Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Does THIS count as a single speed?

Question for you single speed riders.
All but one of the posts I've seen in the Fixed & Single Speed forum have to do with light weight high dollar bikes either converted to single speed or fixie, or are actual track bikes from a manufacturer. The one exception was a thread about coaster brakes.

Does a single speed mass marketed "Big Box" store $99 ~ $120 coaster brake beach cruiser count as a single speed for the purposes of this forum, or is the forum limited to the high dollar (forgive the terminology here, please) "Snob Appeal" bikes, and the cheap bikes are a C&V (if even there) subject only?

For what it is worth, I have several geared bikes, including a top of the line KHS "Montana Summit" (triple butted lugged steel frame) from 1989 in perfect condition, and a 2003 Giant Cypress DL, but my "go to first bike" is an old coaster brake Huffy "Key Largo" beach cruiser.

how many speeds does it have?

Get some GEARS!!!

Question for you single speed riders.
All but one of the posts I've seen in the Fixed & Single Speed forum have to do with light weight high dollar bikes either converted to single speed or fixie, or are actual track bikes from a manufacturer. The one exception was a thread about coaster brakes.

Does a single speed mass marketed "Big Box" store $99 ~ $120 coaster brake beach cruiser count as a single speed for the purposes of this forum, or is the forum limited to the high dollar (forgive the terminology here, please) "Snob Appeal" bikes, and the cheap bikes are a C&V (if even there) subject only?

For what it is worth, I have several geared bikes, including a top of the line KHS "Montana Summit" (triple butted lugged steel frame) from 1989 in perfect condition, and a 2003 Giant Cypress DL, but my "go to first bike" is an old coaster brake Huffy "Key Largo" beach cruiser.

I think the question is not whether they qualify as single speed bikes, but whether they qualify as bikes and not toys. There are a few people who have older coaster brake setups who seem quite happy with their bikes, and while limitted in what those bikes can do they are quality machines. A big box store beach cruiser is typically too crappy to have any useful application other than as a toy to play with for a little while on the weekend. You can't commute on it (it will breakl), you can't race on it (it will break), you can't do tricks on it, tour with it, or ride it for fitness purposes (because it will break break break) so I personally don't think it even qualifies as a bicycle.

"Snob appeal" has nothing to do with it. People have built converted single speeds that cost them a total of 50 dollars from garage sales and bike coops and those are perfectly well received here. But a piece of crap is a piece of crap, regardless of price.

Wtf?
Yeah, they're single speeds. Rxcuse us for having interest in road and track frames.

Count number of speeds.
Answer = 1 --> Yes.
Answer > 1 --> No.

I hope no one mentions the 3-speed fixed hub. That'll BLOW HIS MIND!!!!!

Count number of speeds.
Answer = 1 --> Yes.
Answer > 1 --> No.

you forgot

Answer < 1 --> No.

I think the question is not whether they qualify as single speed bikes, but whether they qualify as bikes and not toys. There are a few people who have older coaster brake setups who seem quite happy with their bikes, and while limited in what those bikes can do they are quality machines. A big box store beach cruiser is typically too crappy to have any useful application other than as a toy to play with for a little while on the weekend. You can't commute on it (it will breakl), you can't race on it (it will break), you can't do tricks on it, tour with it, or ride it for fitness purposes (because it will break break break) so I personally don't think it even qualifies as a bicycle.

"Snob appeal" has nothing to do with it. People have built converted single speeds that cost them a total of 50 dollars from garage sales and bike coops and those are perfectly well received here. But a piece of crap is a piece of crap, regardless of price.


dang! And I've only put around 15,000 miles on my Huffy! Guess I better start looking for a "serious" bike I can use for commuting, grocery getting, (fairly) flat land touring (nothing more than 2000 to 5000 foot climbs at the ski resort around here, so it is fairly flat land) jumping curbs and pot holes ...! Sure am glad I out-grew the doing tricks stage of riding 40 years ago ...

Golly Gee Wiz BR4L, you sure convinced me. I'm heading straight to Walmart!

Wtf?
Yeah, they're single speeds. Excuse us for having interest in road and track frames.

