In yesterday’s publish, 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 in reality you’re not purported to keep away from them, since doing so is prone to end in a crash. As an alternative, you’re principally purported to run proper into them and hope for the very best. Additionally, in contrast to bicyclists, pedestrians, and their goats, wild animals are really unpredictable, and due to this fact no quantity of “due care” is enough to keep away from them. Certainly, you couldn’t be extra duly cautious than leaving your automobile parked in your individual driveway, however even that’s not sufficient:

All of that is to say that I used to be not too long ago using by 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 will need to 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 principally a freeway that doesn’t enable industrial site visitors, and as such the motive 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 motive force is likely to be injured, so I rotated, descended the hill, and rode to the scene alongside the shoulder. Visitors was already backing up, and the motive force was unhurt and calling for help. The automobile had sustained important front-end harm and gave the impression to be undriveable. As for the deer, it was nowhere to be seen.

Deer: 1; Prius: 0.

As soon as the motive force confirmed she was advantageous and it was clear there was no further assist I might supply I resumed my experience. Then as I used to be leaving the park a reasonably disheveled-looking deer bounded throughout the path and I noticed 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 harm 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 might accomplish that can be to very slowly inflate it to demise.

Finally, 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 automobile 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. After I first moved to those elements I’d see deer within the park sometimes, however these days it appears as if there are increasingly more of them, virtually as if they’re taking on. It was then I had a chilling thought: possibly they’re not operating into site visitors by “accident.” Possibly they’re at warfare with humanity.

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

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

To the untrained eye, the bikes look fairly related–as a result of they’re. They’re each black, they’re singlespeed 29ers, they’re each manufactured from steel that draws 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 form 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 observed–particularly after spending time on the Jones not too long ago–was how comparatively steep it’s:

General the bike is nimble bordering on skittish, and as I rode it I discovered myself popping little wheelies for no motive. Given my propensity for holding my wheels planted firmly on the bottom this speaks to the bike’s full of life, mischievous character. (Although it might additionally need to do with the mixture of a shorter stem than I usually use in addition to a fairly low gear, which collectively make it straightforward to pop the entrance wheel up should you’re so inclined.) On the identical time, the bike has all the time 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 a little bit “give” once you begin actually grappling with them on a climb or one thing, and this bike has by no means been one in every of them. The fork has some flex, however in any other case it principally it appears like a extremely enjoyable tank, which I imply in the absolute best method, and which some may argue is precisely 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 giving freely the Softride I stripped it of some key parts. A type 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 tender spot for them:

I constructed these wheels out of price range 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 some other 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 helpful, they usually’re suitable 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 practically an identical 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 shifting truck. And whereas the Engin was a present to myself after I turned a fancy-pants revealed creator and is due to this fact particular, this was a motorcycle I put collectively once I was an nonetheless an nameless bike blogger who might solely present 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 suggests using the bikes back-to-back, so I’ll need to see how I really feel about all that after using the Engin once more.