Single Speed my first experience

To get the opportunity to ride new bikes is always going to be a great experience. I like the feeling of new bikes, getting the position right feeling how the bike moves and rolls under me. When I got the opportunity to ride a 29er it was a new experience. I was surprised at how good the ride felt. So when I was offered the opportunity to ride the Niner S.I.R. 9 single speed I was very happy. This was not only a new bike but a new experience. It was an experience I shared with three other single speed riders. Cerdanya was the area for my baptism of fire!

The weather was great and with a hydration pack full of water we were of. Starting with a small single track before a road section was good to feel how the bike moved. The next section was a road climb. Knowing we had a long day and ridding a single speed I wanted to find a good pace. Keep the pedals moving but in a controlled manner. The climbs on the road were good and on the gravel lanes felt pretty smooth due to the big wheels. The rigid frame seemed to flex in all the right places. On a small section of single track I picked up the speed to get a feel for the bike going down. Even thought it was a full rigid bike it felt like it moved with me. A good feeling of control on the rough trail. I don't think with my downhill ridding style a bike like this would last too long. This is not a fault in the bike but more my aggressive ridding style.

The real test came when we took the bikes further into the hills. Climbing on the 29er wheels is a breeze. Climbing on a single speed takes more thought and effort. The bit I found hard was not knowing the route we would be ridding. I didnt know when to push and when to save energy. I wanted to push on every hill but didnt want to burn out with more climbing to come. The longer we pedalled the more tired I became. I was not used to pedalling in this heat and it was getting to me on the more sheltered areas with no breeze. I pushed on and tried to stay in a zone. I get a bit quiet when I am in this tired concentration mood. More water stops and when we could see the top of the climb I give one last push. Climbing on a single speed on mountains twice or three times higher than mountains we have at home was tough but enjoyable. This was more than I had climbed in a long time. To have just done it on a single speed I felt pretty good.

We now had a lot of descending to do. By this stage I was very tired. I was glad I was on a 29er because the ride felt comfortable. We turned onto some single track and I tried to push to see exactly how the bike felt in more demanding descents. Through the technical sections I found it comfortable and not as unbalanced as I had previously heard. I turned through the trees and kept the speed up bunny hopping holes trying to move the bike below me. Smooth as it felt I feel more comfortable on 26 wheels. Maybe it is because I am used to the 26 but I feel I have more control. If I can learn to ease of a bit on the descent I think the 29er would be a good bike for me. Now I enjoy the downhills to much to switch. This showed when I pushed a bit too hard on a rocky section and landed a little soft going over the bars. A mixture of too much speed, rigid forks and tired arms resulted in the crash. I finished the day with a road descent to the van. This was a journey shared with some great friends, new friends, new experiance and new mountains.
Kermit Green Niner S.I.R.9 Single Speed. Great bike for pedaling up hills on rough terrain. Fast responsive and light. Can take the technical descents but just not suited to my somewhat erratic ridding style.

Thank you to BICI OCI for the bike and the oppertunity to ride it in my second home Catalunya! I love this country and the people but most of all I LOVE MTB!!!