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489 Posts
Just do it. I`ve ridden close to a 1000km on a RSS (road-single-speed) and it was an eyeopening experience even though my bike wasn`t fixed.
Anyone ride gears on the road?
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136 Posts
Hi,
I've been riding singlespeed offroad for a few years now, almost exlcusively. I'd like to get a road bike of sorts, but never reall having one that fit, or for an extended period of time, I'm not sure what to look for.
Something like an Il Pompino or the new Bianchi is very appealing -- light, simple. But, I have heard locals who ride singlespeed offroad comment that they wouldn't want to ride singlespeed on the road, unless it was fixed.
Not really sure what I am hoping to accomplish by posting this, but I'd like to hear some other opinions experience.
Thanks,
Colin
I've been riding singlespeed offroad for a few years now, almost exlcusively. I'd like to get a road bike of sorts, but never reall having one that fit, or for an extended period of time, I'm not sure what to look for.
Something like an Il Pompino or the new Bianchi is very appealing -- light, simple. But, I have heard locals who ride singlespeed offroad comment that they wouldn't want to ride singlespeed on the road, unless it was fixed.
Not really sure what I am hoping to accomplish by posting this, but I'd like to hear some other opinions experience.
Thanks,
Colin
Joined
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3,803 Posts
Depnding on the terrain in your area a single speed road bike should work if you gear it correctly for your needs. Otherwise, there's no shame in having a good quality multi gear road or cyclocross bike as an option to singling it.
Bianchi, Redline, Lemond, and others I can't think of all make nice cross bikes you could be happy with.
Bianchi, Redline, Lemond, and others I can't think of all make nice cross bikes you could be happy with.
i'm guilty of running gears on the road- an 06 trek madone 5.2 sl is my ride. I like the options for hammering out sprints, taking super tough climbs and spinnin the lactic acid out of my legs. that being said, i've ridden a mtb single speed w/slicks on a 100km ride and it was a lot of fun. Don't plan on any competitive group rides or anything with a road s/s obviously, but there is room for one, definitely. just another excuse to own multiple bikes.
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2,091 Posts
As I said before...
I have ridden my fixie on almost every road in Santa Cruz. Yes, sometimes I have to stop to catch my breath and sometimes I traverse, but it's a hoot. There a few times if I expect a long steep downhill, like the 15 miles from the Santa Cruz Summit down Soquel-San Jose Road to Soquel Village, that I might choose my RSS freewheel bike (someday I'll have to invest in a flip-flop hub). But hey, that's just me and I'm been told I'm sometimes too stubborn for my own good. Anyway, GTG, first RR with my new neighbor, RSSF verses geary (but he does have an old Bonty SS with horizontal drops and the original fork that I may have to kill him for). SEE YA!!! (Whoo! gotta take it easy on the Day Quil)
1G1G, Brad
Using gears is like re-discovering your ex-wife.erol/frost said:
I have ridden my fixie on almost every road in Santa Cruz. Yes, sometimes I have to stop to catch my breath and sometimes I traverse, but it's a hoot. There a few times if I expect a long steep downhill, like the 15 miles from the Santa Cruz Summit down Soquel-San Jose Road to Soquel Village, that I might choose my RSS freewheel bike (someday I'll have to invest in a flip-flop hub). But hey, that's just me and I'm been told I'm sometimes too stubborn for my own good. Anyway, GTG, first RR with my new neighbor, RSSF verses geary (but he does have an old Bonty SS with horizontal drops and the original fork that I may have to kill him for). SEE YA!!! (Whoo! gotta take it easy on the Day Quil)
1G1G, Brad
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1,818 Posts
fixed or geared on the road... ss road = kinda boring
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136 Posts
Why is that? I am curious because I think my fiance would kill me if I built another bike only to be disatisfied.roadiegonebad said:
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481 Posts
SS road boring? Not!
I have two SSs and a geared road bike. one of the SS is for the dirt, the other for commuting, and training road rides. sometimes i ride the commuter fixed, sometimes SS. so what's wrong with riding SS on the road? boring? you could call it that, but i agree with sheldon brown who says that one of the virtues of riding SS is that by not thinking about shifting you can let your mind wander, focus on the scenery, or turning perfect circles. that, and it's about the perfect chainline. SS road riding is therapeutic for me. boring? alot of things in life are boring, but riding is never one of them.
