This week’s entry into the MEATengines haikuniverse arrives from the “beautiful and steep af Pyrenees mountains in south west France” and includes the following pseudo-apology for the bold choice of sidewalls that aren’t black… “more seriously, I neglected to self-flagellate for the tan wall tyres. I mean no offense… I understand they may constitute a disqualifiable faux pas, but I dig ’em personally, so I’ll have to live with that.”
I’m actually not militantly against tan walls for a gravel & ATB application, particularly if the tires Alvin is recommending are only available in that configuration. And, I mean, I have some friends who have acquired dusty tan MTB tires for pennies on the dollar, and I’m not against using failed fashion trends to min-max some great rubber either.
Anyway, I could see myself owning a Unit just like this one as my one mountain bicycle. A Manitou Magic Toothpick for stapler duty and a rigid 29+ fork and wheel hot swap, with a second front brake, for a sub-five-minute swap between the stapler and double-hardtail setups. Pretty dang sweet. The silver DT hub with red writing throwback pokes at my raging nostalgia as well. Shoutout to the -2° Works angleset as well!
Whether you have a UnitZo or some other awesome one-speed rig you power yourself, if you’re keen to share your single-speed it’s simple:
You write a Haiku
Submit it with the photo
Then, I say thank you
Ben on the UnitZo:
Mind over matter
#1FG, or
when it’s too much, walk!
{All Photos: Ben Murphy}
For more of the MEATengines one-speed haikuniverse: About a Single-Speed