Adding N

In math (for the Anglophile, or anyone, like I do, who finds it funny: mathS), N symbolizes the set of natural numbers, or whole counting numbers, so adding N would get really, even infinitely, big. On a one speed bike, however, this same addition leaves the rider with a none speed bike, for which the possibilities are much, much smaller.

Or are they? Yesterday, three miles from home on my return from a wander up Greenfield way, I was climbing the steep pitch of Harris Mountain Road on my heavily ladden single. The road there is quite steep, and as for the load, I'd collected a bin of heavy steel nails in Greenfield, so I was just contemplating dismounting to walk when the sound of a snapping chain implied the decision had been made for me.

This means I'm getting strong, 

right?

I do carry a chain tool for such repairs, but only a few miles, mostly uphill, from home, and figuring it wad time to replace that chain anyway, I opted to forego pedaling for the final leg of my trip. My friend Dave, an advocate of bikes without shifting, would quip that his bikes had three speeds: sitting, standing, and pushing. Likewise, even with my chain now nestled in a pannier and destined for the recycling bin, my bike still offered the three options of pushing, coasting, and kick scootering.

I've often praised the characteristic of the bicycle that so much can be wrong with one and it still serves it's basic function of being faster than walking. The usual ride dowhill from where the chain snapped takes ten minutes at full chat, while walking is about forty-five minutes. Yesterday, my less able bike still made the trip in eighteen minutes, pushed up the couple unhills, then coasting down, and working like a kick scooter for the flats. Yay, that's still more than twice as fast as walking, but I'll concede, no, I'm not now considering a none speed touring bike!

Time for a newer chain.