I've been riding a Niner One9 Rigid Singlespeed for the past year and I may not be a hard core downhill mountain biker but I enjoy riding the trails just like anybody else. I'm getting really sick of hearing people say, "you can't ride that here" or "You need a shock and some gears to handle this trail" from all the FS geared 29er guys who ride the trails here in Oregon. What's with all the hate? I don't ride anywhere near as fast as the FS guys do but I'm limited by some medical conditions. I just want to ride and not have every FS rider out there criticizing my choice of bike. I love my SS and I wouldn't trade it for any other type of bike out there.
What's with all the hate?
TwoShoes
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It's only "hate" if you take it as an offensive comment. What you have here is difference in opinion. Why do you even care what they think? Do you need validation from someone with gears and full suspension to justify why you ride what you do? Of course not. So smile, tell them you like the challenge, and enjoy your ride. Getting offended is what leads to hate, having a difference in opinion just adds color to life.
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The comments just get old after a while. I am by no means the fastest or strongest rider out there but I really do enjoy the simplicity of my bike. I was more curious if others were hearing these kinds of comments. All of the trails I've ridden out here, including the down hill trails, don't require shocks or gears. Most of the trails are all downhill anyway so it's mostly coasting. I don't take offense to the comments, I just don't understand why the population here seems so obsessed with having more gears than could possibly ever be needed and 6" travel suspension to ride the same trails I do on a rigid SS 29er.
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482 Posts
That is sig worthy right there! LoL
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It's funny because I started on an SS and it was really what I wanted to begin with. I guess I'm just unique!
I ride both SS and geared FS, and I'm always in awe of the SS guys I see bombing up
hills that I can't climb on my geared bike. And I make sure to tell them, every damn time. I mostly ride my SS on open, XC stuff, as I'm in Florida, and the only way we get to climb is to ride down into abandoned mines turned into parks. Eventually, I'd like to improve to the point where I can take the SS, but I'm just not there yet.
Don't let 'em bother you; they're never going to understand anyhow, and the disrespect just shows you what sort of people you're dealing with.
The ONLY opinion that matters is yours, and life's too short to worry about what other riders think of you or your rig.
Ride on....
hills that I can't climb on my geared bike. And I make sure to tell them, every damn time. I mostly ride my SS on open, XC stuff, as I'm in Florida, and the only way we get to climb is to ride down into abandoned mines turned into parks. Eventually, I'd like to improve to the point where I can take the SS, but I'm just not there yet.
Don't let 'em bother you; they're never going to understand anyhow, and the disrespect just shows you what sort of people you're dealing with.
The ONLY opinion that matters is yours, and life's too short to worry about what other riders think of you or your rig.
Ride on....
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1,723 Posts
Dude, you've got skills and they don't. Haters gonna hate! I'd take my rigid SS down anything I'd be willing to ride with suspension and gears. Not that anything around here is to knarly, but still, when the terrain points down, I'm hands off the brakes and riding as fast as I can possibly go!
It's not the bike that makes the rider. It's the rider that makes the bike! Always remember, people have been bombing down hills since the first ever bike was built. Which was LONG before gears and suspension ever came onto the scene.
It's not the bike that makes the rider. It's the rider that makes the bike! Always remember, people have been bombing down hills since the first ever bike was built. Which was LONG before gears and suspension ever came onto the scene.
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94 Posts
We have some gnarly downhill rides here in Oregon. Soon to be Summit rides from the top of Mt Bachelor to the lodge during the summer months. I will ride that Mountain on my rigid SS 29er. It feels like you are apart of the mountain riding rigid SS. It reminds me of long rides on the hills on a BMX bike as a teenager. I may be 30 and riding with college students who are more worried about getting to the bottom as fast as possible than really connecting with the mountain and enjoying the ride. I love my SS and I will let any experienced FS guy take it for a ride down the hills. I've worked up to riding to and from work on this bike with an elevation changed of 600 ft from my house to work. All up hill and I love pushing up the steep sections past guys on geared road bikes.
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457 Posts
Maybe you're in their way....
Are you creeping downhill runs that most people bomb on DH rigs? That might be your problem.
Are you creeping downhill runs that most people bomb on DH rigs? That might be your problem.
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94 Posts
I have yet to be in anybody's way. If I'm riding with a group, I usually go last so there's no chance on the DH runs. I don't ride as fast as others and I hear the comments long before I even get to the trails. I had one guy try to convince me I needed to rent a FS bike on one trip. I rode my Rigid SS and handled the trails just fine. I've just noticed people tend to jump the gun on criticizing rigid SS bikes before they ever see them on the trails.
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1,591 Posts
I still don't get why people are giving you crap if they see that you are capably riding the trail.
SPP
SPP
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959 Posts
This is easily solved with a simple gesture with your middle finger as you pass them on them on the climbs...I would't even dignify them with a verbal reply.
Are you sure you're interpreting the comments correctly? Perhaps you're getting bent out of shape about "hate" when really the comments were intended as conversation, fun ribbing or helpful suggestions. Sometimes it takes years of perspective to realize how one's personality and take on life can completely change our interaction with others. This can even be true when the other person isn't being the easiest to get along with.
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15 Posts
i have that same problem 95% of the time the 5% people are fairly impressed, even my friend's tell me oh no you cant ride that trail and i go do it anyway with no problem. people have been riding single speed bikes with no suspension over every kind of path,trail and road for 100 years or more, why should people tell us we cant now. screw them lol
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62 Posts
Wow- sounds like Oregon has some hostile MTBrs! I usually get the "dude...your crazy" or "ata boys". I ride with FS and SS alike with no issues most everywhere I go in AZ. I usually let the FS guys/gals go ahead on the down hill sections.....if there not too far behind on the climbs....LOL
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