Yeah, bikes with multi-gears are way too complex, I'd rather blow out my knees on a bike with 1 gear than to deal with that kind of complexity. Also I like a challenge and like to brag about what types of riding I do with my fixie, so loaded touring is perfect for me. Shoot, anyone can tour on one of those new fangled, multi-gear wimp-nose bikes, but it takes a real man like me to do it with a fixed gear bike. I'm an individual, no one tells me how to do things, gears are for wimps. (insert that rolled eyes smiley)