Single speeds: what am I missing?

jonny_trousers

So I took a Pearson Touché out for a spin yesterday and there's no denying it, it's a beautiful machine. In fact, it was almost the perfect bike but for one small fact... it had no fecking gears! It felt a bit like driving an Aston Martin that's stuck in 3rd: sure, it's a great car so you can pull away at the lights (albeit slower than the Fiesta sat next to you); sure, it's built wonderfully so you can get it up to a decent speed (even if the engine is screaming out in pain long before it has met its potential); sure, it's got the power to climb hills (as long as they are not too long and winding). But wouldn't it be more fun with gears? It doesn't even have to be that many, but wouldn't it?

Now I'm not talking about riding on a fixed hub. Although I have yet to try it, I can see how riding fixed must bring a unique element to cycling, but even then, I can't imagine it is worth paying more than a few hundred quid to create a decent fixie (they're all about simplicity and fun right?). It's the single speed for the road I am failing to get. Unless you only ever ride on the flat, and somewhere with no long straights, I just don't get it. Simplicity? Low maintenance? Is that really an issue? People chuck themselves down mountains on bikes fitted with complicated gearing systems and seem to get away with it.

Now, I am clearly and genuinely missing something and I would love to know what it is. There are enough hardened SS fans out there that my above assumption just cannot be correct. So, please, someone, enlighten me!

mroli

I think one of the things is durability - you only have one cog and the chain is relatively robust (and cheap). Therefore when things go wrong or wear out - you have very little to replace. And it is cheap to do so. Mates of mine, when they've bought "top dollar" racing bikes have been urged not to commute on them - just daily wear and tear on those bikes mean that you'll have to replace the chain (£30) or cassette (£50) every so often. Its not so much the worry that things will go wrong (although that is part of it) more that when things wear out, you're replacing a cassette (for example in London) that will have spent the majority of its 10 speed life in 2 or 3 gears.

You're not lugging the weight of all those extra gears/derailleurs around with you and there is nothing to go wrong there. You don't have to worry about re-setting your gears if the bike takes a knock.

So there's all the practical and cost implications. In relation to the riding benefits, people would say riding a single speed/fixed makes you more aware of the road ahead. As it is more effort to get going, you judge lights and address your pace accordingly (this is certainly more true of a fix). You're not worrying about what gear you're in, you're just riding and that it is a better work out for your legs - instead of pedalling at the same pressure/power all the time due to the gears sorting out everything for you, you're having to strain more up hills/to start and spinning more down hills sprinting etc so it gives your legs a more complete work out.

Generally single speeds are cheaper too. Lighter. More robust wheels as less dishing. easier to clean. But hey - if you prefer gears, go for it....

lost_in_thought

The low maintenance thing has a modicum of truth, the most complicated bit of a geared bike is the gears, while even a monkey like me can do all the work needed on a single speed bike.

I only rode single speed for a short while after injury, and I have to say it wasn't that great. Someone else will have to jump in to the single speed corner!

But riding fixed is really good fun. I can't put my finger on why, but it is. There's also an element of 'well I can't change gear to get up this hill' (hill? Who am I kidding? I ride mine in London) 'so I'll have to just push harder'. That's good.

Fixed is also great for fitness, if you can't stop pedalling you pedal more. I can see how this is a surprise.

However, I have to agree that it shouldn't cost more than, say, £500. I can't see what extra you're getting for more than that.

Clever Pun

simplicity. cheaper easier maintenance (winter riding especially) fitness (your cadence and riding style will improve)

freewheeling is cheating imo so a flipflop hub will be your friend. allowing you the option of changing if you want

try riding your geared bike in one gear for a couple of days see how you feel

Oddjob62

I've only ever ridden gears of fixed, did SS for about a day when built my first fg/ss bike, but then flipped to fixed and not looked back.

Now it feels kind of wrong when i ride gears, or more specifically a freewheel, because I'm so used to the feedback you get in your legs.

iPete

I want a single speed purely to own this bike..
http://www.racycles.com/product.aspx?catid=5,923,1025

I've ridden my racer single speed (broken cable) & enjoyed it for my commute, except those sections where I would normally power upwards of 22mph.

What single speeds are significantly lighter? I'd expect something around the 7kg mark for a reasonable price? From what I've seen they are all heavier than my roadie, I'd be better off converting it to single speed if I wanted something lighter and easier to maintain.

mroli

Interestingly enough the spec for the boardman road comp and the road comp single speed has the single speed as being .4 of lb lighter at 19.1 v 19.5.

Cafewanda

iPete, get the red/white version instead. Looks better

jonny_trousers

Like I say, I completely get the idea behind riding fixed. I suppose I can even understand the simplicity of a single speed (although I do think I would be compromising pleasure for simplicity) if you are riding a cheap machine, but on a bike like the Pearson Touché? It just seems like a terrible waste.

