Trouble getting in gear? A few mountain bikers only need one

It's a cloudy, blustery Wednesday evening in late June at Kincaid Park's Jodhpur Loop, where more than 100 bikers have gathered to compete in the Arctic Bicycle Club's Mountain Bike Racing Series.

Most of the riders roll with 11- or 12-geared sport bikes, but a handful or two do not have this selection of gears available. These other dudes rock one gear whether going uphill or down.

This season, as many as nine single-speed (or fixed-geared) riders finished a series race. On this night, five single-speeders completed the roughly 11-kilometer (6.8-mile) course. They're attempting to accumulate points throughout the single-speed series. They also work to pass riders with multi-geared bikes, mostly for bragging rights.

It's all part of the fun for single-speeders.

"It just kind of makes you remember how it was when you first started riding mountain bikes and falling in love with it," said David Stanfield. "And on top of that, I'd be lying if I told you it's not kind of fun to pass people who have gears when you don't have any."

Stanfield enjoys the purity of a single-speed bike, but wanted to race in the sport bike division this season. He also hoped to put less fatigue on his bike and himself. Some single-speeds have suspension, but Stanfield's does not.

All bikes are also equipped with mandatory bear bells; others carry bear spray, while some racers group together for greater peace of mind. Tonight's race was moved from Hilltop because of a bear sighting and moose kill.

"It's part of the sport up here," said race director Adam Robinson.

Other riders go beyond bells and suspension to stand out from the typical biker.

Single-speed winner Paul Hosmanek and his bike were dressed in pink from top to bottom. A teddy bear he found in the woods was mounted on the handlebars. A pink streamer also trailed behind his flowery saddle.

The key to Hosmanek's victory came on the uphills. He believes hills are easier for single-speeders.

"It's faster uphill because you don't have a choice to rely on gears," Hosmanek said. "… It forces you to really try and go for it because you don't really have a choice to switch gears and relax."

Hosmanek admits he'd get his "butt kicked" if he had to compete against expert sport riders. Instead, he sticks to single-speed because he can be competitive with his single-speed buddies.

Hosmanek's wife, Suzie, competed in single-speed last year, but against only one other woman. Now, she races on her multi-geared bike. No women have competed in single-speed this season.

Chris Schutte, the single-speed series champion in 2015 and 2016, said riding single-speeds improves overall skill and requires a different riding style.

"For single-speeders you have to physically change your space on the bike, which means standing up 99 percent of the time," Schutte said. "You learn as a single-speeder to anticipate the inclines and declines, and pedal up or pedal down accordingly.

"Also because I'm cheap, it's more affordable."

Multi-geared bikes are twice as expensive as single-speeds. Sport bikes cost around $2,000, while single-speeds are around $800, according to Schutte. A single-speed bike also has fewer parts to repair.

"It's just simpler," Hosmanek said. "Pedal and brake, less to worry about, less to think about."

Beginner multi-geared mountain biker Alycia Beiergrohslein wouldn't want to switch disciplines, but praises single-speeders.

"That looks like a lot of work," she said. "I wouldn't mind the downhills, but the uphills I think it would be too hard on my legs … I appreciate when I see other people do it, but I don't think it's for me."

But for Robinson, single-speeders are in a league of their own.

"They're a special breed," Robinson said. "Single-speeders are just in the wrong gear."