Single Speed bikes.

stimpsonslostson

New Bike Day! 
I was after a winter commuter/training bike & this came up locally. It's a single speed cyclo-cross bike, no fuss & minimal maintenance. 

https://imgur.com/a/NlQ71fO

I've not had a single speed bike since I was 5. It's quite an adjustment from my "posh" bike. 

Anyone else ride single/fixed. 

KKJale

My everyday bike is single speed. I love the simplicity of it. It's an old alu track frame I've built up with flat bars and bombproof wheels. I'm only running about 68 gear inches but I prefer to spin out down hills rather than destroy my knees up hills or into the wind.

A really good trials-type freewheel makes a big difference I find. Shimano f/w's are poo these days. White Industries are very nice, though they're hellish loud. The Halo Clickster's a good compromise. 

strtdv

I think I'd rather do the maintenance on a derailleur than go fixie (it's hilly round here).

I run a Saracen Hack as my commuter/winter bike, paid £240 for it and it's ugly as sin so unlikely to get nicked when I park it next to some of the nicer bikes at work. Anti-theft wheel skewers are a nice touch too

thermionic

I had my old road frame converted to singlespeed (tried fixed, not that keen!) I recently found a Cinelli Gazzetta “track” frame on ebay for half price, so took the chance to retire the old frame (I’ve had it since 1994). The fun for me is finding and using old parts I have in boxes under the stairs. The only parts I had to buy were brake calipers, headset, and handlebars, oh and a 111mm axle length Campagnolo bottom bracket which they don’t make any more.

Garthy

Haven’t ridden a fixie (on a track ) for yonks, seen loads of people crash them on the road thinking they’ll be the first to defy physics. 

Nikc

I use fixed a fir bit my commuter utility bike is fixed 69inch gear with pannier rack. I also TT on fixed Dolan trsck frame with road forks usually run 92inch gear on it. I also have a ss mtb which is good fun

Koa

Not in years but that looks brilliant, I’d imagine it’s perfect for roads and paths on fairly flat terrain and you can always   get out of the saddle on the hills. Edinburgh Bicycles own brand Revolution from the pic, are the parts decent or we you planning to change anything?

stimpsonslostson

Koa said:

Not in years but that looks brilliant, I’d imagine it’s perfect for roads and paths on fairly flat terrain and you can always   get out of the saddle on the hills. Edinburgh Bicycles own brand Revolution from the pic, are the parts decent or we you planning to change anything?

It IS a Revolution, the components seem decent so I’ll give it a few rides and a quick service before making any changes. Apart from the tyres-
I intend to stick some decent rubber on it- probably Continental Gatorskin. Then lights, some means of carrying stuff & I’ll be all set. 

For days when it’s REALLY wild/snowy/icy I’ll stick to my old commuter-it’s got studded tyres in anticipation of Snowmageddon. We’ve already had frost a few times & it isn’t going to get warm again till March! Last years commuting was “interesting” even with knobbly MTB tyres, this year I don’t intend to get caught out again. 

quarky

Very nice. They keep offering us tax incentives on push bikes at work. I haven't take the plunge yet (I got my current bike on Facebook for £10), but will do something (more than likely another 2nd hand one) when I wear out the tyres on this. 

TTBZ

My first road bike was a Specialized Langster and I loved it! Wish I never sold it but I got coaxed into buying a geared bike after a few rides with my mate on his where he thrashed me on the hills especially. I like the simplicity, bit like a Jr style guitar to make a guitar related analogy. Also way better in the winter, my gears always get gummed up and run like crap when the roads get a bit wet.

stimpsonslostson

TTBZ said:

My first road bike was a Specialized Langster and I loved it! Wish I never sold it but I got coaxed into buying a geared bike after a few rides with my mate on his where he thrashed me on the hills especially. I like the simplicity, bit like a Jr style guitar to make a guitar related analogy.

That’s my thinking- making the best of what you have & enjoying it. 
I’ve only done 10miles on it, but even in that time I was attacking hills to get enough speed to power over the top. I think it could be brutal into a stiff headwind though. 

I was bemused by the SILENCE of the bike as I rode along. I’m so used to the clicking of the derailleur etc, but if the pedals are turning the bike is silent- I’ve just added a bell to my shopping list. 

