NYLowLife

Still looking at options for my first cruiser, and have two test-rides lined up over the next few days.

Part of my pre-purchase OCD about this next bike is whether I really need gears. I do like simplicity and most of my terrain is flat. I even rode a fixie all around my area for 20 years and never needed gears. Going single-speed would open up a lot of options...

Iron Horse

Good evening! I used a 1950's single speed with coaster for almost 10 years as my daily commuter until my knee blew out at work a couple years ago. I still use a single speed in the winter for ease of maintenance, but I put a 22 tooth sprocket on the rear to ease up on that knee. My usual gear arrangement was as close to 60 inches as I could get. I had fully loaded panniers (cheap ones) and I could manage a 15 mile commute pretty well. I still have most of my single speeds, but I have built several now with Nexus three speeds.

NYLowLife

Iron Horse 58-60 is a good ratio. If I get a single speed, I’ll probably go for a larger cog too. My knees aren’t great and so I’ve become more a spinner than a masher….

Schweinhund

Single speed cruisers are da shizzle. as far as ride quality, it's hard to beat the best selling cruiser of all time, the huffy cranbrook.
fully disassemble and lube, and then reassemble and adjust and it's a nice bike.
I usually change out the tires too, but that's not strictly necessary.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Huffy-26-...rame/209950755

NYLowLife

This is definitely something to think about. It’s outsold any single Schwinn model, eh?

Schweinhund

Pretty much. but it's (the cranbrook) on a 30+ year run. schwinn didn't make a single model for nearly that long.

Trakhak

Not sure what you mean when you say that going single-speed would open a lot of options. Single-speed would likely narrow your options compared to a five-or-six-speed cruiser.

If you're living in Manhattan, you'll be restricting your options unless you stick to the lower half of the island. Head to the Bronx for sight-seeing, e.g., Watch Hill, and you'll soon wish you had gears. Brooklyn and Queens aren't exactly flat, either.

soyabean

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed-gear_bicycle

tds101 

Oh yeah,... Queens is hilly as all get out, and the other boroughs are just as cantankerous. A multi-speed bike in NYC is the preferred choice. Minimum is a 3 speed IGH (internal geared hub).

Schweinhund

Does partzilla make an internally geared ebike hub? That and a little bafang action would be fun.

NYLowLife

I mean more bike companies and models to choose from. There are more ss models out there. As for terrain, I rode a fixie around NYC for 20 years, and a recumbent for 12 years, so I know the area.

Right now I’m looking at two - a Sun 3-speed cruiser and a vintage 1960’s Schwinn single speed middleweight with 1970 Stingray bars. I’ll post photos when the bikes are ready.

AtNjineer

this company has the worst welders.

but that’s not important to everyone


https://www.walmart.com/ip/Huffy-26-...rame/209950755
[/QUOTE]

AtNjineer

Similar to what I was thinking when op said
they rode fixed for years
and new single speed bc
would open more doors

head scratcher there because you know how they both are single speed

AtNjineer

All I ride are beach cruisers so lemme share with you.
First choose your material steel or aluminum.
the purist and cyclist will tell you steel but as an adventurist all mine are aluminum.
my 29” with shimano 3 speed w roller brake 23t x 40 takes me over all of Hollywood
my 26” fixed gear w 700c aero wheels
24t x 75
my 20” coaster brake w 13t x 46t

I converted both 29” and 20” to three piece cranks. I Recommend it.

so personally I recommend
an aluminum frame + three speed with roller brake. The roller brake version can freewheel. Three piece crank conversion. Suspension seat post and your good.

NYLowLife

These sound very cool. Could you post pics or links?

AtNjineer

AtNjineer

AtNjineer

I just got this new nel lusso for my little cousin. I rebuilt the whole thing already to my personal spec. Even put the original cranks from my 29” on it lol. The welds are pretty ugly all around but it’s meant for some half my size so it should be fine. There was only one actual fault with the frame that I found. Was the the activation arm for the coaster brake did not have enough clearance and would hit the frame making it sorta impossible to align the wheel. I remedied the situation with a custom longer than normal band that hold the actuating lever to the frame

NYLowLife

I like this one! What kind of saddle do you use!

NYLowLife

I put a few spoke cards in my track bikes over the years. Don’t remember seeing a fixie beach-cruiser! Lots of folks were using track frames, keirin bikes or old thin-tube 3-speed or roadie frames.

AtNjineer

I use a Schwinn gel saddle from Walmart it’s fine but I’m now looking to ungrade to a brooks c17 or 19. For sake of weight. It’s probably less than half the weight of my current saddle and I use the one saddle seat post for all three

NYLowLife

I’m looking at a Brooks B190, but I’ll keep looking till I find something really comfortable. I ride a recumbent trike now, so I’m very spoiled. My bikes should arrive next week and I’ll do some experimenting.

AtNjineer

My current saddle has the same type of spring suspension attached to it. In my case it’s just dead weight because it sits on top of a suspension seat post. Hence why I want a saddle without the spring type suspension attached.

AtNjineer

track bikes on the street
beach cruisers in the city

were are same same

NYLowLife

I had a very good B17 for several years on a Brompton I rode a lot. I bought the B17 used, already broken in. I was always fine for the first 3 hrs into a ride. Then it was sit-bone-hell.

The way I envision cruiser riding, I’ll be very upright, with no weight on the wrists. People who talk about Brooks say, the more upright your position, the wider the saddle should be. We’ll see….