My experience with single gear bikes comes from my childhood. They were fun. Still, I left them for geared bikes. After checking out this forum for the last month or so, I noticed a couple of commuters using single gear bikes to commute. I will admit that at first I found the idea absurd, but now am becoming rather attracted to it. It just looks so simple and easy to maintain. The one thing that I am confused on though is this: How efficient are those things?
It seems that having 20-some gears lets you find the right gear whether you're going up, down, or are level. Thus you can maintain a decent speeds on inclines without feeling like you're doing weighted lunges and push a nice speed once the road allows you. My theoretical thinking is that having only one gear the bike would be good at one thing or the other, but not all of them. Is this true? Like said, I haven't been on a single in over a decade and I would like those who have some experience to enlighten me on how it is to commute on them.
Thanks.
