The best commuter bike: Road, city or single-speed?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ต.ค. 2019
- My latest commuter-bike challenge, this time facing off three different kinds of bikes: A speedy road bike, a comfortable three-speed city cruiser bike and a single-speed. The results surprised me! Maybe they'll surprise you too.
This is the fourth such test I've done to help you make decisions about your bike commute. You can check the others out here: • Commuter Challenges
#bikecommuting #biketowork #cycling
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Tom Babin is the author of Frostbike: The Joy, Pain and Numbness of Winter Cycling: rmbooks.com/book/frostbike/
On a single speed you never need to care about being in the right gear, because you are always on the wrong one.
How heavy is your ss?
@@rejickmukherjee9154 mine is just a hair shy of 10 kilograms.
@@13ballom do you think 12kg would be hard to accelerate in traffic? Completely flat terrain here
@@rejickmukherjee9154 definitely not. If you are a decent rider you can even manage on a 16-18 kg steel mtb. Its not the weight of the bike that matters, its the rider. I remember my first bicycle was a bunch of iron welded together, it was a single speed with a rusty chain. It weighed 28 kilograms. I rode that bike for 11 years. Thats probably why i am able to zip around on my nicer single speed now. Bicycle manufacturers like to make weight a big deal. The bike's weight is inconsequential to your own. If you want your bike to weight 2 kgs lesser, you can lose 2 kgs of fat from your body and it would be the same as riding a 8kg bike instead of 10. What's better? Losing 2 kgs of fat makes u fitter and is completely free, no carbon fork and handlebars required.
@@13ballom yeah. And the price is also quite nice so I can upgrade to better components whenever I have money. I ride 20-25 km every single day. Just wanted to take opinions before buying. I have a touring bike but I want a less maintenance and less costly bike to that I don't have to worry about maintenance and getting stolen all the time.
It doesn't really matter which style bike is fastest. The best Bike for commuting is the one that you enjoy the most and will ride every day.
Since drag and wind resistance is easily the most speed changing factor, the rest is preference and size of wallet, as long as the bike has no abnormal rolling resistance or drivetrain issues, traction issues or comfort issues, any bike is very similar performing.
Hills make a big difference on your choice.
Single speed has the least maintenance. Also with gears there are almost always some issues. Derailleurs never work flawlessly and are a pain to maintain and internalgeathubs have way more drag, can have unsuitable gearrange and/or steps between gears and they can REALLY bumb up the drag when it's cold. Also all cables can freeze up in cold climate. So the single speed is the most reliable and also the cheapest drivetrain there is.
@@K1989L And a single speed is the least flexible, least adaptable bike of the three. A bike is supposed to fit to your needs, not force you to adapt to it's very narrow range of abilities.
That's what an extremely thrifty person would say.
You're terribly effected by your extreme thriftiness.
Brands make yearly sets of bikes.
You're supposed to buy a matching set of bikes.
For shorter commutes I love riding a singlespeed, it's my absolute go to for general use, but now that I'm daily commuting 40km (25 mi) I got a road bike.
Doing 8 hours of physical work and then having to ride home again in almost any weather is currently just too exhausting for me to do singlespeed. That might change in a few weeks or months though.
Update: I got a new job with half the commute distance and am commuting singlespeed again regularly.
I commute 22 miles but sit in a cubicle most of the day, and I’m still not strong enough to ride a single speed. I wouldn’t make it up any hills. I’d be exhausted. One day maybe that will change but at 45 years old, I doubt it
Should I go for single speed or geared for a 9.1 mile commute?
@@GrayWithMeNah man, get a single speed. It will push you to be better.
I ride a single speed everyday and i love it. No fuss, goes fast. It's a delight.
Totally agreed with yr comment. I ditched gears years ago and never look back. Luckily I live in a relatively flat city.
Yeah where I live there are a lot of uphills so the single speed is a challenge
whats the advantage of single.speed ?
@@levicruz2609 , when you break, you can't end up going over the handlebars and they're easy maintenance.
Not for me.
My town Bogor is a mountain.
(｡•́︿•̀｡)
why so? I am considering it... what are some good arguments for it?
Another point about the single speed is that you can't go into lower gears whenever you have to slow down or stop, so you end having to work harder to get back up to speed. That means you are probably going to subconsciously avoid slowing down more. When you combine that with the fact that you are going to typically have a higher power output on slight hills and headwinds so you can hold a comfortable cadence, you end up with a higher average speed. Of course that means more work, and in the case of stopping/slowing, probably more risk taking.
