Should I opt for single speed?
 

Hello folks,

I have a Giant TCX 2 bike that I bought a few years ago, and started to ride after some 30+ years of inactivity. Unfortunately I had to do a (fourth!) back surgery last November, but now I am determined to go back to riding.

I became very intrigued by the single speed bicycles for some reason. Perhaps because they are simpler to maintain and more importantly I understand I can buy a much lighter bike with a higher quality than if I go with a single speed. Weight is a big issue for me NOT because of any speed issue but because I have to carry the bike up the stairs and with four lower back surgeries every savings in weight would help. I think the bike I have now is about 35 lbs since I have put on it a kick stand and a pair of mud guards etc. I would love to cut that weight in half if possible.

My two questions are:

(1) Do you think I have a point in exploring with the single speed concept?

(2) If so, I thought I would try to get the feel of the single speed by not switching gears. In this case, what gear combination should I set this to?

The TCX 2 has two an SRAM PG 950 11x28, 9-Speed and FSA Omega, 34/50 (whatever that means!!). Would greatly appreciate your help, and would be even more appreciative if you explain it in simple (newbie) terms.

Many thanks in advance.

I have had a fusion in my lower back (2 lower vertebrae) and biking has been very good for me except for when I built a ss. That thing killed my back and I only rode it a couple times. If I ride my geared bikes it feels fine. In fact in the past if my back bothers me I jump on the bike and *poof* the pain is gone. It must stretch the muscles in your back or something. All I know is if I stay in good bike shape my back is good. Except for that blasted ss.

It's a fine idea. You probably want about a 70" gear, which would be 50x20. It's not going to be magical, but it should be fun and easier to carry up stairs.

35lbs is huge and going to single speed will not take 17lbs off your bike. I'm guessing 2+ lbs or so. Maybe a pound, or less, for the cassette, a pound for the derailleurs, and a little for lighter brakes levers/shift cables without shifters. Only issue is if you have hydraulic disc as a don't know if non shifter hydraulic brake levers exist.

I'm also having a tough time imagining you not having to get out of the saddle with a single speed. Not sure how that works with your back.

John

A Bianchi Pista is 21 lb for $850 retail.

A Wabi Lightening SE is 17.5 lb for $1195 retail.

I could list a dozen more.


-Tim-

Thanks Tim. These two look awesome! But I find that they have a more aggressive riding style whereas I prefer a less race position. I also don't think either of them sold in any of the store in Metropolitan DC where I live.

Save your back at the expense of your knees?
 

This site lists the 2009 Giant TCX 2 as 10.2 kg (frame size not specified) but that is only 22.4 pounds Giant TCX 2 review - BikeRadar USA so adding a kickstand and fenders would not add 13 pounds to the bike. I just weighed an aluminum kickstand and it came to 230 grams which is half a pound. What you get as a trade off for just having one gear may come at the expense of your knees. I haven't had a one-speed bike since I was a preadolescent and there is no way I would go back to those days. The advantage of multi-speed bikes is the ability to choose a gear that is comfortable for the terrain. If you have only one gear, then you will be mashing up the hills and spinning like mad in other circumstances.

You can calculate the gear range (or single gear) here https://sheldonbrown.com/gear-calc.html
If you use the numbers you listed 11-28 cassette and 34-50 chainrings plus 700X38C tire, 170 mm crank you will get a gear range of 33.2 to 124.2 gear inches for your current bike and 18 gears to select from.

Use the 50 ring and a 18 or 20 cog.

People either like the single speed or they don't - no way of knowing until you try it. Or fixed gear. Personally, once I got used to it there is no downside other than top end and when I'm going slow uphill.

Many thanks Vegas. I weighed my bike right now to be sure using a luggage scale and it comes at 27.8 lb. So I guess I was off by a few pounds. Maybe because it feels much too heavier than 27 lbs for my weak back!!

Ss
 

As someone else pointed out, your bike doesn't weigh 35 lbs.

Getting a fixed gear bike as lightweight as your current bike will be expensive. Most SS/FG bikes are heavy, in part because they are heavy. Bikes as lightweight as your road bike are expensive because they're lightweight.

I concur, about a 70 inch gear should serve you well over flattish terrain. Get a flipflop hub and you can have fun trying out the world of fixed gear cycling (which I prefer).

Most steel single speeds will be around 21 pounds
 

If you're in the USA, check out the Mercier kilo WT which is the version of the Kilo that allows you to fit tires up to 45mm and included mounts for fenders and racks. Terrific, versatile bike. Heck, you could put a Sturmey Archer internal gear hub on it if you need a few gears. They make some hubs that will fit the narrow track spacing on single speed rear drop outs.

Thanks Motorapido. Yes I am in DC so I can search for bike shops that sell them and check it out. I couldn't figure out online how much it weighs though.

Thanks icy. Can I install a flipflop hub on my current geared bike?

