Empty Niche in the Fleet

Pals Liam and Steve K. will recognize this as one of my semi-annual "I'm dissatisfied with my stable" navel-gazings. I'm going to take the sage advice of Milli Vanilli and blame it on the rain, which conveniently chooses to fall in drenching, windblown sheets only during the hours I don't work.

After my injury last year, I've noticed a real change in my riding style... less scorching, more "casual townie twiddling" rides. It's a style that's crying out for an "adult BMX" bike... one speed, massively fat rubber, flat pedals, maybe even a basket. The sort of bike that you feel a little stupid riding if you're wearing bike clothes. In my mind, it always looks like Kent Peterson's Redline Monocog. Of course, "Mountain Turtle" Kent took his on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Race. Kent's kind of a lovable nut that way.

With Carla going back to school, I'm constrained by a strict, self-imposed "one bike in, one bike out" rule -- and I'm not allowed to touch Carla's bike or the tandem. That leaves the Bruce Gordon (unlinked because I don't want anyone getting ideas -- that's my "pry it from my cold, dead fingers" bike) or the fixed gear.

Uh oh. The fixed-gear market is pretty good right now, isn't it? Throw some chopped riser bars on there and the thing might even be (gasp) trendy.

I can almost smell that tantalizing new-bike scent. Craigslist, here I come!