Thinking of buying a single speed bike for commute

KEMARI

Hi all, new forummer here!

My lovely Trek SU300 hybrid got stolen recently so I am in the market for a new bike for commute (10 minutes) and general riding around town. Does anyone have any experience of using single speed bikes for this purpose? I am attracted by the simplicity, low maintenance (my free time is non-existent so spending hours maintaining my machine is just not possible at the moment) and weight (I have to lug it up 4 flights of stairs at the end of the day). I also like the style of some of the new single speeds that are coming out

Current options are either:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tre ... e-ec016811

or

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fel ... e-ec021714

Does anyone have any advice/suggestions?

Thanks in advance and apologies if this is in the wrong section of the forum.

ride_whenever

the curbside is lovely, but a bit flashy.

The trek is dull.

these are quite tasty:

KEMARI

What makes you say the Trek is boring? Looks or parts? I was attracted by this model:

ride_whenever

Belt drive is cool, but it doesn't really have a place on a commuting bike. Chains are just as hard-wearing (particularly larger track chains) and much more easily available.

Looks are pretty personal, if the brown does it for you then fair enough, but the ride isn't all that inspiring based on the ride i've had on one.

rf6

Singlespeed sounds like a good option for you. Cooper may also be worth looking at, they make some lovely looking and quite reasonably priced bikes.

It's a shame you're time constrained, as converting a second hand bike may have been an option.

Kiblams

I am likely to get slapped for suggesting this! but I am getting one of these soon to replace my aging SS Raleigh with almost the same frame. But then I enjoy going down steps etc on my jourey home through the city so need speed and durability

petejuk

Genesis Day One Cross. Great fun to ride. Cheap(ish) too.

DonDaddyD

The Trek looks like its trying too hard to be individual. It's like a standard car purposely designed and manufactured to look like it has a after market body-kit.

wgwarburton

ride_whenever wrote:

Belt drive is cool, but it doesn't really have a place on a commuting bike. Chains are just as hard-wearing (particularly larger track chains) and much more easily available. ..

That's an interesting comment. I really fancy a belt-drive for commuting, thinking it'll be lower maintenance due to less vulnerability to salt & grit...

What am I missing?

Cheers,
W.

PS ...apart from a bike with a split-rear triangle, of course!

richk

Kiblams wrote:

I am likely to get slapped for suggesting this! but I am getting one of these soon to replace my aging SS Raleigh with almost the same frame. But then I enjoy going down steps etc on my jourey home through the city so need speed and durability

I'm convinced that on one of my (regular) trips to Decathlon, one of those will go in the back of the car.

lastant

rf6 wrote:

It's a shame you're time constrained, as converting a second hand bike may have been an option.

Right...I've got the itch to get myself a singlespeed for the coming winter to stop my Bianchi getting ruined by the grit of London's streets.

I've got an old Marin Bear Valley mountain bike (ish) available with ridiculously dodgy brakes and knackered chainset. How much would it cost to convert this to a roadworthy singlespeed, and would I be better doing that than perhaps picking up that Decathlon one and sticking some drop handlebars on it (if that's indeed possible?!).

rf6

@lastant - there's a few good videos on youtube, particularly from charliethebikemonger.

Superstar components now have a single speed section, which makes conversion quite a bit cheaper than before. There are a few sites such as charliethebikemonger which sell all you need.

If you're chainring can come apart it's cheaper still. I have an old GT that I've converted, and I love it.

Tempted by the Vitamin tho, as a pub and town bike. Does anyone have one?

itsbruce

ride_whenever wrote:

Belt drive is cool, but it doesn't really have a place on a commuting bike. Chains are just as hard-wearing (particularly larger track chains)

I really don't think that's true, and the belt is going to require much less maintenance and be less vulnerable to the elements.

and much more easily available.

That's true. Also, if the belt snaps then all you can do is replace it entirely. But those are very rare events, by all accounts.

but the ride isn't all that inspiring based on the ride i've had on one.

Now, that's a good reason to knock it.

Clever Pun

ride_whenever wrote:

Belt drive is cool, but it doesn't really have a place on a commuting bike. Chains are just as hard-wearing (particularly larger track chains) and much more easily available.

Looks are pretty personal, if the brown does it for you then fair enough, but the ride isn't all that inspiring based on the ride i've had on one.

I was told at a bike shop that the belts last 9 times as long as chains

lastwords

I ride an old Raliegh moutain bike which i bought for £46 off ebay and spent about £50 converting it to SS and buying new grips.

