Advise me on singlespeed commuting

barry_kellett99

My shortest commuting route:


http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=8100 (homeward direction)

Would this be considered hilly? (Elevation image in my sig, or click the elevation tick box on the bike hike window)
I currently ride it on a Trek 1200 road bike, It's 17.5 miles and I have done it in 50minutes on a perfect morning and usually about an hour to 1 hour 10 on a slow evening home.

I was thinking of getting a pompino for the winter but am not sure I could cope with Single speed.
Maybe I could mix it up with mostly single speed but take the road bike in on dry winter days to take the pressure off?


Anyone riding a similar style route single speed? Advice?

snailracer

Well you could just leave your Trek in the same gear to see if you can cope.

barry_kellett99

snailracer wrote:

Well you could just leave your Trek in the same gear to see if you can cope.

I have no idea what sort of gear would even be suitable

Feltup

How steep are the hills? To give you an idea my ride home used to involve a 10% hill and I was running fixed 42x16 with a GI of 71. I had to use my brakes on the way down to control my top speed as I max out at 30-35mph ish.

snailracer

Gear inch calculator:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/

fossyant

I run 70" and 74" FIXED.

74" is OK for my normal commute routes - have a 1 in 12 climb home - not too steep. If I go the long route, then this involves a 1 in 10 and that needs the 70.

barry_kellett99

Mapmyride says 3% is my steepest hill so I just need to MTFU i think

_Brun_

barry_kellett99 wrote:

Mapmyride says 3% is my steepest incline so I just need to MTFU i think

Edited for correctness (obvious pun carefully avoided).

Sea_Green_Incorruptible

I run a 49x18 (71.5") gear on my hilly commute over 8.5 miles each way. The uphills are fine (include a few sharpish climbs, though I DO now have to avoid the 20% hill that I used to use on my road bike). More annoying are the downhills when there can be a tendency to spin out. I'd go for it if I were you. It is liberating in all kinds of ways and I find I pace myself better on the inclines...

vorsprung

barry_kellett99 wrote:

My shortest commuting route:

Would this be considered hilly?

By most people yes

I was thinking of getting a pompino for the winter but am not sure I could cope with Single speed.

Riding single speed is relaxing and fun.

Maybe I could mix it up with mostly single speed but take the road bike in on dry winter days to take the pressure off?

Anyone riding a similar style route single speed? Advice?

I do a 15 mile ride on the Devon Somerset border over the Blackdown Hills every morning. This time of year I use the single speed about half the time (when it is wet or I want a huge saddlebag) and a Orbea racing bike the rest of the time. Both are fun and there is no "pressure"

Your whole question seems to assume that riding a bike is somehow difficult and taxing

barry_kellett99

vorsprung wrote:

barry_kellett99 wrote:

My shortest commuting route:

Would this be considered hilly?

By most people yes

I was thinking of getting a pompino for the winter but am not sure I could cope with Single speed.

Riding single speed is relaxing and fun.

Maybe I could mix it up with mostly single speed but take the road bike in on dry winter days to take the pressure off?

Anyone riding a similar style route single speed? Advice?

I do a 15 mile ride on the Devon Somerset border over the Blackdown Hills every morning. This time of year I use the single speed about half the time (when it is wet or I want a huge saddlebag) and a Orbea racing bike the rest of the time. Both are fun and there is no "pressure"

Your whole question seems to assume that riding a bike is somehow difficult and taxing

lol

I guess I am just worried I wouldn't be able to enjoy the single speed aspect of it, but having never tried it I am willing to give it a go, especially after everyone's advice on here. So I am on the lookout now for a second hand Pompino, and for the poster further up, I will definitely not be riding it fixed.


Cheers My Dears

scottgeniusltd2005

rear sprockets are so cheap it is not an expensive problem if you get the wrong gear at first. when i started i was going to use an easy gear to 'get used to it' but after advice on here i used a gear i thought was too difficult. after 6 weeks, i was fitter and the hills were not a problem anymore (well on road, off road totally different)

lardboy

scottgeniusltd2005 wrote:

rear sprockets are so cheap it is not an expensive problem if you get the wrong gear at first. when i started i was going to use an easy gear to 'get used to it' but after advice on here i used a gear i thought was too difficult. after 6 weeks, i was fitter and the hills were not a problem anymore (well on road, off road totally different)

Agreed. Get a big ring (48 ish) up front and an 18 or so on the back, then you can drop in a new rear each time you feel it's too easy. The tool for changing the rear sprocket (Park Tools FR-6) is only a few quid, and it'll last forever.