The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread

[hubner]

49x18 is about 21-22mph at 100 pedal revs per minute.

[Si]

Do any of you have any recommendations please?

gofrit - if you do find it too small, a new sprocket is only a few quid and ten mins at the most to put on.

But if you've not done SS before - give the original gear a chance as you may need to develop your spinny legs a bit.

[PaulF]

Singlespeed Swift on Flickr

Probably my most fun bike to ride currently 32x18 but considering a longer gear for the summer

[vorsprung]

Hi all

I am considering buying a singlespeed to use for commuting. It's 7.5 miles each way, not flat but also not terribly hilly, more rolling slopes with a couple of short steep hills but also a couple of decent fast straights.
I am looking at getting the On-One Pompino which comes with a 49 tooth front sprocket and a 18 tooth rear.
Is this ok?
It's been suggested to me that this would probably 'spin-out' at around 15 miles per hour and although I would like to go a little faster on the straights I'm also mindful that I need to make it up any hills!!!
Do any of you have any recommendations please?

Thanks in advance

My 42x17 spins out at 30mph so I doubt it
I could even do 15mph on 34x26 ( this gear was one of two available following an unfortunate incident on Dartmoor )

[stanley222]

Thanks for the replies - it sounds like I have been mis-informed about the 'spinning out'!!!

Is a 18T rear sprocket ok for a SS noob or am I better off with a 16 or 17?!

I get the impression from this and other forums that the Pompino is a fantastic bike especially at the current price of £449.99, anyone recommend anything else?

Cheers

[PaulF]

Is a 18T rear sprocket ok for a SS noob or am I better off with a 16 or 17?!

Depends on what you have on the front. Think 16T are more common.

[stanley222]

Is a 18T rear sprocket ok for a SS noob or am I better off with a 16 or 17?!

Depends on what you have on the front. Think 16T are more common.

As above - 49T front

[Sergeant Pluck]

Assuming 700c rims and 25c tyres, 49 x 18 = 71.8 gear inches, which is a pretty good starting point for the ride you describe, a little high if anything.

Put your own figures in:

http://software.bareknucklebrigade.com/rabbit.applet.html

[PaulF]

Is a 18T rear sprocket ok for a SS noob or am I better off with a 16 or 17?!

Depends on what you have on the front. Think 16T are more common.

As above - 49T front

Sorry, my bad, I missed that. 49x18 should be fine

[stanley222]

Assuming 700c rims and 25c tyres, 49 x 18 = 71.8 gear inches, which is a pretty good starting point for the ride you describe, a little high if anything.

Thanks - high as in I will be able to get a decent speed but will struggle on hills?!

[greenmeansgo]

Assuming 700c rims and 25c tyres, 49 x 18 = 71.8 gear inches, which is a pretty good starting point for the ride you describe, a little high if anything.

Thanks - high as in I will be able to get a decent speed but will struggle on hills?!

Yes. I ride 42*16 (about 69" I think) and it's about right for me in a flatish city and mild excursions into hillier countryside.

EDIT: the above ratio is for a fixed gear, not single speed freewheel.

[border-rider]

It's usual to gear a SS down a bit from fixed cos you don't have to spin down the hills, and 68-70 is a pretty average fixed gear size.

OTOH it's easier to spin out on the flat on SS, so if your riding is mainly flattish or rolling, a bigger gear may work for you.

[stanley222]

It's usual to gear a SS down a bit from fixed cos you don't have to spin down the hills, and 68-70 is a pretty average fixed gear size.

OTOH it's easier to spin out on the flat on SS, so if your riding is mainly flattish or rolling, a bigger gear may work for you.

Sorry for the stupid question but I don't get why it would be different on a fixed to a SS - surely they both ride exactly the same but the SS gives you the option to coast!?!

