single speed

Remy_98

Hi, I'm not new to biking but I am to road biking and was wondering whether it's possible to have a road bike single speed but not fixed wheel? because i would like a single speed road bike but I'm not too keen on fixed gear becasue it kinda scares me! so, would it be possible to keep the freewheel and put on a small sprocket on the freehub (e.g http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/DMR_S ... 360021642/ ) thanks

butcher_boy

There a several single spped freewheel bikes out there at the mo.

I have a Giant one, cause like you didn't want to go the full fixxie way!!

ride_whenever

yes is the short answer. IIRC you can even screw a freewheel onto the fixed threads because they have the same tpi

robthehungrymonkey

Most of them give you the option of switching between fixed and single speed, with a fixed gear on one side of the wheel, and a singel speed on the other. Called a flip flop i think.



Not that i actually have one or anything...

John.T

The link you gave would let you use an existing road bike with a 130mm OLN dropouts (normal gears bike) to be used as a single speed. Most bikes you buy as single speed have 120mm OLN dropouts which face to the rear and let you adjust the chain tension without using a tensioner. As said avove they normally come with a 'flip-flop' hub that has a free wheel sprocket on one side and a fixed on the other.

Infamous

Remy_98 wrote:

Hi, I'm not new to biking but I am to road biking and was wondering whether it's possible to have a road bike single speed but not fixed wheel? because i would like a single speed road bike but I'm not too keen on fixed gear becasue it kinda scares me! so, would it be possible to keep the freewheel and put on a small sprocket on the freehub (e.g http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/DMR_S ... 360021642/ ) thanks

Yep, you just put the tensioner and spacer kit (in the link) on a normal geared bike and you're off.

Remy_98

butcher_boy wrote:

There a several single spped freewheel bikes out there at the mo.

I have a Giant one, cause like you didn't want to go the full fixxie way!!

thanks, can you recommend any of these?

gtitim

Hi there. Chris Boardman has a single speed bike, check it out

Wiggle also offer a bunch of popular single speed / fixed wheel bikes

Good luck with your quest. I ride a fixed wheel bike in the winter and I have to say it's great fun, yes it was scary at first but you get used to it. It makes you crazy strong and efficient at pedalling. Let us know how you get on.

If you really just want to ride 1 gear freewheel then, well, just don't change gear, its alot cheaper

John.T

Remy_98. Do you already have a bike that you would like to convert or are you looking for a new single speed one. If you want to covert the tensioner that you showed will work fine. It may be a bit noisy. You could achieve the same result by just removing one chain ring, the front mech, the gear cables and locking the rear mech in the gear you want with the limit screw. Get some extra sprocket spacers and you can just leave one sprocket on. A bit of a faff but cheap.
If you want a new bike there are many out there. Some are more like track bikes while others are more the bike courier type. Do you want drop bars, to fit mudguards, etc. There are as many styles as there are in normal road bikes. You need to look at some. I have a Specialized Singlecross on fixed for some of my winter riding. Very comfortable and stable with lots of mudguard clearance. Very pleased with it but it may not be what you want.

moray_gub

gtitim wrote:

Hi there. Chris Boardman has a single speed bike, check it out

Wiggle also offer a bunch of popular single speed / fixed wheel bikes

Good luck with your quest. I ride a fixed wheel bike in the winter and I have to say it's great fun,

Can i ask what your gearing is ?, as the Boardman is 48x18 wheras i think id prefer maybe a 46 or 44