The real question is
why use gears?. Before I started SSing several years ago, I though SSing was just a passing fad. For the reasons you guys stated in the previous post, I now realize that having just one gear makes the most sense for 75% of the mountain biking I do.
Why use gears Unless 1) you ride in really flat, non-technical areas where you can gear up to go fast (however, after a certain point on has to wonder if this is really mountain biking) or 2) you're riding really steep hills that necessitate a mechanical advantage. Unless those conditions apply, a geared mountain bike is quite a waist.
IMHO, the only reason why mountain bikes are now sold with 27 speeds instead of say 15, is savvy marketing by Shimano, and consumers who think owning the newest *****mano products are cool.
