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My first SS...Oh boy do I have questions.

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Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

My first SS...Oh boy do I have questions.

Old 04-12-21, 06:54 PM
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BassistBiker
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My first SS...Oh boy do I have questions.

OK, so I had another thread started where I was inquiring about correct sizing for my new SS.
Thanks to those that took the time to chime in! Bike Ordered!

I apologize for the long post...But rather than many posts, I figured I'd put all of my questions in one Q&A thread.

I'm an "old" dude (or so the kids say) @ 49 years old (get off my yard), the wife and I get out on our MTB's a couple times a week typically, and I recently bought her a Gravel bike, so we've been putting some miles on those too, more so now that the weather is better these days (no more snow).

But now recently I've REALLY been wanting to try a SS... I'm not yet ready for a Fixie, not sure I ever will be.

I'm a heavier guy too @ around 240 (but I've lost 37 pounds since January...It's amazing what diet & exercise does huh? )

I'm looking for advise & info...

-Am I too old to start riding a SS? LOL! (too late, the bike is coming)
-Is there a good gearing place to start? (mine is coming set up 44x16) My city (Madison WI) has some hills, but nothing terrible, if it's too bad I'll get off and push, is 44x16 good gearing for mostly flat(ish) riding?
-Is there a reason to consider a bull horn or drop bar instead of the riser bar I'm getting?
-I've got a full set of bike tools with a definite bias towards MTB maintenance & repair, but nothing for SS or Fixie...any tools that are must haves?
-The bike is coming set up with likely the cheapest 700x23 tires available, are there any good 700x25 tire suggestions for just tooling around the city, nothing fancy, just durable and hopefully fast(ish) rolling? Is there a different size I should consider for my weight?
-Is there any truth to "SS & Fixies are bad for your knees"? My knees aren't the greatest, I'd hate to damage them further.
-Any tips, tricks or pointers for an older dude just trying to have a little fun on his new SS?

Thanks for taking the time to read all of this.

This is the bike I ended up ordering (Stock Photo)...Beautiful if you ask me.
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Old 04-12-21, 07:10 PM
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Well, if you’re too old at 49, then I’m dead at 74. I would definitely go lower on the gearing, though, maybe an 18T freewheel. At your weight, those 23mm wide tires are way too skinny. I’d suggest going up to 28mm wide, so you don’t need to inflate them past their maximum recommended pressure. As to tools, about the only thing I can think of is a 15mm wrench for wheel removal, a freewheel remover, and a chain tool for a 1/8” chain. I see no reason to change the handlebar; a riser bar makes the most sense for casual riding.
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Old 04-12-21, 07:47 PM
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Originally Posted by TejanoTrackie
I would definitely go lower on the gearing, though, maybe an 18T freewheel
When you increase the freewheel by 2 teeth is it enough increase to require a new chain as well?

Thanks for the rest of the info too! Found a freewheel tool, and am currently shopping for some tires.
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Old 04-12-21, 07:57 PM
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Originally Posted by BassistBiker
When you increase the freewheel by 2 teeth is it enough increase to require a new chain as well?
Well, you will need to move the wheel axle about 1/4” in the dropout, so as long as you have enough chain to do this, then you won’t need to add links to the chain. If not, you can simply buy a 1/8” half-link to lengthen the chain.
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Old 04-12-21, 08:00 PM
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Originally Posted by BassistBiker
When you increase the freewheel by 2 teeth is it enough increase to require a new chain as well?

Thanks for the rest of the info too! Found a freewheel tool, and am currently shopping for some tires.
It depends how they sized the chain at the factory, you won't know until you get it / try it. Anyway, a new SS chain is not expensive.
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Old 04-12-21, 08:17 PM
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Originally Posted by BassistBiker
-Am I too old to start riding a SS? LOL! (too late, the bike is coming)
No, I'm 61 and have been riding singlespeeds since 1980: BMX, cyclocross, mountain bike, and road. IMO, riding singlespeed keeps you young!

Originally Posted by BassistBiker
Is there a good gearing place to start? (mine is coming set up 44x16) My city (Madison WI) has some hills, but nothing terrible, if it's too bad I'll get off and push, is 44x16 good gearing for mostly flat(ish) riding?
Go to Sheldon Brown's website, learn about gear inches (one of several ways to express gear ratios), and get a gear combo that yields about 63 gear inches. You'll likely change this as your terrain and strength dictate, but it's a good place to start. 44 X 16 is too tall for me, but it's kind of hilly where I live.

