“In the woods this bike is like a Swiss Army knife with only one tool, and it just so happens that that tool fits nearly everything.”

What has dual 26″ wheels and requires no more than a bit of chain lube for a full tune up? If you’re thinking a singlespeed hardtail, you’re right on the money. For years I’ve knocked singlespeeds for mountain biking anywhere that has fast trails with steep climbs and descents. I’ve watched good riders painfully struggle on climbs only to spin out and slow down when the trail points downhill, so I always questioned the point of it. To my surprise this bike has it’s place, which just so happens to be the tight, technical trails in my backyard, which are so wet 6 months out of the year that I find myself picking rocks out of the corners of my eyes at dinner two nights later.

-all photos and text by Brad Walton