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Old 1st September 2008   #1
Broker
 
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Single-speed... I just don't get it

I love riding fixed and appreciate there are various applications: Velodrome, training, fun, fashion, but what's the point in single-speed? If you have a freewheel, why not ride geared - it makes the same shitty freewheel noise.

Apologies if i offend and i hope one of the many single-speed commuters i see each day can enlighten me.

Peace x
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Old 1st September 2008   #2
nimhbus
 
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well, if you have bad knees, or are just a coward.

but riding single speed still removes the fussing and wondering when to change gear, so it has it's place.
plus, you can coast down hills.
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Old 1st September 2008   #3
Shinscar
 
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TTID....

SS down hill FTW.... unless you can spin.

Seeing Ferris freewheel down a 15% hill at about 35mph+ was most upsetting.

@ Ferris, tossbag!
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Old 1st September 2008   #4
provenrad
 
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Less sweating + childhood cycling memories + looking elegant.
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Old 1st September 2008   #5
|³|MA3K
 
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He rides a single-speed^
Whilst the Africans and some American diocese prefer fixed.
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Old 1st September 2008   #6
dicki
it's just a bike
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Old 1st September 2008   #7
Greasy Slag
 
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It gives people chance to build the strength in their legs before taking moving to fixed. also off road bikes and BMX are single speed for good reason.

on point thought... there is an alarming amount of single speed with front brakes only knocking about which is pretty fking Sad!
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Old 1st September 2008   #8
VelocityBoy
 
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Fixed mountain bikes isn't so smart... pedal strike at times, but single-speed on the other hand.

Applies to BMX, cyclocross too.

And downhills... such join in spinning out, and then relaxing as you just tuck down and feel the wind flow with no more effort.
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Old 1st September 2008   #9
Broker
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nimhbus View Post
riding single speed still removes the fussing and wondering when to change gear
^ Can't say that crossed my mind.

I can't fathom any reason to be sans gears on a road bike except to ride fixed.
EDIT: Except for a step up to fixed x...
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Old 1st September 2008   #10
Object
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VelocityBoy View Post
Fixed mountain bikes isn't so smart... pedal strike at times, but single-speed on the other hand.
It's fun though.
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Old 1st September 2008   #11
Skully
 
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Its not rocket surgery
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Old 1st September 2008   #12
Cohen
 
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reliability

and the drivetrain feels nicer than just staying on the same gear on a geared bike
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Old 1st September 2008   #13
dicki
when you apply front brake rear goes light, no real need for a rear brake it only provides 5% ish braking power ish, no great loss but bike looks cleaner is lighter has less crap on it
yay single speeds fixed geared bmx and mtb
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Old 1st September 2008   #14
VelocityBoy
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dicki View Post
when you apply front brake rear goes light, no real need for a rear brake it only provides 5% ish braking power ish
I was arguing this on Saturday.

The only time I use a rear brake is when hurtling downhill and not wanting to send myself over the bars. Then I use a little rear before I add in the front brake to control it. Otherwise, rear brake is never touched.
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Old 1st September 2008   #15
Broker
 
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^ I've got a fat arse so the rear never goes light
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Old 1st September 2008   #16
dicki
so i guess just a front brake alone wouldn't decrease the inertia ! you NEED that extra braking power. me and VB are skinny waifs well I am certainly !
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Old 1st September 2008   #17
|³|MA3K
 
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The rear is for trimming speed and emergency stopping, also for when using the front would be dangerous.
I think it is best to keep on ss.
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Old 1st September 2008   #18
Shinscar
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VelocityBoy View Post
The only time I use a rear brake is when hurtling downhill and not wanting to send myself over the bars. Then I use a little rear before I add in the front brake to control it. Otherwise, rear brake is never touched.
so when i do this fixed....
hit the crest of the top you're already going quite slow... so you run you legs loooooooose.

Then put a bit of back pressure on when you start picking up speed, and give a little tweaks on the front brake. Then spin and apply back pressure as an when you wanna reduce abit of speed. This is the way i do it.

