Commuting - Who Commutes on a single speed?

Just curious how many people actually use a single speed for commuting? Show and tell and I'll start.


My Single Speed Commuter is a Specialized Crossroads running 44x18 gearing and 700c wheels. I've added a singulator due to vertical drop outs but I'm looking at replacing the drops with track bike ends and going fixie.

http://www.5point7.com/bike-blog/fin2.jpg

http://www.5point7.com/bike-blog/fin3.jpg

My Commute is only about 5-6 miles one way and soon will be a little longer when I move this week. Also I'll having to skirt some seriously steep hills to get to work. :)

Riding 48/18. Everything is stock except the Tiagra calipers and Cane Creek levers I put on it.

I ride about 5-10 a day, depending if I run errands afterwork, or run home for lunch (also not counting some training if I want to).

Don't have a picture handy... but I ride a Surly Crosscheck with a 48/18, mustache handlebars, and yea, front and rear brakes.

DanO

I ride this when I don't have to carry much of a load.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/jojisan/Barleysupport.jpg

An old converted Giant Innova, polished frame, Salsa forks, 46x16.

It had vertical dropouts, I filed the dropouts into horizonal ones. Look mom, no chain tensioner! The dropouts were shaped in big flat plates so lended itself very well to filing.

http://members.iinet.net.au/~jdekter/commute/DSCN4017.JPG

Running 39x14 on 700C wheels. It's my old road bike, pressed into daily service. It's mostly original, except for the fenders, pedals, stem, front wheel, brake levers, grips and handlebar. It's very stiff, and if it wasn't for the fenders, it would be totally silent. I'm thinking about going to 42x14...

http://static.flickr.com/50/139491889_e22c994969.jpg

42x15 on a frankenbike with a specialized hardrock frame.

no pics-- but a KHS track bike (fixie) 48*18 - front brake
my commute is 22 miles in and 24 home (different route)-- I try to ride 4-5 days a week, and 75% of my commuting is on the fixie.

train safe-

Fixed gear 48x17. See my sig for pictures. Also do a search on fixed gear commuters, you'll see a thread I started last month that had a few pages of commuting fixies on it.

Nice work on that Crossroads. Some free advice, though - don't replace the dropouts! You'd be wasting your money. If you want a fixed-gear, you'd be better off converting an old road bike or MTB, or buying a bike designed as a singlespeed.

I used to but I sold it for one with gears.

Just as well I don't have a picture of my Crosscheck to post. It wouldn't stand up so well against The Fixer's brown bomber. That's a nice lookin' ride.

DanO

I ride a fixed IRO Rob Roy. The pic's in the sig.

I wish I could, I love the clean look of singles.

But the rolling hills would kill me.

I wish I could, I love the clean look of singles.

But the rolling hills would kill me.
Where exactly are you riding around Los Angeles. I commute between Glendale and Burbank and cruise Eagle Rock, Highland Park, South Pas on the weekends. I bet if you started out with some mellow geariing you'd do fine. You might just surprise yourself.

DanO

I used to, but then I added an electric kit. I guess it's still a single-speed, but riding it is kind of like cheating ;)

I ride this when I don't have to carry much of a load.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/jojisan/Barleysupport.jpg
You know, you are such a bl**dy bragger...

*drools*

What does everyone use to host their images?

I'm 48/18, 18 miles commute each way.

Fixer, damn, that is one sweet looking ride. Love how the colors come together.

This is my commute bike, a REI Novara Triumpho, that I stripped all the gear stuff off and fixed with a magic gear, just to see if I could do it. 41-15 ratio for a mellow 71 gear inches.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y18/CalOso/March06003.jpg

BTW, I use photobucket.com. Cheap and easy (like riding a ss or fg bike).

Ive been riding this SS cross-check since I finished it at the end of January. 1600+ miles later I never seem to want to ride my other bkes. It currently is running 48/20 (64.8 inches). I need to drop the rear to an 18 tooth freewheel (72 inches), as it's starting to seem a little too easy for my 30 mile commute here in Austin.

