single gear bikes (1 Viewer)

[theoootini]

any one got one? thoughts? i'd be using it to cycle to and from work mainly. flat roads with minimal uphill action.

thinking of getting one through the cycle to work scheme...

 

[therealjohnny]

some info here- might be useful

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=58300761

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

I used one for years and found it great.

I've never had a fixed gear though.

 

[theoootini]

it's not a fixed gear i want. just a single gear...

thanks for the linkie.

 

[rettucs]

I've never had one either and I reckon I'll get one through this scheme too. Can't wait.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

Anyone got details of the scheme?

 

[rettucs]

http://www.biketowork.ie/site/

still not entirely sure how it will be implemented from workplace to workplace, but heres a website outlining the options.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

http://www.biketowork.ie/site/

still not entirely sure how it will be implemented from workplace to workplace, but heres a website outlining the options.

Thanks

 

[shidheat]

i don't understand this fascination for single gear bikes. years of gear-based technology discarded for what seems to be a fashion trend. i see them riding up and down the hills here on these things - killing themselves. other times watching them trying to stop...

it's not like you're saving money on the parts; the prices for these bikes aren't noticeably different.

what is the deal here?

 

[ann post]

they are fasionalbe in the states because thier a very practical option in a country that actually has no hills at all. i wouldnt get one in this country, they are built for flat stop-start t-junction traffic layouts. you need climbing gear in ireland.

 

[flashback]

I got a fixer a while back. I didn't really get it either, but I was given a freewheel with the bike that would let me swap over if I liked.
It was a bit weird for about a day, after a week I was comfortable. After a bit longer I loved it. They are extremely smooth, and nice to ride. I have a fairly long hill to ride up on the way home, and a couple of little ones, and the fixer helps riding the hills somehow. The pedals sort of come around nicer.
I've seen lads using fixers on hill climb time trials. They just ride way better somehow. Really silky.

One thing about them though is, well, they are fixed, and when you lean the bike over in turns you can touch the ground. I am particularly bad at leaning bikes over since I started driving motorbikes, and I lean over a lot, even off the sticky part of tyres. I ground out the pedals a bit on corners on my bike, but one time I really milled a pedal into the ground and the backend took off and tried to overtake me. I ended up in a heap, but not as bad a heap as I could have I suppose.

Other than that, all positive. Get one. I'd say you'll like it.

 

[shidheat]

they are fasionalbe in the states because thier a very practical option in a country that actually has no hills at all. i wouldnt get one in this country, they are built for flat stop-start t-junction traffic layouts. you need climbing gear in ireland.

explain to me why they're so fashionable in san francisco

edit: also when going down hills i'm watching these guys legs spinning around like crazy because the crank is fixed to the fucking wheel

 

[Corey]

I want a Raliegh Burner with mag wheels for rides along the strand, but i'm not a ponce.

what do i do?

 

[classic seanc]

i don't understand this fascination for single gear bikes. years of gear-based technology discarded for what seems to be a fashion trend. i see them riding up and down the hills here on these things - killing themselves. other times watching them trying to stop...

it's not like you're saving money on the parts; the prices for these bikes aren't noticeably different.

what is the deal here?

It's a zen thing, you feel totally connected to the bike

 

[flashback]

explain to me why they're so fashionable in san francisco

edit: also when going down hills i'm watching these guys legs spinning around like crazy because the crank is fixed to the fucking wheel

after a short while you develop a sort of clutch in your legs. You can spin out at fairly high rpm with you legs being relaxed. I have a reasonable hill every morning to pedal down/up. There is no problem with spinning down it at all really. I would imagine if there was some mental 50mph hill, you would want to re-evaluate the situation, but as far as I'm concerned its not a problem.

Actually, there is one other thing, you can't jump a fixer. Sometimes that's annoying.


edit, zen my hole. Its just smoother.

 

[rettucs]

explain to me why they're so fashionable in san francisco

edit: also when going down hills i'm watching these guys legs spinning around like crazy because the crank is fixed to the fucking wheel

as flashy say, you eventually learn to control the speed of the bike with your cadence, even on descents.

But I'd go for freewheel single-speed rather than fixed. I'm not that mad.

 

[BonsaiSuperstar]

Someone was talking about these in work the other day. They said couriers use them a lot?
And that they have no breaks....?!?

 

[Lili Marlene]

It's a zen thing, you feel totally connected to the bike

wow, jerks and posers get their very own type of bike that has none of the technology and several times the pricetag.

From now on all my thumped posts are going to be mailed by courier to a paid servant who will type them for me.

 

[BonsaiSuperstar]

This is like buying an old shirt in a charity shop for 100 euro cus it's back back in fashion?

 

[nlgbbbblth]

Someone was talking about these in work the other day. They said couriers use them a lot?
And that they have no breaks....?!?

isn't it track bikes that have no gears or brakes?

I did lots of cycling in my youth - single speed and 10 gear.
Give me the latter every time.

Back pedaling while changing gears = best feeling in the world.