Single Speed Bicycles
Single Speed Bicycles, almost unheard of several years ago, are gaining in popularity. It makes one wonder why.
Single speed cycles on the face of it seem to have little going for them. Anyone familiar with riding any bike on steep terrain will hardly need to have explained to them the value of a good gear set. At first I could not imagine cycling on steep or rough ground without the versatility that low and high gears give to make the going easier. However there is another side to this coin that makes perfect sense when you consider the maintenance needed to keep a modern mountain bike in good order.
Single Speed Mountain Bikes are wonderfully simple. There is very little to go wrong. Riding a modern multi geared mountain bike on rough terrain no matter how well it is built tests the drive train to the limits. Rocks mud and dirt get carried around the gear set grinding and wearing away all the parts that make the derailleur function properly. Eventually gear shifting is less reliable and once enough damage has been done there is no option except to replace the entire gear set.
Single speed bicycles have none of these drawbacks. How simple can you get? A drive ring at one end, a drive cog at the other, connect one drive chain and you are done. Sure the ravages of the dirt and mud are still there but the cleaning and maintenance is so much easier and less expensive too. Take a tumble on a modern multi geared machine and you may wave goodbye to your fancy finger shifters. A damaged derailleur is hard to fix on a mountain path and could leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere. You can forget these potential problems with a single speed gear set. No gears and no shifters means no damage to these complex parts.
Single speed bicycles intended for trail riding will usually have a lower gear ratio to make it easier to traverse steep and difficult terrain. Although this allows them to negotiate difficult terrain the rider generally will have to be better and fitter than those riding a multi geared counterpart. Single speed bicycles intended for road use will generally have a higher gear ratio.
Since single speed bicycles are the essence of simplicity they are almost always built without the modern complexities of a suspension type frame. The additional weight and complexity is somehow adrift from the ‘light and simple’ philosophy of these single speed machines. Therefore it very rare to find a full suspension single speed cycle at most only the front forks will have suspension and the majority of single speed machines have none.
The increased popularity of single speed bicycles has lead manufacturers, although reluctant at first, to produce an increasing range of models. There simple appeal, low maintenance and cheap running costs are endearing these machines to a whole new group of customers.
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Want to know about the mechanics of single speed bicycles? Look here….
Want more info on fixed gear bicycles…try below…
Bicycle Film Festival 2009. Singlespeed Bicycles…
Spinwell-Fixed wheel and singlespeed in Birmingham. Fixed wheel and singlespeed in Birmingham.
How to Build a Single Speed Mountain Bike
MTB riders wanting a single speed bike have two options, either buy one or build one from an old hardtail. Here’s a guide on how to build a mountain bike with one gear.
Single Speed riding - an introduction
The question which I’m sure is burning the tip of your tounge though is “what makes a good single speed bike?” well…..I’ll tell you… ANY BIKE that has the correct ratio and fits you!
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