[Closed] Roadies - Is there any point to riding singlespeed?

same benefits as off road- simplicity, low maintainence, increased leg strength.

As someone who does group rides on the road, probably not as useful in that situation.

No firsthand experience of this but I think there might be.

Whilst walking up a steep(ish) local hill there was a fella on a fixie riding down it with his feet off of the pedals presumably because the cadence going down hill was difficult to maintain. Could be other reasons but that is what it looked like.

increased leg strength

Go on then, explain that one.

Like everything in life it has benefits and disadvantages.

Low maintenance, cheaper, Simplicity, good strength training if you are a lazy geared rider, Get the gear size right and it will be a good cadence and pedalling technique tool for you. So long as you dont freewheel all over the place.

Disadvantages, for me the only one is that it is impossible to train in zones with any consitency. A geared ride over the same route will have a steady heart rate, a singlespeed ride will have big peaks and troughs no matter how hard you try.

I've had mine out on winter club runs, for which it is perfect as the pace seems to be down quite a bit.
I'd be struggling badly to stay in on a summer club run.

Im not a "roadie" as such, but my only road bike is an SS pompino.

I have used it in local club TTs both SS and fixed. A good freewheel is handy (I have a Shimano, but previously a WI). Since Im not a road warrior, I like the SS for the calmness and simplicity. Its also good for strength work on the hills. I also only ride on my own or with mrs S (either on her pomp or her geared bike, but on the flats I then just tuck in behind her and pedal like billy-o)

My old commuter bike was a road bike with drops and a single speed.
It was single speed because the hanger got mashed

It is possibly easier avoiding potholes and death on a single speed on the road than on fixed.

On the minus side the freewheel is another bit to go wrong. I just used an old cassette hub with spacers and a single sprocket. A couple of times when it was v cold the freehub froze up and disengaged the drive.

increased leg strength

Go on then, explain that one.

why bring that one out? I know from personal experience, for me atleast, it is true. I can out accelerate most people...on a bike..running or even skating which uses similar muscles in a sprint.

I ride a SS Pompino on the road like stoner. I use it on club runs all the time and its absolutely fine. Lets make a clear point here - this is a club run not a pro team training session. If you are finding it hard just shelter behind people. Truth of the matter is though that me and my ss mate are generally on the front and always get to the top of the hills first.

So, yes, there is a point to road SS. 66 gear inches. Get it done!

Singlespeed on the road is for losers.

Fixed gear is for winners and heroes.

So I'm told.

The point of using a freewheel over fixed?

So you don't go over the bars when you stop pedalling to cock your arsecheeks to pass wind...

Go on then, explain that one

Do I really have to?

why bring that one out?

Why? Because riding SS will only improve your leg strength if you have the habit of shifting to the easiest gear for the gradient when riding with gears.

If you ride with gears and adjust the ratio for the terrain then you can be in a suitable gear for building leg strength for 100% of the ride. You can't do that with a singlespeed.

Or does your SS have some magical muscle building ratio not available on a geared bike?

So you don't go over the bars when you stop pedalling to cock your arsecheeks to pass wind...

more truer than truman capote

instead of fixed or instead of gears?

i am toying with swapping my fixed to freewheel - should let me ride with geared riders better imo.

since I got my nice geared road bike I have stopped using my SS road bike...

ie. Not using a fixed sprocket and using a freewheel.

Going downhill.

Phil, I would suggest that even the most committed geared riders, I am one on road, will sometimes select an easier gear at times when maybe they could get up a hill in the current one.

From personal experience I feel stronger over time I have ridden SS off road even though my hours on my bikes per week remain the same.

Not really, apart from slightly less mechanical stuff to worry about. It has zero effect on technique or fitness.

I really like my SS road bike. I run 48:17 which is perfect for me and will do anything up to 10-ish % hill climbs on it. The only time it ever shows it's weaknesses is descending when the speed gets above about 30mph, it's impossible to pedal much faster! Other than that it's a lightweight, low maintenance bike which I've used for everything from commuting to winter training to rides like the Dunwich Dynamo and I've even done a few crit races on it (geared it a bit higher for that!)

phil.w - Member
why bring that one out?
Why? Because riding SS will only improve your leg strength if you have the habit of shifting to the easiest gear for the gradient when riding with gears.

most times i ride up muswell hill on my pomp i wish i had the option to shift to an easier gear. mainly so i can get my requisite skinny jeans over my quads.

To put it another way, what's the point of gears on a road bike?

Racing or carting huge touring loads are places where I can see a need for gears, but most of us aren't racers, and a singlespeed will get you up just about any hill in this country. (And for those it won't, you're probably faster and safer walking rather than wobbling all over the road).

Gears are just an unnecessary fashion accessory. 🙂

Edit: and as a bonus you can afford a spare bike with the money you save on a good groupset.

i dont want a road bike with gears cos i will end up shaving my legs and wearing tight lycra tops and thinking about heart rate and training zones and other naff stuff

but i like having a bike with drop bars and skinny tyres, full guards and a rack, having 1 gear (2.7:1) means zero maintenance, some real effort to get up the hills on my commute and a cruising speed around 20mph

perfect simplicity.

ie. Not using a fixed sprocket and using a freewheel.

I don't ride a road singlespeed but I think the guy in this month's CA Magazine compared it to "putting tyres on a sherman tank".

Is there any point to anything?

thats a bit negative isnt it SBZ

you feeling a bit down? talk to us about it.

bad nights sleep make SBZ grumpy zoofighter 🙁

Not using a fixed sprocket and using a freewheel.

So you don't go over the bars when you stop pedalling to cock your arsecheeks to pass wind...