What's the deal with one-speed bikes?
03-29-12, 05:02 PM
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What's the deal with one-speed bikes?
In the streets of NYC, they're suddenly everywhere--most with regular drop road bars, some with uprights--these are not track bikes, most don't have vertical dropouts. I see many are sold with flip-flop rear hubs.
Fetish? Fad? Only for flatlanders?
When I was younger, I knew plenty of people who'd ride their track bikes everywhere. Some would make a concession to the road by putting on heavier wheels, one brake--many wouldn't.
Maybe it's a reaction to 9-10 speed freewheels/freehubs. But not sure I get it.
Steve
Fetish? Fad? Only for flatlanders?
When I was younger, I knew plenty of people who'd ride their track bikes everywhere. Some would make a concession to the road by putting on heavier wheels, one brake--many wouldn't.
Maybe it's a reaction to 9-10 speed freewheels/freehubs. But not sure I get it.
Steve
03-29-12, 05:07 PM
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Fashion accessory for hipsters. You should come to San Francisco - they probably outnumber other types of bikes in certain areas of the city. And they're typically ridden by people who all spend a great deal of money on trying to look different and end up looking exactly like everyone else in their social group.
03-29-12, 05:15 PM
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Originally Posted by dentaltwin
In the streets of NYC, they're suddenly everywhere
Oh...and welcome!
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03-29-12, 05:18 PM
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Originally Posted by dstrong
Suddenly? I'm not in NYC but last time was, I saw a lot of them...and that was 2 years ago.
Oh...and welcome!
Oh...and welcome!
03-29-12, 05:30 PM
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Originally Posted by DeadheadSF
Fashion accessory for hipsters. You should come to San Francisco - they probably outnumber other types of bikes in certain areas of the city. And they're typically ridden by people who all spend a great deal of money on trying to look different and end up looking exactly like everyone else in their social group.
Essex
03-29-12, 05:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Essex
I was in SF a few months ago. Didn't see a fixie, or wasn't looking for them. Would you see them in the Haight? SOMA? I was mostly in Pacific Heights which is probably the last place I would want a fixed gear.
Essex
Essex
03-29-12, 05:51 PM
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really, you just noticed? I took a class at the community college last year and the bike rack was full of them. Actually, it was somewhat refreshing since there used to be hardly any bikes in the racks. Maybe it was a northwest thing at first? It smells like a Portland thing.
03-29-12, 05:53 PM
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Originally Posted by dentaltwin
In the streets of NYC, they're suddenly everywhere--most with regular drop road bars, some with uprights-- these are not track bikes, most don't have vertical dropouts. I see many are sold with flip-flop rear hubs.
Steve
Steve
Fixed Gear and Single Speed bikes are not new in any city.... unless you've been frozen for the last 30 years...
Reading your post again. I may just be feeding a troll.
03-29-12, 05:59 PM
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Originally Posted by dentaltwin
In the streets of NYC, they're suddenly everywhere--most with regular drop road bars, some with uprights--these are not track bikes, most don't have vertical dropouts. I see many are sold with flip-flop rear hubs.
Fetish? Fad? Only for flatlanders?
When I was younger, I knew plenty of people who'd ride their track bikes everywhere. Some would make a concession to the road by putting on heavier wheels, one brake--many wouldn't.
Maybe it's a reaction to 9-10 speed freewheels/freehubs. But not sure I get it.
Steve
Fetish? Fad? Only for flatlanders?
When I was younger, I knew plenty of people who'd ride their track bikes everywhere. Some would make a concession to the road by putting on heavier wheels, one brake--many wouldn't.
Maybe it's a reaction to 9-10 speed freewheels/freehubs. But not sure I get it.
Steve
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Addiction is all about class.
03-29-12, 06:04 PM
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Its a simple bike. Most youngins grew up on BMX or mountain bikes, or never had a bike. The whole concept of a multi gear bike is foreign to the great majority of new bikers. How many mountain bikes and old ten speeds have the chain and derailleurs frozen in the small chainring - small cog position? About 99%. Too complicated to learn how to shift the chain to different gears. Single speed/fixed is the simplest way to go.
03-29-12, 06:53 PM
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Originally Posted by gigantor
Let's all just hate on single speeds...
They make great training tools and require far less maintenance.
They make great training tools and require far less maintenance.
03-29-12, 07:10 PM
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Originally Posted by humboldt'sroads
The Mission.
03-29-12, 07:22 PM
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Originally Posted by DeadheadSF
Fashion accessory for hipsters. You should come to San Francisco - they probably outnumber other types of bikes in certain areas of the city. And they're typically ridden by people who all spend a great deal of money on trying to look different and end up looking exactly like everyone else in their social group.
Down here in OZ (in Melbourne) we have exactly the same species of human...
They're quite often also seen sporting an eccentric moustache and/or a beret...
03-29-12, 07:26 PM
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Single speed bikes are fine if you don't need more than one gear.
03-29-12, 11:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Lexi01
SPOT ON!!
Down here in OZ (in Melbourne) we have exactly the same species of human...
They're quite often also seen sporting an eccentric moustache and/or a beret...
Down here in OZ (in Melbourne) we have exactly the same species of human...
They're quite often also seen sporting an eccentric moustache and/or a beret...
or THIS guy?
Last edited by hueyhoolihan; 03-29-12 at 11:39 PM.
03-30-12, 12:44 AM
#20
Spin Meister
"What's the deal with one-speed bikes?"
If you have to ask.....
If you have to ask.....
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This post is a natural product. Slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and are in no way to be considered flaws or defects.
This post is a natural product. Slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and are in no way to be considered flaws or defects.
03-30-12, 01:22 AM
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You either like them or you don't. Try it, if you don't like it no one will have to know you tried it.
03-30-12, 01:23 AM
#22
Fresh Garbage
Originally Posted by icyclist
"What's the deal with one-speed bikes?"
If you have to ask.....
If you have to ask.....
they've been around for a long time and will continue to be around regardless of how popular they are.
I love my fixed gear bike.
Originally Posted by vautrain
Single speed bikes are fine if you don't need more than one gear.
03-30-12, 02:09 AM
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Originally Posted by gigantor
Let's all just hate on single speeds...
They make great training tools and require far less maintenance.
They make great training tools and require far less maintenance.
Define "far less".
The maintenance for my gears is about 3 minutes every year.
03-30-12, 02:10 AM
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Originally Posted by chasm54
There's a whole forum dedicated to this subject, why not ask there?
03-30-12, 03:16 AM
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What's the deal with one speed bikes? I think Jerry Seinfeld has that answer for you.