As for ease of maintenance, durability, strength of chain, a more direct drive etc, surely internally geared hubs are then the answer? I appreciate that they are not a replacement for the subtlety of more traditional gearing systems, but they offer the riders options: a gear to help you shoot off at the lights, gears to help you cruise at speed, gears to let you challenge the sixty-year-old roadie who's just overtaken you, gears to help you tackle the hills.

Yep, in my hunt for the perfect commuter, the drop bar/Alfine Cotic Road Rat is looking very attractive once again (and only a couple of hundred quid more than the Touché).

il_principe

If you don't get it, you don't get it. I'm a big fan, and a Touche owner. For me it's the simplicity, the saving on maintenance and the training. I run a 50*16 so whilst I may be slow away from lights I soon pull past most folk and only ever really have trouble with v fast roadies. Running that gearing and stopping/starting at lights has done wonders for my leg strength and improved my power on the roadie - this is all unscientific as I don't have a power meter, but I've seen a big difference in the last 2 years or so.

I tried fixed, didn't like it. Didn't fancy riding my winter roadie as a commuter everyday through winter - Fulcrum 1's and Ultegra are expensive so I'd rather not trash them with grit. SS parts are cheap and easy to replace.

Horses for courses.

Wallace1492

Single speeds - what am i Missing - answer: Gears.



I will get me coat.......

lost_in_thought

jonny_trousers

Il Principe wrote:

If you don't get it, you don't get it.

That is actually a useful opinion. I guess we all want different things from our cycling and there is no point in trying to adopt one way if it is just not for you.

I will also just add that Matt at pearson was incredibly helpful and their bikes are utterly beautiful. I will definitely bear them in mind for non-single-speed bikes.

Canny Jock

Started riding a single speed bike for commuting recently, and so far I love it. The bike is really light but didn't cost a fortune - cobbled it together from an old Ribble winter/audax frame. It's just really fun to ride. Running a similar gear to IP above, 48x15, so I can keep up with most, and don't even have much trouble pulling away from lights as the bike is so light. To get something as light and nimble with gears I'd probably have to spend a serious amount (sounds like a plan though

I was worried I wouldn't like it at first, as I practised only using 1 speed on the Tricross for a few commutes to work out what gear to go for, and found it a bit frustrating. Now I'm using it, it just seems fine.

Certainly gives you a good workout, both going up hills (not a lot on my route) and spinning fast on the flat.

At some point I'll try fixed, although not sure how that would work out with my current route and the descent through Greenwich Park - wheeeeeeee!

Buckled_Rims

The essential thing with single speeds is getting the correct gearing. I only have a commute/MTB single speed with 32/16. On the straights and downhill it's frustration, on the steeper hilly parts it's red face and panting. In between those sections it's great, especially stop start traffic as I can speed upto 14mph very very quickly.

I leave it out in all elements now and it's never complained, broke down or slipped gears. I also think it's more useful as a fitness machine as I regular get upto 180 heart beats riding it, but rarely manage 170bpm on my road bike.

As an aside, a workmate decided to convert his bike to single speed after looking at mine. He now loves SS and can even get home quicker then his old 16 speeder!

It's really a matter of personal choice. Some people like manual geared cars, others auto.

spasypaddy

it will also depend where you are riding.

over 12 miles commuting from North London to Central London my geared bike was maybe 2minutes quicker and that was breathing out my arse pace.

i wouldnt swap my fixie out for anything else now however my commute is now only 5miles and they are still about the same pace.

Mike400

You could always join a halfway house and stick a geared hub on?

Ok a bit more complicated BUT they are a sealed system so should be nearly as maintenance free as a single speed?

I dont know enough about hub gears, but is the freewheel element in the hub itself or as per a usual bike i.e. the sprocket?

in other words could you build a fixed hub geared bike??

Stevo_666

Try my suggestion for a cheap and easy single speed trial that you can start and finish whenever you like (see last post in thread)
http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12697346&highlight=

Clever Pun

Il Principe wrote:

If you don't get it, you don't get it. I'm a big fan, and a Touche owner. For me it's the simplicity, the saving on maintenance and the training. I run a 50*16 so whilst I may be slow away from lights I soon pull past most folk and only ever really have trouble with v fast roadies. Running that gearing and stopping/starting at lights has done wonders for my leg strength and improved my power on the roadie - this is all unscientific as I don't have a power meter, but I've seen a big difference in the last 2 years or so.

I tried fixed, didn't like it. Didn't fancy riding my winter roadie as a commuter everyday through winter - Fulcrum 1's and Ultegra are expensive so I'd rather not trash them with grit. SS parts are cheap and easy to replace.

