Author Topic: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread  (Read 54429 times)

The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« on: 15 October, 2010, 09:34:46 pm »
Been messing with gears, fixed and SS over recent years and I can see advantages in all of them.

I love the feel and control of fixed.

I love the freedom of SS on downhills and offroad.

Gears, well we don't want to hear about them on here...

So I think this winter I'm going to try SS freewheel for a while and maybe post how I get on. There's lots of 'SS is for girls' threads on here (many written by girls), so if you feel the need you can get away from those nasty fixed-gear fundamentalists and confess your sins. We don't judge. Or snigger.

It also means I can use any old frame I like, any wheels (and needn't worry about my 172.5s)

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #1 on: 15 October, 2010, 10:04:48 pm »
OK I'll come out. Singlespeed and proud :)

Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #2 on: 15 October, 2010, 10:09:46 pm »
Welcome aboard  O:-)

LEE

Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #3 on: 15 October, 2010, 11:52:17 pm »
I love my single-speed



..even though it was a Fixed in this photo.

I tried Fixed and then I tried Single-Speed.  I preferred Single-Speed.

I'm not a Fakenger, I'm not trying to look like I ride a Fixed when I ride S/S, I don't aspire to ride a Fixed, if you like riding Fixed then that's fine.  Riding Fixed isn't the pinnacle of cycling achievement, it's just another sort of bike, like a Tricycle or Recumbent....or Single-Speed.

I love my Single-Speed.  

I love coasting down hills and I love simplicity.

(At certain times I am also a big fan of gears, owning both derailleur and Hub implementations of them)


Rhys W

  • I'm single, bilingual
    • Cardiff Ajax
Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #4 on: 15 October, 2010, 11:53:06 pm »
I wanted to know what all this "connected to", zen, macine and rider as one bollocks was about so I converted an old frame to fixed. I mean, you read so much about it, it must be right up my street, being a keen cyclist of many years. Let's face it - if these hipster muppets in London can do it without any brakes, it'll be a piece of piss for me, right?

The only thing it taught me was - I've developed a very efficient riding style, both on the open road and in city traffic - and freewheeling is a major part of it. I thought it would be good for scooting around town, but I was spending a lot of time slowing down and preparing to unclip where normally I'd freewheel as a way of modulating my speed - mainly in reaction to stupid drivers pulling out of junctions or dopey peds or drunk students stepping out in a world of their own.

The actual riding along was fine, it was just the interruptions that made fixed a pain. Depends a lot on the routes you do I suppose. So I gave in and bought a cheap Dicta freewheel. I'd like to find a situation where fixed is advantageous at some point though.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #5 on: 16 October, 2010, 12:41:05 am »
I used to ride singlespeed a lot in India. It was great for that situation, a bike that you can ride anywhere and leave on any street, and that just blends in with the surroundings. The surrounding bikes, that is. The bike was nothing at all like Lee's above, obviously! You can get some pretty good acceleration with one gear, which was more useful than high speed. I've never tried fixed wheel, and the more I think about it, the less I'm attracted to it. I like being able to freewheel!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #6 on: 16 October, 2010, 08:02:32 am »
Yes I think we all 'get' fixed and I certainly am not going to knock it; I love the direct drive connection.

But some of us don't always find it practical in traffic/down long, fast, twisty hills/offroad and so on.

We can fess up to our 'weakness' on here.

Think I may start a SS alternative to the Fixed Gear Gallery, as that Orbit looks really nice Lee!

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #7 on: 16 October, 2010, 08:30:10 am »
Think I may start a SS alternative to the Fixed Gear Gallery, as that Orbit looks really nice Lee!

Not nearly as pretty but here's mine


Mongrel Fake Dawes by paulfulford, on Flickr

It's a 'Dawes' frame bought in the US last year - a pile 'em distributor has bought the US rights to Dawes and a number of other brands with a Roadrat disc fork on. Comfy steel frame which I did my first (and only) imperial century on. 

Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #8 on: 16 October, 2010, 10:23:07 am »
I've had a fair few s/s over last 7-8 years, mainly for "the winter". Until c.18 mths I also rode fixeds a lot, all year. I'm no longer sufficiently fit to ride a high enough ratio on fixed that will get me UP without being silly low going DOWN. Hence, my "new" winter s/s - altho' I've already done near 700 miles on it in last 8 weeks.

Other advantage is that s/s is a whole lot cheaper!

Let right or wrong alone decide
God was never on your side.

welshwheels

  • stop eating cheeseburgers big boy!!!!
Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #9 on: 16 October, 2010, 10:32:58 am »
I am going to join the s s club i just bought this cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=180573532423
i have been thinking about it since the of the summer i will probably use it as a singlespeed as i like flying down hill :thumbsup: been on my mind a good few months so £150 did not seem like much of an investment as i still dont know if it is for me i like the simplicity of it as a commuter and i really do want it to work for me ! i shall keep you posted on how i get on  :thumbsup: try this link FIXIE VIKING ROAD DROP BAR CITY BIKE 59CM NEW BARGAIN  on eBay (end time  17-Oct-10 19:43:28 BST)
struggling up hills since 1981 !!!

Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #10 on: 16 October, 2010, 11:35:09 am »
They all look great guys. I think utility bikes look just as good as pimped out racers, all have their own charm.  :thumbsup:

Oncemore, that is the trade off that tends to push you towards SS over fixed - thinking that 60" would be good over winter, but how would you get that DOWN a 1 in 4?

Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #11 on: 16 October, 2010, 03:46:23 pm »
As it happens, it is almost exactly 60" (42x18 with 26x2.1s)! Can't see why won't go DOWN 1 in 4 (tho' aren't many around here, except a few v steep residential roads). As for 1 in 4 up, that I always treat as a requiring a 24" gear, which all cycles have!
Let right or wrong alone decide
God was never on your side.

Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #12 on: 16 October, 2010, 04:12:48 pm »
No problem on SS but down a 1 in 4 on 60" fixed would be much twiddling - very incomfortable and undignified.

Is 24" the old '2 feet' gear?

Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #13 on: 16 October, 2010, 04:51:52 pm »
No problem on SS but down a 1 in 4 on 60" fixed would be much twiddling - very incomfortable and undignified.

Is 24" the old '2 feet' gear?

Just so - hence the change to single free (60" is the highest on which I can get up the hill home!). And yes it is!
Let right or wrong alone decide
God was never on your side.

_lou_

Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #14 on: 16 October, 2010, 05:18:19 pm »
Here's mine :





It's actually a ss/fixie thanks to the reversible hub. I started off as a single speed but the freewheel was making awkward cracking noise, which led me to riding fixed for quite a while. Now that I changed the freewheel for a nicer one, it feels a bit awkward to have no way other to stop but with the brakes. Need to train a bit...

It reminds me of this blog entry On freewheeling « thatmessengerchick

Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #15 on: 16 October, 2010, 05:42:16 pm »
If this is turning into a photofest then why not just post them in the Members Fixed and SS thread over in Gallery ?

Members Fixed Gear & SS

onb

  • Between jobs at present
Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #16 on: 16 October, 2010, 05:55:29 pm »
My next bike will probably be single speed.I have gone off the fixie idea.
.

itsbruce

  • Lavender Bike Menace
Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #17 on: 16 October, 2010, 06:11:29 pm »

It's actually a ss/fixie thanks to the reversible hub. I started off as a single speed but the freewheel was making awkward cracking noise, which led me to riding fixed for quite a while. Now that I changed the freewheel for a nicer one, it feels a bit awkward to have no way other to stop but with the brakes. Need to train a bit...

Sounds a bit like my experience; I only briefly rode freewheel when I got my fixed/ss bike and the bike had not been set up well by the LBS; I set it right *after I went to fixed.  So my only ss experience was not good.  I'm not really tempted to go back, though.  And since my back wheel is now fixed on both sides, I don't have the option ;)

Quote
It reminds me of this blog entry On freewheeling « thatmessengerchick

I don't agree with her at all.  She comes across as rather shallow, constantly changing her opinion to match her current whim.  If she ever goes back to geared frewheel, she'll probably decide that's the hardest option, suddenly.  As for brakeless being safer , she's just nuts.  24tee has it right:

Quote from: 24tee
If you ride fixed with no brakes you learn to 1) look ahead 2) turn very fast 3) not expend your energy.

