# Is an SS a perfect beginner commuter?



## geekinaseat (23 Sep 2010)

Hi everyone, my first post and yes its a "is this type of bike any good" question!

I've been lurking here for a while as I'm thinking about getting myself a bike to go to work on. I've been looking a bit and obviously want my first bike to be a cheap as possible and yet of the highest quality going -don't we all?! After examining all of the different types of bike, I think I've ended up with an odd conclusion as to the best type to get and need a sanity check from people much more knowledgeable than me (yes that's you guys ).

I would travel about 3-4 miles each way, it's all very flat and I have no intention of taking it on anything rougher than a cycle path/road (although some of the roads around here are not great) I also need to drag it up and down three flights of stairs to get into my flat every day so weight is a big factor. With that in mind I've noticed that single speed bikes seem to have a greater quality and are lighter for the same price when comparing to mountain bikes or hybrids. This seems to make sense as the less components involved the more simpler it is and therefore must cost the manufacturers less to make. The fact that there are less things to go wrong is also a big plus.

I've seen some very nice looking SS bikes with freewheel and front and rear brakes in my price range. Fixed gear with only a front brake look very cool but seem a step too far at this point!!! So it comes down to this: the obvious disadvantage is lack of gearchange and having to pick your ratio before you buy but is this a big deal? I need some experienced SS and non-SS riders' advice as there is no way I can know this before I start! Also are they that much lighter/easier to look after/better quality over mountain/hybrid bikes in the same price range as I think or is this something I have dreamt up?

Is this a ridiculous idea for a beginner or am I onto something? I await your pearls of cycling wisdom!


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## gbb (23 Sep 2010)

Hi Geek, and welcome...
Looking at your factors, i think a SS would be an excellent choice. I should say i'm a newbie to SS myself and i can't say i love it..or hate it. It has its place, and at the right time (for me) its good fun.
Your terrain is flat, the distance is not too great, why would you want gears ?

The only thing i find (as a newbie SS'er) is struggling into the wind on a blowy day. I miss the gears then, but otherwise it brings a whole new dimension to cycling.

I won't offer any advice technically, i havnt got a clue about ratios etc


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## geekinaseat (23 Sep 2010)

gbb said:


> Hi Geek, and welcome...
> Looking at your factors, i think a SS would be an excellent choice. I should say i'm a newbie to SS myself and i can't say i love it..or hate it. It has its place, and at the right time (for me) its good fun.
> Your terrain is flat, the distance is not too great, why would you want gears ?
> 
> ...



Hey, thanks -a positive comment is always a good start, it means I'm not totally insane! Do you find your SS noticeably lighter/higher quality than other bikes in the same price range or is that just me dreaming things up?


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## Matty (23 Sep 2010)

gbb said:


> The only thing i find (as a newbie SS'er) is struggling into the wind on a blowy day.



Ah, this is when it does you a big favour in terms of fitness. You have no choice, grin and bear it. Since commuting single-speed I find the wind nothing like the problem I used to find it. I'm definitely fitter for commuting single speed.

Matt


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## TheDoctor (23 Sep 2010)

Hi and 

For a flat, short commute I'd say a SS will be perfect.
Plus, the lack of expensive bits means you'll get something nice for a lot less than an equivalent geared bike. Much easier to look after as there's less to go wrong / get gunged up / break / fall off.
Just two things - get a decent D-lock or you won't keep the bike long, and get a track pump to keep the tyres hard.
Have fun!!


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## Matty (23 Sep 2010)

I'm not convinced about the quality argument. I spent 18 months commuting on an old knackered MTB - during which time I found I used about 2 gears of the numerous available. So I stuck it in one gear and rode for a few months to test the water and it was fine, so went single speed. I think it's perfect for commuting, but I don't have any hills!

Gear ratio is a very personal thing. Try what it comes with and adjust to suit. I have mine set up so it's comfortable cruising in calm weather, so it's tough into wind and nutter spinning down hills.

Matt


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## geekinaseat (23 Sep 2010)

Thanks for all your comments guys. I must say they are a lot more positive than I expected, I really thought I would get a few posts telling me to not be so ridiculous! This is sounding more and more like the right idea for me and I'm looking at a few bikes as we speak! I popped into the local bike shop today but unfortunately they didn't have any SS bikes to try so I'll try a bit further afield on the weekend. I think trying before I buy is a must with this type of bike!