No problem with you or anyone else having an interest in road and track frames. I'm rather partial the the lugged steel ones myself. One of my "dream bikes", in fact is a 1960's/1970's Cinelli Super Corsa road bike. (with full Campy Nuvo or Super Record Grouppo, of course) Unfortunately, they seem to be the ONE THING an owner is allowed to take with them when they leave this existence for the next one; the bike vaporizes and goes with them ...

This thread is fail. Don't start a thread to ask a stupid question and then knock-off about how cool you are for riding a beach cruiser really far.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2767/4063830645_cbe2e3c142.jpg

My 1979 Sears single speed seems to have held up pretty good. Pretty good for something that probably cost $50 when new anyway.

you forgot

Answer < 1 --> No.

Oh yeah, forgot to account for 0 and .5 speed bikes.

Oh yeah, forgot to account for 0 and .5 speed bikes.

And the negatives!

What about my complex and imaginary numbers? (4i, 7-3i, etc.)

Count number of speeds.
Answer = 1 --> Yes.
Answer > 1 --> No.

this.

why are we attacking the OP for how his bike is? If it has one gear, it's a single speed.

This thread is fail. Don't start a thread to ask a stupid question and then knock-off about how cool you are for riding a beach cruiser really far.

What? "This thread is fail." You, sir, are "fail" for being absurd. As an aside, what's the matter with beach cruisers? Let's see...

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa206/puretexan2/zz5.jpg

or

http://velospace.org/files/markie.jpg


Incidentally, what's the deal with everyone having those gay little riser bars? Here's a hint...if you have a little one, compensate for something that is big, or fast, or loud, or, preferably, all three...

foot retention fail ;)

What? "This thread is fail." You, sir, are "fail" for being absurd. As an aside, what's the matter with beach cruisers? Let's see...

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa206/puretexan2/zz5.jpg

A sprung fork Columbia is not your typical beach cruiser...though it is pretty awesome.


or

http://velospace.org/files/markie.jpg


Incidentally, what's the deal with everyone having those gay little riser bars? Here's a hint...if you have a little one, compensate for something that is big, or fast, or loud, or, preferably, all three...

It's funny because the bars in the pictures have no raise whatsoever. Also, conceivably, given that comment and the photo... don't try to lend credit to racial stereotypes.

Oh, he's talking about Asian penises? I thought he was talking about handlebars. I wasn't very sure why he said 'loud.'

I guess it's because he fails English. I guess if I were an illiterate racist, I'd focus on other people's dicks, too.

... and before he makes some big rebuttal:

just try to defend this:

Here's a hint...if you have a little one, compensate for something that is big, or fast, or loud, or, preferably, all three...as a complete, proper sentence. A run-on sentence that uses ellipses instead of real punctuation is still a run-on sentence.

Queryuser,
"Number of Gears?" StorInput, Var1
If,
Var1/1=1
Then,
Disp "Your bike is a SingleSpeed. Congratulations."
Goto C
If,
Var1/1 =/= 1
Then,
Disp, "Your bike is NOT a SingleSpeed. Fail."
Goto C

C
EndProg

Does a single speed mass marketed "Big Box" store $99 ~ $120 coaster brake beach cruiser count as a single speed for the purposes of this forum, or is the forum limited to the high dollar (forgive the terminology here, please) "Snob Appeal" bikes, .

RULES?
We don't need no stinking rules.

The truth is it doesn't matter. We are going to make fun of you and your bike regardless. If you are too sensitive or the kind of person who takes it personally, you'll probably be happier not posting here. If you can take it in the spirit it was intended and maybe issue a little needle of your own now and then, this forum can be a lot of fun.

This thread is fail. Don't start a thread to ask a stupid question and then knock-off about how cool you are for riding a beach cruiser really far.

Sorry, but I do not consider myself "cool" for riding any bike any distance. I was responding to a person who implied the inexpensive bikes would not last 100 miles under normal adult use, and were/are a P.O.S. and by extension, only a bike that costs big bucks is capable of commuting, touring, and so on. All of which is a bunch of bull.
He is like the guy I ran across at a truck stop when riding the Yamaha XS 650 motor cycle I had at the time across the country. The guy was a Harley man, through and through, and is opinion was "If you don't have a Harley you ain't got SH***!" yet the only time he actually RODE his Harley (a standard late model, not a "collector" or vintage/antique or non-street legal chopper or racing bike) was on and off the dam trailer.

