# Thinking of getting a Single Speed...?



## JimboJames1972 (19 Jul 2015)

Hi all,

As the title says, I'm thinking of getting myself a single speed.

I currently have a Genesis Tour deF that is fully mud-guarded and racked for panniers and it is great for when I do my longer rides, go camping and chase Duke of Edingburgh groups across the countryside. However, it is a bit of a lump for when I need to dash into town, hook up with mates or if I feel like something a little less serious. For this I am thinking of a single speed. Budget is between £350 and £400 absolute max.

Ideally I'd like a retro look, steel frame, freewheel (46 or 48 gear to 16t freewheel) bull bars with TT style brake levers and caliper brakes and be able to get tyres up to 30 or better 32mm on. Some deep-ish rims and a funky paint job would be the icing on the cake. I've done a bit of digging and come up with a few options:

1. One of my local bike shops has a Claude Butler Lombard St in stock, and in the right size too. At £400 it is right at the top end of my budget, has a few nice anodised alloy bits, the right type of handlebars and brakes, but it's paint is not exactly inspiring and I am very dubious if I can go much fatter that 27 or 28mm tyres.

2. A rival bike shop has the Charge Plug range, but not in my size at the moment, new stock not due for several weeks either. Again, style and bars look good and there is plenty of clearance for wider than usual tyres, but brake levers are not to my taste and nor is the silver colour scheme. I'm also not very aware of this brand or its reputation, but £330 is going to leave me a bit left to buy other bits.

3. States Bicycle Co. I've seen a few of these on eBay. Some of the colour options look great but, again, it is not a brand I am familiar with so am a little dubious.

4. Restore an old frame. I've seen a couple of Genesis Flyers and One Days on various sites and in various states of repair. Prices with this option may well spiral out of control as I recon buying all the bits to complete a bike will probably go over my budget, but at lest I get the options I want as well as the fun of the build. I am also aware though of how there might be problems of getting hold of very old parts if they are no longer produced.

Advice please. Anyone had experience of the States, Claude Butler or Plug bikes? Are there any other, similar models anyone can point me in the direction of? Any advice on a frame build?

Thanks,

J


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## Profpointy (19 Jul 2015)

get a fixie. A single speed's neither one thing or t'other. Or just set you're current bike in one gear and don't change gear.

Pish-taking aside, there is a real magic in riding fixed. Hard to explain, you have to experience it. Somehow (even !) I can climb steeper hills than I'd have expected to without gears - somehow the fixieness helps keep going - and I like low gears on a geared bike.

Had a go on one only once 30 years back and understood. 25 years later, bought one - middle aged, unfit, hilly city - and loved it


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## jazzkat (20 Jul 2015)

I've no experience of any of the bikes, but here's my 2p worth.
I'd go fixed rather than single speed, for the reasons prof points out above.
I'd go for as cheap as you can, or with the things you want. I bought a bike and by the time I had changed the saddle and bars to the ones I'd liked and sprockets to the gearing I wanted I'd have been better just buying the bits and building what I wanted in the first place, lol.
Good luck and enjoy the search.


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## JimboJames1972 (22 Jul 2015)

Thanks for the input guys.

I gave fixed a few goes on a mates bike a little while back and it terrified me! I guess some practice will/might make perfect, and allow me to appreciate the magic of a fixie, but that previous experience is my reason for tending towards a freewheel. It seems though that many of the "off the shelf" bikes come with a flip-flop rear hub so I might be able to get the best of both worlds.

If anyone has any experience of the models listed above, or can offer advice on a good alternative, p,ease get in touch,

Thanks again,

J


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## Trembler49 (22 Jul 2015)

Whilst I am sure the eventual results of a fixie will be wonderful, I found it destroyed all the joys of cycling. A single speed is great fun, especially a single speed MTB!


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## andyfraser (22 Jul 2015)

I find riding fixed adds an extra level of fun and control that I don't get from my geared bikes. Each to their own I guess.


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## SSmatty (23 Jul 2015)

Have a look at Edinburgh Cycles.
They had their single speed / fixie (Revolution Track I think) marked down from 400 to 250 a little while ago.
Similar spec to what you're looking for and a bargain.


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## JimboJames1972 (24 Jul 2015)

Thanks SSmatty, I will call them in the morning to check on the max tyre size the bike can accommodate.

J


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## JimboJames1972 (28 Jul 2015)

Ok, so I've pushed the boat out....

I've managed to get my hands on a Genesis Flyer frame. It looks to be in a pretty good state too, and good old Reynolds steel, so pleased with that. I've also come across a local(ish) company that is willing to shot blast the old paint off and power coat it (a nice sky/baby blue and orange to match the retro Gulf race car colour scheme is on the cards) for £65 all in. Well pleased with that!

That will take a week or so.

Wheels, drive train and some bull horn hamdlepars with TT style brake levers are also on their way so I should have it built soon :-). A buddy has a set of unbranded carbon forks that might end up on it, we will see. Pics to follow,

J


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## JimboJames1972 (4 Aug 2015)

Frame back from paint:


Build to start soon....

J


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## JimboJames1972 (5 Aug 2015)

...and eBay/Amazon delivers...

Should be able to rob a fre other bits from old bikes and be on the road tomorrow :-)


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## Lonestar (6 Aug 2015)

Fixies great but converted my Audax to single speed,now converting it back to geared bike when I can be bothered.

I've got a Charge Plug 2010 and Charge Plug 2013.


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## JimboJames1972 (7 Aug 2015)

Built up over the last couple of days.

I must say, it pretty much fell together. Ok, so I needed to beg/borrow a few specialist tools when I had to scavenge parts off other bikes, but it was no real sweat. Doing the brakes was the most time consuming bit, but then again, it is important to get that right! And here it is...