I still wonder, has anyone had a SS and gone back to the geared type due to it's limitations?


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## jay clock (23 Sep 2010)

sounds like an excellent idea. I would do exactly what you are suggesting in your circumstances. In fact I did about 25 years ago and it worked perfectly


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## ColinJ (23 Sep 2010)

I think a SS bike would be great for a short flat commute. The one slight disadvantage that I can think of - if you have a gear chosen so you can ride comfortably at over 20 mph, you might find the gear a bit stiff for sprinting away from a standing start at junctions and roundabouts. I have a 39/15 on my SS bike and I find it takes me a couple of seconds to really get moving. If you aren't riding a lot in traffic that might not be a problem.


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## battered (23 Sep 2010)

I have a number of bikes, inc an SS MTB. On a sort, flat commute, why not? It's lighter for sure. The disadvantage is that if you have an easy gear then you risk being overtaken by grannies on MTBs if there's a slight slope, and if it's a higher gear then it's tough getting away from the lights. Do able though.

Easiest commuter is an old MTB with slicks though IME. It's a bit heavier to lug up stairs butan easier bike to live with.


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## jimboalee (24 Sep 2010)

ColinJ said:


> I think a SS bike would be great for a short flat commute. The one slight disadvantage that I can think of - if you have a gear chosen so you can ride comfortably at over 20 mph, you might find the gear a bit stiff for sprinting away from a standing start at junctions and roundabouts. I have a 39/15 on my SS bike and I find it takes me a couple of seconds to really get moving. If you aren't riding a lot in traffic that might not be a problem.



This is very true.

Gear too high, and as ColinJ says, accelerating is slow. Gear too low and speed is limited.

A beginner might find the OE gear ratio a tad high. The secret with SS and fixies is you ought to have big legs which can give an explosive burst of power ( both legs at the same time, up as well as down ).

When a newbie buys a SS, they usually end up a year later with a drawful of rings and sprockets. Not a bad thing because a day out in the countryside will need serious thinking about what ratio to install.

The less gears you have, the more route studying is done.


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## RedBike (24 Sep 2010)

A lot of single speed (road) bikes come with whats known as a 'flip flop' track hub. This allow you to fix a different sized sprocket to either side of the wheel. To change ratios all you do is flip the wheel over and re-adjust your chains tension. 

Alas, it isn't really practical to keep changing ratios in the middle of ride, but there's no reason why you can't swap to a easier ratio on those days when your legs are tired or its really windy.


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## battered (24 Sep 2010)

To answer your original question "is a SS a perfect beginner commuter", no it isn't. Is it OK to live with? Yes, probably.

I think the perfect beginner commuter is a hybrid with flat bars or an MTB with slicks, bought secondhand cheap (or out of the shed), of medium quality, a bike like this will cost you virtually nothing to buy and run and will allow you to establish exactly what you DO want for your "perfect" bike that comes along after a year or two.

As it turns out my perfect bike is my MTB turned tourer, it's 15 yrs old, looks like it came out of a skip, costs nothing to run from the bits box, and is very comfortable and pleasant to boot round town.


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## hairyfrog (24 Sep 2010)

I have to say I think SS bikes are a bit of a specialism. Why wouldn't you want gears to get you going quicker (instead of wobbling off very slowly from traffic lights), 
make hills or wind easier, just a more flexible bike.
Cheers


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## TheDoctor (24 Sep 2010)

Yes, but...if you fancy having a SS as a short-commute-along-the-flat bike, why not? Let's face it, virtually anything would be fine for that. I do a similar sounding trip, and I use a variety of folders, a carbon road bike, a SS and a touring bike.
Not all at the same time, obviously. That would be daft!!


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## rosco (24 Sep 2010)

I commute 4 miles to work each day always toted with the idea of a ss but put off by the big hill I need to climb. Shame tho as I reckon it would be a cracking fitness tool. Maybe one day...........


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## ColinJ (24 Sep 2010)

hairyfrog said:


> I have to say I think SS bikes are a bit of a specialism. Why wouldn't you want gears to get you going quicker (instead of wobbling off very slowly from traffic lights),
> make hills or wind easier, just a more flexible bike.
> Cheers


Well a SS bike should be cheaper, lighter, quieter and more reliable than a geared bike costing the same amount of money. You also have a perfect chainline and no added friction from jockey wheels. It's surprising how much more efficient the simple transmission feels. (Yes, I'm sure it is probably only a percent or two but it sure feels good!)

