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The Fear

 

It was Saturday night and I had a Sta. Rosa trail ride planned with Agu and Polly the next morning. Only got to ride once that week so I was in no shape for anything hardcore.  Agu texts me and says: “Work complete...why don’t you ride the demo Soul Cycles Dillinger bike”.  

 

*GULP*  Fully rigid, Aluminum?  Single Speed?  Was I ready for my back to feel like a pretzel and my knees to be ground in to dust?  I texted back:  “sure, bahala na” – a Filipino term for “we’ll burn that bridge when we get there”.

 

Single Speeding if you’ve never tried it is in a large part a mental game. Your body can actually do a lot more than your mind is willing to give it credit for.  The problem is my mind (along with my body)  has been fat and lazy for some time now.  I haven’t been on a single speed since probably mid-year last year. Rigid suspension less on the trail for much longer. Bahala na.. bahala naa.. I can always push…


So Agu picks me up with what I expect to be the destroyer of my spine’s curvature and the bringer of the syndrome known as “handlebar-palsy”.

I had to admit she looked gorgeous when built up. That polished raw color is pretty awesome, nice even scalloped welds and those flat chainstays look pretty awesome.  Better yet is that CnCed yoke and Purple EBB.  Niiice!


To Agu’s credit it was built up pretty nice. Tape wrapped bars, shimano cranks, 20T cog (AIEEE!!!!) Usagi Hygia Brakes.. Wonderful, if i actually got some speed going, these weight weenie brakes would probably send me into the bushes on the next corner.  His seat looked a little well worn to the point of being furry.. so I brought my own seat and seatpost from my  ‘Zo.  Which was also a 31.6mm