Jarrett2

So I have 3 geared bikes. I ride my road bike almost all the time. Gravel bike occasionally and the touring bike only on tours.

I'm kind of interested in the simplicity of a single speed bike. A few friends have them and say they really like them. I'd also like to have a bike that I didn't have to kit out to go ride on a short stretch. Like a town/MUP/pub bike. I thought a bike like the Kona Paddy Wagon might be cool for that.

Any upsides/downsides for Clydes and single speeds?

HBCruiser1

There's nothing wrong with a SS especially since you have experience with other bikes. I ride a SS cruiser thousands of miles every year and really like the simplicity of it. The biggest issue with SS is the gearing for the terrain you'll be riding it on, but that is generally easy to change to fit your riding style.

Johnny Mullet

I love my single speed coaster brake cruiser. A completely different mental approach to riding is needed to get off the geared bike and enjoy the simplicity of a single speed.

79pmooney

I rode single speed for several years until the vets in my racing club told me I should set it up fixed to learn to pedal smoothly. Loved it from the first ride. A very, very different experience from any bike that can coast. I loved riding fixed so much that I have always had one the past 4 decades. If I had to whittle down to just one bike, it would be fixed. Most of my miles are fixed despite 60% of my bikes being geared.

There is a purity to riding fix gears. They are not for everyone. I never had interest in riding single speed after that first ride.

Ben

Spoonrobot 

Singlespeed makes you fit. Fixed gear makes you strong. I wholeheartedly recommend both, seriously having a fixed bike and a SS bike is great fun as you can gear the SS bike a little higher and have it be more of a fast road bike and the fixed gear is a fixed gear which is just fun and makes you strong.

HBCruiser1

Curiously, can you explain the SS makes you fit, SS Fixed makes you strong?

Spoonrobot 

I guess I should caveat this with saying it really depends on your terrain. Rolling terrain is best for fixed/ss but the effect is also present in flat areas, just less so.

First thing is that riding a single gear ratio forces a limit to your heart rate and power. With a geared bike you can almost always downshift and keep applying power until you're exhausted.

With a SS you quickly run out of your cadence/power band and have to coast on downhills and extended flats, this is forced rest and you end up rested when you get to uphills than if you were pedaling on a geared bike. SS sort of ends up like riding moderate intervals for the whole ride and really helps your overall fitness. My SS bikes are always the fastest overall average speed since I don't waste energy trying to squeeze one more mph out at 25mph and just cruise along at 18-19mph on the flats before slaying the hills with fresh legs I don't get on my geared bike.

Fixed gear is slightly different since you cannot coast and end up getting to every hill going slightly slower than you would on a freewheeling bike, you end up climbing more and in a harder gear than you would ever normally use. So forced strength training, this is also combined with the fact that you always have some pressure on the pedals either applying power on the front stroke or applying power on the back stroke to moderate speed.

This is just my experience riding fixed and SS for the past few years and also racing Road/Track and MTB.

bgraham111

I've got.... I guess it's 4 geared bikes now. But last year a built a single speed / fixed gear (flip flop hub) as something to try. Bought the tubes and lugs and silver brazed it together. I found two things:

1) I'm not very good at bicycle design AND fabrication. I could have done alot better.

2) It's alot of fun to ride.

I'd never want to ride it long distances, because I ended up making it way too stiff, and the geometry is a little "off". But, it's fun to tool around the neighborhood on. Even though I put bosses on for 2 water bottle holders, I've only put one bottle holder on. And no bike computers or other electronics. No nothing. It's as pure of a bike as I have. Just bike. It's a nice break from all the GPS tracking, clip in shoe, jersey wearing rides. I use platforms and keds, and I won't let my self wear anything but regular clothes. So it's really my relax and enjoy the basics kind of bike.

I do need to get one with a better frame, however. I might use it for training if the frame was a little nicer.

squirtdad

I have tried my son's fixie and personally really don't like being able to coast, flip the wheel to SS and it is a lot of simple fun.

Or you could go on another simple variation and look for and old bike and swap out bars and brake levers..... I find the I shift less with down tube shifters

i did this for a while with my torpado (i went back to drops for commuting because the bike is fun to ride and i am not getting miles i need on my "good" road bike)

Rollfast

I break brake cables like rubber bands and no real effort. Besides, they made a Shelby with Donald Duck's head on it, have you no fun at all?

sdmc530

I have been toying with trading in my mountain bike for a single speed just because when we go on family bike rides with my 5 year old they are slower and just more putting around so I find my mountain a bit "cumbersome" maybe not the right word but I think you get what I mean. A SS is simple and just a fun bike to have. Had one long time ago and want another!!

jsigone

singlespeed is always fun but different mental game if hills are involved

catgita

I rebuilt one of my old bikes as a SS with platform pedals and porter handlebars, thinking I would do some plain clothes cruising. Fail. So I put some traditional bend drop bars and clipless pedals on it. Love it. This is now my go to for weekend hammer fests on the flats. No computer, no metrics. But by time I know it is fast.

It isn't clear how being a clyde affects the choice. You do need to be able to ride out of the saddle at low cadence for long periods of time without blowing up or ruining your knees.

dr_lha

Of course there's a good reason to own a fixie: N+1. Do you need any other justification? At least they're cheap.

