The point of a single speed...
Discussion
I have been doing circa 100-150 miles a week on my single speed over the winter, riding it backwards and forwards to work etc. Towards the end of last week my legs were really hurting, so I decided to switch back to the geared winter bike.
My legs no longer hurt and its generally nicer. What is the point in a single speed?
My legs no longer hurt and its generally nicer. What is the point in a single speed?
That's pretty skillful riding backwards to work, no wonder your legs hurt!
The point is to make you stronger because you don't have the choice of backing off and making it easier. I love my singlespeed (fixed) commuter because it requires very little maintenance and you notice the difference when you get back on the geared bike.
Having switched to geared, are your legs hurting because your pace has slacked off or are you quicker?
The point is to make you stronger because you don't have the choice of backing off and making it easier. I love my singlespeed (fixed) commuter because it requires very little maintenance and you notice the difference when you get back on the geared bike.
Having switched to geared, are your legs hurting because your pace has slacked off or are you quicker?
I rode fixed gear for two years as a road bike. The benefits are strength, lung capacity, cadence + pedal technique etc. You work far harder in a shorter distance without being able to rest. Its simple to ride so you can focus on riding style. You know that if you are slower on a ride its only your fault, not that you rode in the wrong gear. I ended up with a 47 x 16 setup and that was about as extreme as I wanted to go. I needed to be able to cycle faster on the flats as my cadence at top speed was over 120 rpm but it was getting risky pulling out of road junctions so gearing up again was not an option. I have a friend who is similar fitness to me and he cannot keep up, even on hills due to me having the mentality to pedal hard and understand that its going to hurt.
Ignoring the stereotyping of londoners with small ratioed fixies its great. I wanted to stick to fixed gear but I outgrew it. I'll certainly build another for winter but with a better frame than the steel one I had. It was a bit heavy.
Ignoring the stereotyping of londoners with small ratioed fixies its great. I wanted to stick to fixed gear but I outgrew it. I'll certainly build another for winter but with a better frame than the steel one I had. It was a bit heavy.
One could make a similar argument:
I have been doing circa 100-150 miles a week on my geared bike over the winter, riding it backwards and forwards to work etc. Towards the end of last week my legs were really hurting, so I decided to switch back to the moped.
My legs no longer hurt and its generally nicer. What is the point in a geared bike?
I have been doing circa 100-150 miles a week on my geared bike over the winter, riding it backwards and forwards to work etc. Towards the end of last week my legs were really hurting, so I decided to switch back to the moped.
My legs no longer hurt and its generally nicer. What is the point in a geared bike?
S10GTA said:
I have been doing circa 100-150 miles a week on my single speed over the winter, riding it backwards and forwards to work etc. Towards the end of last week my legs were really hurting, so I decided to switch back to the geared winter bike.
My legs no longer hurt and its generally nicer. What is the point in a single speed?
Been riding a fixie all winter (including hills) and used the road bike recently for a couple of linger rides - I have found that my stamina is much better and my pace has improved.My legs no longer hurt and its generally nicer. What is the point in a single speed?
From an MTB point of view:
Maintenance is cheap and easy during winter
You learn to pick better/faster lines on descents as you can't pedal and it's the only way to keep your speed up
You climb faster because if you don't, you end up waking!
And the main benefit for me.....It's almost silent. I love riding without the noise of chainslap or the crunching and grinding of gearshifts
Maintenance is cheap and easy during winter
You learn to pick better/faster lines on descents as you can't pedal and it's the only way to keep your speed up
You climb faster because if you don't, you end up waking!
And the main benefit for me.....It's almost silent. I love riding without the noise of chainslap or the crunching and grinding of gearshifts
Uriel said:
I have been doing circa 100-150 miles a week on my geared bike over the winter, riding it backwards and forwards to work etc. Towards the end of last week my legs were really hurting, so I decided to switch back to the moped.
My legs no longer hurt and its generally nicer. What is the point in a geared bike?
Where do you stop? My legs no longer hurt and its generally nicer. What is the point in a geared bike?
