A Leg Up – Bike Snob NYC

At the same time, I’m also questioning how much of the reputation of the Rev-X is deserved, and how much of it is because the wheel has attained a self-perpetuatingly hyperbolic “urban myth” status. Like, are they really that dangerous? Consider for example that during the era of Peak Fixie countless people were riding around on Spinergys they probably bought used from Cat 4 “racers” who had done Lob-knows-what to them, and yet I never heard of a mass casualty incident:

This despite all the barspinzzz and elephant trunk skids that were so popular during that era:

And yes, I realize that’s an Aerospoke, but still. Also, at least some of these riders were taking precautions:

I joked yesterday about “beating off” my axle; this looks like what would happen if you took that literally.

Fortunately, there’s an easy way to avoid worrying whether your 30 year-old Spinergy of questionable provenance is going to hold up or not, and that’s to ride a normal fucking wheel. But as the Classic Cycle Old Crap Test Pilot it is recumbent upon me to, uh, test-pilot old crap, and anything less would be a dereliction of duty on my part.

Speaking of fixies, not since The Great Divestiture have I had one of those, or indeed any form of singlespeed* bicycle, having passed along my track bike:

And my fancy singlespeed mountain bike:

And my cheap singlespeed mountain bike:

Wait, I may have gotten those last two backwards.

*[I actually still have enough frames and crap stored away to build at least two singlespeed bicycles, but that doesn’t count.]

So will that change? Is a new singlespeed in the offing? I dunno. But as it happens, the presale for the latest Rivendell singlespeed begins today at 12pm, and here’s more about it:

And no, nobody at Rivendell came to me and said, “Tell people about the presale!” If anything, like every other bike company, Rivendell would probably prefer I never mention them at all.

Anyway, it comes with these parts:

And Rivendell being Rivendell it’s designed to facilitate a 2×1 or 3×1 drivetrain, because of course it is:

And it just so happens I still have a whole box of derailleurs from the Classic Cycle 21st Century Friction Shifter Shootout:

Well two of them are currently in use, but the others are ready for deployment as potential chain-tensioners, and I can’t think of a better example of both irony and conspicuous consumption than using a surfeit of derailleurs as an excuse to obtain a fancy new singlespeed bicycle.

(It’s also arguably worth it just to use it with a front Spinergy, though I’m guessing barspins are out of the question.)

They also know exactly how to tempt the retro-tinkerers and old crap enthusiasts:

You read that and brain says, “Why the hell would I do that when I have a perfectly good Homer?,” but your body starts rummaging in an imaginary parts bin like a dog having a dream:

If only I could let sleeping dogs lie…but I can’t, and that’s how you wind up riding around on a pink Faggin with Spinergys.