BigBlueToe

I check out bikes on Ebay a lot. Many of them have been converted to singlespeeds, or the ads say, "Would be great for singlespeed." I don't understand the attraction. I've always been of the opinion that the more gear choices you had, the better. I started on a singlespeed, fat tire bike in the 50's (would probably be a high-price, collector's item now), then went to 3-speed (Sturmey-Archer), narrow-tired "English racer", then graduated to a 10-speed Raleigh in the 70's. Then I started touring and learned to crave a granny gear. Now I ride a 21-speed tourer from the early 90's. My next bike will probably have 24 or 27 speeds.

I'm not saying a singlespeed bike is stupid. I'm sure there's a valid reason to want one. I'd just like someone to explain it to me. Thanks!

dmotoguy

because they are better??

People (hipsters) think they are cool.
They are simple.
They make you work harder, making you stronger.
can help your high cadence riding
lighter, cheaper, easy to fix

3MTA3

get on one. they're a blast.

Six jours

I think part of it is backlash against expensive, fragile, complicated road bikes ridden by effete poseurs who's primary pursuit is worrying about whether their buddies think they're cool.

But then I could be wrong.

roadfix

Take a $10 thrift shop bike and include the words 'fixed' or 'singlespeed' in its Ebay description and see how much people are willing to bid on that bike.....

vpiuva

You need to have one. So simple to ride, no thinking. And they're so Quiet.
Have two now. Fixie is next. Get one.

iab

Track stands
Skidding
Riding backwards

Six jours

BTW, I don't exactly get the singlespeed stuff sold on Ebay either. I don't understand the desire to ride around on a stripped road frame with a cheesy fixed sprocket spun onto freewheel threads. I think Roadfix has probably hit the nail on the head.

Purpose-built fixie frames -- especially the ones with proper road geometry -- can be a joy, however. There is no more pure form of cycling. Just ask Desgrange!

dmotoguy

thats fixed gear not single speed, but in general fixed>SS, so I'll let it slide

Stoeger

That's it exactly That being said, I built up a Falcon Europa and an old Specialized Stumpjumer as singlespeeds some years back. They're nice because of the simplicity, get on and ride, no need to worry about shifting gears.

iab

Once again, I need to learn to read English.

Back to the OP, I understand a fixie, but why a single speed?

roadfix

If you take your coffee black.... no cream, no sugar, you'll most likely enjoy riding a fixed or singlespeed bike.

Six jours

Same as for a fixie, except you don't have to kill yourself going down hill.

iab

I get that, but the fun part is the fixed, coasting takes that fun away.

vpiuva

Try drafting with a fixie at high speeds, or the hills where we coast at 35. SS = coast some, fixie = get left behind. Or gear the fixie up high enough, and those hills get hard to climb.

mrbubbles

Simplicity

iab

I live in Illinois, no hills .

Mukluk

People who ride single speeds must not live in the mountains.

Six jours

Not for me. The fixed gear stops being fun for me around hour four. At that point I really want to be able to stand up and coast to stretch out the calves and simply get some weight off my arse without having to do that funky high-speed-pedalling-while-out-of-the-saddle spin class bit.

Nothing against the fixed riders, and my hat is off to the folks who pedal an entire 508 or whatever. But for me, the single speed -- or the two speed with the flip-flop hub -- is sublime.

urbanknight

As far as ebay goes, it's the only marketing strategy that might work in getting someone to spend more than $5 on a worn out run-of-the-mill frame from the 70's or 80's.

MrCjolsen

I swing both ways, practice both faiths or whatever you want to call it.

Reasons for Singlepseed:

1. A singlespeed is a good way to breath life into an old bike with outdated, worn components that still has a lot of life left in the frame and not spend lots of time and money tracking down old Suntour Cyclone or Shimano 600 components.

2. A singlespeed makes a really fast and fun town bike.

3. A singlspeed makes a good commuter.

4. I like to think that at least some thieves will bypass my bike and go for the shiny Walmart double-boinger next to it because it has suspension, a cushy gel seat, and 21 speeds (printed on the frame no less) rather than an old Peugeot with only one speed, and a hard leather saddle with no padding whatsoever.

Reasons for fixed gear:

1. When you can't coast, you don't coast and when you don't coast you go faster. When I ride my geared bike, I almost never coast

2. Pedaling discipline. When you ride FG, you are almost always in the wrong gear for the conditions. In the absence of having an easer and/or faster gear to shift to, the rider must learn to concentrate on things like pedal stroke, breathing, and other biomechanical means to maintain the desired speed.

3. Fixed gear is great in urban traffic. Even if you have brakes and use them, it's far easier to modulate your speed to match the traffic. You can even take to a sidewalk and have rock-steady control of the bike at a unobtrusive pedestrian pace.

big john

Roadfix did a double century last year on his fixie and did the highland double metric at the Cool Breeze in the hills above Santa Barbara. He climbs well on that thing, it's the downhill that slows him. He also told me they use shorter crankarms to prevent pedal strikes in turns, because they can't stop pedalling.

Strong Bad

Been riding fixed off and on for training for about a month now.
I don't buy the simplicity argument. Come on, How hard are shifters to figure out?
Quiet? I ride Dura-Ace on my road bike. It's quieter than my fixed.
Weight? Don't get me started. My road bike is < 16#, my fixed is 20#.
So, what does that leave?
Damn! It's just plain FUN.
New techniques, need to spin it up on the descent... need to power over the hill... new pain... just something new.
I'm lovin' it.

Six jours

Try taking one apart to repair some time and then get back to us.

Fixed takes some knowledge to get just right. Make sure your chainline is perfect -- not close to it, but exact -- put on an Izumi V chain (lots of folks put on some $10 KMC or whatever, which kills any chance of quiet running) , an EAI Superstar "tuned" cog, and use a real lube -- waxes and dry lubes like White Lightning don't work well in this application -- and you will be astounded and delighted.

Take the derailleurs off your road bike and it will weigh <15#.

jjvw

I hear plently of cheap, rolling thunder freewheels on many of these SS's. Most of them are anything but quiet. My fixed road conversion, on the other hand, is dead silent.