How many of us are there?

[RedRider]

Only owned one bike for the last four years (I know, I know!) and it's a singlespeed with a freewheel and a 47x17 gear which I think is around 69 gear inches. I ride it every day (well nearly... last year it was summer and I realised I'd not missed a single day so made a conscious decision not to go out lest it became a thing).

I'd ridden geared bikes almost daily ever since moving to London 17 years ago but my mileage shot up since getting the trusty Steamroller. I use it for everything including shopping, socialising, commuting, pubbing, headfreshening blasts around town, passing the time, days out with my partner,, weekend tons, short tours (London to Harrogate and around Yorkshire last summer) and Audax (for the first time last year).

I do own a garmin but only attach it one ride out of twenty so I don't count total miles but I think maybe 7-9,000 per year with the majority in the Spring/Summer. My longest day ride is 144 miles but I'll also use the bike to go a mile up the road and back.

I've hired/borrowed geared bikes when out of the country on holiday but they feel a bit weird now. My legs and head have adapted.

Until recently my n+1 always had gears but now I think I'll get another singlespeed suitable for long distance riding but with a lighter/sprightly frame. My steamroller will get fatter tyres and different bars more amenable to slower and off-road riding with the OH.

 

[Sharky]

First proper bike was a Hill Special fixed - got for my 10th birthday. After that had lots of gears bikes, but in the 80's resurrected a mercian fixed for time trials. Served me well for several years and some good times ( for me) on it. Now have two SS/ fixed bikes in the stable. A giant bowery, which I rode this week end for my first 10 of the season. This was with a 44 x 13 fixed and did 30:01. For leisure riding, I usually ride with the SS freewheel set up, as the fast descents on a fixed are now too much for me. My other fixed is a Nelson, which will come out for the evening 10's when it gets warmer. Normally ride 50 x 14 on the Nelson and can just beat my age standard on it.

Love the simplicity of a fixed bike.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I cycle 4-5000 miles a year 3-3500 miles of which is fixed, I rode fixed in the late 1980's early 1990's for about 3-4 years then stopped, came back to fixed about 7 years ago when I brought my Pearson and have been riding fixed for commuting and for winter riding since.

 

[totallyfixed]

@totallyfixed. Just out of curiosity was your off track fixed racing on grass?

Shaun

Unbelievably it was a hilly tt. Never again.

 

[totallyfixed]

Only owned one bike for the last four years (I know, I know!) and it's a singlespeed with a freewheel and a 47x17 gear which I think is around 69 gear inches. I ride it every day (well nearly... last year it was summer and I realised I'd not missed a single day so made a conscious decision not to go out lest it became a thing).

I'd ridden geared bikes almost daily ever since moving to London 17 years ago but my mileage shot up since getting the trusty Steamroller. I use it for everything including shopping, socialising, commuting, pubbing, headfreshening blasts around town, passing the time, days out with my partner,, weekend tons, short tours (London to Harrogate and around Yorkshire last summer) and Audax (for the first time last year).

I do own a garmin but only attach it one ride out of twenty so I don't count total miles but I think maybe 7-9,000 per year with the majority in the Spring/Summer. My longest day ride is 144 miles but I'll also use the bike to go a mile up the road and back.

I've hired/borrowed geared bikes when out of the country on holiday but they feel a bit weird now. My legs and head have adapted.

Until recently my n+1 always had gears but now I think I'll get another singlespeed suitable for long distance riding but with a lighter/sprightly frame. My steamroller will get fatter tyres and different bars more amenable to slower and off-road riding with the OH.

You are about 6 inches out, that is the gear I ride, I think you should join us on the 100 mile fixed ride in May.

 

[RedRider]

You are about 6 inches out, that is the gear I ride, I think you should join us on the 100 mile fixed ride in May.

Ah, I meant 47x18 which I think is about 69 inches. I'd love to join your ride but then there is the small matter of the freewheel ? ?

 

[potsy]

Unbranded 80's recycled frame, 5 speeds but I only ever use third gear, the others work but I can't be bothered with the thumb shifters.

Not sure that strictly counts as a single-speed Pat

 

[DaveS]

Single speed/fixed for fifty years though only ss now. Don't own a geared bike. 66 inch winter, 72 summer. Bikes come and go.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Not sure that strictly counts as a single-speed Pat

How not? If I ride it permanently in the same gear? I could adjust the limit screws too!

 

[User19783]

I've been riding Fixed wheel bikes for twenty plus years, started on a SJS cycles , 67".
Had many since, Now I've got a Raleigh Roadace 531c 72" and a Surley streamroller 68" and done more miles on the fixed than on the geared bikes.

 

[Basil.B]

I think I prefer riding my single speed bike more than my far more expensive carbon bike.
I have a Macinato that I built up, using a 48x18, 70.1 inches.
Gearing is spot on for my regular rides of around 40 miles with some short sharp hills.

 

[rb58]

About 8,000 miles a year, about half of which is on fixed. Mostly 30 mile round trip commutes, but some longer rides too. Pinarello Catena and a 1950s Alcyon. Both running 67". Never ridden single speed.

 

[booze and cake]

I've got 2 single speeds, Genesis Flyer for commuting I got in 2008, loved it, built up geared 80's italian frame roadie with modern bits in 2009, had custom made 853 single speed Mercian made in 2010. Despite having a geared bike I still ridden a few 130-140 mile rides on the Mercian. Ridden 3-7k miles a year over last 7 years. Tinkered around with loads of ratios but am on 77gi on both my single speeds, still an old skool mtb masher (and I live in London so hardly the mountains)

 

[totallyfixed]

Lost count, but think about 16 of us [Pat can be a half] so far, a tiny fraction of cyclists. What does seem to be a common theme is those of us that ride fixed value that bike more than our expensive geared bikes [for those of us that have both]. I increasingly find that mamils have no idea what fixed gear actually is. Heathens.

 

[totallyfixed]

Ah, I meant 47x18 which I think is about 69 inches. I'd love to join your ride but then there is the small matter of the freewheel ? ?

Good point, well presented. Ditch the freewheel, you know you want to.