The lack of a perfect gear for different conditions is the big disadvantage of course, but unless you have significant hills or winds to contend with, the main problem is that standing start. Even that is only really a problem when you want to leap out into a small gap in fast-moving traffic. I find that I can often slow down a little before a roundabout rather than stopping completely and that helps.


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## Fab Foodie (24 Sep 2010)

I agree that S/S is perfect for commuting as you describe. In fact more people should start cycling on a S/S before they're allowed gears.
Once you've got the hang of it, changing to a fixed sprocket is even better!

Go for it!


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## jimboalee (24 Sep 2010)

A Singlespeed is the perfect bike to commute...... to nursery school. Your mum will push it home.


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## TheDoctor (24 Sep 2010)

Ever the voice of reason, Jimbo...
I'd certainly get a SS, if I didn't already have one.
If I was doing a short, flat commute (as the OP is) and if I fancied one (as the OP does) then it'd be perfect.


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## ColinJ (24 Sep 2010)

TheDoctor said:


> I'd certainly get a SS, if I didn't already have one.
> If I was doing a short, flat commute (as the OP is) and if I fancied one (as the OP does) then it'd be perfect.


Or even a slightly longer and not completely flat route! I keep my SS bike at my sister's house in Coventry and do a 12 mile loop to visit our mother every day on my family visits. I take the scenic route via Corley Moor so the first half of the ride has a fair amount of uphill grinding and the second half is maximum cadence pedalling or head down freewheeling.

Here's the profile:







The SS bike is pretty good for that. Sure, I'd be quicker on a geared bike but I enjoy the rides and that's all that matters.


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## Benthedoon (24 Sep 2010)

I too am seriously considering a single/fixie but don't want to spend a fortune, after a quick ebay search I found a few straight bar ss bikes with flip flop hub at £199. 
They look fine as a starter, if I like it I'll spend some proper money on a better one. 
Cheap solid single or fixed, perfect. 
-Black & Red 54cm Pista Fixie Track / Road Bike- as a search should work then go to his shop there's many sizes and colours.


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## TheDoctor (24 Sep 2010)

Ben - that's a Create bike, and they are purest pants. Utter sh1te.
Actually, they're not that good. I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.
The usual shills will be along in a second to say how great they are, but ignore them.
Edinburgh Bicycles (amongst others) have far, far better ones.


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## jimboalee (25 Sep 2010)

TheDoctor said:


> Ever the voice of reason, Jimbo...
> I'd certainly get a SS, if I didn't already have one.
> If I was doing a short, flat commute (as the OP is) and if I fancied one (as the OP does) then it'd be perfect.




 
I rode a SS for years in the sixties and seventies. Most of them were youth's 24" wheel bikes with MotoX handlebars.

When I started work, I built a fixie from an old somethingorother to ride 8 miles each day from central Solihull to Lucas Shaftmore Lane. There's a 6% on that ride and it was no prob on a 44 x 18, 64" gear. I can remember putting an 18 tooth single freewheel and a front brake on the bike when a 16 mile per day ride loomed to Lucas Gt King St.

A bit of advice. Install a gear which will enable you to get across junctions quick. You will have to accept your top speed will be stunted, unless you can really spin. 
Find out where YOUR natural cadence is and match it with 15 mph. For example, a 42 x 18 will give you 61", which is 82 rpm at 15 mph, and is low enough to get a flying getaway.


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## TheDoctor (25 Sep 2010)

Oddly enough, that's near-as-dammit identical to my SS gearing - 39 x 18 for about 60 inches.


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## geekinaseat (25 Sep 2010)

Yeah I think I am convinced that it's a good idea for my situation. I too noticed Create bikes but dismissed them mainly based on the owners actions on forums like these... any product that requires false reviews to sell is one to stay away from in my opinion!

Benthedoon - Hopefully I'm not crossing the borders into the bikes section but wiggle have a sale on at the moment, you can pick up a charge plug freestyle (amongst others) for £350 which seems to me like a good starter, probably what I'm gonna go for once I get paid


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## jimboalee (25 Sep 2010)

TheDoctor said:


> Oddly enough, that's near-as-dammit identical to my SS gearing - 39 x 18 for about 60 inches.




