[Closed] Singlespeed commuter in hilly city - Is it possible?

short answer yes

I ride one off road, I wouldn't for my town bike, but I have no issues keeping gears running in winter (why do you?)

Dingle speed the rear with 2 cogs & a tensioner doofer thingy and use one of into work and one for home?

I used to commute roughly the same distance in Halifax and I too live at the top of a hill with no easy (without going miles out my way) route up. I had a Cotic Roadrat with a 38/18 (I think) setup and it whipped me along at a suitable pace on the road but allowed me to climb up the hill home quite easily.

Go singlespeed, start with a rear cog that is just about do-able to get up the hill. After a week or so it'll improve your fitness. Then change to another cog if you fancy.

If its less than 5k, a little spinning on the flat/freewheeling shouldn't be too much of a problem.

So i'm guessing you'll be able to pretty much freewheel to work, and get your workout on the way home?

I live in hilly Cornwall, and I went singlespeed last month on my road commuter. It's a 42-16. I love the quietness and simplicity.

I find most hills are surprisingly managable, I get some momentum going on the approach and just charge up them. I spin out quickly on long steady descents and now get overtaken by other cyclists on the flats, but I have yet to be beaten by a hill - although I'm building some significant leg and arm muscles from heaving on the bars!

Gritting your teeth on the steep bits and charging up is compulsory. If I'm weakening I tend to remember that the Tour de France was ridden singlespeed until 1937 - imagine racing up the Alps with no gears!

Remember there are actually three gears - pedalling sitting down, pedalling standing up, and getting off and walking...

I have no issues keeping gears running in winter (why do you?)

Just want to try something different, and minimise bike cleaning/ maintenance time.

Depends what very long and steep means.
I do between 10 and 14 miles on the way home from work with 300m of climbing. All done on 45:15 fixed gearing (or 79").
Some of the hills can only be done stood up and straining but they're mercifully short.

minimise bike cleaning/ maintenance time.

try just not cleaning / maintaining the bike? works for me...

If its less than 5k, a little spinning on the flat/freewheeling shouldn't be too much of a problem.

So i'm guessing you'll be able to pretty much freewheel to work, and get your workout on the way home?

Yep, pretty much like that 😀

Thanks for the suggestions.

Remember there are actually three gears - pedalling sitting down, pedalling standing up, and getting off and walking...

lol 😆

bit of early experimentation to find the longest gear that you can just about climb the steepest hill with, then accept the compromise for flat/gentle descents.

if you are new to SS you will be amazed what you can heave/swear/cry your way up.... racheting the cranks 45deg at a time, the bike is lighter, the chain is straighter

Mango do a 3 speed attachment to their singlespeed bikes, although i have a Mango SS running 44/16 with no problems around Rochdale.

Perfectly feasible. Try gearing down to 42x17/18 for climbing. You can always coast down hill. Personally I prefer fixed because it makes climbing more efficient and you will gain more fitness on the downhills for your short commute 😈 .

I'm in Sheffield. I commute on a SS bike. 44/18, 700c. Quite spinny on the flat, but I can get from and to anywhere in the city with that combo. Occasionally the direct route might be out of the question, but there's always a slightly longer, less steep way round if there's a bit you struggle on.

to add to my comment, I've just bought 16T and 17T cogs for the rear for a bit of experimentation. I'm training to be better at climbing this year and doing 20rpm up hills in a big gear isn't going to help my cardio much.

if you've already got a bike, try using a particular gear for the whole of the ride and see which is the best compromise. Then use [url= http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/ ]Sheldon's Gear Calculator[/url] to find an equivalent singlespeed gear.

I have a dongle too but mine has two rings up front and one out back.
It runs a 42 and a 32 up front and 16 at the back, I tension it using an old mech and have the chain at its tightest when on the 42t (obviously!), it has plenty of tension with it using a mech, the gears never skip.
It has to be changed manually when going from the 32 up to the 42 ring but it can be changed down from 42 to 32 by flicking the chain off with your foot!
Works perfectly and would give you a decent gear for blasting the flat and a super easy gear for steep uphills.

I live ontop of a hill, went down to 39:18 on the CX bike for the commute (used to run 42:18 for a rolling mixed on/off road commute). Bit spinny for the flat, but really although it feels slow in real time terms it's less than a minute in 15 slower.

On the plus side, I'm a lot less likely to vomit on the way home, bonus!

As others have said, you'll be surprised what you can gurn up!

So to summarise:

compromising on the gear ratios and getting angry on the up-hill sections?

Yes.

Just try it, it's just cogs on a bike, the world won't end if it turns out to be a bad idea. You'll just have to cry yourself to sleep in dismay at your weak legs 😉

TiRed - Member
Personally I prefer fixed because it makes climbing more efficient

How can this be?

Be fine. Fit a sensiblre front ring and large rear sprocket 20t then you can cheaply make it harder as you get stronger. I ride 45:17 and can drag my pompetamine up some fairly long steep hills.

How can this be?

less dead-spots in the turning of the cranks?
you effectively have a flywheel?

If you do go down the hub gear route, I have a sram Automatix which is a two speed automatic hub. The range is small but it gives a reduction big enough for me to get up a couple of climbs I wouldn't otherwise get up.