Fixie / Single Speed vs. Gears

[Bike_Me]

Hi all,

Apologies if this is a topic that has been covered over and over again - it seems my searching skills are useless...

After weeks of searching around for the ideal bike, I still can't decide on whether to get a fixie/single
speed, or a geared bike. I love the look of fixies/single gears, however, from my lack of experience, the single speed comes across inconvienent.

I'll be using the bike to get to and from work. Its a 7 mile ride which includs a few slight inclines.

Any thoughts or words of advice would be appreciated, thanks in advance!

 

[Theseus]

Probably better in the Fixed/SS forum ...

I ride a fixed wheel road bike, not a fixie [1], 10 miles each way for my commute from the Pentlands into Edinburgh where there are more than a few slight inclines. I find it both more fun and it appears to be less effort than when I ride one of my geared bikes.

If you know anyone near you that can lend you one for a week or 2 it can help you decide it it is for you at zero cost. That's what I managed to do.

[1] Fixies are used by Hipsters to pose with, I am too old and unfashionable to do that.

 

[Manonabike]

Probably a SS would be fine. If it proves too hard then you can always change the cog for a bigger one until you build some strength in the legs. My guess is that you would be just fine.

Maintenance is a lot easier with a SS too.

 

[Bike_Me]

Thanks Touche and Manonabike!

Admittedly I have thunder thighs thick as tree trunks - so that counts me out as a hipster as I can't fit into skinny jeans which is a must for hipsters..

When I think of a single speed bike, I immediately think of the lowest gear where you can pedal like mad and go no where..

 

[Theseus]

I am currently riding with 48 teeth up front and 20 at the back on a 700c wheel with 25mm tyres, 63 gear inches in old money. I would put my 18 on the back if I could shift it from an old wheel to give me 70 gear inches. I would rather have to push going up a hill than have to spin my legs like crazy getting down it.

 

[Bike_Me]

I think I just barely made sense of the Touche.. haha

 

[Theseus]

Read this from Sheldon Brown, and play with the gear calculator either here or here.

 

[Bike_Me]

Oh sweet, thanks Touche! Will be sure to have a read and a play around!

 

[TheDoctor]

To go against the flow here, I'm not sure I'd have a SS / fixed as my only bike. I did a 30 mile SS ride on Sunday, and struggling into the wind was most unpleasant - I'd have given anything for some gears. Spinning out on the way back was better
Do you know anyone with a SS you could borrow for a bit, to see how you get on?

 

[Bike_Me]

Hi all! Sorry I've been absent for the past month, I had to suspend all ideas associated with bikes due to finances.

However, as work is now offering me a full time contract, the C2W scheme has now become available to me. So I've been given the green from the missus to continue my bike obsession. After months of research, I've narrowed it down to:
- Charge Plug
- Charge Juicer
- Bianchi Pista
- Leader 725
- Foffa Prima

I'm still yet to actually go out and test any of the above, as I've been holding off until I actually had the funds to play with. As you can see, they're all single speeds but one (the Juicer). Its a bike I've seen in the flesh, and its a handsome bike, and incomparison to Bianchi or Leader, seems like you get alot more for your money.

Thoughts?

Cheers for the help!

 

[biggs682]

@Bike_Me why not build your own ?

 

[Bike_Me]

@Bike_Me why not build your own ?

I would if I could, however, I don't have the time nor the space to start a project..

 

[David Haworth]

If you like the look of a single speed but wonder if you need gears, how about a hub geared bike?

 

[Bike_Me]

Thanks David,

I'm considering going down that route. I've always like the Charge Plug - not knowing if this is a stupid idea, but if down the line I decided I wanted gears, would it be possible to transform a single speed to geared bike?

 

[tyred]

Thanks David,

I'm considering going down that route. I've always like the Charge Plug - not knowing if this is a stupid idea, but if down the line I decided I wanted gears, would it be possible to transform a single speed to geared bike?

It mightn't always be easy to convert a factory built single speed to derailleur but it would be easy to stick a Sturmey AW3 (or whatever they call it now) into it.

This works very well in practice if the gearing is correct. Most factory built 3 speed bikes are fitted with gearing better suited to time trialling.

There are two sensible ways of gearing a 3 speed bike depending on your aims. You could gear it so you a have top gear of around 70 - 75" and use that as your normal riding gear and have the low gears when you need them. This is preferable for commuting/leisure riding/touring.

The alternative is to have the middle gear in the region of 63" which should leave you a bottom gear of ~46" and a top gear of 84" and you will be able to go fast enough for most purposes in an 84" gear and this is the way to go for fast road riding. A 46" bottom gear will get you up most hills if you're willing to work at it and your fitness/technique are somewhere in the right ball park.