Oddly enough, some old crocks use that theory to decide gear No. 3 on a Sturmey 3 speed. Then the vast majority of the time the bike's in top, and No. 1 gear is low enough for a 12% hill.

I use a different method where No. 2 gear represents my 'Penny farthing' size.


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## hairyfrog (25 Sep 2010)

ColinJ said:


> Well a SS bike should be cheaper, lighter, quieter and more reliable than a geared bike costing the same amount of money. You also have a perfect chainline and no added friction from jockey wheels. It's surprising how much more efficient the simple transmission feels. (Yes, I'm sure it is probably only a percent or two but it sure feels good!)
> 
> The lack of a perfect gear for different conditions is the big disadvantage of course, but unless you have significant hills or winds to contend with, the main problem is that standing start. Even that is only really a problem when you want to leap out into a small gap in fast-moving traffic. I find that I can often slow down a little before a roundabout rather than stopping completely and that helps.


Cheaper yes, not much in the weight or reliability department but much less efficient for a day to day bike. Just don't see why you would want to punish yourselves with having no gears


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## Fab Foodie (25 Sep 2010)

hairyfrog said:


> Cheaper yes, not much in the weight or reliability department but much less efficient for a day to day bike. Just don't see why you would want to punish yourselves with having no gears



Because having only one gear make you a more flexible and adaptable cyclist. It improves pedalling technique and effectiveness, builds faster cadences and more hill climbing power.
As kids we went qanywhere we wanted on gas-pipe single speed bikes, and we lived in Devon where it seems nowhere's flat mor more than half a mile.
In these days of multi-geared wonders people have forgotten the simple art of pedalling.
It's really no punishment, often like fixed, it's often more pleasurable.

BTW, cheap flat bar S/S available from Decathlon for £70. What more do you want?

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/vitamin-117071608/


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## Alembicbassman (25 Sep 2010)

If you want the low maintenance of a SS but the usefulness of gears consider a hub geared bike. Shimano Nexus or Sturmey Archer have offerings or if you have a few quid go for a Rohloff Hub


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## ColinJ (25 Sep 2010)

hairyfrog said:


> Cheaper yes, not much in the weight or reliability department but much less efficient for a day to day bike. Just don't see why you would want to punish yourselves with having no gears


Well how about this then? 







Decent wheels, a quality Italian steel frame, weight about 18 pounds.

A mate was emigrating so he left me his frame/forks, bottom bracket, brake callipers and wheels on permanent loan. I had spare tubes, tyres, pedals, cranks, chainring, sprocket, spacers, chain, bottle cage, bottle, bars, brake levers, saddle and stem in my junk box. All I had to buy was a seat post and some brake cables, costing me the princely sum of... 
















... *£25*!


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## jimboalee (25 Sep 2010)

*£0*


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## ColinJ (25 Sep 2010)

jimboalee said:


> *£0*


It would be a bargain at fifty times the price!


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## geekinaseat (25 Sep 2010)

Fab Foodie said:


> BTW, cheap flat bar S/S available from Decathlon for £70. What more do you want?
> 
> http://www.decathlon...amin-117071608/



I actually went in to look at these yesterday, was very tempted but in a way I was put off by the low price if that makes any sense! Surely they can't be any good at that price?


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## Fab Foodie (25 Sep 2010)

geekinaseat said:


> I actually went in to look at these yesterday, was very tempted but in a way I was put off by the low price if that makes any sense! Surely they can't be any good at that price?



Decathlon quality is usually OK. Nobody would think a £250 road bike would be any cop either, but I know several pepople who'll say different!
I think for £70 it's worth a punt. Perfect pub-bike!


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## alecstilleyedye (25 Sep 2010)

*




£0* (spent about £120 for saddle, tape and tubs). bargain of the century.

ss should be fine for the op; ratios can easily be changed as he gets fitter by an lbs, or better still learn to do it yourself.


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## Alien8 (26 Sep 2010)

Fab Foodie said:


> BTW, cheap flat bar S/S available from Decathlon for £70. What more do you want?
> 
> http://www.decathlon...amin-117071608/





geekinaseat said:


> I actually went in to look at these yesterday, was very tempted but in a way I was put off by the low price if that makes any sense! Surely they can't be any good at that price?



I like one of its key selling points being that it has "Three layers of paint".

But that gearing looks rather, umm, _easy_.