Just because I cannot afford to put $10,000 out for a bicycle (or even $300 for a bicycle right now, for that matter) does not mean I should not ride. Yes, I have a "lot" of miles on that bike, put on over a period of several years. I have a lot of miles on my other bikes, as well. One of my bikes, which I've had since 1994, (1984 Fuji Mt. Fuji) I've ridden over 30,000 miles. Whoopie. Big deal. SO WHAT? I ride my bikes more than some people ride theirs, and less than other people ride theirs; big deal. Who cares? I sure don't.

RULES?
We don't need no stinking rules.

The truth is it doesn't matter. We are going to make fun of you and your bike regardless. If you are too sensitive or the kind of person who takes it personally, you'll probably be happier not posting here. If you can take it in the spirit it was intended and maybe issue a little needle of your own now and then, this forum can be a lot of fun.
Heck, I learned 50 year ago not to take sh*** personal :D I can run with the "best" (worst?). I don't get even ... I get ahead ... :innocent:
:D

Oh, he's talking about Asian penises? I thought he was talking about handlebars. I wasn't very sure why he said 'loud.'

Some are very loud. :innocent:

I can't ride my mom's beach cruiser. It feels like riding a damn couch

I can't ride my mom's beach cruiser. It feels like riding a damn couch
riding damn couch better than riding damn fence rail :D

riding damn couch better than riding damn fence rail :D

Confucius say....

Oh, he's talking about Asian penises? I thought he was talking about handlebars. I wasn't very sure why he said 'loud.'

I guess it's because he fails English. I guess if I were an illiterate racist, I'd focus on other people's dicks, too.

... and before he makes some big rebuttal:

just try to defend this:
as a complete, proper sentence. A run-on sentence that uses ellipses instead of real punctuation is still a run-on sentence.

Only idiots would go racist when there was absolutely no racism implied. I was meaning hipsters in general, which this fellow certainly appears to emulate. As far as being illiterate, I apologize, I wasn't aware of this being English class.

BTW, an ellipsis is "real punctuation." Just ask my students - we covered ellipses in class today. I'd be interested where you can find me a run-on sentence in this:


Here's a hint...if you have a little one, compensate for something that is big, or fast, or loud, or, preferably, all three...
Let's break it down, shall we? An ellipsis is an intentional omission of information. With internet speak, it is used to show that one is trailing off, or is making a rather long pause. As most write as they speak here on the handy dandy internet, this is considered appropriate by most. In my case, I was using the ellipses properly - the first one was where I left out "you hipster smart alecks," while the second is where I left out "like a car, or a bike that actually has normal-sized handlebars."

I suppose you're correct. For the sentence to look appropriate, without these ellipses, it would have to look something like this:


Here's a hint, you hipster smart alecks: if you have a little one, compensate for something that is big, fast, or loud or, preferably, all three, like a car, or a bike that actually has normal sized handlebars.You see though, even with the ellipses, the sentence works. Just because there is a multitude of commas in both sentences does not make a run-on sentence. As there are technically two lists in the second sentence, each comma is used to separate the items of the lists. The only ones that do not work to this (both sentences inclusive) would be the ones after or, preferably, and all three. These commas work as either conjunctions to combine two dependent clauses ("or,"), to provide emphasis ("preferably,"), or as parenthetical phrasing ("all three,").

Were you to make a single complaint about that sentence that might actually be feasible, it would be that I left the fourth period off of the second ellipsis. This would be necessary, as it was the end of the sentence.

Of course, feel free to correct my grammar, Oh Great One Of The Many Numbered Screen Name....

tl;dr

NEVER argue with an English teacher ... :lol: :D (or tell one they used improper punctuation.) :lol:

NEVER argue with an English teacher ... :lol: :D (or tell one they used improper punctuation.) :lol:

Doesn't matter if the punctuation is correct, when the rest of the sentence still doesn't make sense.:lol:


Here's a hint...if you have a little one, compensate for something that is big, or fast, or loud, or, preferably, all three...

I do believe that "for" should be "with" - unless of course he meant that one should compensate for a big, fast, loud "little one".

Which is hilarious, but nonsensical.

Stop feeding the troll.

Every time cold weather hits, the troll threads multiply.

