Single speed? I don't get it! What's the point?

[t-stoff]

ill go single speed on my next bike cause i have all the parts with the exception of gears ;P
Lisbon is known for being built on 7 hills, steep ones, so it will be for the occasional ride ;p

 

[yeti-man]

Going SS is retroengineering. GF added gears to his klunker for a reason.

 

[suburbanreuben]

Going SS is retroengineering. GF added gears to his klunker for a reason.

Yurp, but what does he ride now...?

 

[yeti-man]

Going SS is retroengineering. GF added gears to his klunker for a reason.

Yurp, but what does he ride now...?

Hey the man is old and getting senile

 

[yo-eddy]

I've taken a some of what I learned climbing singlespeed back to a geared bike and it's definitely helped me improve. Mainly understanding what i'm capable of, attacking climbs and keeping momentum.

+1


same as riding rigid will improve your skills a lot too

 

[daj]

I am just off to the forest with my newly built SS I did have one years ago but ditched it quick so that don't count, I will report back later with my honest feelings and I am the ultimate grumpy moaning old "B" so will be an honest one!!

 

[godders]

Unlike many on here i only have two bikes

one has gears

and the other is single speed

the one with gears has only been ridden once
in the last eighteen months since i finished the
single speed

To the OP ..give it a go ...or two ...or three

it changed my whole outlook on biking and has
given me something that was missing from my riding
for a long time
Mick

 

[jamabikes]

World Cup racers don't use singlespeeds. Ergo not faster

nope.

world cup racers are sponsored so have to use gears.

any way the future is twingle speed. fact.

 

[Kitmech]

Basically I don't get single speed! What is the point in it? Surely mountain bikes are ment to have gears.

Can anyone tell me what the appeal is and try and change my mind?

so come on explain your self , the fact you posted this makes you guilty by association

your s/s curious ...... you know you are

build a cheap one and try it

No need to explain myself, I ride at bedgebury a hell of alot and though it's not the hilliest of places the only single speeders I've seen have done nothing but bitch and moan about not having gears!
So I merely wondered what the deal is if you're gonna moan about it!

I know single speed isn't for me because when I had a BMX 20 odd years ago I hated it not having gears!

 

[cyfa2809]

But if you chose the right ratio for the terrain it cant be faulted really. It gives the brain more time to think about the trail and lines and what not.

Pick up a cheap SS setup from here and try dammit!