Originally Posted by BassistBiker
IIs there a reason to consider a bull horn or drop bar instead of the riser bar I'm getting?
Use whatever bars make your back, neck and shoulders happy!

Originally Posted by BassistBiker
I've got a full set of bike tools with a definite bias towards MTB maintenance & repair, but nothing for SS or Fixie...any tools that are must haves?
Looks like you'll need a 15mm (?) box wrench to take the nuts off the axles for flat repairs. You may want to get tools to change out the freewheel cog as you experiment with gear combos.

Originally Posted by BassistBiker
are there any good 700x25 tire suggestions for just tooling around the city, nothing fancy, just durable and hopefully fast(ish) rolling? Is there a different size I should consider for my weight?
If the frame will allow you fit 28s or 32s, do it. I like Continentals and Panaracers.

Originally Posted by BassistBiker
Is there any truth to "SS & Fixies are bad for your knees"? My knees aren't the greatest, I'd hate to damage them further.
SS is not inherently bad for your knees, but be sensible about it. Climbing steeps in a super-tall gear puts a LOT of stress on your knee joints, especially if you're a weighty fellow. See the gear-inch comment above.

Originally Posted by BassistBiker
Any tips, tricks or pointers for an older dude just trying to have a little fun on his new SS?
Plenty, but you'll figure most of them out along the way! Keep the chain tensioned pretty tight so it doesn't come off, but not so tight that it binds. You'll get the hang of this, too.

Last edited by Rolla; 04-12-21 at 08:24 PM.
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Old 04-12-21, 08:19 PM
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Freewheel tool ordered!

New tires ordered, I went with Michelin Dynamic Classics 7x28 (Gumwall), my neighbor has a pair of these on his Fyxation....Not a real chatty guy (hence me asking questions here LOL ) but he did say he's used these for a while, and they've been pretty tough...I guess we'll see.

Gonna wait until Friday to order the Freewheel...I wanna see how they sized the chain, and I want to ride it at least once as it is, so if/when I make the gearing change, I'll "hopefully" be able to "feel" the difference...I obviously new to this, so I'm trying to learn as I go.
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Old 04-12-21, 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Rolla
No, I'm 61 and have been riding singlespeeds since 1980: BMX, cyclocross, mountain bike, and road. IMO, riding singlespeed keeps you young!.
Nice!!!

Originally Posted by Rolla
Go to Sheldon Brown's website, learn about gear inches (one of several ways to express gear ratios), and get a gear combo that yields about 63 gear inches. You'll likely change this as your terrain and strength dictate, but it's a good place to start. 44 X 16 is too tall for me, but it's kind of hilly where I live.
Mine is going to be 73.41 when it gets here....Going with a 18T will net me 65.13, so maybe a change to the 18T right away is warranted.


Originally Posted by Rolla
If the frame will allow you fit 28s or 32s, do it. I like Continental and Panaracers.
All the info I can find says I'm good to go at 28, I've used Conti's before and they were great, I've got Panaracer Gravel KIngs on my Salsa...Fabulous tires for sure.
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Old 04-12-21, 10:42 PM
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Originally Posted by BassistBiker
Mine is going to be 73.41 when it gets here....Going with a 18T will net me 65.13, so maybe a change to the 18T right away is warranted.
I think a 65-inch gear is a safe bet, but first try it out the way it comes. If you do change to a bigger rear cog, you might find that you need to adjust the chain length and/or brake pads, as the rear axle will move forward a bit in the dropout (aka track end). Don't let that discourage you from experimenting with gears, though. On my SSCX bike I run a 39 X 17, but it took some trial and error before I settled on that combination. If you get hooked on the singlespeed thing, you'll eventually amass a small collection of cogs and chainrings.

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Old 04-13-21, 03:32 AM
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I'm 52 and got my first SS at 49 (road cycling since 1987). It instantly became my favorite bike. It's only bad on your knees if you stay in the saddle on hard efforts. And my knees aren't the greatest, I was an airborne infantryman for 24 years. You have to learn to get out of the saddle more than on a geared bike. I run a 46x17.
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Old 04-13-21, 07:09 AM
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I find it funny that when many of us were young, all we really had were SS bikes. I'm old enough to remember the beginning of the "bike boom" and all of the "10-speeds", everything that had gears was referred to as a 10-speed where I grew up. I remember mainly Schwinns and then later, Raleighs. All were way out of my family's ability to afford. So I rode an old hand-me-down SS bike and loved the crap out of it. It was my baby and I rode it every day and for miles and miles.