It’s not safer, it is far more dangerous.

It is not easier, it is much harder.

Because it has no safety option (it all went wrong so I pulled the brakes) it is far more skilled if you want to do it right, which is what you do want to do because you’d like to stay alive

I rode into central Brixton today on my fixie in my regular shoes, which meant I had no foot retention (A530 pedals).  It was fun, it required more skill than using cleats, it required me to be more attentive and careful, but I'd never pretend it was safer than riding fixed with proper foot retention.
I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked: Allen Ginsberg
The best minds of my generation are thinking about how to make people click ads: Jeff Hammerbacher

vorsprung

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Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #18 on: 17 October, 2010, 07:35:11 pm »
I did have a single speed road bike for a couple of years, with a 66 or 70" gear depending on what old sprockets I could find.  The drive train was made out of old 8 speed bits.  The chainset was a triple, I used the 42T
I had 28mm marathon plusses on it and eventually it had a shimano generator hub at the front and a IQ Fly
But mainly it was about taking a load of junk and making it into a useful bike

If you want the old 60cm Tange frame it is still available to a good home

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Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #19 on: 17 October, 2010, 10:34:21 pm »
I must confess I bought a new bike (Edinburgh Cycle Revolution Track) intending to use it as a fixed winter commuter.
Singlespeed has been fine, if hard work.
Fixed scared the shoite outta me, and I'm in no hurry to try it again.
I'm finding 42x16 hard enough as a commuting workout, and I have the freedom to coast as and when I feel I need to.
I appreciate that others find a "closer communion" with the bike as fixed rather than free but each to their own in cycling, IMO.
Steve
The dog did nothing in the night-time - that was the curious incident..........

LEE

Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #20 on: 18 October, 2010, 10:32:11 pm »
Here's mine :




It's actually a ss/fixie thanks to the reversible hub. I started off as a single speed but the freewheel was making awkward cracking noise, which led me to riding fixed for quite a while. Now that I changed the freewheel for a nicer one, it feels a bit awkward to have no way other to stop but with the brakes. Need to train a bit...

It reminds me of this blog entry On freewheeling « thatmessengerchick

I am currently using the cappiest of freewheels.  It cost about £5, it's crackly, sticky and elliptical.

What's a good make of freewheel (1/8")?

itsbruce

  • Lavender Bike Menace
Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #21 on: 18 October, 2010, 11:35:19 pm »
How much money do you want to waste?  You can blow £150 or more if you want, for fractional gain.  Frankly, the Formula track hubs are decent quality, good value and easy to find spares for.  Trade up when you've acquired enough experience with SS/Fixed to know what you really like.
I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked: Allen Ginsberg
The best minds of my generation are thinking about how to make people click ads: Jeff Hammerbacher

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #22 on: 19 October, 2010, 09:58:09 am »
I have a ss freewheel I don't want.  It's a Shimano, I think.

I need to get it off my rear hub (I don't have a tool, so I shall pop into a decent shop) so I can put a different cog on (and I must be the only person more worried about non-drive side spoke breakage ;D ).
Getting there...

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #23 on: 19 October, 2010, 10:07:36 am »
I have a ss freewheel I don't want.  It's a Shimano, I think.

I need to get it off my rear hub (I don't have a tool, so I shall pop into a decent shop) so I can put a different cog on (and I must be the only person more worried about non-drive side spoke breakage ;D ).

I've got the Shimano tool if you need one...

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread
« Reply #24 on: 19 October, 2010, 10:24:54 am »
That sounds like a good idea.  If I can link up with you to get the thing off*, then I can pass it on to LEE or whoever.




* Not that I have anything against ss - I ran that way for a while on my Ridgeback before flipping - it just that fixed suits me better.
Getting there...