I have been doing circa 100-150 miles a week on my moped over the winter, riding it backwards and forwards to work etc. Towards the end of last week I had a bad case of helmet hair, so I decided to switch back to the car.
My hair is now lovely and naturally wavy and I can also listen to Radio 2 on my commute. What is the point in a moped?
fwiw the previous post sums up exactly why I'm currently looking for a single speed mtb...
Maintenance. I ride fixed over winter. My fixed has been cleaned once in 3 years. It gets a new chain chucked at it in Autumn, and once had some new brake pads. It makes no noise, and never complains.
Switched back to my winter geared bike today. Took 35mins instead of 45min, and was much more fun.
I tell myself it makes more more mindful, gets me fitter, etc. It really is just that I don't have to worry about it. It's a hateful instrument of torture.
Switched back to my winter geared bike today. Took 35mins instead of 45min, and was much more fun.
I tell myself it makes more more mindful, gets me fitter, etc. It really is just that I don't have to worry about it. It's a hateful instrument of torture.
I have a flat commute to the office, and a singlespeed is ideal - low maintenance, light weight and fewer bits to scrape and damage. Also, with a shorter chain and no rear mech you use less effort to go the same speed as you would on a geared bike with the same ratios, if I spin like a loon I can hit 50kph+ on the flat which I'd struggle to do on a geared bike in the same situation (wearing jeans and a rucksack).
Obviously, a long or hilly ride and I'm going to take a geared bike but a flattish trip into the city and it's singlespeed all the way.
Obviously, a long or hilly ride and I'm going to take a geared bike but a flattish trip into the city and it's singlespeed all the way.
Dracoro said:
Viz top tip: Why not just leave one's normal bike in the same gear all the time?
Its definitely not the same. The lack of jockey wheels whirring, the direct drive, larger straight chain gives better drive. Last bike I will ever let go is my Pipedream Modro Ti Single speed mtb. Rigid forks, no cables. Rides so lovely.Dracoro said:
Viz top tip: Why not just leave one's normal bike in the same gear all the time?
Because it doesn't have the simplicity, I broke all the rear mech on my old mtb so to fix it bought a cheap single speed rear and chain, £30 top fix it to rideable shame it still sits in the garage rarely ridden.I'm kind of sad that the end of the poor weather is just around the corner which will mean the S/S will be tucked away for the summer.
The point of S/S for me is the ease and cost of maintenance, having to MTFU to get those climbs done, spinning faster to keep up on the downhill sections, not having to make a choice of what gear I should be in, and best of all...leaving all you youngsters sitting at the lights and passing geared road bikes on climbs.
The S/S feels different, a bit like comparing a Mercedes to a Mini, the S/S being the Mini in this comparison, surefooted, nippy, fun where as the Mercedes is over complicated, technically advanced but still does the same job but at 10 times the cost. There is just something about the simplicity of riding S/S that doesn't happen when on gears.
I keep banging onto a riding buddy about how he should go S/S rather than use his expensive Bianchi for everyday commuting and weekend cycling. His excuse is he doesn't have the legs for it or couldn't do the climbs we do and would never be able to keep up...He's almost 30 years younger than me but still too scared to make the move.
The point of S/S for me is the ease and cost of maintenance, having to MTFU to get those climbs done, spinning faster to keep up on the downhill sections, not having to make a choice of what gear I should be in, and best of all...leaving all you youngsters sitting at the lights and passing geared road bikes on climbs.
The S/S feels different, a bit like comparing a Mercedes to a Mini, the S/S being the Mini in this comparison, surefooted, nippy, fun where as the Mercedes is over complicated, technically advanced but still does the same job but at 10 times the cost. There is just something about the simplicity of riding S/S that doesn't happen when on gears.
I keep banging onto a riding buddy about how he should go S/S rather than use his expensive Bianchi for everyday commuting and weekend cycling. His excuse is he doesn't have the legs for it or couldn't do the climbs we do and would never be able to keep up...He's almost 30 years younger than me but still too scared to make the move.
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