I'll put my personal biases on the table -- in 1973 my wife's brother gave me an old Avanti track bike as a wedding present. I found fixed gear was just not my thing. Likewise, my first bicycle was a Schwinn 2-speed, and six months later I received a 10-speed for Christmas, and there was no going back. Single speed, even two-speed, was not my thing. I like gears, and I like having at least 12 for a road bike, at least 18 for a touring or mountain bike.

I would think anyone with orthopedic problems of any kind would benefit immensely from a good selection of gears, particularly in the low-to-mid ranges. (I agree that super-high gears are pointless -- top gears on my four road bikes range from 92 to 98 gear-inches, and I really like a 94 (49/14) or a 96 (50/14 or 46/13) top.

No. You can only have one cog on a single speed wheel at a time, per side.

Google single speed bikes and look at some YouTube vids - you don't seem clear on the concept yet.

As per an earlier suggestion, ride in one gear on your geared bike for a while about 70 inches.

With your back issues, I'd suggest keeping away from hills if you do that and I'd check with your dr. first. Like you, though, he's going to need a basic understanding of single speed bikes and gear ratios to advise you.

You can convert your current bike to a FG/SS with flip flop, but there will be some limitations.

It'll work with freewheels on both sides and a chain tensioner, even if the cogs are different sizes.
It'll work with fixed/free if both cogs are the same size.

You have to decide which way you want to go before you buy the hub though, because the threading is different.

I'm an engineer, not a doctor, but it certainly seems to me that if one's body has physical issues, trying to cope with a single gearing ratio would be a hindrance rather than a help.

Multi-geared bikes can weigh less than 25 lbs without spending a fortune, around 20 lbs if more money is spent, and less than 20 lbs if even more $ is spent.

Thanks Nashvillebill. Would appreciate if you could recommend a few such bikes. Would be great if I can stay within $1,000. Cheers.

People seem to assume that single speed means brutal gear ratios. We are not talking about Olympic track events here but rather a nice easy gear to spin up hills or cruise on the flats, coast everywhere else.

A Wabi Special is $995. It has option for a straight handlebar instead of drops. Fits a nice comfy 32 mm tire. 18.5 lb.
Put 46/18 or lower gearing on it and go just about anywhere.


-Tim-

I have not personally bought from them, but BikesDirect has quite a few fans (and of course a few vocal opponents).

Although I don't see a claimed weight for it, this one Save up to 60% off new Flat Bar Road Bikes - Gravity Liberty FB | Save up to 60% off new road bikes would likely be in the sub-25 lb range.

This one comes in at less than 20 lbs:Save up to 60% off new Carbon Hybrid Bicycles | Road Bikes Cafe Century PRO DX And is exactly $999.95 including free shipping.

Many thanks indeed. Much appreciated.

The big difference between modern geared bikes and single-speed/fix gear bikes is the virtually all geared bikes now use vertical dropouts for the rear wheel. SS/FG bikes have horizontal slots to put the wheel into so you can easily slide the wheel forward and back to adjust the chain slack for different cog sizes. With a bike like your current one, there are very few choices of chainring-cog combinations that work with the proper chain slack. (There are 1/2 links so it is possible to make 1/2" chain length adjustments, not full inches, so that helps a little. Still, very limiting.)

With a flip-flop hub and a SS/FG specific frame, you can make real changes in gear ratio and make up the size difference with the long horizontal slot (either a track end, a true horizontal slot that opens to the rear or traditional horizontal dropouts that aren't quite horizontal and open to the front - on all geared bikes 50 years ago).

DiabloScott nailed it as to how you can adopt your current bike and the limitations. With what I said above, you can see why. If you plan to do a lot of flipping, track ends are a little miserable because you have to slide the wheel forward to get the chain off the cog and reverse to get the wheel back on. Horizontal road dropouts are a lot easier. You slide the wheel forward to remove anyway. Drawbacks are 2 - horizontal dropout exist almost entirely on older pre 1990 bikes and they are a lot shorter than track ends and limit your gear choices (unless you custom as I did).

And on your other subject - your back. I have back issues -lumbar and tailbone. My back loves climbing fix gear. The best possible stretch! I won't claim this will help anyone else but the hard pulls required to go up real hills in huge gears are like PT I would have to pay real money for. Oh, and while I am here - if you want to to that kind of climbing, you have to have your shoes secured to the pedals (toeclips and straps, clipless and a few other options. I use toeclips, straps and the slotted cleats racers used 40 years ago.

Ben

Instead, buy a modern carbon bike. 20 lb. bikes can be found for ~$1,000. I've ridden single speed and IMHO it's a silly choice made by those for whom a geared bike isn't enough of a challenge or ego boost or something. Plus riding it will absolutely hurt your back. Which is kind of a good thing in a way because you can't get stronger without it hurting. But a geared bike will also hurt your back just fine.

Thanks for that. I think mine is a steel alloy (?). Are carbon fiber bikes available for that price? I thought they would be prohibitively expensive!

Google is your friend. Just to check before I posted, I googled "carbon bicycle $1,000". Lots of decent quality hits.