for skidz lol

I would like to point out that you can be a total ****er and still ride single-speed bikes, so it's not about the scene for everyone. Regardless, if you apply too much logic to bicycling, you'll either find yourself walking, for more exercise, or riding a Harley, for less. Anything in between is just because you like doing things that way.

(And I note that the original post asked about single-speed, not fixed gear.)

Can the car thing please be given cement shoes and tossed into a harbour somewhere? It's horribly imprecise, and it's a simile, not a metaphor.

I love shifting gears, and I love bikes that can shift, but I'm bad at riding them. I'm not bad at shifting them, I'm always acutely aware of which chainrings I'm combining with which cogs, and why. But whenever I'm going uphill I start downshifting, and I give up on each gear so quickly that I end up in my lowest one, then I tire out in that one and I'm barely moving so I need to upshift so that I can get out of the saddle, then I shift more to get the right out-of-saddle cadence.

In the end, gears seem like nothing more than the tools I need to make climbing hell for myself. On a single speed I just do what I need to do to get up the hill. I spin when I can, I'll mash when I need to and I'll sprint when I feel like it.

Before I tried it I thought that single speeds were stupid (although the mechanical advantages were tantalizing) and that I wouldn't be strong enough to ride one, then I started riding a bike with stem shifters and I found it easier to pedal one gear up and down the hills than to shift it. So I stripped the derailleurs and stuck with a 48x20 (on 27" x 1 1/4" wheels) then later a 48x17. I rode a 10 speed mountain bike in the winter and felt again that I wouldn't be able to handle a single speed. Wrong again (except I saw it coming this time).

I just feel so much better when I ride them. Now I ride a 42x16 (switching back to 45x16 soon) fixed on 700x25c wheels most of the time and I only wish for variable gears is when I have a headwind. Fixed gear is nice, but I mainly like the little things, like no freewheel noise, or (unexpectedly) better control when stopping at lights even without trackstanding.

simple for me, remove moving parts, get a more reliable bike. I work on my own bike so I have them set up as barebones as possible to keep me from haveing to wrench on them..

for the ZEN of it..

Gears were invented for a reason. It is much easier to climb a hill with the option of shifting down to a lower gear. A rider gets much more velocity and distance for the amount of energy expended going downhill if one can shift up to the upper gears. Gears just make life easier, and I can shift without even thinking about it, it is just second nature.

We are all envious of your amazing talent.

<We are all envious of your amazing talent.>


I only made the comment about shifting gears because others here on this thread have made the comment that shifting gears is too much trouble.


We are all envious of your rapier-like wit.

fg pro - I like that it forces greater awarness of road situation.
geared con - I don't like having to be aware of my gear situation.



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Climbing is usually where I pass everybody else. Downhills are where I get dropped (at least by skilled riders on geared bikes).

If you ride in a low gear like I do, climbing hills are a breeze. However, you do often end up spinning on steep downhills, which puts a ceiling on your top speed.

The problem of getting tired would probably only occur if you selected the highest gear than you currently use on a single-speed. But do whatever works for you -- riding single-speed isn't an evangelical religion.

It just goes better with my girl jeans

I never got this argument. What's to think about? It's pretty easy, and it becomes second nature after a while.

Yes of course it's easy, is not what i'm saying. Even when it's second nature you still devote some mental and physical resource into switching those gears that is no present with a single speed bike. With the geared you're constantly assessing the conditions and terrain and then chose the appropriate gearing, with a SS you pedal and that's it.

It's probably time to end this thread before it descends any further.

Some people like gears, some don't. Some ride both. End of story.