What is the point of fixed or single speed ?

[JoeyB]

I love the simplicity of my single speed. No gear selection to think about, just man up and pedal harder.

 

[Elybazza61]

Well I have an old 80's Dawes steel frame sitting in the shed and this has got me thinking about turning it into a ss bike(probably won't go fixed though);I also have an old set of Mavic/Miche wheels which could be used as well,would just need a crankset(it does have a Stronglight double on dunno if that could be converted) and some bars.Will have to look into this I think.
There's a guy in our club who rides a ss quite a lot for training/commuting,in fact I think he uses it more than his Pinarello.

 

[Pennine-Paul]

Having said that, I have ridden with quite a few local riders who are happy to use fixed on almost anything that Yorkshire can throw at them. It is impressive to watch, but I still can't help thinking that it is an odd thing to want to do!

Can't think who you mean
I ride fixed mainly due an arm injury,I got T-Boned back in 2000 which left me with a broken arm which
subsequently needed a plate attaching,some of the nerves and muscles became tethered after healing
and they couldn't guarantee any further operations would improve matters.So I've been left with one weak
arm that occasionally goes numb whilst riding,riding fixed I only need one brake so i use my good arm to
operate that.
I'm contemplating a coaster hub to be able to freewheel down hills and I'll still only need the one brake lever,
would be nice to go Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee again

 

[ColinJ]

Can't think who you mean
I ride fixed mainly due an arm injury,I got T-Boned back in 2000 which left me with a broken arm which
subsequently needed a plate attaching,some of the nerves and muscles became tethered after healing
and they couldn't guarantee any further operations would improve matters.So I've been left with one weak
arm that occasionally goes numb whilst riding,riding fixed I only need one brake so i use my good arm to
operate that.
I'm contemplating a coaster hub to be able to freewheel down hills and I'll still only need the one brake lever,
would be nice to go Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee again

How about a 'Slidepad' ...?

 

[Pennine-Paul]

Interesting idea but my bike is a track frame and has no provision for any sort of rear brake.I can fit a 3 speed
geared hub or a singlespeed coaster
but anything like a 7/8 speed is way too wide to fit.

 

[topcat1]

Bollocks, I had £10 on the Zen word appearing .

i had £10 on zenbollox

 

[Hip Priest]

I don't know if there's a point, but every time I read a thread about fixed it makes me want one.

 

[ThaiGuy]

I think it's more of an alternative to regular geared cycling, but it really is a Marmite situation, you'll ever love it or hate it. Personally I love it. It's gotten to the point where I've ridden fixed longer than I have any other type of bicycle and I don't think I'd ever change back.

I think my main advantages would be;

• Maintenance is kept to a minimum
• Bike is lighter on average
• Fun
• Better overall fitness as you don't stop. (Great for interval training)
• Less mental concentration on cycling and more concentration on the road and hazards, etc.
• Aesthetics is another one for me
• The whole connection to the road as well that everyone bangs on about

 

[rb58]

i had £10 on zenbollox

You selling yours then Dave?

 

[apb]

I like the way a fixed gear bike helps you up hill. It's almost like you and the bike are together in this goal of conquering this obstacle. When you are going down hill the bike is this animal that needs to be controlled, like wild stallion needing to be tamed.

actually.. they just look really cool.

 

[palinurus]

I like fixed when riding in traffic in the rain, you can control your speed really nicely without touching the brake (or brakes)

 

[GrasB]

I don't get single speed, all the disadvantages of a free-wheel without the advantages of gears.

However fixed is a real ebb & flow thing for me. You can feel your way down the road & through corners. It also makes me more a flexible rider.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I don't get single speed, all the disadvantages of a free-wheel without the advantages of gears.

Lightness, simplicity, ease of maintenance, cheapness and the ability to coast whilst making the most evocative sound in the world are the pluses of ss.

There are two kinds of bike in the world. Fixed gear bikes and the rest. Once you've got a freewheel and can coast it doesn't matter how many gears the bike has, one, three, five, six, eight, 11, 21, 27, 30, 33 the common feature is the freewheel.

I like my ss because I can't drop my wife on her bike on it. And she likes it for the same reason. (We are at opposite ends of the cycling spectrum I guess)

 

[GrasB]

Lightness, simplicity, ease of maintenance, cheapness and the ability to coast whilst making the most evocative sound in the world are the pluses of ss.

Lightness - compare very similarly speced fixed & geared bike the difference is about 500g if that
Simplicity - right up until something goes wrong with the drive train on the road then you realise that actually it's not that simple.
Ease of maintenance - the complicated bits are bearings... this applies to all bikes
The most evocative sound in the world - what the swish of latex tubs?... I can have that on all of my bikes if I put my good wheel/tyre set on.

Not to shoot you down or anything

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Lightness - compare very similarly speced fixed & geared bike the difference is about 500g if that
Simplicity - right up until something goes wrong with the drive train on the road then you realise that actually it's not that simple.
Ease of maintenance - the complicated bits are bearings... this applies to all bikes
The most evocative sound in the world - what the swish of latex tubs?... I can have that on all of my bikes if I put my good wheel/tyre set on.

Not to shoot you down or anything

Like you said

I don't get single speed