Not a happy bunny with local bike shops!

[ericmark]

We have a guy in the village who seems to enjoy himself doing up old bikes and selling them The Raleigh shopper was once my wife's. To left can see front wheel of her e-bike that replaced it. The shopper was originally a three speed hub, many years ago I fitted the 6 speed derailleur but retained the chain guard.

Why people still use bikes in this village I don't know, no cycle tracks, and rather hilly. Before Colvid we could put the bike on the train to Welshpool and ride on the canal tow path seems it is one of the steepest trains without using a rack and pinion system, but today it starts and finishes in the same place, Welshpool station is closed.

 

[kayakerles]

...Wear & tear on knees could be an issue with hills and a single speed, depending on gearing. No point trying to improve health at the expense of new joints :-)

Good point. I think it was on this site that someone said, “why give yourself a sore back riding in a difficult gear, you paid for those other gears, use them and enjoy them.” or something like that. I think that now that I'm 65 I may sell my single speed bike. I thoroughly enjoy my other two bikes with gears, a hybrid and a mountain bike. I had originally picked up my this bike at a very low price (at that time already converted from a 10-speed to a 5-speed, keeping the smaller front gear). Why not let it go back into regular use it by someone younger to enjoy as much as I did previously? Let someone get a nice solid bike in today's inflated-bike-price economy?

it's a 1964 Schwinn Super Sport (chrome-moly) converted to a single speed with a flip-flop hub.

Good bye, old friend!

 

[ericmark]

Depends where riding, where I use to live many cycle tracks at side of canal and on disused railway lines. i.e. flat, here even with 21 gears can't get up the hills, push bike is a good name as often have to get off an push it.

Seems odd as an engineer to have 21 gears, as so many over lap each other, so really around 11 ratios. I find under 3 MPH hard to balance so no point going to any lower ratio, but around 18 MPH is top speed on my bike, as can't pedal any faster, however over weight at 70 on the flat speed no motor assistance is between 12 and 16 MPH, so where I can to 18 MPH down hill anyway, and I want a rest.

My son got a nice bike with a ride to work scheme, which he passed to my wife, who in turn passed to me, and being good quality means lighter, so easier to lift over gates, and easier to ride, but hobby is photography so fit two pannier bags, to hold lunch, repair tools, water, and cameras so this super light bike is no longer super light.

When out with wife and she has the electric assist, then yes she has panniers with extra weight, and I have light bike, then I can keep up, just. Well I gain on flat and down hill she gains up hill. However the idea is to go on a bike ride together, and that does not really happen.

 

[DRM]

Good point. I think it was on this site that someone said, “why give yourself a sore back riding in a difficult gear, you paid for those other gears, use them and enjoy them.” or something like that. I think that now that I'm 65 I may sell my single speed bike. I thoroughly enjoy my other two bikes with gears, a hybrid and a mountain bike. I had originally picked up my this bike at a very low price (at that time already converted from a 10-speed to a 5-speed, keeping the smaller front gear). Why not let it go back into regular use it by someone younger to enjoy as much as I did previously? Let someone get a nice solid bike in today's inflated-bike-price economy?

it's a 1964 Schwinn Super Sport (chrome-moly) converted to a single speed with a flip-flop hub.

View attachment 592184

View attachment 592185
Good bye, old friend!

Not me, I'd keep it and put a new rear wheel, along with gears, that suit me and the terrain I live in, and a derailleur, that's too nice to sell on.

 

[Cycleops]

Good point. I think it was on this site that someone said, “why give yourself a sore back riding in a difficult gear, you paid for those other gears, use them and enjoy them.” or something like that. I think that now that I'm 65 I may sell my single speed bike. I thoroughly enjoy my other two bikes with gears, a hybrid and a mountain bike. I had originally picked up my this bike at a very low price (at that time already converted from a 10-speed to a 5-speed, keeping the smaller front gear). Why not let it go back into regular use it by someone younger to enjoy as much as I did previously? Let someone get a nice solid bike in today's inflated-bike-price economy?

it's a 1964 Schwinn Super Sport (chrome-moly) converted to a single speed with a flip-flop hub.

View attachment 592184

View attachment 592185
Good bye, old friend!

Don’t get rid of it. Convert it back to gears.