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## ColinJ (26 Sep 2010)

Alien8 said:


> I like one of its key selling points being that it has "Three layers of paint".
> 
> But that gearing looks rather, umm, _easy_.


_Hi-ten steel_ sounds rather heavy. Hmm, I looked it up - the large size Vitamin bike weighs 13.2 kg (29 pounds). That's pretty corpulent!

As for the gearing - blimey, easy is the word! That sprocket looks to be about a 20 and the chainring isn't very big so I can quite believe that _"A speed of [only] 14 to 27 km/h [9 to 17 mph] can be maintained, and small hills in the town or country can be managed." _

Having said that, I agree with Fab Foodie - it would be a good bike to use for nipping down to the pub or shops. It would pay for itself in terms of saved rail/bus/tram/taxi fares or reduced petrol/diesel costs in a few months and you wouldn't exactly be heartbroken if it was stolen._
_


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## TheBoyBilly (26 Sep 2010)

I've had my Langster SS for three years now and think it's ace. It has 42x16 (giving 69 gear inches) and is fine for most of my commuting although you have to be sensible when pulling away in Central London (much as ColinJ says). I have ridden the 28 miles from Gatwick Airport to my home on the South Coast on it without any problems whatsoever, so moderate hills are okay on my stock settings. I virtually have no maintenance to do apart from a general clean, chain lube and brake adjustment as and when needed, and a wipe down when wet (I have SKS RaceBlades fitted too ). For a flat commute I would thoroughly recommend riding SS.

Bill


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## jimboalee (26 Sep 2010)

ColinJ said:


> _Hi-ten steel_ sounds rather heavy. Hmm, I looked it up - the large size Vitamin bike weighs 13.2 kg (29 pounds). That's pretty corpulent!
> 
> As for the gearing - blimey, easy is the word! That sprocket looks to be about a 20 and the chainring isn't very big so I can quite believe that _"A speed of [only] 14 to 27 km/h [9 to 17 mph] can be maintained, and small hills in the town or country can be managed." _
> 
> ...



I haven't seen this bike ( Btwin Vitamin ) but my reckoning is its 42 x 18 ( 61" ) which would get you along at 22 kmh turning 81 rpm.

For an average bloke, that just on 100 Watts.

27 kmh.... That equates to 100 rpm, fancy that.

14 kmh... 52 rpm, just where you should be training for climbing hills.


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## ColinJ (26 Sep 2010)

jimboalee said:


> I haven't seen this bike ( Btwin Vitamin ) but my reckoning is its 42 x 18 ( 61" ) which would get you along at 22 kmh turning 81 rpm.
> 
> For an average bloke, that just on 100 Watts.
> 
> ...


Apparently it is 36 x 18 - see this user review on BikeRadar.

Which means that at 81 rpm you'd only be doing 18.9 kph (11.7 mph). At 100 rpm you'd only be doing 23 kph (14.4 mph) or to do 27 kph (16.8 mph) you'd need to pedal at 117 rpm. At 52 rpm you'd only be doing 12 kph (7.5 mph).

_*Spintastic!*_


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## battered (26 Sep 2010)

36x 18 on 26" is indeed low. I've just checked and my SS MTB uses identical gearing at 32x16 on 26 x 1.75. I nearly went for 32x15 but decided that was a bit macho off road. I'm happy enough with the gearing, I'd want higher on road.

To be fair though, I find that gearing ideal for the intended purpose, a bike for Joe Public to take down the towpath, to the shops and potter back from the pub. It will cope with most hills and it does indeed top out at about 15mph unless you can spin like a track cyclist. Hardcore regular cyclists will want bigger gears on road, but maybe a hardcore regular cyclist will spend more than £70 or can splash out a few quid on another sprocket.


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## jimboalee (27 Sep 2010)

ColinJ said:


> Apparently it is 36 x 18 - see this user review on BikeRadar.
> 
> Which means that at 81 rpm you'd only be doing 18.9 kph (11.7 mph). At 100 rpm you'd only be doing 23 kph (14.4 mph) or to do 27 kph (16.8 mph) you'd need to pedal at 117 rpm. At 52 rpm you'd only be doing 12 kph (7.5 mph).
> 
> _*Spintastic!*_




36 x 18..... 2:1 on a 26 inch wheel??? Come back Mr Starley, all is forgiven.  

B'Twin.. You're 125 years TOO LATE...  

Although it could be a nice bike for ROVING around..


