Single speed bicyles - any good?

[GavinS]

Love the look of the Trek Urban 2009 but am concerned that its only got 1 speed - is this going to be nightmare going up hills or travelling at speed?

http://www.knowplace.org/pages/opine...ict_review.php

[DeludedGuy]

Firstly, what’s your reason for buying a bike? E.g. commuting, exercise.

Secondly, what’s the terrain like where you plan to use it? E.g. bumpy, hilly.

[DannyM]

I'd say so yes.

It's like most geared vehicles/moving objects, there probably is one gear that will do everything, but having other gears will make different tasks a lot easier (or harder).

[GheeTsar]

I used to race mountain bikes and was always amazed at how fast the single speed guys were. The best bet is to try before you buy!

[DeludedGuy]

I would have to go against single speed bikes (fixies) for commuting and most things; they are more of a status symbol amongst the couriers. They are useless if you come up against any hills - unless you are Lance Armstrong, the only reason I could see someone wanting one is to train.

A good road bike is far more practical and you can achieve much faster speeds as they will almost certainly have a larger crank with a smaller cassette; hill climbs will also become a doddle - not to mention you get far less stress on your knees as you don’t have to peddle constantly, a big problem if you are going down or up a hill.

I own a Specialized Allez road bike, the entry level Sora/Tiagra set and they are bloody fantastic, I would highly recommend them.

If you want something a little less racy you could get yourself a hybrid, I’ve seen some fantastic Trek hybrids, very quick and strong enough to take off road.

[b0redom]

That looks more like a fixed wheel than a single speed, ie you have to keep peddling constantly to keep the wheel moving. Imagine doing 20mph downhill!

That bike looks like $1000 US, so probably £700 or so over here. To be honest I'd stick with a hybrid or possibly something like a Tricross (just got this year's model and it's awesome).

[JPreston]

No. That is all.

[Konan555]

Originally Posted by DeludedGuy

they are more of a status symbol amongst the couriers.

Big ditto.

There's some argument for improved reliability, but derailleur systems on anything upward of about £250 are, in my opinion, bomb proof.

[Tumble]

I've tried one. Killed my knees dead. So unless you've got legs like tree trunks, and good knees, don't bother

[Mblaster]

Single speed and fixed gear are two different things. Single speed is just like a normal bike but it only has one gear (like a BMX), but fixed gear bikes as well as only having one gear don't have a freewheel, which means if the wheels are moving then the pedals will be moving too, you can't just coast along with the pedals still.

The benefits of both are similar, lighter weight since you remove the derailuers and extra chainrings/cassette, and much less maintenance. 90% of the maintenance I do to my mountain bike is on the gears, removing them from the equation simplifies things which is nice if you're using it everyday to commute.

If it is a single speed (not fixed gear) and you are going to be riding it in a relatively flat area then I'd go for it. If you are intending to tackle any significant hills on it though you'll be in for a world of pain.

[Andy3536]

OMG, the wheels are hideous, surely that's more than enough reason

[santa claus]

The derailleur on my road bike is playing up so the only gear changes I make are at the crank end. For my type of riding, I am surprised to find out how well this works.

And another thing...in this years' Tour I watched open-mouthed as Lance crossed a gap like a maniac and Alberto danced his way up all the inclines. Please tell me they are clean.

[Perfectionist]

Why get a single when you can get double or triple or six in probably a smaller package too:

http://brompton.co.uk/page.asp?p=3060

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8309975.stm

[lego batman]

The main issue with that bike that I can see is the belt drive, not the singlespeediness. I can easily change the back sprocket on my SS if I need an easier ride, but I don't know if a belt is so customisable.
For me commuter = single speed. It feels lighter and more responsive than a geared bike and there is less maintenance.
If you have big hills or a really long distance to ride though, get gears.
For training, probably also get gears.
Hope that helps.
PS dont forget mudguards FTW...

[Rave]

I can't see the point of singlespeed. Just oil your chain and derailleurs and keep them properly adjusted. On a commute I don't want to be labouring away from the lights, I want to get to 15mph as fast as possible to minimise the speed difference between myself and the cars near me.

[0iD]

If i'm just pottering about I'll use my singlespeed, but about town gears are a godsend. Like Rave I want to be away fast at lights & junctions & hit the big ring asap. (ooer mrs)