Koa

stimpsonslostson said:

Koa said:

Not in years but that looks brilliant, I’d imagine it’s perfect for roads and paths on fairly flat terrain and you can always   get out of the saddle on the hills. Edinburgh Bicycles own brand Revolution from the pic, are the parts decent or we you planning to change anything?

It IS a Revolution, the components seem decent so I’ll give it a few rides and a quick service before making any changes. Apart from the tyres-
I intend to stick some decent rubber on it- probably Continental Gatorskin. Then lights, some means of carrying stuff & I’ll be all set. 

For days when it’s REALLY wild/snowy/icy I’ll stick to my old commuter-it’s got studded tyres in anticipation of Snowmageddon. We’ve already had frost a few times & it isn’t going to get warm again till March! Last years commuting was “interesting” even with knobbly MTB tyres, this year I don’t intend to get caught out again. 

I like Conti Gatorskins, toured literally thousands of miles using them, they do wear through to the plastic strip eventually but never had a puncture with them. Not necessarily a road bike tyre for speed and I’ve heard some roadies criticise them but I find them ok, especially if you dislike the inconvenience of punctures. 

littlegreenman

stimpsonslostson said:

I’ve just added a bell to my shopping list. 

The Knog Oi is a pretty good one, plenty loud enough and has a very pleasant "ping". It's a ring (sic) design too so doesn't really get in the way, physically or aesthetically.

jonnyburgo

Ive got a Jamis Sputnik fixie/flipflop in  the garage that needs some attention, new brake cables etc, its a great commuting bike, light and fast, shit for steep hills though obviously

Kitsune

I rode a guvnor around town for 9 years. Single Speed and a 12 kg bike means that when I eventually got a new bike (as the mileage I put into the guv just meant it needed retiring at the end) with gears (Condor Classic - custom job) I eat the road and scoff at puny London hills.

crunchman

Koa said:

stimpsonslostson said:

Koa said:

Not in years but that looks brilliant, I’d imagine it’s perfect for roads and paths on fairly flat terrain and you can always   get out of the saddle on the hills. Edinburgh Bicycles own brand Revolution from the pic, are the parts decent or we you planning to change anything?

It IS a Revolution, the components seem decent so I’ll give it a few rides and a quick service before making any changes. Apart from the tyres-
I intend to stick some decent rubber on it- probably Continental Gatorskin. Then lights, some means of carrying stuff & I’ll be all set. 

For days when it’s REALLY wild/snowy/icy I’ll stick to my old commuter-it’s got studded tyres in anticipation of Snowmageddon. We’ve already had frost a few times & it isn’t going to get warm again till March! Last years commuting was “interesting” even with knobbly MTB tyres, this year I don’t intend to get caught out again. 

I like Conti Gatorskins, toured literally thousands of miles using them, they do wear through to the plastic strip eventually but never had a puncture with them. Not necessarily a road bike tyre for speed and I’ve heard some roadies criticise them but I find them ok, especially if you dislike the inconvenience of punctures. 

I used them for years on my road bike for commuting when I was doing a longer commute.  They aren't completely puncture proof with all the glass on London's roads, but they are very good.   They are a lot easier to get on and off the rims than an Armadillo, and the Armadillo isn't completely puncture proof either.  When I did get a puncture on the Armadillo, it was an absolute pain to get the tyre on and off the rim.

Kitsune

Rimming at the side of the road ain't a good look!

I use Panracer Paselas, purely because they have the amber strip on the side and I think it looks the nuts.

My old SS had Schwalbe Delta Cruisers. I had the puncture now and then, but those things were like panzer tread - I think I went about 18 months with no puncture once, with daily ten mile commutes through London! Which is twenty miles a day, I suppose. Bloody hell thats decent going for those.

Another SS advantage - changing the wheel with no gears is an utter doddle. Its always the rear that gets a flat, isn't it?

fields5069

I had some Vittoria Hyper Voyager on my Genesis Day One Disc, very light but pretty tough. I used to love riding single speed, perfect for my commute although I left the freewheel a bit too long before changing, luckily it failed at the top of a hill and not on the way up...

57Deluxe

stimpsonslostson said:

New Bike Day! 
I was after a winter commuter/training bike & this came up locally. It's a single speed cyclo-cross bike, no fuss & minimal maintenance. 

https://imgur.com/a/NlQ71fO

I've not had a single speed bike since I was 5. It's quite an adjustment from my "posh" bike. 

Anyone else ride single/fixed. 

Dutch ppl