NYCNole

Hello everyone,

First time poster here and I'll get right to it. Basically, I've really gotten into biking over the last year due to the fact I live in Manhattan and don't have a car here. With that being said, the bike I currently have is a folding bike and I've quickly outgrown it and find myself wanting more.

I'm close to pulling the trigger on buying a new bike, but I'm unsure of which type to go with at this point. I want to use it for my commute, but I also want to start getting into distance riding on the weekends and what not as well. I'm actually likely moving to Austin, TX in a month or two and even though I'll have my car there, I'm thinking it will be better to just continue commuting via bike anyways because of the horror stories I hear about traffic there. Plus, I genuinely enjoy biking to and from work.

So I find myself unsure of whether to go with a single speed bike, or a road bike. If I wasn't a relatively poor recent grad, I'd probably buy both and use the single speed for commuting while saving the road bike for my weekend/distance rides.

The SS appeals to me simply due to the fact most of what I've seen has been considerably more affordable than going out and getting a decent road bike, but part of me also feels like if I want to get into distance riding now it may be best to suck it up and go with the road bike.

Other concerns I have with a road bike is safety when it comes to storing it. My current company here in NYC has a bike room which keeps would keep it safe from potential thieves and the elements as well, but I'm not so sure where I'd work in Austin would have the same kind of set up.

I don't know, at the end of the day I'm as green as it gets when it comes to the cycling world. I've been riding my whole life, but haven't found this spark until just recently. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

FRANK CANNON

Gears.

DrIsotope

Gears. With a multispeed bike, you can just you know, decide not to shift if such is your wont. I did a 28 mile ride in 48/20. Never shifted once. Just because.

As to bike safety, just take the bike with you everywhere. Into your office, into stores, into restaurants. I've wheeled mine right into the Target to pick up a pack of socks. No one even looks twice anymore.

Velo Dog

What DrIsotope said. You don't HAVE to shift, but a multispeed bike is much more versatile. I'd also look for something that will fit at least 700x35 tires. You can always put skinny wannabe racer tires on it, but fatter tires are more comfortable, stable and durable.

imi

Gears.
For a do anything go anywhere bike I'd look at Cyclocross...

chaadster

I agree that SS should not even be on the table, as gears are simply brilliant and enable you to ride better, farther, faster, easier, and more places than a single speed does.

Additionally, there are great folding bikes available, so yo may not want to write the whole category off based on your experience. They can be kind of pricey though.

Another option to consider is the minivelo, which combines the space saving sensibility of small wheels with a rigid frame. In particular, Bikes Direct offer the Mercier Nano which is rather inexpensive, geared, and may be hot ticket for your needs both now in NYC and later in Austin.

Save Up to 60% Off Mini Velo Road Bikes, Roadbikes - Mercier Nano Mini Velo Bicycles

It's basically a POS, however it can be made into a pretty nice riding bike with a little attention to proper assembly practice (e.g. bearing lube and adjustment) and component replacement selection. But, the price is low, so that's the trade-off. It can be ridden stock, too, and upgrades can take place over time, so while yo may end up doubling the cost (as I did with mine), you not only spread out the cost over time, but end up with a very personalized bike.

wolfchild

I remember when I was a newbie and got into cycling, I made a huge big mistake and purchased a geared bike. As I kept riding I realized later on that gears are unnecessary for me and I don't need them. Got rid of it and never looked back... All of my bikes which I have now are FG and SS. No need for gears unless you live and ride in the mountains.

PepeM

If you plan on doing distance, go for a geared bike. Also, if you might be moving soon I would wait until you move before buying something.

vatdim

I'd probably go with a road bike, or maybe a cyclocross bike, so that you have the option to use wider tires and fenders (maybe even a rack), if necessary. In my mind, the advantage of the SS is that there are no derailleurs and shifters, so there's less maintenance involved. It's probably good for a winter commute bike, but other than that, I wouldn't pick one.

Try looking at the used market in your area. Usually you can get a higher quality bike at a fraction of what you'd pay for a new one, without sacrificing much in terms of performance.

Old School

As I recall, Austin is in what they refer to as "hill country". 'Nuf said...

TenSpeedV2

I am pretty much the same way. Did buy a geared road bike for faster group rides, but even on that, I find myself in one gear and just leaving it like it was a single speed. If it is flat or even relatively flat, a single speed or fixed gear is fine.

chaadster - you can ride more places on a geared bike? Unless you are climbing a mountain, there isn't really a place where a geared bike will go that a SS/FG won't.

Kindaslow

Like a few of the guys above, I have both. If you are doing a lot of city riding, I would go for the SS, unless your city is like Seattle. I love riding my SS. Any chance you can get two bikes? It is more than twice the fun!

fietsbob

You can put a 3 speed Hub in a bike made to have only one.

