Originally Posted by
VegasTriker
I took the time to look up what you are riding. It is a 37 pound, single-speed beach cruiser that sells for under $80 at WalMart if you assemble it yourself. It was designed for comfort, not speed or distance. Most people I see who ride beach cruisers ride them around the neighborhood with their kids. They are not long-distance cyclists nor are they particularly fast.
A couple of years ago I did a 50 mile BSA Cycling Merit Badge ride with a father who road a similar bike. He completed the 50 miles in less than 8 hours which is the requirement we put on the Scouts who earn the badge. It just shows you can go long distances on a bike like that. He is a pretty fit individual, still fairly young. He was tired at the end of the ride but still able to get off it and walk away. I gave him a special certificate of recognition for having ridden a one-speed cruiser all that distance. I probably haven't done 50 miles on a one-speed bike since I was 13 and that was a LONG time ago.
In the early 70's I rode my single speed, ballon tire Schwinn with a knee action fork from Philadelphia to Atlantic City (60 mikes) on a charity ride. The only modification I had made to the 1950's era bike was a Wright W-66 saddle.
No problem on this ride as the only elevation was the Ben Franklin Bridge over the Delaware River. An easy-peasy ride since I was not in any kind of race and the bike was built for comfort not speed. Single speed cruisers are fine for such rides and distances as long as being speedy is not a concern.