I have two SSs and a geared road bike. one of the SS is for the dirt, the other for commuting, and training road rides. sometimes i ride the commuter fixed, sometimes SS. so what's wrong with riding SS on the road? boring? you could call it that, but i agree with sheldon brown who says that one of the virtues of riding SS is that by not thinking about shifting you can let your mind wander, focus on the scenery, or turning perfect circles. that, and it's about the perfect chainline. SS road riding is therapeutic for me. boring? alot of things in life are boring, but riding is never one of them.
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952 Posts
I used to have a road bike - and I only road my fixie road bike anyway. So I sold the geared roadie. Now that I've moved in to the county (vs. in town) I'm kind of finding myself needing a geary again (let alone my Cyclops trianer isn't quite the workout it was before with gears). The thing that sold me was the 7 mile down hill I need to get down and back up from my house to get to the local bike path. I've been suffering all this year on the fixie trying to convince myself if it doesn't kill me it will make me stronger. I think the geary though might win atleast for a trainer bike.
FF
FF
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952 Posts
Yep - ripe old age of 34......lolaka brad said:makes you sick and weak
1G1G, Brad
FF
No gears here
I ride my Sycip Crossdresser on the road SS with a ratio of 44X17 ... Its quite comforting to know I can just tune out and keep a steady pace on rolling terrain ... I am working my way to ride it fixed, but I would reckon you give it a shot ... its nice and cruisey ...
I also have a On One Pompino, which I use as my all round grocery getter and work commuter ... it works great !! But i love the looks the hard core roadies give me when I pass them on the climbs with my sycip .. they then have to crank big gears to catch me at the top .. then i let them go and wait till the next climb ...
when I ride with a group, I usually have no problems keeping up at a steady speed of around 35-38 Km/H ... anything faster than that, gets a little too testosterone-charged for me and I'd rather stay back and watch them kill themselves ... gears just sound all too much to handle ... then I would have no excuse to sit back and cruise ...
I ride my Sycip Crossdresser on the road SS with a ratio of 44X17 ... Its quite comforting to know I can just tune out and keep a steady pace on rolling terrain ... I am working my way to ride it fixed, but I would reckon you give it a shot ... its nice and cruisey ...
I also have a On One Pompino, which I use as my all round grocery getter and work commuter ... it works great !! But i love the looks the hard core roadies give me when I pass them on the climbs with my sycip
.. they then have to crank big gears to catch me at the top .. then i let them go and wait till the next climb ... when I ride with a group, I usually have no problems keeping up at a steady speed of around 35-38 Km/H ... anything faster than that, gets a little too testosterone-charged for me and I'd rather stay back and watch them kill themselves ... gears just sound all too much to handle ... then I would have no excuse to sit back and cruise ...
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230 Posts
I have both...
I have a geared roadie that I use for group training-rides with the local road-racers. A fixie just couldn't keep up on 50+ mile rides with lots of climbs and 40+ mph descents. There's one guy that's shown up a few times to the Sat. morning ride on a single speed and done quite well, but there's no way you'd keep up on the downhills on a fixie geared to make the climbs.
For riding around town and commuting back and forth to work I ride a fixed-gear. I've done longer solo rides on the fixed gear, as well as a century with a few other fixie riders (Riders from this board as a matter of fact. Speaking of which, you guys doing the Palm Springs Century again this year? Hollywood, Hugh, Calvin, Donkey, Aosty, whoever else I'm forgetting?).
I wouldn't want a fixed gear to be my *only* road-bike though. I don't think you can moderate your efforts well enough to train effectively riding exclusively singlespeed/fixed. OTOH, I know there are some reallyeffinfast guys out there who ride almost exclusively on one-gear...
-Trevor
I have a geared roadie that I use for group training-rides with the local road-racers. A fixie just couldn't keep up on 50+ mile rides with lots of climbs and 40+ mph descents. There's one guy that's shown up a few times to the Sat. morning ride on a single speed and done quite well, but there's no way you'd keep up on the downhills on a fixie geared to make the climbs.
For riding around town and commuting back and forth to work I ride a fixed-gear. I've done longer solo rides on the fixed gear, as well as a century with a few other fixie riders (Riders from this board as a matter of fact. Speaking of which, you guys doing the Palm Springs Century again this year? Hollywood, Hugh, Calvin, Donkey, Aosty, whoever else I'm forgetting?).
I wouldn't want a fixed gear to be my *only* road-bike though. I don't think you can moderate your efforts well enough to train effectively riding exclusively singlespeed/fixed. OTOH, I know there are some reallyeffinfast guys out there who ride almost exclusively on one-gear...
-Trevor
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136 Posts
Forget gears
Ride a belt drive bike.
Ride a belt drive bike.
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