Crikey ...... these single speeds are pretty swift!!

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Juliansou

Senior Member
Location
Essex
Just got back into commuting (bit of a fair weather commuter I’m afraid!). I’ve been using the new single speed for just over a week now, prior to that it was a ‘relaxed road/gravel bike’ - decent steed (9.5kg/Tiagra). Being a bit of a data geek I record my averages using my fitbit & GPS on the bike. My average on the gravel bike is anything between 14.5 - 15mph, basically been that for the last couple of years. It’s a fairly flat run, bit of start/stop & 16 mile round trip. My SS is showing an average of 16mph - same equipment so no issues there. I know the increase in average isn’t massive, but I was expecting the SS to be slower to be honest. I’ve plotted over a week so it’s not just a one off - average today was 17mph!!
so.... is this normal? I really would have thought a SS would have been marginally slower than a geared bike?
 

DCLane

Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
Is it fixed? Although the only fixie I usually ride is my track bike I've found once I'm going keeping the speed up is OK.

It's the getting going that I find harder.
 
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Juliansou

Juliansou

Senior Member
Location
Essex
Is it fixed? Although the only fixie I usually ride is my track bike I've found once I'm going keeping the speed up is OK.

It's the getting going that I find harder.
It’s a SS at the moment. Know what you mean about the start off - I’m out the saddle until I get a bit of momentum going!
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
so.... is this normal? I really would have thought a SS would have been marginally slower than a geared bike?
I would say it is understandable on a flat to undulating route. I chose the gear on mine to be ideal for 24-35 kph (15 - 22 mph) and I spend most of the time in that range away from significant hills. On hilly rides on my multi-geared bike I am lucky to average 20 kph (12.5 mph).

On the SS I would usually spin it up to a cadence that I like. On the other bike I might use a lower gear at that cadence and hence be riding more slowly.
 
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Juliansou

Juliansou

Senior Member
Location
Essex
I would say it is understandable on a flat to undulating route. I chose the gear on mine to be ideal for 24-35 kph (15 - 22 mph) and I spend most of the time in that range away from significant hills. On hilly rides on my multi-geared bike I am lucky to average 20 kph (12.5 mph).

On the SS I would usually spin it up to a cadence that I like. On the other bike I might use a lower gear at that cadence and hence be riding more slowly.
Interesting - do you mind me asking what gear your running? I’m running 44/16
 
Is the tyre width the same?
My ss is a 700 x 25 contra two of my other bikes (cyclo cross and a hybrid) which are 700 x 35.
 
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Juliansou

Juliansou

Senior Member
Location
Essex
Is the tyre width the same?
My ss is a 700 x 25 contra two of my other bikes (cyclo cross and a hybrid) which are 700 x 35.
I’ve experimented with the ‘gravel bike’ & now run 35s on there - basically the biggest I can get in the frame. 28s on the SS - significant do you think?
 

DCLane

Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
The fixie we have is a 1975 Carlton Corsa that's on 48x16, so a bit more than you're running.

However we usually run 51x15 on my track bike and my son runs 51/52x14, which is quite a lot more but for velodromes only.

Note that the intention is to do a few Medium Gear TT's this year, should they run, which will have us at 48x19 / 46x16.
 
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I’ve experimented with the ‘gravel bike’ & now run 35s on there - basically the biggest I can get in the frame. 28s on the SS - significant do you think?
I think so.
The narrower the tyre = equals less contact with the road. But it also depends on the psi of the tyres.
It seems more complicated than I thought: comfort and aerodynamics also come into the equation. 😳

575450
 

johnnyb47

Guru
Location
Wales
Just last year i caught up with guy on an immaculate 1960s old school Road bike. The frame was pencil thin and it was of a single speed. It was shod with beautiful campagnolo running gear and looked amazing. My bike is a modern road bike with all the bells and whistles and even though we were the wrong side of 50 years old (we can still have the crack and think we're Brady wiggins lol) we started to press on a bit showing our physical abilities. After 10 miles of putting down the (to me) power,i was well surprised to see this guy was not to far behind, considering the rolling hills we had encountered. We had a good chat at the end of our jokingly so called race and was impressed to how light his magnificent bike was compared to mine.
Sometimes simplicity has a great advantage over complicated modern bikes, plus he was probably much more fitter than me😀.
That's one thing that makes cycling so great. What ever you ride, whether it's old or new it brings us all together in the world of cycling
 
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