[32seventeen]

Geared or Single...both

I've got to agree with Cygus here. Road SS is not that much fun.
I only have a SS mnt bike. On the road, use my geared bike most of the time. I also have a fixie, that has a flip flop hub, I almost always have it on the fixed side.
If you are riding with a group of geared riders, it can be difficult to ride SS or fixed with them. I usually ride the fixed when I'm riding alone.
I own a cross check, and when I first built it, I built it as a SS, but I found that switching between road and off road during a ride with only one gear is not that much fun. I was always over geared on the off road portions and under geared on the road portions. So, I put gears on that one too. Now I have an even number of geared and SS bikes.


I

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.

 

[BontyRider]

SS off road = fun
Fixie on road = fun
Geared on road = fun
Geared off road = fun
Fixie off road = don't know, can't comment
SS on road = fun unless it's a mountainbike geared 34x20 in which case it's the worst thing ever

Now if only someone would invent a geared fixie. That would complete the Voltron.

Edit: Oh yeah, that's what a flip-flop is... duh

 

[futonrvltnst]

Thanks for all the replies guys!

Hills and drastic elevation changes are not a major concern considering I live in south Florida. I do enjoy going rather fast on the road, but I imagine I would start to feel the same way I feel about gears offroad. But, what do I know, never having actually had a 'real' roadbike.

Right now I think I may go Steamroller/similar with a reasonable, dependable build.

 

[robkhoo]

3 offroad SS and 1 geared touring bike for getting to work on quickly when I'm late.

 

[TrevorInSoCal]

Dunno yet...

I'll definitely be there......you?

B

Not sure yet. I get back from vacation on the 9th. Depends on how jet-lagged I am...

-Trevor

 

[Hollywood]

Hills and drastic elevation changes are not a major concern considering I live in south Florida.

sounds like a recipe to try out a fixie with a nice tall gear. If you want to test the waters first, look for a second hand steel road bike w/horizontal drops that fits you and have a rear fixie wheel built up. That was my first move, all for about $100.

I've since added to the stable with a Surly Cross Check with a flip flop rear hub. FWIW, I think I've flipped it to the freewheel side maybe once. Nice new ENO freewheel just sittin' there, neglected. (I also run only a front brake, so it makes freewheeling a little sketchy).

the 'boring' part comes when you spin out the gear, have to coast until you slow down a bit, then start spinning like mad again. That gets old, IMO. Especially if its mostly flat there.

Now if I could only find my geared road bike....I know I left it around here somewhere.

HW