Single Speeds are Awesome. Don't Buy One.
Sunday, February 22, 2009 at 10:35PM I was out on a four-hour ride Saturday, enjoying the heck out of riding my single-speed in the 50x14 gear. Single-speeds are great because they force you to crush your legs to climb any hill. Train on one routinely and your cycling abilities will skyrocket.
But, the truth is I wasn't on my single-speed. I don't even own a single-speed (anymore). And you don't have to, either.
All you need is a regular road bike and the discipline to stay in one gear. Save your money from buying a whole other bike. All you need is discipline, and discipline is free.
The problem is, discipline can be the hardest thing to get. Here's how you can receive some - Bike single speed for the first half hour of your bike ride. Next ride, do a full hour. Keep moving up until you can do your whole long ride in a big fat gear.
Again, the dividends from riding single-speed are huge. You don't have to do it every ride. Just once a week for some variation on your regular routine.
Enjoy!
Reader Comments (5)
Along with the single speed option I have taken my winter bike and adjusted the rear derailleur so that I only have 3 gears to change through.This keeps me honest while giving me a little leeway when the road heads upward or the winds are strong. Oh, there is no front derailleur on that bike either.
We should form a club! When I had to replace the cassette/shifters on this old road bike, they wanted to know if I wanted to upgrade from 7 speed to 9 or 10. I decided to stick with 7 because that's harder and this is a training bike. Harder is better!
But then how do you keep the street cred with the SS kids in the urban cool posse???
Easy. You tell them that SS/fixies are sooooo 2006 and they are even selling them at Walmart now. Those hipsters will drop the fixie habit quick.
I'm all aboard with your notion that single speeding it increases strength...big time. I'm currently stuck with a mountain bike and a fixed gear. I figure that if I ride the fixie enough, when I'm finally done building my tri bike I'll have pistons for legs.