In yesterday’s submit, I discussed due care:

You’ll be aware that this doesn’t apply to avoiding collisions with undomesticated, or “wild,” animals. In such circumstances the principles of the jungle apply, and actually you’re not imagined to keep away from them, since doing so is more likely to lead to a crash. As an alternative, you’re mainly imagined to run proper into them and hope for the perfect. Additionally, in contrast to bicyclists, pedestrians, and their goats, wild animals are actually unpredictable, and due to this fact no quantity of “due care” is ample to keep away from them. Certainly, you couldn’t be extra duly cautious than leaving your automotive parked in your personal driveway, however even that’s not sufficient:

All of that is to say that I used to be not too long ago driving by means of Van Cortlandt Park within the Bronx, climbing up a hill adjoining to a busy roadway, once I heard a loud POP. At first I believed one automobile should have smacked into one other, however once I turned I noticed a deer flying up within the air. The roadway is what we right here in New York name a “parkway,” which is mainly a freeway that doesn’t enable industrial site visitors, and as such the driving force was in all probability touring at round 50mph. It occurred proper round right here:

“Properly that sucks,” I believed to myself, and continued on my method. However then it occurred to me that maybe the driving force is perhaps injured, so I circled, descended the hill, and rode to the scene alongside the shoulder. Visitors was already backing up, and the driving force was unhurt and calling for help. The automotive had sustained important front-end harm and seemed to be undriveable. As for the deer, it was nowhere to be seen.

Deer: 1; Prius: 0.

As soon as the driving force confirmed she was fantastic and it was clear there was no extra assist I may supply I resumed my experience. Then as I used to be leaving the park a fairly disheveled-looking deer bounded throughout the path and I spotted it was the one which had been hit. It lay down within the undergrowth and stared at me:

Was it bleeding internally? Had been its bones shattered? Was it in nice ache? Would it will definitely stroll off the damage or would it will definitely simply discover a good cozy spot to die? Had I been armed maybe I’d have put it out of its distress, however with solely a multitool and a mini pump the one method I may accomplish that can be to very slowly inflate it to dying.

Ultimately, it limped off once more, and I continued on my method:

Shortly thereafter I handed the scene of the crash. By this time a police automotive had arrived, and one other deer frolicked close by as if agitated by the lights–or maybe enraged by what had occurred to its compatriot. Once I first moved to those elements I’d see deer within the park often, however these days it appears as if there are an increasing number of of them, nearly as if they’re taking on. It was then I had a chilling thought: possibly they’re not working into site visitors by “accident.” Possibly they’re at conflict with humanity.

As for the bike I used to be driving, it was the distinctly non-artisanal singlespeed I re-assembled for my elder son final 12 months:

Principally it’s my artisanal singlespeed’s stunt double:

To the untrained eye, the bikes look fairly comparable–as a result of they’re. They’re each black, they’re singlespeed 29ers, they’re each product of steel that pulls magnets… Sure, one was actually costly and one was actually low-cost. Additionally, the Engin is customized it doesn’t use a suspension-corrected fork, and due to this fact the entrance finish doesn’t have that awkward jacked-up look most different inflexible mountain bikes do. However past that’s there any significant distinction? As I rode, it occurred to me I ought to endeavor to reply that query and conduct type of a Dated Singlespeed 29er Shootout.

I hadn’t been on this bike since placing it again collectively final 12 months, and the very first thing I seen–particularly after spending time on the Jones not too long ago–was how comparatively steep it’s:

Total the bike is nimble bordering on skittish, and as I rode it I discovered myself popping little wheelies for no cause. Given my propensity for retaining my wheels planted firmly on the bottom this speaks to the bike’s vigorous, mischievous character. (Although it may additionally need to do with the mixture of a shorter stem than I sometimes use in addition to a fairly low gear, which collectively make it straightforward to pop the entrance wheel up when you’re so inclined.) On the identical time, the bike has at all times struck me as sort of solid-feeling and stout–not unpleasantly so, however whether or not it’s the body or the parts or some mixture thereof, some bikes simply really feel like they’ve somewhat “give” once you begin actually grappling with them on a climb or one thing, and this bike has by no means been one in all them. The fork has some flex, however in any other case it mainly it appears like a very enjoyable tank, which I imply in the absolute best method, and which some would possibly argue is strictly what a singlespeed mountain bike is meant to be.

Whereas the bike will settle for disc or rim brakes I’ve it outfitted with the latter. Earlier than gifting away the Softride I stripped it of some key parts. A kind of was the brakes, which I placed on this bike since I figured it deserved one thing particular:

They’re as clean and highly effective as something, and if this bike does lose the shootout it positively received’t be due to the brakes.

The wheels on this bike additionally signify my one true wheelbuilding success story so I’ve an actual comfortable spot for them:

I constructed these wheels out of finances parts shortly after buying the bike in 2010. Possibly I simply obtained fortunate, or possibly it’s as a result of I used 36 spokes, however they got here out straighter than another wheel I’ve ever constructed (not that there have been too many), and have stayed that method ever since::

I’ve used them fairly a bit, on each this bike and the Engin, they usually’ve seen their share of abuse. They’re kinda heavy, they usually’re not tubeless. However they’re strong, the singlespeed cassette hub (is that an oxymoron?) is useful, they usually’re appropriate with each disc brakes and rim brakes, so there.

As I rode, the bike received me over as soon as once more, and I discovered myself questioning, “Is that this the one singlespeed mountain bike I really want?“

Arguably it’s foolish to have two almost equivalent singlespeeds, and arguably it’s extra true to the spirit of singlespeeding than the Engin–it’s a rowdy no-name bike with rim brakes and internal tubes that I put collectively myself and that might simply deal with being thrown out the again of a transferring truck. And whereas the Engin was a present to myself after I turned a fancy-pants revealed writer and is due to this fact particular, this was a motorcycle I put collectively once I was an nonetheless an nameless bike blogger who may solely reward himself Bikesdirect bargains, so in that sense possibly it’s much more particular–and possibly I ought to get again to that by making it my Quantity One One-Velocity:

In fact this can be a shootout, which implies driving the bikes back-to-back, so I’ll need to see how I really feel about all that after driving the Engin once more.