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## swee'pea99 (27 Sep 2010)

Hmmm. Then again...

I'm a 100% fixie man meself, but I'm not convinced this is necessarily the best option for the OP. It would be _ok_ - on a short, flat commute, pretty much any bike's going to be ok - but would it be _better_? 

I reckon gears have their place, even on a flat, short route. You get windy days and you get days when you just don't feel too great. A low gear can be your friend. I think fixed is what you go for when you've built up to a good level of strength and fitness, not what you start out with. 

The OP doesn't say where he lives, or where the bike might be left during the day - very important. Any new bike is at real risk from scrotes, and in any big city these days, a nice shiny new ss is probably top of their hit list. If you have somewhere safe to keep it, this isn't an issue.

The OP needs light. True, spec for spec the ss will be lighter - fewer bits, shorter chain etc. But a good geared bike will be lighter than a cheap ss.

If I were asked to recommend a commuting bike to a newbie, I'd suggest - assuming they know one end of a spanner from another, how an allen key works, and the difference between a flat-head and a Philips screwdriver - a good 70s/80s/90s 10 speed. You can get a perfectly good one for under £100, it'll be nice to ride and it won't get nicked. Ride that for a year, and you'll learn enough (and develop the legs) to know whether a ss will be good for you, and if so, which one/what ratio etc. 

The important thing is to _enjoy_ your riding, and gears - especially at first - can help a lot with that. There's a reason 99.5% of new bikes come with them...


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## colinr (27 Sep 2010)

> I think fixed is what you go for when you've built up to a good level of strength and fitness, not what you start out with.



I started out on fixed without a good level of strength or fitness for a three mile flat commute. If you don't have gears for long enough, you can't miss them...


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## jimboalee (28 Sep 2010)

http://www.moultonbicycles.co.uk/models/TSR2.html

Why go SS when you can have two gears.


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## ColinJ (28 Sep 2010)

jimboalee said:


> http://www.moultonbi...odels/TSR2.html
> 
> Why go SS when you can have two gears.


Well, for one thing, SS prices don't 'start at £900'!

I saw the name of that bike and it reminded me of the plane of the same name which I remember hearing about as a child. This new book about the TSR-2 should be an interesting read.


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## Fab Foodie (28 Sep 2010)

colinr said:


> I started out on fixed without a good level of strength or fitness for a three mile flat commute. If you don't have gears for long enough, you can't miss them...



Very true.


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## battered (29 Sep 2010)

Come on then OP, what's the decision? We've all droned on for long enough. Are you buying one?


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## jimboalee (29 Sep 2010)

Here's my Mom in 1948. A seventeen year old spritely 5' 3" maid.
The bike is a Hurcules Ladies step through. All steel ( she later progressed to a Sturmey bike ) with metal mudguards and heavy saddlebag. It must have weighed about 30lb.
I did some research and Hurcules were fitting 44 tooth rings and 18 tooth sprockets to their single speed ladies bikes.
26 x 1 3/8" wheels would result in a 64" gear. 78 rpm at 15 mph.

Are we saying that today's 'strapping' lads can't do better than a 1940s girlie?


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## jimboalee (29 Sep 2010)

Mom lived in one of the family cottages in Earlswood and worked in a Sweet shop / Confectioners / tobaconist ( its not what you know, its who you know ) in Acocks Green 5.5 miles away.

This was her daily commute on that single speed ladies bike in the photo above.



The piccie was taken at a village called Aston Cantlow, half way between Earlswood and Stratford upon Avon. Mom told me it was a regular Sunday ride out to Stratford, stopping at Henley in Arden Ice Cream shop en route. ( There is a photo on their wall which has a group of cyclists in the 1950s. Mom is on it. ) It was a summer Sunday, with work tomorrow.

Food was on Ration in those days. So much for 'carbo loading'…

So OP, what are waiting for?


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## battered (29 Sep 2010)

jimboalee said:


> This was her daily commute on that single speed ladies bike in the photo above.
> ... it was a regular Sunday ride out to Stratford, stopping at Henley in Arden Ice Cream shop en route. It was a summer Sunday, with work tomorrow.
> 
> Food was on Ration in those days. So much for 'carbo loading'…



"Aye...y'tell that ter young people terday...they don't believe you!"
[/four Yorkshiremen]


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## cameramanjim (7 Oct 2010)

Wiggle has the Charge Plug for 299.99 (£200 off!). I just bought one and think it's fantastic! I commute in London so not very hilly, but I get to work faster and less frazzled than before. I love it.