Jarrett2

Thanks for all the input so far. The one I was looking at yesterday was a new Kona Paddy Wagon with the flip flop hub. It was $810 new. I had a hard time spending that on a SS/FG bike. Seems like you can get them for less, maybe not.

I live in a fairly hilly area. If I plan my route well, I can dodge most of the big hills, but not all of them. Based on that, I wonder how often I would ride it from home. That said, the town I live near is flat and when I ride there I end up staying in one gear most of the time.

I'd like to get into more slow, social rides. I know I can do that on my geared bikes, but the tendency is there to shift and go faster. I find myself having to reel myself in if I try and go slower on a geared bike. I suspect that wouldn't be the case with a SS/FG.

I like the flip flop hub idea. And the simplicity of jump on and go with no kit idea. I would also want to keep a SS/FG bike with platforms or toe straps or something so I could wear street clothes when riding it.

Are there any other good quality steel SS/FG bikes out there other than the Kona Paddy Wagon that might be Clyde worthy and less than $810? I looked at my local CL and didn't see much surprisingly.

kingston 

I ride a lot of FG miles and hate riding fixed in groups. So much so that if I find myself out for a ride and get mixed in with a group I'll turn and go a different direction so I don't have to be around them. Since a FG is typically slower downhill and faster uphill I'm always out of synch with the paceline. I'm sure it's just as annoying to them as it is to me. If I'm going for a group ride, I will always take a geared bike.

indyfabz

Can you build your own? Here in the big city you see plenty of single speed bikes made from old frames of every variety. I have even seen old AMF frames turned into single speeds. It's better if you can find a frame with horizontal rear dropouts because you can get the chain tension correct without the possibility of needing a chain tensioner. Also, you can find shoes with recessed SPD cleats that are comfortable to walk in.


With that said, seems the 2016 Fuji Feather is on sale for $419 at Performance:


Fuji Feather City Bike - 2016___

squirtdad

I have built fixies with my son. If you can find frame/bike with horizontal drop outs, the biggest part of the conversion can be handled by just getting a wheelset that is ss/fixie this can be done with ok quality for 100 to 120 dollar range Sun rims to Formula hubs Velomine.com : Worldwide Bicycle Shop, fixed gear track bike wheelsets campagnolo super record vintage bike

if you find a 700c bike, you can reuse the crank, the brakes and then you just need to put your preferred more casual bars and brakes on the bike.

another option might be the nashbar.....Viva Legato 1 Single Speed sign up online and use one of the 20-25% off coupons

Roamer2

Good reason?

Well, they can be fun & very personal/stylish. Which is why they're such a hit w/ the skinny jeans hipster crowd too. Plus cheap to build.

I've got an old 52 Schwinn Green Hornet SS coaster that gets huge props whenever I wheel it downtown for a beer/music festival or whatever. The kids go nuts over it & have offered big bucks when in reality it's kind of a beater (tho original, mostly).

Coming home, there are 2 hills I have to walk the last bit of....when I can go right up them on the geared bike.

dr_lha

The thing about fixies:

1) Cheap
2) Mostly steel frame
3) Usually have Deep-V style rims and high spoke wheels.

If I were going to experiment with one, I wouldn't start with that expensive Kona, I'd try out something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Pure-Original...JTG&th=1&psc=1

..or even this... it's a Schwinn

https://www.amazon.com/Schwinn-Haven...2%3A1248957011

bgraham111

I'd recommend making your own. Find an old frame somewhere. Buy some wheels. Get whatever you need. Find stuff on Craigs List or eBay.

Of course, that's just me. I want my SS to be a project, fun bike. I know others have different desires, and that's cool.

HBCruiser1

I agree with a couple of posters that IF you're not that sure, dropping $800 is quite a bit. Might try one of their suggestions that are much more reasonable to see if you like the concept. Flip/Flop is a good way to go because Fixed is totally a different mind set, you always have to be thinking about what you're doing, (at least it seems that way if not mainly when you're new to it.) You can used the freewheel option to get used to SS and then flip it for Fixed when/if you decide.

I run a 44/17 gearing and I'll end up easily running away from others as my mind and body work toward a "spin" speed I'm used to. If you want to slow yourself down you might try something like a 44/20-22 (this way you'll spin higher at a slower speed, essentially slowing you down). It may also work well for the occasional hills you encounter. Climbing hills on a SS is harder, but climbing hills is as much of a mind challenge as it is a physical challenge (if you are decently fit). If you like hills, grinding them out on a SS won't be much of a problem, at least it hasn't been for me.

Jarrett2

I've thought about building, but there are lots of inexpensive options out there.

At this point, I'm trying to decide what I want out of a SS/FG bike. More upright cruiser type or another drop bar type deal. If I do upright, how upright? Tough to know without trying a few over time.

Joeyseven

Not A true single speed.But I bought A Marin hamilton from A REI sale A few years ago.

Has A sturmey Archer 2 speed hub(some years have A flip rear wheel and the slopping top tube is great fit for my long torso.
Really fun to ride around town and I guess I'll sell my hybrid because I hardly ever ride it anymore.

So yes great bike,and I'm thinking about buying another one.

79pmooney

Is riding a fix gear just because you love it a good reason? I can't stand far enough back to objectively answer that one.

Ben