Single Speed Revelation
Discussion
Finally got around to riding my Mango bike that I bought way back in January, and I finally get what other people say about riding single speed. It's such a great way to ride and even though I've only done a 10km commute I'm completely hooked!
At first I was a bit worried about spinning out on the flat and then having to slog up hills, but that didn't happen. It's a completely different style to my normal riding in that once I settled into my natural cadence I just cruised along, whereas usually I'd be changing gears and trying to get my speed up. Even my average speed on the way in was the same as usual.
Anybody else feel this way after trying fixed/ss bikes? Going to have to get some longer rides in over the next few weeks on it!
At first I was a bit worried about spinning out on the flat and then having to slog up hills, but that didn't happen. It's a completely different style to my normal riding in that once I settled into my natural cadence I just cruised along, whereas usually I'd be changing gears and trying to get my speed up. Even my average speed on the way in was the same as usual.
Anybody else feel this way after trying fixed/ss bikes? Going to have to get some longer rides in over the next few weeks on it!
I ride my single speed (freewheel) daily which is 10 miles each way to the station and it's great to ride. It took a little while to get used to as I was trying to change gear but now once up to my usual cadence I cruise along and enjoy it. Strange as it seems but my ride to the staion is now actually quicker on the single speed as I'm not trying to pull a big gear to gain speed, just cruising along and maintaining a good average.
Andy OH said:
Strange as it seems but my ride to the station is now actually quicker on the single speed as I'm not trying to pull a big gear to gain speed, just cruising along and maintaining a good average.
I noticed this within a few minutes of getting on the bike this morning and my average speed was the same as doing it on the a normal road bike. Looking forward to the commute home, might even skive off a bit early and take a more scenic route home.I've had a similar thing here as well.
I picked up a cheap Langster a couple of weeks back and have started using it as a commuting bike. Once I'd ironed out the initial problems with it, like the almost seized rear wheel bearings, it's been a great bike to ride and surprisingly fast across my 8 mile commute. I'm already starting to look at extending the commute a bit after my night shifts to get some extra miles in. It'll need to be somewhere reasonably flat though as the 48:18 gearing isn't going to be great on the hills I'd imagine!
I've done loads of single speeding on the MTB in the past and really enjoy it but I'm quite surprised at how enjoyable it is on the road as well.
I picked up a cheap Langster a couple of weeks back and have started using it as a commuting bike. Once I'd ironed out the initial problems with it, like the almost seized rear wheel bearings, it's been a great bike to ride and surprisingly fast across my 8 mile commute. I'm already starting to look at extending the commute a bit after my night shifts to get some extra miles in. It'll need to be somewhere reasonably flat though as the 48:18 gearing isn't going to be great on the hills I'd imagine!
I've done loads of single speeding on the MTB in the past and really enjoy it but I'm quite surprised at how enjoyable it is on the road as well.
LarryLamb said:
I get it on road bikes, sort of, but single speed on MTB's? Do you all live in East Anglia? Some of the trails round here I can barely make it up in the granny gear! What happens on steep hills when you only have the one gear?
You stand up and attack the hill, absolutely balls-out.Not sure where you are but I've never found a hill in Surrey Hills yet that I can't get up on the SS MTB. It's generally faster up the hills than the geared bike as well!
neenaw said:
I've had a similar thing here as well.
I picked up a cheap Langster a couple of weeks back and have started using it as a commuting bike. Once I'd ironed out the initial problems with it, like the almost seized rear wheel bearings, it's been a great bike to ride and surprisingly fast across my 8 mile commute. I'm already starting to look at extending the commute a bit after my night shifts to get some extra miles in. It'll need to be somewhere reasonably flat though as the 48:18 gearing isn't going to be great on the hills I'd imagine!
I've done loads of single speeding on the MTB in the past and really enjoy it but I'm quite surprised at how enjoyable it is on the road as well.