I love my single speed, had mine for 11 years now. i've gone through so many bikes, from road bikes, front / dual suspension bikes, down hill bikes and I ALWAYS go back to my single speed. I reckon its that nostalgic factor, the memories of being a kid on a BMX. I love that there is a speed thats comfortable, so you hit it and stay at it. Around Sydney city , its a blast
Something that's not talked about often is drivetrain efficiency. Here's a great article talking about the differences between 1x, 2x, Rohloff 14-speed, and Pinion 18-speed. It doesn't include single or fixed speeds, but they are widely considered more efficient than geared bikes due to reduced weight, straight chain, taller gear teeth, and shorter chain length, all contributing to higher efficiency. Given the article's test results, and the fact that a single speed won't ever reach 100% efficiency, it's likely not a large advantage, but still something to consider. Might partially explain the surprising commute times in this video.
Single-speed makes me work harder. I’ll get that one.
Single speed forces you to work harder, and when you can't or don't want to do that, you end up with a bike that fights you. Of course, you can force yourself to work just as hard, over a wider range of terrain and conditions on a geared bike. The bike shouldn't be in charge of the rider.
They make sets of bikes.
You buy sets of bikes.
Ss is the best. I am single speed fir over 20years and i never felt i am in a wrong gear. I believe i am the gear.
why so? I am considering it... what are some good arguments for it?
Yeah I might buy one tomorrow or something. I wanna feel like part of the messenger culture. I ride 9 to 5 too but I just don't feel like part of it. Messengers all ride fixed gear, but I'd like to coast. I'm already missing part of my knee, the fact I do anything is incredible already.
You must be one in a million. You've found one gear that caters for all terrains at all speeds! I wonder if the Tour de France riders would be interested in your discovery? 😁
Brands make yearly matching sets of bikes.
So What's your set of bikes?
@@framestomind7548 simplicity, that's it
Single speed bikes still have three speeds: sitting on the bike, standing on the bike, and .... pushing the bike.
They have brothers and sisters too.
Matching sets of bikes.
Every year brands make sets of bikes.
You've chosen to limit your life by only buying 1 bike.
You've got nothing worth while saying to people.
Singlespeed user here, I used my singlespeed rig for more than a year wayback 2019 to early 2020 17kms one way 5x a week. In my experience its nice to use a singlespeed on uphills my rig uses a 52x22 drivetrain and what makes it fun it puts pressure on geared mountain bikes and roadies when you chase em up on a hillclimb and they realize you are using a singlespeed set up ehehe Greetings from the Philippines
I loved that you added the sweat factor!
Now, lets add the fact that brands make yearly matching sets of bikes.
Buy a set or be quiet.
It's honestly why I enjoy single speeds, less complexity and you gain so much experience with one ratio, that you know what you can do with it. Here in Albuquerque we have some gnarly hills, but if you know what your pacing is with a gear, then you can always enjoy the ascents.
Intangible, it's just fun to ride and never have to worry about what gear I'm in, it's always wrong haha.
I converted one of my old road bike to single speed and it was a blast. Never knew all I needed was 45/24 for everything I ride to. Now I am considering on getting a proper single speeder with horizontal dropouts.
You can always use a chain tensioner (or a rear derailer locked in one position) if your frame has vertical dropouts.
Do it dude
Fixed gear (with front brake) was my favorite commuter for years (30 km per day). I ride fast (shower at work) and started with my old MTB with a special road wheel set. The Dutch wet weather, dirt on the roads, salt in the winter was killing for the gears. If you arrive at home at a cold, wet and dark winter evening, the last thing I want to do is bike maintenance. So I switched to fixed gear and it was the best choice ever! Good training for my weekend MTB ride, a really Zen experience (no rattling, noise etc) and weekly maintenance (apply some lube to the chain) was sufficient! Of course the Netherlands is flat, so I only had to battle wind and rain and snow sometimes. And bridges….
I just love being able to decelerate without touching my brakes :D my speed ends up being more intuitive and fluid, and of course I don't have to replace my brake pads as often. I hate having to make sure the wheel is in exactly the right place and worrying about whether my chain ring is not perfectly circular and all that. Which reminds me, I gotta check my chain to see if it's stretching... might need to be replaced... but only having that one detail to worry about ain't bad. On my road bike I was riding with a broken rear derailer for months without noticing it. It kept working! So I can't really say that fixies are more reliable but if you do not want to have to manage a lot of detail, they're great. I like to have three bikes so I can have one of each type, and having an 18 speed road bike with every single thing you could possibly add to a bike just makes me appreciate my simple fixie that much more.
this is the best video I have been looking for. thanks a lot
Glad you liked it
Buy a set of bikes and start living a normal life.
