s just too steep to climb, getting off and pushing ensures a more thorough work out. I was thinking of fitting some suspension forks, having no suspension means feeling every bump. But, this is a good thing, it stops me form going downhill fast. Maybe you should try it…you know…like if your’e goin’ downhill fast.

rallenta e amerai a lungo,