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## JimboJames1972 (7 Aug 2015)

First real ride was tonight with some of the Felixstowe Cycle Club. I gave it a few shake down rides first, just to make sure everything was bolted down well, get the seating and handlebars right etc. I also upped the gearing a bit - now at 48:17.

Rides were all fine, no dramas. The main ride tonight was 24 miles done in just over 1h20. Average speed was 19mph I think. To be honest, that pace was right at my upper limit, but I can safely say that the bike works :-)

J


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## braaivleis2003 (7 Aug 2015)

Jimbo your bike looks really nice. I've just checked and your gear ratio is 76 inches. Many hills in your area? My Genesis Day One disc is a 46 18...69 inches, did my first long ride today on it 31 miles and there were some long steepish hills. ( Derbyshire ) Had to stand and pedal and was quite tough getting up but managed. Slight inclines and flats and its very comfortable. Chainring,crank looks good, where did you get that from? Enjoy your ride


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## JimboJames1972 (7 Aug 2015)

Yes, gearing is a little taller that many single speeds. But, like you said, not many hills around here :-) We get long, gentle inclines and this ratio seems to deal with them fine. The occasional (very occasional) steep bit is short and sharp so, if you get a bit of a run at it and are willing to stand on the pedals, they can be dispatched with little pain.

The reason I went taller on the gearing was through my experience with my CX bike - I ran 95% of the time on 44:16 (2.75 overall ratio, not sure what that is in inches) and found this pretty good for our bridleways and gravel paths, but just a fraction low for road cycling. My rear cassette dropped to a 14t cog as the next gear, that was good on our occasional downhills, but usually too tall for me to push for any great distance on the flat.

My new ratio of 48:17 on the single speed gives me 2.82 overall ratio, just a smidge over my old 44:16 ratio.

In practice, on the run tonight, I was perfectly comfortable to buzz along at 18-19mph when on my own. In the group I could stay with them at 22-23mph, but only just. This was at a cadence of 95-ish. Any more than this and my poor little feet were too much of a blur!

To be honest though, the rest of the group were all riding geared, and this type of riding is not what I intend the bike for. Tonight was really an extended shake down ride, the bike was really meant for short dashes into town, to the pub and more gentle training runs in the winter. The Felixstowe bunch have a separate Single Speed group that run on Tuesday nights; I'll be with them next week.

Glad you like the build, I loved doing it. Don't tell She Who Must Be Obeyed, but another frame is on order for another build. I think I'm hooked...

J


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## JimboJames1972 (7 Aug 2015)

Sorry, cranks from Brick Lane Bikes. I think it t was their "Track" variety. It seems pretty good, to me at least.

I'm particularly happy with these cranks (170mm rather than the usual 165mm helps me push the taller ratios). I like the look and satin finish on them - retro look, but modern components and easy to source.

My chain tension does vary slightly as the pedal rotates though, tight spots and then more slack spots. The chainring itself is a forged alloy thing, and perhaps not the best quality. I'm thinking it may be slightly non-concentric? I plan to swap it out with a (steel?) alternative at some point and see if that changes anything.

J


Join Club


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## Tim Hall (8 Aug 2015)

JimboJames1972 said:


> My chain tension does vary slightly as the pedal rotates though, tight spots and then more slack spots. The chainring itself is a forged alloy thing, and perhaps not the best quality. I'm thinking it may be slightly non-concentric? I plan to swap it out with a (steel?) alternative at some point and see if that changes anything.
> 
> J
> 
> Join Club


More likely the chain ring isn't exactly bob on on the spider. Sheldon brown has an article on adjusting them here.
Scroll down to "Centering a chain ring". My chain does it, but since the "small adjustment, try it, small adjustment" procedure isn't my thing, I've just left it.


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## JimboJames1972 (8 Aug 2015)

Thanks, Tim, I never thought of that. I'll give it a look while my legs recover from last night ;-)

J


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## rideswithmoobs (27 Aug 2015)

Very nice bike


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## Soltydog (27 Aug 2015)

Lovely looking bike  
After an error in ordering brake calipers I'm just awaiting replacements & then I can complete my build. Can't wait to ride it properly, took it for a quick test the other day, but had no brakes or saddle fitted, made stopping fun


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## JimboJames1972 (27 Aug 2015)

Thanks guys! I think I have had as much fun building, fettling and tinkering as I am riding :-)

I did my first ever 100 mile ride (and solo too) on Tuesday and used this bike for it. I've not really changed the bike much, just an brake caliper upgrade to Shimano and swapping out the saddle for my old Brooks.

Most of the ride was not too bad, despite strong head winds in the first three hours and torrential rain for the last hour. The last 20 miles were not pretty though - I was all done in, legs had no oomph left and traffic/road spray was miserable. However, the bike was perfect - comfortable, smooth and utterly reliable.

I plan to do another 100 mile soon. I'll use the same bike again, but I need to address either the gearing or my own ability to pace myself. Or a combination of both. On this last ride I think my taller gearing and the strong head winds at the start of the ride took more out of me than I appreciated. I tried to keep my power output moderate, but still needed to push into the wind. Usually I can buzz along at between 18 and 19mph and a cadence of 85ish at these speeds is comfortable for me when there are no winds to fight. On this ride though I was conscious of pacing myself so tried to keep the speed at a lower 15-16mph. This dropped my cadence to low 70s and I must admit that I did not find this longer, slower pedal stroke comfortable. If I swap to a 18t freewheel I should be a bit more comfortable next time.

Swapping gearing to make it specific for a given ride - does this fly in the face of the principals of single speeds though? Your thoughts...


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## rideswithmoobs (28 Aug 2015)

Don't know about that but my old man toured Wales, Then Germany and much of Europe on a fixed speed......big respect dad


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