single-speed bikes

Training Advice/Discussion General

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16 years ago 04/11/2008 12:10am EDT

re: Single Speed

Single Speed wrote:
I'm very happy with my single speed, fully rigid mountain bike. It's light, efficient and simple.

I am glad to hear you enjoy your SS MTB experience. I am actually about to bring my 10-15 yr old Trek 820 fully rigid mountain bike into my local bike shop to have it converted to a SS. The gears are all screwed up and the guy at the shop said it might not even be worth fixing... seems like the perfect opportunity to make the conversion. I will use this SS as my bad weather/cruising bike. I have a road bike I usually use and need because it is faster. I am often cutting it close to being late for work and the commute ends up being an all out effort. I need those gears!

Also, for 2 years now I have been very very interested in getting into fixed gear riding but I, like a poster above, don't have the time or energy to get all into the biking world. I don't have time, money, energy or patience to build up a bike and keep upgrading components. I just want a bike that works and is fun. I like running because it is simple and that's what I want from my biking. I think this SS mtb will do the trick for now.

Although, maybe I should just bite the bullet one of these days and by a new $500-$600 fixed. Now, I just need to find $500-$600...

16 years ago 04/11/2008 12:32am EDT

re: Good Thread!

If you want no-hassle, buy a new single-speed from a shop and take advantage of their advice and service. Don't make a project out of finding parts and frames unless you know exactly what you're doing.

My recommendations are the Raleigh Rush Hour (which I own) and the Specialized Langster. Around 650 each, they've got front and rear brakes, stiff, strong frames, and ride nicely. The Rush Hour is a very stable, great handling bike; it has a steel frame and fork and durable wheels. The Langster has a carbon fork and aluminum frame, so it'll probably be a little lighter. Also pretty stiff, I don't have as much time on a Langster as I do on my Rush Hour. Easy to find.

The Jamis Sputnik is also very nice, but more $$$

They look cool, but do not buy a Bianchi Pista. The frames are crappy (thin, weak dropouts) and they often come with weird non-standard parts (BB/cranks, usually) and only one brake. This does not apply to the Pista Concept, but that bike isn't what you're looking for anyway (dedicated track racing frame.)

16 years ago 04/11/2008 8:53am EDT

re: Dr. Science

I think the OP wants a MTB bike for commuting AND riding trails ... aren't all those models road commuter bikes?

16 years ago 04/11/2008 8:55am EDT

re: cutter

no, the op wants a road or road-style bike--all the ones I listed have fairly traditional frames altho the country road bob has a curved bottom tube.

16 years ago 04/17/2008 2:33am EDT

re: automaticslim

I like Masi. I have their 3VC, and now I'm looking at their Speciale.

Here it is:

http://www.masibikes.com/cycles/speciale_fixed.php

They call it a fixed, but it has a flip-flop hub. They also have the Speciale Commute, which can be turned into a geared bike if you want.

16 years ago 04/17/2008 7:22am EDT

re: Dr. Science

The Raleigh Rush Hour is a great bike as is the Raleigh One Way which is set up more to be a fixed gear but both have a flip-flop hub. The Surly is a good bike all around but i will say you have little "coolness" factor having the same single speed as everyone else. I have a friend who has a Van (not von) Dessel Countr Road Bob and it is a cool bike, maybe the coolest of the options but you will pay a bit more for it. In my opinion the One Way from Raleigh is the way to go.

16 years ago 04/17/2008 8:18am EDT

re: prunner

I have a giant bowery that I used to commute on 10 miles each way. AFter one day I decided to ride it fixed and I never went back. I think that fixed riding is more like running than is any other biking and I find it to be a lot more fun than riding my pricey road bike....

but I moved and I now I have to drive for an hour to get to work.... sigh...

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