The frame had old horizontal drop outs so this made converting it easy.

Must say i enjoy riding it i use it for shops and to work its not as nice as my other bikes so with a decent lock on it i dont worry about it getting nicked so much.

Canny Jock

lastant wrote:

rf6 wrote:

It's a shame you're time constrained, as converting a second hand bike may have been an option.

Right...I've got the itch to get myself a singlespeed for the coming winter to stop my Bianchi getting ruined by the grit of London's streets.

I've got an old Marin Bear Valley mountain bike (ish) available with ridiculously dodgy brakes and knackered chainset. How much would it cost to convert this to a roadworthy singlespeed, and would I be better doing that than perhaps picking up that Decathlon one and sticking some drop handlebars on it (if that's indeed possible?!).

You will need:

Single speed conversion kit which should give you spacers and a cog to replace the cassette, a chain tensioner, a single speed chain and front chainring bolts (to replace the longer bolts which hold 2 rings) - about 40-ish from charlie as mentioned above.

http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/use ... ocart2.htm

That's about it. Also a few tools such as lockring nut etc.

Can you re-use your chainset and brakes or are they completely gone?

It's fun and satisfying doing it yourself, go for it!

stickman

Pashley Guv'nor

KEMARI

Thanks for all the advice. Think I'm going to try a selection of bikes out this weekend and compare the rides. Will report back!

Salsamander

KEMARI wrote:

Thanks for all the advice. Think I'm going to try a selection of bikes out this weekend and compare the rides. Will report back!

That is the best way, and if possible try a variety of bike shops too, find one that suits you and you would like to pop into again (and again, etc)

KEMARI

I've had decent experience with Evans before now so probably go back there (I'm sure I'll get abuse for that but my local one has a huge selection and the guys working there seem knowledgable and friendly). :oops:

ThanksBye

Have you thought about the charge tap?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cha ... arge%20tap

with a 8 speed rear hub, so should still be as simple as a SS to look after, but with more gears

KEMARI

Interesting, that definitely looks worth a test ride. Thanks.

Clever Pun

tomatoevousparlour wrote:

Have you thought about the charge tap?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cha ... arge%20tap

with a 8 speed rear hub, so should still be as simple as a SS to look after, but with more gears

Someone in my office has one of those.. looks interesting, I suspect it rides well enough, looks heavy though

itsbruce

Now, if you're interested in Charge bikes and singlespeed, check out the Charge Plug Freestyler. Or the basic plug, though I personally think the Freestyler is nicer.

chickenfish89

I have one of the Fixie Inc belt drive Peacemakers, it is excellent. 30 round trip really smooth, silent and zero maintainence so far (over 1000 miles) the belt is still as tight as when new and that compares against my Giant Bowery that stretched after about 3 rides.

Cannot recommend it highly enough (although cycle to work scheme cos it is a bit pricey)

rolf_f

Clever Pun wrote:

I was told at a bike shop that the belts last 9 times as long as chains

Interesting - in the case of cars, timing chains last far longer than belts. Still, different application....

ride_whenever

stickman wrote:

Pashley Guv'nor

Heathen, the phantom is the only pashley that should be ridden, think a big chrome guv'nor...

stickman

The Phanton was a limited edition of 80 so there's none left to buy - and it's a 3 speed.

SimonAH

I disagree with one of the earlier posters, sorry but the Trek District is very very not boring! OK, Don't like the bar and stem that it comes with but as a bike it is packed full of sheer wonderfulness! Had mine a couple of months now and barely climbed off it.

Very fast of the blocks, very light, ninja quiet, no maintenance, deep dish wheels and a funky paintjob. The only downside is that people keep stopping you to talk about it.

lost_in_thought

Re. belt drives, can you get different sprockets for them if you want to change your gearing? All the belt drive bikes I've seen look spinny as hell, and much as the belt drive appeals, I don't care for spinny....

Also, does the belt drive make the chainrings and sprockets less vulnerable to wear from road grit etc? And are the chainrings and sprockets readily available for replacement?

chickenfish89

the Fixie Inc is a 55:16 which isn't that spinny (trust me!). It doesnt look that big but i think the gaps between the teeth are smaller than a chain do the drive is more compact.

the sprocket and drive are 'hollow' so any dirt just falls through.

the belts are easy to get hold of but I am not sure about the drive components