Brakeless would scare the living shit outta me.
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Old 1st September 2008   #19
ferris
 
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Quote:
TTID....

SS down hill FTW.... unless you can spin.

Seeing Ferris freewheel down a 15% hill at about 35mph+ was most upsetting.

@ Ferris, tossbag!

It was more like 40mph+
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Old 1st September 2008   #20
Buddha Fingaz
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greasy Slag View Post
It gives people chance to build the strength in their legs before taking moving to fixed.
^ What he said. The ability to coast is also a plus. And what does it really matter? Each to their own etc.
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Old 1st September 2008   #21
deadly fanny pack
 
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So that even if you have a crap shopping bike, you can still do this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GzgQEEPwoM
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Old 1st September 2008   #22
deadly fanny pack
 
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Singlespeed on a 'racer bike' feels kind of wrong, I guess im not the most experienced rider but I feel a lack of control unless always pushing the drivetrain.

On a sruising about shopper kinda bike though SS-freewheel is perfect, as it is with BMX's and similar mtb/jump bikes.
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Old 1st September 2008   #23
sam814
i ride single speed. i like to climb quite alot too so helps with descents.
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Old 1st September 2008   #24
kipsy
 
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I agree about the drive-train noise Broker. But whenever I ride long on my fixed I do eventually reach a point where I'd welcome a freewheel, usually descending! The Freewheel was a marvellous invention (?)....should we have a poll?
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Old 1st September 2008   #25
eightball69
I'm riding single speed at the moment, as stated, to build strength in advance of trying fixed. I'm doing a short commute every day after getting back in the saddle after a 5 year lay off, and enjoying riding 'stripped down' as opposed to my xc hardtail, which just seems to take loads more effort on the road.
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Old 1st September 2008   #26
vinylvillain
 
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The drive train noise of a SS is nothing compared to a geared machine.

I think that riding SS is better and faster for getting around town - i like riding fixed because its another element of bike control to master, and i love the bikes, but from a-b in town i find my SS 29er faster, because you can jump, hop etc over curbs etc etc much better than a fixed.

for every day SS rocks.
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Old 1st September 2008   #27
Archi Pelago
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vinylvillain View Post
I think that riding SS is better and faster for getting around town
+1
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Old 1st September 2008   #28
Julio
 
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I thought it was fun. But then I switched to fixed and that was way more fun
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Old 1st September 2008   #29
VelocityBoy
 
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I think SS is as quiet as you can make a drivetrain. A nice 3/32 chain and some good components, decently tensioned... whisper quiet.

My next bike is single-speed. Or geared. Depends which wheel is on it. Not fixed though... disc brakes and fixed aren't the best pairing.
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Old 1st September 2008   #30
rich
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Archi Pelago View Post
+1
+2

Even though I have more fun on my fixed.
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Old 1st September 2008   #31
robin
 
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I concur that I go faster on my ss. Descending is safer and stopping is quicker. For heavy traffic I'm afraid to say ss is more effcient.
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Old 1st September 2008   #32
hippy
 
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SS mountain biking is great fun. I'm sure fixed is too but just not worth it for numpties mtbers like me who don't have time to hone their normal xc let alone fixed mtbing.
Passing geared peeps on SS is a nice little challenge if you don't want to ride fixed.
Coasting down hills at 2x the speed of any fixers is great fun.
Decent freewheels don't make much noise. Saying that other decent freewheels (White Ind) make heaps of lovely noise.
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Old 1st September 2008   #33
robin
 
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Also my single speed is quiet as can be but ••••• I actually quite like the clicking.
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Old 1st September 2008   #34
PinkGottiMobbs
 
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Brakeless BMX. Size 11 breaking all the way.
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Old 1st September 2008   #35
PinkGottiMobbs
 
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I run a freewheel on my BMX (as it has a 20mm strong as fuck axle) but most run cassete hubs. Kids are asking for the cassete that clicks the loudest! God damn hipster BMXers.