Why hurt yourself every day?
So long as it has full length fenders so that I can use it all year round any bike is the right bike
BOOM BABY
I thought I would need at least a 3 speed, but I found a great deal on a single speed cruiser, and I absolutely love it! I only do about 4 miles each way, with a couple of moderate hills, it's really not too bad.
Even after seeing quite a bit of North American bike content, it's still funny to see how bikes are categorised.
All 3 of those bikes are road bikes. The fact that a race bike is called a road bike still gets me.
The best thing about a single speed is the lack of maintainance and the price. Just check you tires sometimes and you'll be fine. Cycling in a city with some traffic and plenty of traffic lights would get annoying fast though I imagine.
Unless you often ride more than a few km you don't need a roadbike and a city bike will be more comfortable and you can carry shit.
Great review! Especially mentioning the sweat factor
He forgot brands make yearly matching sets of bikes.
I commute everyday on a singlespeed in Paris. The "low maintenance factor" of singlespeed is definitely a big point. My next move is to mount a torpedo brake (coaster brake) on the back wheel, to be even more 'connected' to my bike hehe.
Cool channel by the way, just subscribed 🙌🏻
Thanks for subscribing. I also love coaster brakes. If you haven't seen it, check this out: th-cam.com/video/wLCnCtYYmVg/w-d-xo.html
naah bro, take off the free wheel completely so the pedals turn if you are moving even if you aren't pedalling and you brake by resisting the motion. Then you will have complete feel of the bike! You can even pedal backwards and it makes popping off wheelies so much easier as well :P
@@arpakyna you mean fixie? Noob
@@tylergable2445 looks like that's what you call them these days. Back in my day you couldn't buy one, we had to modify the bikes ourselves.
Have a good one :)
@@utilisateur1153 no average commuter is gonna put enough power down to break a chain, and spending $50 per year on tires to go on your $200 fixed gear bike is definitely cheaper that getting and maintaining a decent road bike.
I just recently purchased a single speed as my 21speed bike got a flat that “forced” me to ride it a good amount of miles home on Christmas Day as I was expecting family over, so you gotta do what you gotta do. I’m great full that the rims were not damaged, but on fixing the flat there were three in all, but the third one was on the hard flat part by the Valve which is not able to be fixed with a patch, so that tube was done. While the bike was unusable from that point on I s ordered 2 tubes, and the next day I went walking thinking about purchasing a single speed bike, and happened upon a bike shop I’d past hundreds of times before without realizing it was there as I was always flying by focused on my destination. I saw it from across the street and literally took a picture for future reference, but decided you know what let me pop in and ask what they had in store. I explained what I wanted and thankfully the shop had exactly what I was looking for and it has been better than I expected it to be on several fronts. Bomb proof as far as not having to deal with finicky multiple front and rear rings/cogs as well as ditching an unnecessary front suspension, and seat post suspension which I haven’t noticed a difference in the negative not one iota. And the bike is lighter which is so appreciated when I lift it for whatever reason. Also a cleaner look with less wires is another plus along with them having dual caliper brakes as opposed to what I had before which was v-brakes. They are a much better look if not the same stopping power, but functional enough which is good enough for me. You have the opportunity to be more athletic more often as standing to pedal is done more often with a single speed than having 21 speeds which really no one uses all of those maybe a third if you are really actively clicking through them in a ride, but not needed/missed magically somehow when it is not an option to power down or up as you control it all within your legs.
I started commuting on a single speed several years ago, it was fine until I made one simple upgrade that made it great. A Sturmey-Archer Kickshift hub. You get all the low maintenance benefits of a single speed plus that second gear to get up the hills. There is a direct drive gear and a second gear at 130% of direct drive. I figured out the gear ratio so the high gear was about the same as the single speed making the direct drive gear a nice climbing gear which I use everyday to climb out of the river valley here in Edmonton. In the winter I put a cog on with a couple more teeth to help deal with the road conditions. I don't think I'll ever go back to multi speeds for commuting.
I don't know much about kickshift hubs! Very interesting. I'll have to check them out. Getting out of the river valley sounds like a nice place for a second gear. Thanks for sharing.
Sorry sir. I don't actually understand what you mean because I'm not a native speaker. But I can guess that your single speed bike has 2 gears, an original one and second one you installed for climbing, right? How did you do that? Any tutorial? Thanks
@@ThinhNguyen-zk9li th-cam.com/video/bwjjFIc5Dds/w-d-xo.html
SRAM used to make the 2 speed automatix, which had two internal gears and shifted automatically. I have it, and it's fantastic. Keep the simplicity of a single speed.
