Thinking about getting a Single Speed....need help!

the_big_gun

Hi all,

I've been riding for years and have just changed to jobs where my commute is almost bang on 20miles in each direction, mostly on undulating country roads, but with a bit of busy town center on one end (near the office)...

At the moment i've only got my racing bike which i've been doing some training on, but really don't want to use it to hack to work on for 200miles per week, so i'm going to do the bike to work scheme and get something cheaper.

Thinking singlespeed would be a good way to go... low maintenance and i've heard it can make great gains in fitness and speed.....advice on this please if anyone's got any???!

I'm not a hipster or whatever, and have to go for a new bike (on the scheme), so am looking for advice on which one.

So far i like the Giant bowery '72, the Felt Dispatch, Kona Band wagon....

Really haven't got a clue on SS bikes though!

I think i'd prefer Alu for the weight saving (i'm not too fussed about the ride; i've been riding an alu bike since forever, so i'm very used to it!). There are a couple of little lumps in my commute, but nothing too drastic; it's more the work clothes, etc that i have to carry that makes me concerned about weight. WHat's a good weight for a SS??

I've ridden the commute in both directions on my current bike without allowing myself the luxury of changing gears. Basically just picked a gear at the start and stuck to it, which was a bit painful the first go, but eventually got the right gear on the 3rd go. What ratio do people normally have on a SS?

Any views or assistance on this would be amazing cos i feel kinda lost.

Many thanks.

the_big_gun

Just been and checked and the gear i rode the commute on (on my standard bike) was 50/19.....any idea how that compares to a single speed??

JesseD

The Kona Paddy Wagon is a great bike, are you looking at riding single speed or fixed?

Ridng fixed is very different to riding a normal geared bike but a really good laugh and quite addictive, also riding fixed sorts out your pedalling technique, it smooths out your pedalling stroke and will make your stronger.

Another bike you might want to consider is the Cannondale Capo, it's beautiful 8)

Kingtut87

I've got a Bowery from a couple of years ago. Alu frame is pretty tough although not the lightest. Its got a 73 inch gear if I remember rightly (47/17 i think?). Your 50/19 is a 71 inch gear so something around there would be about right

the_big_gun

Thanks guys. I was thinking of riding single speed to start with, but was hoping for a flip-flop hub (please correct if i'm getting this all wrong!), with fixed one side and free-hub on the other so i could switch it around.

Last time i rode a fixed (and the only time) was at a track intro session at Calshot and having done the quickest lap in the group, in the little timed lap race bit at the end of session, i crossed the finish line at full whack and naturally tried to stop pedalling. Bike went all over the place and i ended up hitting the wall at the top of the curve, taking all the skin off the knuckles on my right hand, my right elbow, hip, and knee, and ripping up all my lycra. Was a pretty cool crash......apparently! :oops: :oops: Anyway....i'm a bit nervous of a fixed now; understandably i think.

Also, do you know what the ALex rims are like on Kona? I had Alex rims on an old Spesh Allez and they were very light, but somewhat weak...

Also, any idea of weight of the Kona?

One other question would be on sizing a SS....just go the same as my racing bike?

Thanks again!

bigpikle

Boardman Comp SC - alu frame and looks good to me. Fancied one myself but built my own in the end with an old 531 frame.

the_big_gun

Yeah the Boardman had crossed my mind too actually. Seems quite light by the spec.

Have to say i was expecting the bike weight of a fixed to be a bit lighter!! I just went out and weighed my Alu racing bike with 10speed and it was 8.3kg, so it doesn't look like i'm going to be getting anything lighter in the fixed genre after all...

bigpikle

my rescued old 531 frame with a ramshackle of bits and pieces on it weighs in at 19lbs on my bathroom scales - no featherweight but rides so much smoother than a derailleur equipped bike and is more responsive to each pedal stroke, that it 'feels lighter'. I like riding a single speed as well as my others - huge grin factor 8)