I get this all the time, it’s as if drivers feel they will lose time if they’re stationary as opposed to rolling at 1mph confusing everyone around them
It’s not so much a matter of places being ‘flat enough’ for single speeds, but rather, ‘are your legs big enough?’ It’s kind of fun being able to go out and cream all the weekend roadies on their $5000 bikes on the uphills while you’re in a nasty 48:17 geared single speed.
Ugh, that drives me nuts. On my way home there is an unavoidable hill. I usually finish it out at 22 miles per hour, and at the end i need to shift lanes twice to get into the left hand turn. Drivers who don’t clearly indicate their intentions make this so hard (slowing down, speeding up, changing lanes? what are you DOING?)
The biggest advantage of a single speed is simplicity. Every part you add to ANY mechanical device, including a bike, just adds one more thing that can break. Single speeds are among the most reliable of bikes, rarely breaking down; that, and simplicity of operation, are probably the main reasons why most children’s bikes tend to be single speeds.
That being said, I personally couldn’t get along without my derailleur and gears nowadays; I like to pedal at a high cadence so I need to be able to adjust my gear ratio to adapt to changing terrain and wind conditions without having to slow my legs down.
I was born in 1979. I started bike commuting a few years ago on my 1961 Lady’s Raleigh 3-speed. Thumb shifter and all! I still ride it a few times a month.
out of the seven gears on my road bike, i use about three of them. my mountain bike is single speed, I’m from one of the hilliest parts of england (yorkshire) and often do day long rides in the surrounding area and also in the lake district, another of the hilliest bits of the country
come on guys, how you didn’t realize, Y rides a Sturmey-Archer ASC 3-speed fixed-gear hub: http://sheldonbrown.com/asc.html
anyway Y’s beard reminds me someone, who’s past not so long ago
Born in ’85 here, and I don’t need anyone explaining to me the wonder of the sturmey archer three speed rear hub. I’ve always wanted to make a franken-bike of my old three speed and new aluminum framed touring bike.
Where’s flat enough? Sarasota, for one. Rode 30 miles yesterday without changing elevation more than a couple feet. (I was on a 10 speed, but I’m tempted to convert it)
I get this all the time, it’s as if drivers feel they will lose time if they’re stationary as opposed to rolling at 1mph confusing everyone around them
So true!!!
Get an Air Zound, 120 dB makes drivers notice you
I have this happen just about daily.. My favorite is the hurry up and pass to turn right people. They are just so much fun to deal with..
ditto on the airzound. It’s at least satisfying to let them know how you feel.
forget the airzound. I carry a pouch full of marbles =)
Yehuda is downshifting? I thought his ride was a single speed?
Wow, I also thought Yehuda had a fixie… But as it turns out, he seems to be using a twist-grip shifter.
I don’t understand single-speeds. Is there anywhere really flat enough that they’re usable? And what’s the advantage?
I think he’s got an S/A 3-speed with a thumb shifter. A twist-grip would be too modern for him.
@shay: Seattle is flat enough. The benefit to single speeds is that you can coast down hills. You don’t have to pedal!!!
It’s not so much a matter of places being ‘flat enough’ for single speeds, but rather, ‘are your legs big enough?’ It’s kind of fun being able to go out and cream all the weekend roadies on their $5000 bikes on the uphills while you’re in a nasty 48:17 geared single speed.
Ugh, that drives me nuts. On my way home there is an unavoidable hill. I usually finish it out at 22 miles per hour, and at the end i need to shift lanes twice to get into the left hand turn. Drivers who don’t clearly indicate their intentions make this so hard (slowing down, speeding up, changing lanes? what are you DOING?)
@ Jay
Such a generalization, I mean for the good riders out there, what’s stopping them from matching your gearing on the same hill and killing you?
Yehuda riding a fixie with brakes? Never ever! He is definitely shifting a Sturmey-Archer rear hub with a thumb shifter.
For those born after 1970 :http://www.sturmey-archer.com/hubs_3spd.php
I think he’s got a Sturmey-Archer too. Which would be awesome.
Internal hub gears forever!
The biggest advantage of a single speed is simplicity. Every part you add to ANY mechanical device, including a bike, just adds one more thing that can break. Single speeds are among the most reliable of bikes, rarely breaking down; that, and simplicity of operation, are probably the main reasons why most children’s bikes tend to be single speeds.
That being said, I personally couldn’t get along without my derailleur and gears nowadays; I like to pedal at a high cadence so I need to be able to adjust my gear ratio to adapt to changing terrain and wind conditions without having to slow my legs down.
to JiMCi:
I was born in 1979. I started bike commuting a few years ago on my 1961 Lady’s Raleigh 3-speed. Thumb shifter and all! I still ride it a few times a month.
The advantage of a fixed wheel (not so much a single speed) going up a hill is drivetrain efficiency, and the lack of temptation to downshift.
But really, the advantage of a fixed wheel or single speed is the fact that they can be far more fun to ride than a geared racing bicycle.
I’m pretty sure Yehuda has my old 1970s S/A 3 spd; and yes we had twist grips back then. Now I know who my mom gave it to. I feel better.
what is so hard about a 48:17? my fixed is set up as such and it’s perfect.
re: anywhere flat enough for singlespeed.
out of the seven gears on my road bike, i use about three of them. my mountain bike is single speed, I’m from one of the hilliest parts of england (yorkshire) and often do day long rides in the surrounding area and also in the lake district, another of the hilliest bits of the country
good fun
come on guys, how you didn’t realize, Y rides a Sturmey-Archer ASC 3-speed fixed-gear hub: http://sheldonbrown.com/asc.html
anyway Y’s beard reminds me someone, who’s past not so long ago
Born in ’85 here, and I don’t need anyone explaining to me the wonder of the sturmey archer three speed rear hub. I’ve always wanted to make a franken-bike of my old three speed and new aluminum framed touring bike.
Where’s flat enough? Sarasota, for one. Rode 30 miles yesterday without changing elevation more than a couple feet. (I was on a 10 speed, but I’m tempted to convert it)