I just found this video and it's nice to hear some good things about the single speeds! I needed a bike due to knee problems to commute to school and work and I was able to get a used single-speed for cheap. But now I ride it everywhere! Needed some maintenance but afterwards works amazingly. Another benefit is since I can't change gears, I get more of a workout and my bad knee has gotten noticeably stronger!
The downside is lack of flexibility in your riding, not to mention putting extra strain on your joints from having to push harder or pedal faster. Your joints may not appreciate all that extra strain in a few years time.
@@another3997 that's completely wrong. it's better for your knees because you have a much greater range of excercise and extensions. You have to mash sometimes, you have to stand on the pedals, etc
Sold my Gravel bike and getting a Pure Fixie in couple of days. A new era to explore in 2020.
I own three pure fix bicycles. They're absolutely brilliant and I haven't been able to break one yet. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Swapnili Can you say why you're getting rid of your gravel bike for a pure fixie? I really want a gravel, but it would be interesting to hear the perspective why someone who has one is switching back. Maybe it could help.me makenup my mind. Thx!
Why not get a free wheel single speed? Have all the benefits of a Dixie without all the spin hassle. I think fixies are the dumbest bikes ever made . Why on earth would you want your legs to always move especially downhill which is impossible unless you risk pedal slap and removing your legs from pedals
@@ericvandamme6913 been riding fixie since a year now. best feeling ever. and btw it has a freewheel also but not using it as it's just too boring. completed my first 200km BRM successfully.
Brands make yearly matching sets of bikes.
Lets just point this fact out to the extremely thrifty idiots out there.
Thrift has ruined your life.
You've chosen to have NO choice.
Chosen to have NO spares.
Chosen to have nothing wise to say.
Thank You. For the review.
You bet
This was really helpful! Thank you!
Every bike is best like everyone has a different tastes but when you do cycling you are saving our planet Earth that's what is more important and interesting
Excellent review. I have a single speed Dahon 20 inch. with a coaster brake and it is very fun to drive and zero maintenance.
This is a great comparison of different bikes on commuting. I commute almost every day in summer and keep look at the same numbers.
I converted a 21 speed Trek Verve to 7 speed by replacing the front 3spd crank with a 42t single crank and the stock 7spd in back. Best decision with this bike for me as it is the perfect compromise between simplicity and options. Just low enough that 1 & 2 gets me off the line quick and up small inclines, and 5-7 gears are tall enough that I don't spin out anywhere. The main plus is I got rid of the front derailleur which is usually the source of drivetrain issues. The one rear shifter can be tuned to perfection. Also no cross-chaining, ever.
Convertzed my 10 speed to 5 speed
No need to pedal down hill
#COAST
@@btx5740 they say its dangerous I say its fun 🤣always taking a risk when riding anyways right lol
I changed from a trek racer to a single speed about 5 years ago & I'm glad I did. Single speed all the way.😀
why so? I am considering it... what are some good arguments for it?
@@framestomind7548 A bit late but, its low maintenance, fun for cities especially as a fixie. Whats bad about them is that you need a second bike for other terrain and this is the reason i consider selling mine, don't have enough space for 2 or 3 bikes. I'll be building electric which i can enjoy anywhere, wheter it is road or woods.
You're extremely ruthless to yourself.
You're brutal with spending money.
You really limit all your options and have zero spares.
I bet you never ride with a spare tube or bike pump or a bottle of water or food.
Why do you hate yourself so much?
You've NO luxury in bike life.
@@dreyn7780 woah calm down old man.
I once put fairly narrow straight bars on a one speed beach cruiser. It felt like such a beast. Went back to bmx after a while because the journey is the destination.
Where I live I don't encounter or know many commuter bikers. I've been benging your channel and I'm trying to get back into my commuter biking routine that was interrupted by covid. Listening to you talk about commuter biking issues reminds me of all the things I thought about on daily basis but never had conversations with anyone about because no one I know could relate. And worst people would complain to me about that time they witnessed someone doing something dumb on a bike like no motorist ever did anything dumb while driving, like somehow I'm responsible for every bikers actions.
Singlespeed Pro tip: Just never change gears on your current bike, et voilá!
You still carry that extra weight from the unused gears. More bike parts=more maintenance in the long run=more money
The point is to have optimum gear and optimum chainline. You are unlikely to have neither on a geared bike.
