America 2013
You already know that Single Speed is Rad. Lord knows that a man dressed as a Can riding a bike is a crowd pleaser.
So, with the eyes of the world fixed on the Single Speed World Championships in Philly this weekend, it's hard to believe that a potentially radical-er form of cycling may be coming over the horizon. Zero Speed.
The Amish have been building kick-powered scooters ever since you could buy a Schwinn and a welding torch. They have no drive train to let you down.
Now, Single Speeders will tell you all about the simplicity, reliability and beauty of their rigs but they still break. In fact, Single Speed Oracle Geronimo K experienced a race-ending failure at Nittany Cross when he yanked his wheel into the frame after the No Tubes pit crew had trouble operating the rear wheel nuts.
A Scooter isn't a Bike
Tru dat.
You don't sit on a scooter, you stand. Ever since the beginning of time human beings have sat upon bicycles. So it follows that if something has two wheels and you can sit on it, it's probably a bike.
The kid above is definitely riding a 'bike' and it has no drive train. Zero Speed is upon us.
Proponents admit that ZS has it's limitations but cite new advantages in some racing situations. Five year old ZS rider Cameron Travis touts the light weight and reliability of his zero-speed rig. "I run a lot so it's great that my bike is so easy to carry. And it always rolls downhill."
Expect to see a few Zero Speeders chasing the leaders in the junior ranks over the next few years. As this new breed of riders grow up, manufacturers will follow the trend and full size ZS bikes will eventually become available. Imagine, in a few years you won't need a costume to look crazy at a bike race. Just show up on a bike you can't pedal.