48:18 is actually alright on hills. I geared mine to 47:16 fixed gear but steep and long hills were incredibly hard. I moved to a normal geared bike to increase distance and speed though.I picked up a cheap Langster a couple of weeks back and have started using it as a commuting bike. Once I'd ironed out the initial problems with it, like the almost seized rear wheel bearings, it's been a great bike to ride and surprisingly fast across my 8 mile commute. I'm already starting to look at extending the commute a bit after my night shifts to get some extra miles in. It'll need to be somewhere reasonably flat though as the 48:18 gearing isn't going to be great on the hills I'd imagine!
I've done loads of single speeding on the MTB in the past and really enjoy it but I'm quite surprised at how enjoyable it is on the road as well.
neenaw said:
LarryLamb said:
I get it on road bikes, sort of, but single speed on MTB's? Do you all live in East Anglia? Some of the trails round here I can barely make it up in the granny gear! What happens on steep hills when you only have the one gear?
You stand up and attack the hill, absolutely balls-out.Not sure where you are but I've never found a hill in Surrey Hills yet that I can't get up on the SS MTB. It's generally faster up the hills than the geared bike as well!
I think I'd have a SS bike now if I had the space in the garage for one. I was very much a doubter, but having ridden with one, and seen another race, it'd certainly be nice to have a single speed bike. Unfortunately, the wife is putting pressure on me to thin out one of the three bikes I already have (not happening, btw) so getting another one would, at this particular point in time, be "crossing the line" (whatever that means...)
neenaw said:
LarryLamb said:
I get it on road bikes, sort of, but single speed on MTB's? Do you all live in East Anglia? Some of the trails round here I can barely make it up in the granny gear! What happens on steep hills when you only have the one gear?
You stand up and attack the hill, absolutely balls-out.Not sure where you are but I've never found a hill in Surrey Hills yet that I can't get up on the SS MTB. It's generally faster up the hills than the geared bike as well!
ewenm said:
What happens on rooty gnarly rocky technical singletrack climbs where "more power" isn't the answer? The sort of stuff you get in the Lake District (for example) and in non-trail centre riding that is about finesse and weight distribution to maintain traction rather than maximum attack?
Get off and push?I stupidly expected to jump onto a geared bike after a winter of single speed and see a dramatic increase in my average speed...It never happened, a slight increase but nothing as much as I would have liked.
Never had to get off and push yet and I've done some stupid steep climbs on the S/S
Never had to get off and push yet and I've done some stupid steep climbs on the S/S
I'd like a single speed but can't justify another bike. I have gone single chain ring on all my mountain bikes and after the initial pain I'm now much quicker up hills. Did both Cwmcarn XC loops back to back the week after single ring conversion and managed fine, off there again tomorrow for a repeat and think I'll fly up the hills now I'm more used to it. This time last year I'd have been spinning 24/34 going nowhere fast. Same hills now will be 34/36, when you have no choice you quickly realise the granny gear was just pointless.
ewenm said:
What happens on rooty gnarly rocky technical singletrack climbs where "more power" isn't the answer? The sort of stuff you get in the Lake District (for example) and in non-trail centre riding that is about finesse and weight distribution to maintain traction rather than maximum attack?
What I have found racing XC on my single speed is that it is faster to get off and run past all the people who insist on riding everything, and it is me who rides the technical stuff using finesse and weight distribution rather than just ploughing on, sat down, in a rediculously low gear.Edited by gazza285 on Friday 10th April 18:02
neenaw said:
LarryLamb said:
I get it on road bikes, sort of, but single speed on MTB's? Do you all live in East Anglia? Some of the trails round here I can barely make it up in the granny gear! What happens on steep hills when you only have the one gear?
You stand up and attack the hill, absolutely balls-out.Not sure where you are but I've never found a hill in Surrey Hills yet that I can't get up on the SS MTB. It's generally faster up the hills than the geared bike as well!
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