@@K1989L I strongly believe the optimum gear changes with elevation and winds
Actually I recently discovered that my cheap heavy previous urban bike needed a constantly change of speeds (non so flat city) but my new very basic mountain bike is so good for commuting that is almost unnecessary change the speed.
@@K1989L and you are never gonna get it on a single speed.
Genial video tio!!! Gracias
I find the two speed kick shift to be ideal, because it offers the simplicity and good looks of a single speed with the convenience of a climbing gear. Very fast commuting bike!
Electric single speed or internal geared hub with a belt drive. My ideal bike would be a Budnitz e-Bella. I have a bad knee, so I really can't pedal uphill at all anymore. So, an electric assist bike is a must for me, now. I can pedal fine on the flat, since that doesn't put a lot of stress on my bad knee. My current bike is a Trek 820 I found at a charity shop for $25. I stripped the front derailleur and the shifters, but I had to leave the rear one on screwed down as a chain tensioner, so it's single speed, except I can manually change chainrings on the front if I find a stick on the ground to keep my hands clean.
Nice video, personally I commute on single speed in Paris. That kind of bikes are quiet, simple to use and maintain, light and can go quite fast when you want to... and it allows you to stay in good shape ! plus it’s beautiful 😍 but main factor to me it’s the pleasure to ride and the fact that there is no noise is so enjoyable. I own a cinelli Vigorelli, steel by the way ...
All bikes let you stay in shape. How fast you can go is dependent on the gear ratio you choose for your bike. One gear cannot be ideal for all likely speeds and types of terrain, as the only things that can change is YOUR cadence and YOUR power output. Both of which have severe limitations.
@@another3997 i agree with you.
Thanks for sharing this, good revelations.
If you have the right gear ratio for your terrain you can commute anywhere in your hometown even if you live in a hilly area like san francisco. Also you can get a three speed freewheel from amazon 16-19-21 and done you can dingle the chain if you feel like changing the ratio.
'Dingle'?
Nothing beats comfort.
I have 2 Singlespeed bikes. One is 35 year Old "market" bike where I can lock n park anywhere when I go supermarket. The other one, a titanium-frame bike, I go riding with my buddies in flat, flat Singapore. I can do 75km with it. Yes, Singlespeeds need little maintenance. Your videos are good. Thanks for sharing!
I have a single speed eBike and I absolutely love that I don’t need to change gears. With the intelligent algorithm, I’m always in the right gear! But when I turn off the motor, the heavy weight (20kg), the slight drag from the rear motor, and the high gear ratio (2.8:1) sure do make themselves noticeable! I’d love to try out a normal single speed that weighs less and maybe has a lower gear ratio.
This might be the least scientific comparison ever. Still.., love it!
It makes little difference on how long it takes to get to work. Now leaving work is where the speed matters!
😅🤣
Great video! Out of curiosity: how much does your 3 speed urban bike weigh?
Excellent video, Shifter. Recently got a single-speed and concur on all points...except for steep grades ( of which i now zig-zag...no as efficient, no, but, i've never felt a burn like that!). I, for one, am sold on single speed. Got mine (Overthrow II) from Sole in Venice Beach. Simplicity is elegance. Thank you again for the awesome video!!!
www.solebicycles.com/products/the-overthrow
Good review. The number are pretty close but not bad. 👍🏻👍🏻
Great video!
I’m looking for a cruiser handlebar to put in my fixed gear bike.
Brands make yearly matching sets of bikes.
I like commuting on my road bike because it takes very little energy to get anywhere, so the kilometers just melt away easily. I can spontaneously do a long trip if I want without having to worry about whether I have enough energy for it. And because my bike has an awesome drivetrain that's basically taken off a mountain bike, I can do the craziest hills and also go super fast on straightaways.
I ordered a single speed for commuting, I'm waiting for it, I hope I did the right choice.
Cities are mostly beautiful, we should enjoy it more
why so? I am considering it... what are some good arguments for it?
The problem with singlespeed for commuting is, it makes you want to avoid coming to a complete stop, because it takes a lot of effort to get going again, and the accelleration is very slow, so it doesn't work anytime you're cycling with the cars, or if you're in narrow cycletracks and are sick of the super slow cyclists getting in front of you at every intersection just to slow you down. So if you're in good cycling infrastructure where cyclists can easily pass each-other, and if your fixie is very light and you're not carrying a heavy backpack, it can be great. There's a few techniques you can figure out to deal with the problems that it does cause. And if you end up hating it, you can get yourself a wheel with an internal shifting hub and just put it on your fixie. This is how I have a fixie that can just become a 3-speed anytime I want, and for me that's what I do in the wintertime. I could put a five-speed hub on it if I wanted.