I have had a variety of handlebars on this bike. It started out with flat bars since I had them. They didn't last too long. Too much preasure on the wrists. I then put some On-One "Mary" bars on it, which were very comfortable, but somewhat limmited in hand position, and no way to get out of the wind. I also tried some of the On-One Midge bars but the drops were too small for my hands so climbing hills was a little tricky since I like to climb from the drops. So I now have some Salsa Bell Lap bars on it . They don't have the cool factor of the Midges but they work great and didn't cost an arm and a leg. I keep flirting with the idea of going fixed, but I'm just not quite there yet. I guess I just like to coast a little too much. It's relaxing to just coast and take in the scenery.

I am at work and without pics, but I have been commuting with a single speed for about a year. It started out as a winter project designed to not mess up my "good bike" in bad weather and relieve the boredom of New England winters. Now I like it so much it has become my primary commuting bicycle. I recently switched over to fixed gear. It is scaring the hell out of me sometimes, but it is a blast. The bike is a spirited teacher, and it points out your bad habits with the bicycling equivalent of hitting you with a ruler. I never realized I coast so much…

I never realized I coast so much…
Was/Is that a problem when commuting?

Was/Is that a problem when commuting?


If you always race yourself to work it is !

Was/Is that a problem when commuting?

I like to use my muscles, and I see commuting as a part of my wider fitness plan. Yes, it is practical transportation, but it is also how I fit exercise into my life. So yes, I guess I do see it as a problem if I am coasting for half of my ride. The fixed gear has pointed out where I get lazy. Plus it feels very cool to ride fixed and puts some variety in my riding.

My Pake (http://www.pakebikes.com) is now my main bike for transportation and exercise. It's cheap (as road bikes go), low maintenance, rugged, and fun to ride.

My backup bike is geared - 20 speeds. Ironically, adding levers, cables, gears and freewheels decreases one's sense of control.

Since April when I picked up a Bianchi San Jose. No pics here, but I'll post some later. Just switched to a Campy Veloce crankset this morning, Commute is about 5 miles one way, running 43/17. The original crankset had on of the chainring bolts right behind the arm and it was impossible to tighten. For road rides I swich to a 49T chainring and road tires. Now I am looking for a Campy 49T.

Normally I ride a geared bike, but if I wake up feeling particularly good one morning, I'll take this...

http://www.grinderbikes.com/detel_01.jpg

Mid '80s Detel Marathon 6000. I have one climb on my commute that damn near kills me when I ride this thing, makes me appreciate having extra gears on normal days.

I used to ride my road bike then I realized that my fixed gear is actually easier to ride on the hills on my commute. Generally I take the MAX then ride the six miles in to work to minimize my time spent travelling and the sweat factor since I don't have a shower. I'll ride the 25 or so miles on my way home though.

http://static.flickr.com/46/109295284_4ab27ae85d.jpg

I have a Raleigh Rush Hour with 46/17 gear ratio (fixed) and flop-chop bullhorns. I ride it about 12 miles each way from a parking lot midway between my house and work for my "short" commute. Otherwise, I ride door to door (21 miles each way) on a geared road bike.

My two main commuters are SS. Both are 1980's steel bikes I converted to SS with Hardcore Freddy Fenders. The bike I have commuted on for the past year is a Specialized Hardrock with North Road bars, 35x16 gears, and 26x1.5 street tires. My recently completed project is a Raleigh Pursuit with moustache bars, 48x17 gears, and 27 x 1 1/4 tires.

Edit: MTB has a rear rack. I use a messenger bag or waist bag with the road bike.

...The original crankset had on of the chainring bolts right behind the arm and it was impossible to tighten...

Invention of the devil! I hate those cranks.

I've been commuting on my SS Gunnar for 4 years, gearing is 42x16. I only take my road bike if I am meeting friends for a training ride before or after work. I love riding it at how easy it is to maintain.

I don't understand the appeal of a single speed except for it's simplicity, but to go without multiple gear ratios does not seem like an equal tradeoff...not even close. Besides the simplicity, what exactly is the appeal of a single...especially on longer commutes?

ride a fixie 9 miles each way. 42x18. i know it's a granny gear but that's where i'm at right now.

Well, for one thing, a single speed has very little attraction for the average bike thief.

Well, for one thing, a single speed has very little attraction for the average bike thief.
For good reason, I would suspect. Probably couldn't get a Pinto stolen by a car thief if you left the keys in it and a cold six pack on the front seat. The market for such vehicles is rather thin.

