You're right, it is a bit of a cult. And there is a lot of hype. But seriously, you just have to try it to see what the appeal is. I originally built a SS bike for city years ago because it was simple, relible and wouldn't attract theives. I could ride through the winter with vertually no maintenance. After building it I realized how much fun SS riding is. I would compare it to driving a car with a manual transmission: It's more involving, rewarding and challenging. It's also less convienient at times, and probably more tiring. You feel much more intimately connected to the road, and the machine. After you try a SS, and love it, then you can step up a fixed gear! It turns you into a junkie.