Single speed's efficiency relies completely on the gear ratio, though it IS possible to swap the sprocket for either easier pedaling or higher speed (I assume, I might be wrong).
I have a single speed that I ride during the summer, I moved the seat to the rear and installed a longer crank, when I get to open road it goes fast, it is very comfortable to ride. bikes are my only transportation.
Well you should realize brands make yearly matching sets of bikes.
You should have a set of bikes and a spare set of bikes.
That is the minimum level of owning bike.
Anything less than a set of bikes is poverty.
Every decade you acquire 1 set of bikes.
That's the minimum level of normal life.
If you don't, you've chosen to be bike poor.
Not up to date.
Not worth listening to.
I read a research paper that said slow twitch was less effecient at 100 rpm, but fast twitch riders are equally effecient at 60 and 100 rpm. So if you are a mainly fast twitch type (good at sprinting) then a single speed is a good bike. You have the power for the heavy starts at traffic lights and the speed to keep going at 100 rpm giving the bike a decent top speed.
I can't afford a decent multi speed bike so, objectively, for my commute with multiple hills a single speed with a lighter frame would be better, as it sucks to have your chain come off as you're trying to gear up in the middle of a roundabout... In my experience multi speed kinda suck for urban commute
Do you think part of the extra time on the three speed was how you were more laid back when riding and didn't sweat as much?
Brands make sets of bikes.
You buy sets of bikes.
You get to choose.
I know it's a relatively old video and this comment will be buried but I just want to add my 2 cent here since I've commuted by bike in quite a few countries.
1. Use a bicycle that makes sence for you in the city you live in (don't use a single speed or a Dutch bike in a city/town with countless steep hills or varying road conditions)
2. Salt is your bike's enemy always clean and lubricate your chains (be it winter cycling in places that uses alot of salt or if you commute near the ocean)
3. if you use a back pack wash them as frequently as possible
The issue I have with the analysis is the link you seemed to make between gears and speed. As you found, where gears allow you to gear down, any natural laziness will mean you’re tempted to take the option.
But where you can’t gear down, you have to choose between slower pedalling, grinding away or pushing harder to keep the cadence light.
I use single speed for commuting and my a average speed is more consistent from day to day. With gears, some days you FLY cos you’re in the mood and other days you’re less bothered and gear down. Single speed forces greater consistency and my AVERAGE average is higher than on a road bike.
Horses sweat. Men perspire. Women glow. Perspiration from fear and anxiety has an odor to it. Exercise perspiration does not have an odor. At least with me that is. No sweat just thought I'd had my two cents worth. Make that one nickels worth
The low maintenance of the single speed would definitely be a huge plus for it, would be a good bike for shorter, mostly flat commutes/errands.
I'm in the Netherlands which is a fairly flat country. I use 1 bike for commuting, grocerie shopping and leasure, has a 8-speed Nexus with belt drive. It's fantastic. Would never ever ever go for a fixed/single-speed, it's horrible when you are near any kind of hill or have a headwind.
Avid 56y cyclist. Owned far, too many bikes, but both of my current bikes are singles. Love the light simplicity.
Love to hear what you think of the new RAD Mission 1-speed.
I love this video. I ride a single speed and the gearing is set for the terrain in my area. I ride a 42T front 19T rear on 2" tires. It also is a workout on hills as Shifter says.
I will admit there are one or two hills where I must dismount and walk. These are seldom as they are not on my regular rides, but they happen. It's part of the game.
P.s. I'm tall so I built the bike with longer crank arms.
single speed is great! 97% of these bike snob with $10k road bike cant even ride them properly. Once i smoked a dude on a road bike decked out with bike jersey and gear up a hil in brooklyn , nyc on my single speed beat frame i got at walmart with good part.
ANd theres nothing wrong to dismount and hike the bike. i do it all the time! enjoy the view!!
thx for the video. in my flat city i enjoy riding with one gear more than shifting because i like to control my speed with my legwork rather than my gearing. i don't mind at all pedaling a little harder for the slight ascends. that said, if i'd be living in a place with a lot of hills i'd get a bike with a few gears probably. but i haven't found a hill here that i can't climb with relative ease. i'm riding with a 46:16 gear ratio on 28 or 32c tyres. for me that's perfect. less maintenance is also a plus, of course.
I'm looking for a probably less than $300 single speed type bike for path riding. I've seen a couple that seem decent. What would you recommend? I really like your channel by the way. Great job covering different types of bikes.
When comparing, there might be another factor (it definitely is here in NL): wind.