ThermionicScott 

That doesn't sound like a mistake at all to me -- you learned what you needed out of a bike, while having all the options.

As much as I love my FG bike now, I feel like starting with a geared bike was the right choice.

VegasTriker

I guess I don't understand the allure of a fixie. I last rode a single speed bike a long distance, 50 mi in one day, when I was 13. I graduated to a 3 speed bike a year or two later and then to a multispeed, lightweight bike a few years after that. I became and continue to be an avid rider to this day but I sure am not masochistic enough to do 50 miles on a one or three speed these days. Too many people I know have knee trouble. If you want to protect your knees over the long run, don't be a masher. It's one of the virtues of a bike with a good gear range and enough gears so that you can always find a comfortable cadence no matter what the terrain. I vote for the geared bike. Once you get to Austin, you can always pick up a used bike and convert it to a fixie to satisfy that urge. BTW, fixies are not a new phenomenon. Had two friends with expensive track bikes. One speed, geared rather high, direct drive, no brakes. A great combination for riding in the city!

NYCNole

Tons of insight here, thanks people.

PepeM - I probably will wait until I get to Austin as there's a chance the move could happen in as soon as 2 or 3 weeks. I have the itch to go out and get one now, but I know it's just going to add another wrinkle to moving which is never fun as it is.

After doing some research and talking to a few friends of mine, I've zeroed in on a Giant Defy 2 or 3 as the bike I'm looking at. Thoughts? Definitely open to more suggestions, but I'm looking in that price range. $900-$1200 max.

Thanks again, folks!

energyandair

If you are moving in a month or two then wait and see what's the best fit for your new home, commute and lifestyle.

The chance of picking the best bike without knowing the details of your future needs are not good and why buy the wrong bike and then go to the bother of moving it across the country.

I seriously doubt that a single speed will be the best answer but who knows.

What's your folding bike and what are the problems with it that a new type of bike will fix?

NYCNole

Well, the folding bike I have right now is a Citizen. When I bought it, I wasn't too concerned about quality, I just wanted something I could hop on and ride to and from work every day, as well as exploring around the city. The bike has definitely been great for what I paid for it, but as I mentioned, I've found myself wanting more - the ability to go faster, ride longer, etc.

I know there are far better folding bikes that I could invest in, but if I'm going to spend that kind of money, I'd rather just get a full size bike.

mozad655

Road bikes or geared bikes in general need much more maintenance than fixies or single-gear bikes. While changing cables, adjusting rear deraliuer and what not might be easy for some people, it is a complete nightmare for others. So while a bike with gears might make your ride physically easier, it also demands more attention. A fixie or single-gear bike will be a bit harder at first, but your legs will adapt and grow much stronger than on road bikes, and the simplicity is breathtaking. Maintenance is minimal. I would find a bike that has freewheel but is single gear. Mental comfort of not worrying about repairs and adjustments, is more important to me than the slight more physical ease that you get on a bike that has gears.

GamblerGORD53

Nothing beats a Sturmey Archer 3 sp for city riding. Ease of use, reliablity, not clunky in any weather. They will outlast a sack of stupid derailler parts. Have one of each bikes.

cyclebee

Gears are your friend

fietsbob

... of course the OP could wait until they finished their Move, and see what the people that live there actually Ride..
and see what they consider most useful.. Then.



Thing about a Folding bike is not Getting it stolen because it came In ..

As to Outgrown, there are nicer bikes that still fold and feature all the component options of other bikes

Eugene Oregon's Bike Friday Tikit is such, and they are made in multiple sizes ,

rare is that folding bikes, per model, are made in more than one.

MY Brompton is OK, they offer a few handle bar/bar mast options for various heights riders ,
only 1 frame size , but the seat posts adjust easily and they offer 3 different ones ..

bruised

I don't understand the allure of SS or fixies. I think they appeal to a certain type of personality. There are some very limited practical applications that I can see where there would be an advantage, but beyond those it's more a case of 'being different'.
All I can think of is -

not needing to get anywhere fast or with optimal levels of efficiency
just going with the flow - free spirited statement
wanting to show peers that you're different
making a statement about your physical condition (and mental one too)
completely ignorant on principals of mechanical advantage and or an inability to contemplate moderately complex machinery

There are surely others on the list. If you can identify strongly with one or more of these traits then give it a shot.

I say kudos to anyone who rides without gears, I don't pretend to fully understand but you're alright with me..

fietsbob

'Without Gears' would be a child's Balance Bike which is a throw back to the way a Bicycle developed in the 1st Place.

A seat , wheels, handlebars, and your feet..

imi

I'll never forget the joy I felt bombing up and down hills on my first SA 3-speed
I've got 27 gears on my touring bike now, and love every one of them!