Enjoy your new bike. I'm sure you will love the time spent getting her dialed in and actually riding.

Good luck!
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Old 04-13-21, 07:42 AM
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Originally Posted by BassistBiker
Freewheel tool ordered!
Are you aware that there are multiple different freewheel/freewheel removal tool configurations?

Have fun - good luck!
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Old 04-13-21, 08:08 AM
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Use the gears on your current bike to figure out a good ratio for your new SS. Welcome to SS riding

Pick a front chainring and rear cog that feels comfortable to ride around town. Go for a ride AND DON'T SWITCH GEARS. If it's too hard or too easy, switch accordingly. Make a note of that ratio that works best and use that to inform you SS ratio.

Fixed gears will kill your knees more than SS will. In terms of practicality: gears > SS > fixed.
In terms of fun, that's up to you.
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Old 04-13-21, 08:10 AM
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Originally Posted by IAmSam
Are you aware that there are multiple different freewheel/freewheel removal tool configurations?
Yep, this much I did know, it's amazing how many different part standards there are, then combine that with the various standards for Road/Gravel/MTB...It gets out of hand fast, I have a lot of specialty tools (mostly MTB focused), but it always seems I need "just one more"...

I bought the freewheel tool directly from State Bicycle Co. (after asking if that was the correct one for their hubs).

The one thing I can't seem to find "solid" info on is...Are all SS freehubs the same thread pitch? I mean obviously they all have different tool requirements, but will they all thread onto a standard 120mm SS hub?

Last edited by BassistBiker; 04-13-21 at 09:08 AM.
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Old 04-13-21, 08:16 AM
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Originally Posted by BassistBiker
Yep, this much I did know, it's amazing how many different part standards there are, then combine that with the various standards for Road/Gravel/MTB...It gets out of hand fast, I have a lot of specialty tools (mostly MTB focused), but it always seems I need "just one more"...<br /><br />I bought the freehub tool directly from State Bicycle Co. (after asking if that was the correct one for their hubs).<br /><br />The one thing I can't seem to find "solid" info on is...Are all SS freehubs the same thread pitch? I mean obviously they all have different tool requirements, but will they all thread onto a standard 120mm SS hub?
Check out the all knowing Sheldon Brown. https://www.sheldonbrown.com/freewheels.html

24tpi is probably going to be the most common but don't quote me on that
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Old 04-13-21, 08:19 AM
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Originally Posted by sdimattia
Use the gears on your current bike to figure out a good ratio for your new SS. Welcome to SS riding

Pick a front chainring and rear cog that feels comfortable to ride around town. Go for a ride AND DON'T SWITCH GEARS. If it's too hard or too easy, switch accordingly. Make a note of that ratio that works best and use that to inform you SS ratio.
Well all of my bikes are 1x setups so that shouldn't be too bad to sort out.

My Gravel bike has a 42T chainring and a 11-42 Cassette, I should be able to find a gear combo in there somewhere, or at least something close.
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Old 04-13-21, 08:25 AM
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Originally Posted by BassistBiker
Well all of my bikes are 1x setups so that shouldn't be too bad to sort out.

My Gravel bike has a 42T chainring and a 11-42 Cassette, I should be able to find a gear combo in there somewhere, or at least something close.
If you aren't familiar with Sheldon's gear calculator, that's a good thing to look at as well. You'd be calculating for Gear Inches. Apologies if I'm repeating information you already know. https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gear-calc.html
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Old 04-13-21, 08:34 AM
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Originally Posted by sdimattia
If you aren't familiar with Sheldon's gear calculator, that's a good thing to look at as well. You'd be calculating for Gear Inches. Apologies if I'm repeating information you already know. https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gear-calc.html
Yep, I've seen that, but Thanks!
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Old 04-13-21, 08:38 AM
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Originally Posted by BassistBiker
Yep, I've seen that, but Thanks!
Then I'll shut up now

Keep us updated on your SS adventures!
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Old 04-13-21, 08:55 AM
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Originally Posted by BassistBiker
Yep, this much I did know, it's amazing how many different part standards there are, then combine that with the various standards for Road/Gravel/MTB...It gets out of hand fast, I have a lot of specialty tools (mostly MTB focused), but it always seems I need "just one more"...

I bought the freehub tool directly from State Bicycle Co. (after asking if that was the correct one for their hubs).