It might vary from one day to another depending on your geographic location. Here in the flatlands of NL it might be the determining factor on speed.
But I recognise what you say: if a gear ratio is dictated by the bike, you might end up going faster. On my road bike I sometimes ride in a certain gear because it already was in that gear and the cadence is close to my go-to cadence (~85 rpm). Sometimes I go up a gear or two, discover I'm able to maintain that cadence and thus effectively go faster.
Finally I totally agree that it is such a nice way to commute compared to a car
I ride steel single speed in city of Prague (we have few sick hills here) and I'm fine with that. I can ride them. I love it, one gear is everything what I need and I'm blessed with clean Æshetics. Speed is more than fine with my peak 1000watts comfortable speed is around 31 and when I need to be somewhere quickly I can push it to around 55. Single speed is perfect city bike in my opinion
Single speed/ fixed gear bikes still need chain lube... the chains are thicker, and do last longer but will squeak if they get dirty. Also finding the right gear ratio (cog size) will help make your tide that much better.
Unless you have a Singlespeed bike with a Gates belt! 🙂
Apart from a belt, yea. But also you can get a full chain glider guard thingy, and that will reduce the chain maintenance by a lot, especially if you wanna ride in the rain all the time (or even just after it's rained with the chain area getting all wet and dirty).
Here’s a question on gearing. My commute is mainly flat apart from a hill at the end. This makes for a great start to the day but the end is a killer. My current cheap “MTB” has a lowest gear of 24 on the back and a 38 on the front ( was a 42). If I wanted to switch out the deralier for a Sturmey Archer 3 speed, how do I calculate the cogs I’d need to give me equivalent climbing “pull” of 24/38?
If you want a really cheap or free single speed, just delete the cables and shifters from an old 10 or 12 speed, leave in the derailleur without a cable attached. This allows you to select the ratio you prefer manually, go for a ride, then you can change the chainring or cog your chain is on to change your gear ratio if you don't like the feel. Then you can either leave it as is, or replace the cog with a single cog of your choice for a true single speed experience.
Thanks for the review, I had no idea such bike existed and if they were even practical. For protecting older knees, I'll stick with gear ranged bikes.
Travelling on flat roads is not enough, you also have to live somewhere with little wind for the single speed bike to be an attractive option.
I bike to class every day around Florida State University on a single-speed, and it's decently hill-y. There's only one short hill that I can't take, so overall, I'm super happy with it. Bought the bike for around $200 and I love the thing. Super simple to adjust all the parts, repair the chain if it comes off, etc. And I fly past all the other electric-skateboarders (and even 95% of other bikers). I rode a hardtail mountain bike to class for a bit too, and I really wasn't into that... that was SLOW. It was nice being able to take some shortcuts that involved gravel or dirt ultra steep inclines. I can't even get up some that are paved on the single-speed.
Riding single speed is fun. I have mine geared in 52x18 and it's fun blasting it down the city.
I used to run 52x16 and the top end with that gearing was quite nasty. I only changed it so I could climb hills better.
It's also really easy to swap handlebars. Though, riding in drops makes it easier to squeeze through tight spots.
I would call that statistically insignificant.
Remember that more gears are nice to have but most of them are unnecessary. I am not an avid rider but my legs are strong and I want a bike that is comfortable and with a huge gear in the front. Does anyone know of something like that? I'm sick of the same old crap available. I think I want a dutch bike with a huge front gear.
Rode a fg as a commuter for years. I've got a geared hybrid, rb, mtb and fg. Find myself always opting for the fg. Just love riding it.
Might be time to invest in at least a used single speed to see if it’s something I’d like. Of course, I always have my trusty hybrid bike for when I don’t feel like pushing
The best bike IMO is a three speed beach cruiser. It has most of the benefits of a single speed with the benefits of getting start/ getting up hills easily!
I just purchased a fuji grand tourer se and it's a single speed and im loving everything about ittt
I don't think a single speed would be a good all rounder as an only bike but it's a must have as a second bike. An otherwise boring ride become interesting and challenging. it's excellent as a workout and for improving your skills and more specifically climbing. And finally it puts your needs in perspective. Because once you learn to deal with having only one ratio then anything more feels infinitely capable.
For me it was an antidote for my insatiable urge for new shiny stuff as it became obvious that the most fun I had was on the simplest vehicle I own.
If you need a reliable a to b ride get something single speed, get a steel frame so it lasts forever and is a comfortable ride, and if you need any proof as to fancy derailers being a hinderance go look at the most common bicycles in The Netherlands. Most are upright single speed or internal hub with coaster brakes and a good set of fenders.
