how many gears?
 

apologies to anyone who's seen my duplicate thread in the commuter forum...

anyway, I just bought myself my first seven speed after owning 2 twentywhatever speed mountain bikes. I'm looking to mostly just putz around town and I found the simplicity appealing. that being said, I haven't spent much time on it yet so I don't really know how it's gonna work out in the long run. only one way to find out I guess.

thoughts?

7 around town is good. I rarely use the granny and go-fast big rings in town.

I had a 3 speed internal hub that I seldom used more than the one gear, now I have a 8 speed internal hub and use mostly 3 of them. I have a 27 speed also and use mostly 4-5 of the gears. Unless you are cranking up some steep hills there isn't much need for a boat load of gears. YMMV.

Yup. That's idea behind the new Priority Bicycles start up. KISS = Keep It Simple, Stupid. How many gears do you need around town anyway?

My current roadbike has 20 speeds, but I use that for 100 mile rides
and club rides up Bear Mountain, 9W, Alpine Hill, etc. My folder only
has 6 gears and is fine for 40 mile rides around New York City :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmFU...6zPoymgKaIoDLA

My commute is relatively flat (a couple of overpasses) and I don't ever shift the front, and only use about 3 or 4 of the 10 on the rear. 7 speed should be fine for flat streets. Less complicated and less to go wrong.

i go 8, 7 is fine but 8 uses the same chain. most of my rides are flat but when i work at the lake it's dirt roads and some short very steep hills.