I don't understand the appeal of a single speed except for it's simplicity, but to go without multiple gear ratios does not seem like an equal tradeoff...not even close. Besides the simplicity, what exactly is the appeal of a single...especially on longer commutes?
Well if you live somewhere relatively flat, there's really no reason to be hauling around a lot of gears and their associated equipment - if you only have one gear you have a lighter more efficient bike which will serve you better than a multigeared bike so long as you don't live amongst many hills. I know that fixed gears are all the rage right now, but a freewheel (and/or coaster brake) is more practical/safe/less tiring for general street use (more so if you do have some hills to face).

Well, for one thing, a single speed has very little attraction for the average bike thief.

and, chicks dig it.

I don't understand the appeal of a single speed except for it's simplicity, but to go without multiple gear ratios does not seem like an equal tradeoff...not even close. Besides the simplicity, what exactly is the appeal of a single...especially on longer commutes?
They are very enjoyable to ride.
And you don't miss the gears, even with big hills.
Al

For good reason, I would suspect. Probably couldn't get a Pinto stolen by a car thief if you left the keys in it and a cold six pack on the front seat. The market for such vehicles is rather thin.

And paradoxically, the Hour Record was set on a bike with how many gears? That's right, boys and girls: One gear.

http://www.sosenka.cz/archiv/2005/m12.jpg

And damn right the chicks dig it. Once I started riding my fixie to work I had to get my old stick out of storage to beat off my female admirers.

http://www.sosenka.cz/archiv/2005/m12.jpg
That bike looks about perfect for getting around town on, lugging groceries home with, etc. ;)

Al

25 miles for me round trip.
If you dont have any major hills you'll do your commute in
the exact same time as you do on your gearie....Only you'll
have more fun :D

See my sig line ?

See whats for sale below it ? :roflmao:

I don't understand the appeal of a single speed except for it's simplicity, but to go without multiple gear ratios does not seem like an equal tradeoff...not even close. Besides the simplicity, what exactly is the appeal of a single...especially on longer commutes?

Reliability and ease of maintenance are enough reason for a bike that is ridden daily and with purpose. By purpose, I mean you got somewhere you gotta be.

Simple = less things to break or fall out of adjustment.

Simple = I can debug and fix it myself in 25 minutes. Heck, I could strip it to the frame and rebuild it completely in 2 hours.

There is a cost advantage too. Last fall I overheard a lady buying a SS bike at a COOP / used bike store. She just walked in and said I want a single speed. The sand and salt on the roads last winter ruined my gears on my derailleur bike last winter.

I replaced the freewheel on my SS MTB after heavy use through the winter. $19 for the freewheel. $12 for the chain.

I rode my old mtb ss conversion for months before the chain stretched and wouldn't stay on. Of course it's a cheap chain, and I'm still using a ramped cog from an old cassette I tore apart. I'll deffinately have a new setup by the time the weather changes.

simple = simple

That bike looks about perfect for getting around town on, lugging groceries home with, etc. ;)

Al

And the person who rides it must have arms the length of an orangutan...

Well, for one thing, a single speed has very little attraction for the average bike thief.

I dunno.. my Sputnik kinda screams steal me with its happy carbon fork.

I need to break it in about 6 months so it isnt so shiny :(

And the person who rides it must have arms the length of an orangutan...
Or eyes on their back.

What does everyone use to host their images?

I'm 48/18, 18 miles commute each way.

Fixer, damn, that is one sweet looking ride. Love how the colors come together.


I have my own server through the web design company I work for but most people are using photobucket. It's good for hosting images for forums like this and it's free.

http://www.photobucket.com

I don't understand the appeal of a single speed except for it's simplicity, but to go without multiple gear ratios does not seem like an equal tradeoff...not even close. Besides the simplicity, what exactly is the appeal of a single...especially on longer commutes?

I don't know, you'd have to ride one for awhile then you'd probably get hooked. It's very smooth and quiet and really... (I hate to sound all tree hugger on you) it's like a zen thing. Just so simple, light and smooth. Hard to describe. lol. Just build one and ride it.

Besides, Chicks dig it. lol.

http://www.5point7.com/chicsdigit.jpg

And paradoxically, the Hour Record was set on a bike with how many gears? That's right, boys and girls: One gear.
And...? BFD! Irrelevant.



And damn right the chicks dig it. Once I started riding my fixie to work I had to get my old stick out of storage to beat off my female admirers.
Not irrelevant! First good reason I've read yet. Especially if true.