Faster, stronger, lighter...the six million dollar bike*.

[RedRider]

I replaced a stolen bike with a steel single speeder the other day and the most unexpected thing has happened.

On my commute along a busy pot-holed section of road I'm catching cars that used to overtake me, the London hills I searched out earlier this week were climbed faster and with less effort than the week before, I accelerate from traffic lights like never before and my cruising speed is up.

I imagined I would struggle with one gear initially but it's all gone counter intuitive.

So the bike is lighter (but it's not particularly light) than my geared and heavy shod ex-bike and I've gone clipless with the new one which I think has helped with inclines and acceleration but still I'm gobsmacked.

I don't have a fixed cog on my flip flop hub yet, but now I'm intrigued to experiment again.

*£500 really.

 

[biggs682]

once you get the gearing right i totally agree , my sigma bike which is an alloy frame so nice and light runs a 52 fr and a 15 rear so hard work on windy days but on still days it flies

 

[gaz]

My single speed is nothing compared to my carbon road bike. Not as fast. Not as high a cruising speed, doesn't climb as well. It probably accelerates better from a stand still. But that is because I have no choice but to put the power down.

But then they are set up very differently.
My single speed has a gearing which allows me to get up the hills I need to. It also has full mudguards, rack, trunk bag, lights and batteries.
Where as my carbon road bike has nothing on it.

Two different bikes, for two different kinds of riding, totally non-compareable.

 

[Theseus]

Two different bikes, for two different kinds of riding, totally non-compareable.

Not a concept that many non-cyclists grasp. They just don't understand why I need 5 bikes and yet none of them are full sus MTB's