Kapusta

Been riding MTB since the 90s.I rotated SS into my MTB lineup for a few years in the late 2000’s.

I don’t think it improved my fitness overall, but it improved some of my riding skills.

Same is true of my periodic return to rigid bikes and flat pedals.

wheelreason

Great guy, he single handedly ran the club (CRCA) until he was no longer able to, and then it took a bunch of folks and committies to fill his shoes. I switched to Kissena after his passing.

Jughed

Novel idea -

Just keep your traditional geared bike in one gear for the ride... use different single gears for different rides. Work on all aspects of your pedal stroke - grinding, spinning, whatever... then shift gears like a normal human being when you are tired of all of that nonsense!!

88ss

Another advantage of the simple single-speed bike is it's simplicity. I am not talking about the reliability, but the simplicity of operation. Kids generally grow up with single-speed bicycles, not to mention the BMX that has a huge following. So one of the things I was looking for in single-speed riding was a return to the simplicity of youth. If you think about a coaster-braked bicycle then you are talking about a cycle with only two controls, the pedals for power and braking, and the bars for steering. I have seen a lot of cyclists who are young or not experienced riding around on multi-speed bikes and not using any of the gears properly on the flat or going up hills. If you have a single speed, fixie or otherwise that is geared to work well on the hills in your area, and you are not worried about setting any speed records and just traveling at your own relaxed pace, a single-speed bike could give a unique and simple cycling experience. Also nothing is more pure in looks than a single-speed coaster-braked bicycle without all the gearing, cables, derailleurs and brakes hanging on it.

RB1-luvr

I briefly commuted on a single speed a few years ago and noticed I was using harder gears on my multi speed bikes after about three months.

sort of related; this past Sunday the wife took the kids and bikes to their school at the bottom of a big hill in our neighborhood to ride in the parking lot, so I hopped on my early 90s Schwinn BMX to join them. The ride back up the hill (130' up in 1/2 mile) was interesting. I paper-boyed it! haha I was thankful to be able to do it at 59 years old.

Attilio

Yes I am a much above average climber.

The reason is simple and its not imaginary; a coach explained to me and showed me evidence that riding a single speed bike over time even if its not all your rides converts your fast twitch or type 2 muscles from anaerobic (poor endurance, sprint only) to aerobic metabolism increasing their mitochondrial density because you use them so much. So basically riding a single speed helps you sprint harder faster longer.

I have a 34/17 Salsa Stormchaser I absolutely love. Very simple, great city, family, bike path or commuter bike. I bought it to ride in rain to put away wet after riding hard. I clean it and oil the drivetrain maybe once a year original chain lasted me 2,500 miles and its not bad on hills as long as I am not dealing with monster climbs of excess length. But hills up to 7-8% up to 1/4 mile or say 4-6% at 1/2 a mile or less no problem can do that all day because that's the area I live.

jack pot 

i been singling/fixing all my life cause derailleurs were too complicated for my tool set and i consider myself stronger for it ....................................................but if you"ve read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" you'll probably think I'm much weaker for it

88ss

Is it a Schwinn "superstock" ?

88ss

Today I finished getting a fixie put together from an old Nishiki ten-speed frame in my size a friend gave me a year or two ago. So I am looking forward to having fun with it, will take some photos of it and put them up soon.

RB1-luvr

I'm no expert on BMX bikes, but it appears to be a low end model I think. It's a chrome steel wheel coaster brake called a Phantom. I did a patina preservation on it. The biggest challenge was the potato chip rear wheel. Looked like it was run over by a car.

prior to being fixed:



after:



thanks for asking. Apology to others for the highjack.

Metieval

There is something else ss gave me.

Better balance.
It gave me the opportunity to do what I wouldn't put any rear derailleur through.
It gave me the knowledge that cold is about clothing and mind over matter.

It gave me the confidence that I can in any weather.

(I obviously geared down for winter) that was a 46t

Ps, I wouldn't advice clipless in snow to anyone else, but I wouldn't change it either!

88ss

Thanks, all great points and observations. I picked up some front/rear fenders to put on my single-speed for this coming winter, also a rear package rack too......