Single speed for a beginner?

[Stereo]

A little over a week ago I purchased a Carrera Subway LTD, but I had to take it back 3 times due to the gears not changing correctly. The third time they gave me my money back, offering no reason why it couldn't be fixed or what was wrong with it. I have not ridden for many years and it has really put me off getting into cycling.

I'm hunting for a new bike, and this one has taken my fancy:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/urban/product/centrum-sport-08-28151

but it's a single speed bike, and my Dad thinks I'm mad for even considering a bike without gears. Is it madness for a beginner to buy a single speed bike? Any advice would be great.

 

[chris667]

I love singlespeeds, they work really, really well and they almost never go wrong.

But the new ones are silly expensive. Better to make your own from a geared bike to save some cash.

If you look at the For Sale section of this forum, you'll see I'm selling one.

 

[RedBike]

Your experiance of Halfords seems to be all too commen. If you search around this forum you'll find several people who've brought and returned bikes to Halfords because they were never built properly in the first place.

I think the bike you've picked is a bit of an odd one.
It weighes a ton (well 26.3-lb),
It's got hints of MTB styling, yet it's clearly going to be next to useless off-road.

As for if its suitable or not all depends on where you plan to ride it? I wouldn't let your experiance with Halfords put you off cycling/gears. You just need to purchase your bike from a proper cycle shop, get it set up correctly in the first place then serviced after a few weeks use.

I also ride single speed and I can't see any reason why a beginner can't ride single speed. However, until you get fit enough to cope with the lack of gears you could well end up pushing a lot.

I would recommend you go to your nearest PROPER cycle shop and ask about their road bike range. (I assume you intend to ride soley on the road).

 

[MajorMantra]

How fit are you already and how hilly is it where you live? You may struggle a bit at first though it's probably doable.

Have you seen this by the way?

Personally I prefer proper road style SS/FG frames though. Here's a relatively cheap one although it's a bit heavy for what it is. If you buy used you can get an old road bike and convert to single speed for under £100 easily - probably much less actually. Or you can get a bike with a frame specifically designed for SS/FG used for £150-300.

Matthew

 

[jack the lad]

Hi Stereo, Hi Stereo

Singlespeed is great depending on where you live and how far you plan to ride. In the Vale of York where I am, gears are just not necessary for local journeys, but if you live anywhere hilly you will want gears. Even in the flat lands, depending on how fit you are, gears can be useful if there is any wind about. Also don't forget that if singlespeed is OK where you live, you might go on hols somewhere hilly and want to take your bike with you...

Just think it through, or buy 2 bikes!

 

[Globalti]

my Dad thinks I'm mad for even considering a bike without gears. Is it madness for a beginner to buy a single speed bike? Any advice would be great.

Your dad is right, give him some credit for the years he's lived. Mountain bikes with wide gear ranges are fantastic for amateur riders and have driven the whole massive revival now happening at the lower end of the bicycle market. Go and find a couple of decent bike shops and explain what you want so that they can show you the appropriate bike. Don't be a fashion victim, get something suitable for UK conditions that you can actually ride and enjoy.

Come back on here with your shortlist and you will get good advice.

 

[Stereo]

The reasoning behind the Specialized Centrum Sport was price (£199), good brand, disc brakes, looks good, but alas a single speed.

It's for mostly roads, and some bike trails. So many different bikes to choose from, it's tough for a beginner. I think the signle speed is probably a bad idea, it's not that flat here (Essex) and I'm not what you would call fit (replace the 'i' with an 'a' and you have the picture). I'll take a look at some LBS, thanks for the advice.

 

[Stereo]

Come back on here with your shortlist and you will get good advice.

After I got a refund from Halfords I did pop next door (Thurrock Lakeside) to Decathlon, who appeared very helpful and knowing (a very different experience from Halfords), and they recommended the Rockrider 5 XC http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/rockrider-5-xc-disc-34964379/ which is about £100 over budget, but appears to be a good spec with hydraulic disc brakes and sram x5 shifters. Is this any good?

 

[Globalti]

Yes, that looks like a very respectable first bike. Buy it, ride it, but start saving up for your first really expensive bike! You'll be wanting to upgrade within a year as anybody on here will tell you!

 

[MajorMantra]

The reasoning behind the Specialized Centrum Sport was price (£199), good brand, disc brakes, looks good, but alas a single speed.

It's for mostly roads, and some bike trails. So many different bikes to choose from, it's tough for a beginner. I think the signle speed is probably a bad idea, it's not that flat here (Essex) and I'm not what you would call fit (replace the 'i' with an 'a' and you have the picture). I'll take a look at some LBS, thanks for the advice.

Define "trails". Are we talking rough and rocky or smooth? If the latter then a hybrid or even a road bike is a better choice - a mountain bike will slow you down on the roads where you say you'll mostly be riding.

I would also recommend avoiding suspension as cheap suspension isn't really worth the money. Also, cheap forks may not have lockout which you'll want to avoid wasting energy on the road.

EDIT: I see the bike you've linked to does have lockout but even so, I don't think it's the best choice given the kind of riding you've described.

Matthew

 

[RedBike]

It's for mostly roads, and some bike trails. So many different bikes to choose from, it's tough for a beginner. I think the signle speed is probably a bad idea, it's not that flat here (Essex) and I'm not what you would call fit (replace the 'i' with an 'a' and you have the picture). I'll take a look at some LBS, thanks for the advice.

If I had to name a flat part of the UK Essex would be towards the top of my list!

After I got a refund from Halfords I did pop next door (Thurrock Lakeside) to Decathlon, who appeared very helpful and knowing (a very different experience from Halfords), and they recommended the Rockrider 5 XC http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/rockri...disc-34964379/ which is about £100 over budget, but appears to be a good spec with hydraulic disc brakes and sram x5 shifters. Is this any good?

It doesn't matter if you're spending £300 or £3000. All mountain bikes are rubbish on the road; but if you want a bike capable of being ridden off-road that the price you've got to pay. There is also arguably no need for disc brakes or suspension on a road bike.

As MajorM asked, it all depends on what you mean by trails.
You could be much better off with a hybrid or even a road bike.

 

[Stereo]

The guy in Decathlon recommended I not go for the Hybrid, but just swap the tires for skinny ones when needed. Is this good advice?

Your standard gravel bike trail through a park I guess. I took the Subway LTD Hybrid along it and fell off the bike, took alot of skin off my knee. It just skidded on the loose gravel. I blamed the skinny slick hybrid tires and started to wonder if I should have gone the moutain bike route.

 

[MajorMantra]

It's true that slicks aren't suitable for gravel. Was that actually a designated cycle path? I only ask because I've never seen a gravel one, they've always been paved.

I'm not trying to be difficult but I can't emphasize too much how much nicer it is to ride a road bike (or even a fast hybrid) on the road compared to a mountain bike. The narrower wheels, slick tyres and more aggressive riding position all add up to a faster and more rewarding experience. You can take a road bike on almost any proper cycle path and you can even ride on dirt tracks as long as it's reasonably smooth and dry.

Matthew

 

[RedBike]

The Decathlon salesman is obviously recommending the MTB because thats what you seem to favour AND the MTB will be more stable so you'll stand more chance of staying upright on gravel. But the MTB is complete overkill.


Without seeing the path in question it's hard to say but i would normally of said the Subway was a better bike for gravel tracks than the Rockrider.
In fact I would probably of suggested a bike that was even more 'roadie' (Narrower 700c wheels, no discs)than the subway for a park path.

 

[Theseus]

<cynic>

The Decathlon salesman is obviously recommending the MTB because thats what

... he has in stock.

</cynic>