single speed or multispeed?
 

I haven't visited this forum in a while, and this question probably has already been asked numerous times, but do you ride a single speed to work/school, or multispeed?

I ride a multispeed, but I only use 2 gears out of the 15 that I have, so I might as well switch to a single speed. Right now, I'm just reading up on some things by Sheldon to get familiar with the single speed, and how I would go about making that conversion. But while I'm at it, I'm just curious how many people prefer single speed and how many people prefer multispeed.

I use both, an 18-speed road bike and a fixed-gear, in equal amounts for my commuting. Love 'em both!

also both

I have 3 working bikes, all are singlespeed.
I've got a geared bike on the way for playing around at the MTB park.

No, you should switch to a two-speed.


I ride around a lot on my single speed fixed gear bike. But when I ride to work I take my 21-speed hybrid. There are several reasons for this: 1. I carry extra weight of my clothes, lunch, towel, etc.; 2. I have to climb several hills on both the way to and from work; 3. I almost always return in a headwind, and when I'm tired from the 17 or so mile ride into work and hop back on the bike for the return trip, plus carrying the weight and all the rest of that, I enjoy using the drops on the wind (I installed drops on my hybrid; the FG has a straight bar).

If your commute isn't hilly, windy, or particularly long, and/or you don't carry much, you may want to go with a single speed.

I commuted on a SS for a while, but it started to really hurt my knee. I've got 3x10 now and I'm never going back. The only benefit I can see is in maintenance, and I just don't care about a bit more of that.

My commuter has 3x8 = 24 gears. My normal commutes use about 9-10 combinations.
My road bike has 3x9 = 27 gears. A normal ride I'll be using about 16 combinations.

I like my geared bikes.

seriously? 16 different gear combinations?

The world may be flat in "Ron Paul", but it isn't everywhere else. :p

On my normal route, I could get along with a singlespeed. Not much slope at all in either direction.

This morning, I rode across the river to meet up with a coworker to "bike-pool" with him. With a bridge on the way, I was glad to have multiple gears.

You might as well ask, "Is your route hilly or flat?"

like I said, I hadn't visited this forum in a while.

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Also, I have two bikes. One of them is a fuji del rey with a horizontal dropout that will be good for a single speed. I can always ride my multispeed on windy/long distance days.

Both. I happened to ride my fixed gear today. I have a very, very, very flat commute.

I ride both - about equally. My multispeed only has 2 gears, though. Does that really count?

-G

I ride both, depends on the day, the weather and how I'm feeling.

It's good to have a low gear.

The closest thing I have to a single speed is my 3 speed, which is geared low. We have too many days with strong south winds for me to go single speed. My evening commute today was 13.75 miles of 30 mph headwind. I used my middle gear, which is about 50 gear inches, for most of the commute. On days with lighter wind, I cruise in high gear, which is only about 70 gear inches on my bike. This morning's commute was with a lovely tailwind, so I almost wished I had a higher 4th gear.

Fixed. Never going back for commuting.

Most of the time I am using a certain gear. I did once buy a single speed hub conversion to try it out. I didn't like it. Those extra gears really come in handy.

I suppose I will stay with my multispeed, even though I never use more than 3 gears on it. Maybe I can change my front sprocket to a single gear. I just don't like extra things on my bike I'm not going to use, pet peeve.

I live west of Denver.

In all seriousness, you should buy/build a single-speed/fixed-gear bike to supplement the one you already have. Single-speed riding widens your power-band, and fixed-gear can help break some bad habits. And it's fun. :)

Yeah. There are a ton of climbs in this area so I'm in the 1st chainring in the way up, and 3rd on the way down. My cassette is pretty tightly packed too so I change gears in back somewhat often to keep cadence the same.

My commute has a decent hill which is mostly where i shift. If it were flat 3 speeds would probably be fine on that bike.

if you have a multi geared bike, and you find a gear combination which is the perfect, all around, never need to change out of it gear, then just dont shift, it will be like a single. these are the only single speed bike ive ever owned
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=251265http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=251266

both.

commute on rural county route and gravel access road with long rolling hills: 2x10 CX bike.

urban commute to other office: fixed.

I have a 3-speed bike, and a lot of the time I ride in 3rd gear. I wouldn't want less though, it's nice to have a couple of options. Of course, with a 15-speed bike there may only be around 9 distinct gears that are usable. Several gears may be near-duplicates of other gears, and you shouldn't use the 'crossover' gears anyway.

I've been thinking of doing that myself, too, if not on my current commuter, then maybe on my next one. I'd probably also switch the rear to an internal geared hub instead of a derailleur. I'd just have to choose what gear range would be good enough for where I ride.

Switching to a single front sprocket is certainly doable, and would result in a simpler 5-speed bike. The chainline would be acceptable in all gears. You can even try this setup initially by just not using the front derailleur, leaving it on the middle chainring. Depending on what gears you use, your existing middle chainring may suffice, or you might want a replacement single chainring with a tooth count between your current middle and outer rings. Consider a 3 or 5-speed IGH as well.

I too have both. I prefer the ss, but late in the week the gears are nice to have.

IGH :thumb:

i choose multi-speed because of the extreme wind i frequently battle against along chicago's lakefront. if my commute route in chicago weren't directly along the lakefront, i could get away with a single speed because chicago is one of the flattest cities anywhere in the country.