Horses for courses.

Speaking of which where are you getting a new wheel from, I'm going to need some soon for the pista as the rims are starting to go and I don't want to rush into anything

DevUK

I bought a Charge plug last year, which by all accounts isn't a light bike. I rode it SS for a few days and found it a bit of a struggle. I switched to fixed and it came alive! I now ride it fixed, and have a second old road frame conversion that I ride fixed.

Fixed is easier on the hills initially, if you attack the hill and use the momentum to get you up it. With SS you don't get the flywheel effect so it's like grinding up a hill on a geared bike, in the wrong gear.

That being said, I still commute 10 miles to work (hilly countryside) on my geared hybrid most days, but try to do it fixed once a week

MonkeyMonster

I'm pondering building a fixed but really not sure where to start... I like cannon frames though and the stiffness the big toobs have.

DevUK

A nice 90's cannondale track perhaps?

The Rookie

If you want to try SS cheap (and I don't mean by not changing gear!) check out http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/vitamin-117071608/#TAILLE

Ok not top drawer bits, but probably the best value 'cheap' bike you'll find!

Mind you I can buy something cimilar (if a lot heavier and less well built) when I'm in India for about £20!

My commute I just couldn't do sensibly SS, I use 46/31 on the hills, so maybe could stand 46/28, but I'm already pedaling out 46/11 on the way down!

Simon

MonkeyMonster

DevUK wrote:

A nice 90's cannondale track perhaps?

Looks good - yours?

DevUK

No no, sadly not Random image search. Seen a few posted on places like LFGSS and always liked them myself

mrc1

I commute over winter on my pearson touche (I ride SS rather than fixed as I think fixed adds another element of danger that I dont need) for the reasons already given re cheaper to maintain etc. But once they stop putting salt on the roads and it dries up a bit i try to commute on my geared race bike as much as possible as its much faster, a nicer ride and I would barely use my race bike otherwise.

wgwarburton

MonkeyMonster wrote:

I'm pondering building a fixed but really not sure where to start... I like cannon frames though and the stiffness the big toobs have.

Depends what you want, what your fettling skills are like and on the contents of your parts bins... Are you after a summer gazelle or a winter hack.. do you have a budget or just a pile of worn-but-useable parts and an ebay account....?

Cheers,
W.

MonkeyMonster

between me and my brother who's an ex edinburgh bikes mechanic I have the tools and the means. budget not yet but I will want to make it bespoke due to my odd desires not off the shelf. That and it'll need to be re-coated orange
No parts yet as it really is still in the pondering stage. If/when I get a new job and more money then we'll see... the current cannon will cope with water so its a summer and winter gazelle training beast that won't have/need guards

wgwarburton

Hi,
Incidentally, and contrary to other people's experience, I'm faster on my fixed than on my geared bike.

I don't have a fancy race bike (my road bike is a tourer) so the fixie is lighter and since I don't have the option of downshifting I go uphill faster...
I tend to go downhill faster, too, unless it's well steep, as I have to pedal anyway, so I tend to put in some power instead of coasting...

I can go further on the tourer, though 8)

Cheers,
W.

Clever Pun

MonkeyMonster wrote:

between me and my brother who's an ex edinburgh bikes mechanic I have the tools and the means. budget not yet but I will want to make it bespoke due to my odd desires not off the shelf. That and it'll need to be re-coated orange
No parts yet as it really is still in the pondering stage. If/when I get a new job and more money then we'll see... the current cannon will cope with water so its a summer and winter gazelle training beast that won't have/need guards

first things first get a frame, build it around that. The frame will guide you as to what type of style it should be

il_principe

Clever Pun wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

If you don't get it, you don't get it. I'm a big fan, and a Touche owner. For me it's the simplicity, the saving on maintenance and the training. I run a 50*16 so whilst I may be slow away from lights I soon pull past most folk and only ever really have trouble with v fast roadies. Running that gearing and stopping/starting at lights has done wonders for my leg strength and improved my power on the roadie - this is all unscientific as I don't have a power meter, but I've seen a big difference in the last 2 years or so.

I tried fixed, didn't like it. Didn't fancy riding my winter roadie as a commuter everyday through winter - Fulcrum 1's and Ultegra are expensive so I'd rather not trash them with grit. SS parts are cheap and easy to replace.

Horses for courses.

Speaking of which where are you getting a new wheel from, I'm going to need some soon for the pista as the rims are starting to go and I don't want to rush into anything

I'll get another Halo from Pearson who always look after me very well. Can't go wrong with the Halo's I think. Sealed hubs and the wheels seem very strong, although I don't quite carry the weight you do...