Single speeds rule! (because derailleurs hate me)

[badmuller]

Though i've made apost allready in this topic(where i mentioned that it basicly doesn't mather to me., thougt i would share this with you.

When I was about 11 years of age(my parents where divorced by that time), we went on holliday to the area of Kent, U.K.(counting back it must have been around 1980)
We(my mother, 1 younger sister, 1 older sister and me) allways went on bicycle for a couple of years by then.
Mostly to campings within The Netherlands.
It was our first big holiday outside my home country, and i was exited about(as a 11 year old would be).
We all had our bikes packed; rear rack with double sidebags and a tent on top of that allong with some other stuff we devided amongst eachother( i got the travellers lightweight cooking pans).
frontrack with big bags on each side too. and on top of that a foam campersbed.
total of about 20 kg.

And all four of us with singlespeed bicycles.
Now kent is not the most levelled areaof the u.k.
But i can't remeber that there ever was a problem with that, i can remember we had to walk up a few hills.
But they where few. I do remember the fun i had going down though.

I guess i just want to say that we can do with with single speeds.
whatever more speeds we have is because most people like things that make us do things easier.
no problem with that, but if necesary we all could do with a s.s.

 

[deorman]

I often pass geared bikes that just passed me going up hills on my cheap coaster bike, but not the serious athletic types. Needless to say, many of them then zoom by me again going down. I think one mistake some people make with 1-spds is gearing too low for the initial ease of pedaling, thereby never learning the use of, or reaping the benefits of, inertia. I also enjoy geared bikes, but if you spend less than 3-4 hundred on a new one, it's going to be pretty much a heap, quite possibly less enjoyable than that hundred dollar beach bike.

 

[Rustinkerer]

Back when I lived in utterly flat Virginia Beach, taking out the old coasters was a given! My Monark Rocket, red Roadmaster, and Hawthorne all got some street time. Here in the NC foothills, it's a different game! My street is a semi circle, and it is actually uphill both ways from here! :lol: I took out a Murray one day, I think it had a 52 tooth chainring, and set out up the shorter rise. Ya know that feeling in between downward pedaling, when your bike slows down, and you almost have to stop and get off? :lol: Yeah, I really need to get some of the shimano 3 speed coasters laced into some bikes, especially my Felt Red Baron, which I've never ridden!!(Thick Bricks uphill? :shock: ) -Adam

 

[Pudge]

Back when I lived in utterly flat Virginia Beach, taking out the old coasters was a given! My Monark Rocket, red Roadmaster, and Hawthorne all got some street time. . . . . -Adam

Utterly flat, Adam? How quickly we forget the highest elevation in the city of Virginia Beach; our illustrious mountain of garbage turned city park, Mount Trashmore! :mrgreen:

 

[seetheusachevy]

Gears are cool if there is a ridiculous "stik shift." Otherwise I would rather have a single speed. I do find it comical that my 40 and 50 year old single speed bikes are more durable then my brand new Trek that is a single speed. I wore the rear hub out in a year on my pos Trek, then was told by the bike shop I could not get parts to fix it. One would think something that simple modern technology could get right. But I guess things are regressing.

 

[Wildcat]

Mount Trashmore? I remember the local dj's getting kicked off the air when I was stationed in Little Creek. On April fool's day, they announced an evacuation of the area because methane gas had built up in the mountain of trash it was built on. People were leaving in droves.

I like the 3 speed twist grip shifters, like a motorcycle throttle.

 

[Exocet98]

I really like the internal hubs. I feel there is a place for both, I really like the road group rides with derailleur hybrids and the single and Nexus hubs cruisers for the beach boardwalks. It's nice to have options for my exercise rides!!! :mrgreen:

 

[shaggyevil]

I have both single speed and a 21-speed mt. bike. The mt bike I ride to work, and the trails. But I think I like single speed better because of less to go wrong and be annoyed by. Plus, I can work on the single speeds, the other one I have to take in to get something done with it if it acts up. There are some hills in town here where more speeds come in handy, but I don't have a problem with standing on the pedals and taking the hills.

Shaggy

 

[cruisehard]

That's pretty much how I feel...grinding up a hill on a single speed faster than your buddy with derailleur is pretty sweet.

No doubt.
Single speed bikes also make me feel like a kid again. I need that during this mid life crisis time of my life. :mrgreen:

Come to think of it...all I ever rode then and now are single speeds...
A SS definitely brings out the kid. :mrgreen:

 

[Rustinkerer]

[quote="Pudge]
Utterly flat, Adam? How quickly we forget the highest elevation in the city of Virginia Beach; our illustrious mountain of garbage turned city park, Mount Trashmore! :mrgreen:

[/quote]
Yeah, but you can't ride over it! And I'd heard of the legendary April Fool's bit, though I actually moved there that June (1995).-Adam