[jogler]

Sorry for the stupid question but I don't get why it would be different on a fixed to a SS - surely they both ride exactly the same but the SS gives you the option to coast!?!

no they don't & I find it difficult to describe the difference other than to say ss lacks the inertia of fixed that you benefit from & the ability to leg-break.
Can you test ride a fixed for a while?a friend who has one?attend a yacf ride?

[jogler]

where are you located geographically?

[stanley222]

where are you located geographically?

I'm in Yate - South Gloucestershire

[border-rider]

no they don't

no they don't.  It's very hard to turn a SS over at 200 rpm: the dead spot really bites and it's hard to pedal fast enough to stop the freewheel freewheeling.  Many fixed riders descend faster than geared riders on long gentle descents because they can spin the gear right up.

[stanley222]

Ah - ok!
I'm not that bothered at the mo about how fast I can go - just trying to work out what SS gearing is suitable for a SS noob.
I don't fancy a fixie - yet!!!

[Sergeant Pluck]

Assuming 700c rims and 25c tyres, 49 x 18 = 71.8 gear inches, which is a pretty good starting point for the ride you describe, a little high if anything.

Thanks - high as in I will be able to get a decent speed but will struggle on hills?!

Exactly.

[itsbruce]

It's usual to gear a SS down a bit from fixed cos you don't have to spin down the hills, and 68-70 is a pretty average fixed gear size.

OTOH it's easier to spin out on the flat on SS, so if your riding is mainly flattish or rolling, a bigger gear may work for you.

Sorry for the stupid question but I don't get why it would be different on a fixed to a SS - surely they both ride exactly the same but the SS gives you the option to coast!?!

My Madison originally had a flip-flop hub.  Rode it for one day single-speed and hated it.  Flipped, loved it and have never looked back.  Now sporting better rims with a fully fixed rear hub (19T one side, 17T the other).

[stanley222]

It's usual to gear a SS down a bit from fixed cos you don't have to spin down the hills, and 68-70 is a pretty average fixed gear size.

OTOH it's easier to spin out on the flat on SS, so if your riding is mainly flattish or rolling, a bigger gear may work for you.

Sorry for the stupid question but I don't get why it would be different on a fixed to a SS - surely they both ride exactly the same but the SS gives you the option to coast!?!

My Madison originally had a flip-flop hub.  Rode it for one day single-speed and hated it.  Flipped, loved it and have never looked back.  Now sporting better rims with a fully fixed rear hub (19T one side, 17T the other).

That's interesting - why did you hate the SS?!

[itsbruce]

Free-wheeling one one gear is something I can do on any regular bike; hell, London is full of people on expensive bikes they don't know how to ride doing pretty much that.  It didn't feel like liberating simplicity; it felt as if I'd given up one kind of control with no real benefit.  In contrast, as soon as I flipped the hub, I could feel the potential to be in complete control of the bike.  Rode it around the block a few times, rode it to work the next day and it's been my primary bike ever since.

[simonp]

Free-wheeling one one gear is something I can do on any regular bike; hell, London is full of people on expensive bikes they don't know how to ride doing pretty much that.  It didn't feel like liberating simplicity; it felt as if I'd given up one kind of control with no real benefit.  In contrast, as soon as I flipped the hub, I could feel the potential to be in complete control of the bike.  Rode it around the block a few times, rode it to work the next day and it's been my primary bike ever since.

My fixie has slowly taken over.  Started out just commuting.  Last year almost 3,000 miles on it.  This year so far basically all my miles have been fixed.  IT’S EVIL.

[Gattopardo]

I want a single speed with a hub brake for my beach cruiser.

Think its wrong with just a front brake and normal  free wheel.

[itsbruce]

I want a single speed with a hub brake for my beach cruiser.

Think its wrong with just a front brake and normal  free wheel.

You mean a coaster brake?  I do like them.  Took a bit of getting used to; can't back-pedal, so if you don't brake at the right point, you won't be in a good position to kick off again.  There is the old fixie trick of squeezing the front brake and pushing forward, but that isn't always so easy on a heavy cruiser, particularly with plain flat pedals.