Stop feeding the troll.

Every time cold weather hits, the troll threads multiply.

So, you only start threads when its cold then?

This thread is an epic :trainwreck: from multiple directions. I can't stop reading, even though I know I should.

I know this is going to sound really lame, so forgive me. I think for the purposes of this forum, whether your bike counts depends on what your reasons are for having it. Do you like it for the simplicity of the drive train? Do you feel like it's one-speed-ness is fundamental to your enjoyment of it? If so, I say it's good enough. I think the reasons why there aren't many beach cruisers in this forum is because they are generally clunky and inefficient. clunky and inefficient =/= cheap and low quality. There are plenty of people in this forum, including myself, who are riding very inexpensive bikes. And by that, I mean bikes that cost something like "99 to 120" bikes to put together. Just because we're on a road bike frame doesn't mean we're snobs or spent more money on it. I love the look of old cruisers, but the fact of the matter is that they are much slower, much heavier, and don't have the sort of potential I demand out of my bikes. I say this as somebody who has rarely paid over 30 dollars for a bike.

Incidentally, what's the deal with everyone having those gay little riser bars?

Hear hear! Why are so many cyclists trying to look gay these days? Don't they know that just encourages the ***** to ride bikes too?

Great thread all around, btw.

Hear hear! Why are so many cyclists trying to look gay these days? Don't they know that just encourages the ***** to ride bikes too?

Great thread all around, btw.

homophobe?

http://starnews.squarespace.com/storage/chili-cook-off.jpg


:D :D

bikes that cost something like "99 to 120" bikes to put together.

Mine cost around 300 bikes.

I ride a bike that has wheels, but you elitist ******** would probably judge me for that. I don't care, I like having wheels on my bike.

Mine cost around 300 bikes.

That doesn't really contradict my argument. All I'm saying is that there ARE people on this forum with budget bikes. I didn't suggest that everyone fit that description, or that they had to. My current bike cost me about 120 bucks to build. My next one will probably cost several times that.

how is this even a thread?

i ride what would probably be considered a jackass bike. but i don't care what people think, i'll ride it just the same.

thank you OP for trying to prove yourself that you can ride a cheap bike. good for you. want a ****ing cookie?

how is this even a thread?

i ride what would probably be considered a jackass bike. but i don't care what people think, i'll ride it just the same.

thank you OP for trying to prove yourself that you can ride a cheap bike. good for you. want a ****ing cookie?

Gee, I'd like to see that - a jackass bike being ridden by a jackass. What's your problem? Wife/boyfriend cut you off again? drunk? stoned?

I'll pass on the ****ing cookie, thanks for asking though.

So do you actually want to talk about your single speed bike or what?

Gee, I'd like to see that - a jackass bike being ridden by a jackass. What's your problem? Wife/boyfriend cut you off again? drunk? stoned?

I'll pass on the ****ing cookie, thanks for asking though.

my problem?

i don't get what the hell you're talking about. you want to know if a bike with one gear is considered a single speed?

that's the single stupidest question i've heard here in a long time. keep in mind this is bfssfg and a lot of stupid **** is spewed here every day. In addition to my track bike I ride a lynskey Ti road bike and a raleigh hi-ten 5 speed. hold on while i go over to road bikes and make a thread asking if my raleigh is a road bike because people don't talk about riding hi-tensile steel there.

wait no i won't because that's too stupid even for bikeforums. i'd rather be a jackass riding a jackass bike than a dumbass looking at my beach cruiser wondering if it's a single speed. holy hell.

Worst thread EVER!!

http://browsei.com/upload/Pictures/direct/worst-tattoo-ever-tattoo-bodyart-cartoons.jpg

i'd rather be a jackass riding a jackass bike

I wish this was on a bumper sticker, or a T shirt. I'd wear it to jury duty.

I ride a bike that has wheels, but you elitist ******** would probably judge me for that. I don't care, I like having wheels on my bike.

I bet you have "tires" on your wheels... poser.

Tireless is where its at

The truth is it doesn't matter. We are going to make fun of you and your bike regardless. If you are too sensitive or the kind of person who takes it personally, you'll probably be happier not posting here. If you can take it in the spirit it was intended and maybe issue a little needle of your own now and then, this forum can be a lot of fun.

See what I mean?