Single speed, I just don't get it?

[unocogero]

My knees are usually fine in the summer but in winter plugging through mud I struggle the next day.

I sit down too much when climbing as well which puts more strain on your knees. I should stand up more.

I mentioned it to my physio and he said 'get gears'

 

[stevek]

I've got 2 in the garage and agree they are really cool, you should try cycling your normal trails in the one gear- tape the shifters up! and seeing if you like it, before converting. However word of warning, your knees will take a lot more strain on the steep climbs and if your an old dog like me this does cause me a bit of pain, need to alternate rides on a geared bike (choose your ratio well my son).

Gaz, when it becomes tough to pedal on the hill and especially if you're prone to knee pain - stand up to pedal. It's a bit harder cardio - wise but no longer will your knees hurt. I've been riding ss for a number of years now and my knees don't suffer. I've found that medium sized hills are fine on the ss but it's hard to sustain a high output for the real long, steep, rocky, lumpy hills of the Peaks etc, they just go on for too long; that's when the geared bike comes out to play.

 

[mechagouki]

Being a former track rider, when I raced time trials on the road I regularly rode my fixed wheel. Just whacked a brake on a front and tri-bars.

How does that make me 'gay'? :?

Well, if you were a track rider you had a good excuse.

So not gay......maybe just curious

 

[beagle]

A 'fixie' (although the word is pretty gay) that's being ridden on the road isn't necessarily gayer than a singlespeed MTB in itself. It's just two ways of making a bike less suited for its purpose, for the sake of a different riding experience. Which is fine if that's what you're after. It's just that the majority of the folks who ride fixed ride like inconciderate lunatics who don't have a clue what's going on around them in traffic. That, and they dress gay. But if the majority of SS MTB people did just those things, it wouldn't make the concept of a single speed mountainbike gay would it.

Huh? The reason I use a fixed gear bike for commuting and getting around town is because it's better suited for its purpose. Faster, more efficient, more reliable, less maintenance.

 

[PIGEON]

A fixed bike is not faster, nor is it more efficient. Might be more reliable, but I've been out on a few rides with predominantly fixed riders and they had more than a few problems, ranging from flat tyres to loose headsets to chains coming off to broken pedal cages. That might have to do with the way these people look after their bikes, but obviously that means fixies do need maintainance too.

 

[reanimation]

Interesting to read of peoples probs with knees. now I'm deeper into my thirties now an becoming a creak bag! haha or not funny :-/

Thought it may be diet or genetics but i think its just age and wear! the 46/16 city gearing is starting to take its toll, and its the sitting down on the job innit? which must make my silly small play off road bike good having such a low seat cos most of that standing up. Hmm, I'm hooked on SS tho so not giving in at all yet, lower magic gear maybe...

 

[unocogero]

Standing up more has definately helped my knee pain. I now know when I've overdone it even before the knees start to complain the next day.

I suppose the older you get the more you have to listen to your body :shock:

 

[topshifter]

single speed

mountain bikes have gears. end of story. you dont see any of this gay single speed city courier crap in america! do you? if gears werent needed then the pioneers of this sport would of made s/s in the seventies!!!

 

[stevek]

Re: single speed

mountain bikes have gears. end of story. you dont see any of this gay single speed city courier crap in america! do you? if gears werent needed then the pioneers of this sport would of made s/s in the seventies!!!

Plenty of SS in the US and SS was around in the 70's, long before too.

 

[clockworkgazz]

why all the "gay" talk, what's that got to do with anything?

What age are some of you? I trust/hope you are being ironic not as I fear, moronic?