What gearing was your single speed, I’m running 66 ratio. 👍🇬🇧
I have my gravel bike which I absolutely love, but it's quite cumbersome to take out of the bike storage every morning. I optimally would like to find a cheap single-speed bike to keep outside to be able to leave faster.
Just get a good lock or park it inside
Never knew much about bikes but when I was about 220lbs I used to ride to and from work with a cheap flip flop hub bike can be fixed gear or single speed also had drop bars and brakes. Often had to walk my bike up big inclines tho
Treat yourself to the minimum level of owning bikes by buying a set of bikes.
Brands make yearly matching sets of bikes.
I commuted through the winter with a 20 year old 9-speed road bike and although it didn't even snow, the gear cables froze at -2 degrees ... I have worn the bike so badly in those 3 months. I haven't serviced the bike for 3 years and now everything needs to replaced all at once. Because I had very little space between the brake bridge and the rear tire, I rubbed off a lot of material ... The frame is ready for scrap. I have now bought a new commuter road bike with 8-speed Claris and will definitely install Fender.
Good luck with your new ride!
After some careful considerations, I have decided to get a single speed bike for my daily commute (~6km one way). The chosen bike brand offers me to customize the chainring-sprocket gear ratio. Four options on chainring - 45, 48, 53,55 - and three on sprocket - 16, 17, 18. The route is mostly flat (
I do not know. With that range you may not be able to guess in advance. I might try the 48 first unless you are super fit. Then change up or down. I am never afraid to walk a bit, it mixes the refreshing exercise! You will not regret this decision.
I made a single speed bike for my daughter and she loves it and flys on it we gave her a custom BMX style satle set up the guy at the shop did a cool Frankenstein set up for the set up and we gave her a BMX style handle bar's set up so her bike is almost a BMX bike on steroids I ride a fixgear bike and she has no problem with keeping up or riding along side of me.
I think the single speed will also be tough to ride in snowy conditions
Depends on your terrain. I live in Copenhagen now and I could totally do with a SS. It’s pretty flat here but I’m guessing a place like San Francisco, you wouldn’t want that as a commuter. I have a trusty 3 speed Brompton. I’m interested in a priority cycles bike though.
Good idea to test simple bicycles. You can improve the time on your 3 speed coasterbrake by only riding in 2nd gear which is a direct drive with 95% efficiency and keeping the first gear as a spare when you are really tired or must ride a steep hill or strong wind (1 st gear 89% efficiency). There is not much need for the 3thd speed because of lower efficiency and since you have only one brake. Then 3 speed (while using only 2) is best! Shimano 3 speed only costs 60 dollars more and requires no maintenance!
Awesome comment. Thanks for sharing!
With a 32 mile round trip and 800 ft of hills both ways, I opted for an ebike. That has allowed me to bike to work almost everyday, except in rain because I don't have a dry space to keep my bike.
These seems like exactly the scenario an ebike would work best. Glad it’s working for you
I’m looking at the Brompton A line and the dahon mariner d8. Do you have any experience with these folding bikes? My ride involves a train and some hills. Both these bikes are at similar prices but are fairly different. Thanks
I recently bought a single speed. I actually find it slows me down because the ratio this particular bike came with is a ratio I find a bit easier. This is good for enjoying the ride more and not getting as sweaty. I think if you did a commute on a single speed everyday you would get stronger and find the ride less tiring, but on a geared bike you would just go faster.
I remember when I was in my twenties I definitely preferred the simplicity of single speed bikes and they were also cheaper. I also felt faster on the single speed but this was before I learned how to shift. However, I do live in an area of Cleveland called the Heights and there was this one hill on my commutes home from the store that I just could not climb so I either avoided the hill or I had to walk it. The first time I was able to climb that hill was when I purchased a bike that had an automatic transmission (I think that's what it was called). It would automatically shift gears whenever my pedaling sped up or slowed down. That was probably the last time I rode a single speed. Anyway, this idea that certain bikes make you sweat more I think is only partially true. I ride a fat bike as my daily commuter and there's no way I can ride that bike without a workout but that is by design. A road bike on the other hand it can be a workout if you want it to be and I do feel people have a certain mindset when they're on a road bike that they have to go fast. But, I've gone out on leisurely rides on road bikes where I didn't work up a sweat. After all most road bikes have a wide range of gears where you can make your ride as challenging or as leisurely as you want.
Love my Haro Mary SS. I knew something subliminal was going on, you just hop on and go. Good ergonomics and handlebar geometry helps a lot too.