Originally Posted by
Bauser
I live in toronto, and a lot of people here seem to be riding single speed road bikes. They're not all just fixies; there's also coasters and free wheelers. Are single speeds better than geared bikes? Why do many city riders gravitate towards singles?
Cheaper and simpler. For a flat-land transport over shorter distances (up to 5-6 km), it is the most practical bike.
Can't bend a derailleur when stashing 10 bikes in a tight bike parking. Don't worry if a 50 euro 2nd hand bike gets stolen. Coaster brake takes almost zero maintenance, so people not used to wrenching can ride those bikes for years without needing service or tuning.
Those are the main benefits.
I prefer having speeds, but I do my own wrenching and source cheap and reliable stuff for commuting, but 99% of the people are not in that position.