The one thing I can't seem to find "solid" info on is...Are all SS freehubs the same thread pitch? I mean obviously they all have different tool requirements, but will they all thread onto a standard 120mm SS hub?
First of all, it’s a freewheel, NOT a freehub. The wheel hub itself is threaded to accept either a freewheel assembly (freewheel mechanism with one or more cogs) or a fixed cog, and they are all threaded the same with English 1.37” X 24 TPI threading. The freewheel removing tool is designed to work with the specific freewheel body design, and there are well over a dozen different types, so you were wise to buy it directly from State Bicycle Co. to ensure that it was the correct part.
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Old 04-13-21, 09:07 AM
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Originally Posted by TejanoTrackie
First of all, it’s a freewheel, NOT a freehub. The wheel hub itself is threaded to accept either a freewheel assembly
Yep, this I know, I mistyped and obviously didn't proof read my post. (I'll go fix it now, so we don't have others saying the same thing you did)

I know my way around Freehubs, all my bikes have them both HG & XD, and yeah I've got tools for those Freehubs...I've even have a couple Freewheel tools (my kid had a couple entry level Walmart bikes that had crappy freewheels) I just knew I had nothing for this SS Hub.
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Old 04-13-21, 01:34 PM
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Gear ratio selection

I'm turning 53 this Friday and got totally hooked on SS a couple years ago. I currently run 48/17 drivetrain. Mostly flats, but some hills here and there.
I did what other guys suggested - looked at my most frequently used gear ratio on my geared bike - and approximated it for starters. After a month or so of dedicated riding, I started spinning out of gear, especially with a tail wind .
I started getting smaller fixed cogs - to do a test ride and see if I can still climb those hills. The cogs are much cheaper to replace than a decent freewheel. (I use White Industries. Not cheap).

Good luck and enjoy your new SS!
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Old 04-13-21, 01:37 PM
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24 tpi does seem to be most typical. Look up for the thread markings either on the current hub, fixed cog or the freewheel.
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Old 04-13-21, 01:43 PM
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Originally Posted by BassistBiker
-Am I too old to start riding a SS? LOL! (too late, the bike is coming)
No. I'm 65 and most of my riding last year was fixed gear.

-Is there a good gearing place to start? (mine is coming set up 44x16) My city (Madison WI) has some hills, but nothing terrible, if it's too bad I'll get off and push, is 44x16 good gearing for mostly flat(ish) riding?
44/16 ought to be fine. I lived in Madison for about 12 years. There's good riding in that area.

-Is there a reason to consider a bull horn or drop bar instead of the riser bar I'm getting?
Bullhorn only for style points. I like a drop bar because it gives more hand positions than a riser or bullhorn bar; that's a plus for longer rides and headwinds.

-I've got a full set of bike tools with a definite bias towards MTB maintenance & repair, but nothing for SS or Fixie...any tools that are must haves?
A freewheel remover for whatever make/model single freewheel you have. A 15mm wrench for the wheel axle nuts. A chain whip and lockring pliers or spanner, if you decide to try fixed.

-The bike is coming set up with likely the cheapest 700x23 tires available, are there any good 700x25 tire suggestions for just tooling around the city, nothing fancy, just durable and hopefully fast(ish) rolling? Is there a different size I should consider for my weight?
Wear out the original tires first, then I'd get the widest tire that will fit through your frame and fork. Panaracer "Paselas" are probably the best bang for the buck, and are available up to 32mm wide.

-Is there any truth to "SS & Fixies are bad for your knees"? My knees aren't the greatest, I'd hate to damage them further.
Not if you're careful. Pace yourself going up hills; don't try to set any speed records (at least not at first). This means a really low cadence on some hills. On a hill like that, people will think you're bad-ass enough to ride it on a single speed, regardless of how slow you go.

If you have range-of-motion limitations in your knees, shorter crank arms will help, and also give you more clearance going through corners (more a concern with fixed gear than single-speed).

-Any tips, tricks or pointers for an older dude just trying to have a little fun on his new SS?
Take it easy until you get used to riding with only one gear. It may take a while to keep up on group rides, if that's your thing. If your bike has a fixed/free rear hub, do try riding fixed. I find it more satisfying than single-speed. Make sure you have foot retention if/when you try fixed gear.
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Old 04-13-21, 01:54 PM
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Gresp15C
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Greetings fellow bassist biker from Madison.

I started riding SS at age 54. I tried 40x19, that was too slow, and have been riding 46x19 since then, with 27" wheels. The steepest hill I know of is next to Edgewood College, and I can just barely grunt my way up it, so I think it's the right gearing for me in this region. But I'm a slowpoke.
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