Benthedoon said:


> I too am seriously considering a single/fixie but don't want to spend a fortune, after a quick ebay search I found a few straight bar ss bikes with flip flop hub at £199.
> They look fine as a starter, if I like it I'll spend some proper money on a better one.
> Cheap solid single or fixed, perfect.
> -Black & Red 54cm Pista Fixie Track / Road Bike- as a search should work then go to his shop there's many sizes and colours.


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## battered (8 Oct 2010)

That's a bargain, if that's the bike you want then £300 is a great deal.

When this all goes out of fashion you won't be able to give these things away, but that's a few years down the track yet. The spanner friendly amongst us will drop in a conventional rear wheel and a derailleur hanger, and you're rolling for nowt.


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## ASC1951 (9 Oct 2010)

ColinJ said:


> Well a SS bike should be *cheaper*, lighter, quieter and more reliable than a geared bike *costing the same amount of money*.


Have you been emailing that Donald Rumsfeld again, Colin?


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## jimboalee (9 Oct 2010)

Something more to say about my Mom.

Yes, she bought a SS bike. It wasn't long before a geared bike was required.

And in my experience, I rode a SS for years when I was at junior school. When I got a five speed sports bike, it was a revelation.


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## snailracer (9 Oct 2010)

It all depends on the rider. Some people just don't like gears.


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## ColinJ (9 Oct 2010)

ASC1951 said:


> Have you been emailing that Donald Rumsfeld again, Colin?


D'oh!

Er, you could buy a better quality SS bike for the same money, or a SS bike of similar quality which was lighter and more reliable for less money!




jimboalee said:


> Something more to say about my Mom.
> 
> Yes, she bought a SS bike. It wasn't long before a geared bike was required.


I like that picture. A reminder of a bygone age when young couples would cycle off into the countryside together at the weekends, rather than jumping into a hot hatchback and burning off to the nearest superstore, sound system blasting away...



jimboalee said:


> And in my experience, I rode a SS for years when I was at junior school. When I got a five speed sports bike, it was a revelation.


Same here! I got  a SS bike for my 8th birthday. I rode it for 3 years then got a 5-speed for my 11th birthday, just in time for my rides to and from grammar school. 

I used to have to ride home up what I thought then to be a monster hill - Barkers Butts Lane (Coventry). Every school day for a month, I had to dismount halfway up it but eventually I made it all the way up. I never walked it again.

When I took my SS bike down to Coventry last year, I came to that hill with a 20 pound rucksack on my back and weighing 60 pounds more than I did as an 11 year old but I was able to sprint up it!


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## jay clock (9 Oct 2010)

Wiggle have the Felt Dispatch at £340 (£200 off list) if they have your size. I have just got a 56cm and it is great. The gearing is 39x16 for the singlespeed. I have just done my first decent ride on it, 45km fairly hilly and that gearing is ok. I spin out at about 28kmh on the flat and have managed all the local hills. I am hoping it will help my hill climbing skills as my usual technique is "slam in easiest gear" asap when I hit a hill.

A nice looking bike in my view and more to my taste than the Charge Plug. A further £5 off with Wiggle if you sign up to their newsletter (if already subscribed, unsubscribe then resubscribe)

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Felt_Dispatch_2010/5360045931/


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## jimboalee (9 Oct 2010)

ColinJ said:


> D'oh!
> 
> Er, you could buy a better quality SS bike for the same money, or a SS bike of similar quality which was lighter and more reliable for less money!
> 
> ...



Ahhhh! you went to Bablake.


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## ColinJ (9 Oct 2010)

jimboalee said:


> Ahhhh! you went to Bablake.


Ssshhh... (Mustn't help the stalkers track me down!) 

It was in the days when bright kids from poor families could get Direct Grant places, and thick rich kids got their parents to flash the cash! That was just before they let girls in and before they had the under-11s there. When kids still actually rode bikes to school! If you are in Coundon Road when school finishes now there are traffic jams caused by parents queueing in their cars to pick the little darlings up.


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## skudupnorth (9 Oct 2010)

I love my Boardman SS/fixed and it is such a nice ride even in the wind and up the hills to work.The commute you are doing will be perfect for a SS and once you have got used to it it will do longer rides with no problems.


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