howdy, i only ride singlespeeds (and a fixie sometimes) nowadays... sold my multi-geared to a friend so I could work on the fixie. Building up a new surly 1x1 from new parts and selling my old ones so I only have to travel with one cycle... anyway... I didn't think there was all that much hype... I don't see anyone bragging about it... but I don't hit mtn trails or races or anything. I commuted in Boston and of couse the couriers mostly had fixed's or SS's... but they kept to themselves. I like SS for the mere simplicity of it, I view the bicycle as one of the most efficient and elegant forms of transportation ... so whatever I can do to make it simpler and more elegant (ie, ditching the derailluer or whatever that word is) I will do that. As for steep hills.. nothing wrong with gettin' off and walkin'... I can usually heff it up a hill with the cycle faster than I see most people peddaling up. Anyway, I think SS is just simple and elegant... to a more extensive degree and a hell of a lot of fun to just get on and ride. I don't hype it... but I tell my friends about it and let them hop on and try and check it out for themselves. Whatever... I don't think what I said had ANY point to it... BUT I had a question for the last caller... poster... whatever -- Ok, I think I know what downhill is now... XC I kinda get... but now I've been seeing "freeriding" -- uh, what exactly is freeriding technically defined as? Cause.. I feel like i .. freeride when i ride my cycle where-ever... so what is "freeriding"? (and I know what it is in a political sense, thank you -- if that were the case in cycling it would be tandem where the person in the back doesn't pedal ) Thanks.

--dave