Single-speed bikes are those bikes that only have one gear ratio without shifters or derailleur hangers. Most bikers refer to it as the single speed road bike, but there are many different types of single-speed bikes such as BMX, fixed road bikes, jump bikes, mountain bikes, track bikes, and most bikes for kids.
There are many advantages to using a single speed bike such as weight, price, maintenance, and ease of use. Physically, there’s less to a single-speed. There’s less parts that require additional cost, maintenance, and weight on the bike frame.
Single-speed bikes are less maintenance since they have fewer parts compared to the multispeed ones. The only areas that require maintenance are tire pressure, brake adjustment, and chain tension.
A single-speed bike is also more affordable both during its initial purchase and with any maintenance required after the purchase. Other bikes incur additional costs due to derailleurs, cables, cassette, shifters, housing, and crankset. All these are not found in the single-speed bike.
If there’s one thing that bikers like in single-speed types is its simplicity. The golden rule when using this type of bike is if you want the bike to go faster, you have to pedal faster. This makes it easy for someone to lose weight since every speed increase entails more physical effort. However, this may also be a disadvantage for anyone who is aiming for a race or who wants to learn more about cycling. A single-speed bike can be very restrictive for this type of cyclist.
If you have already decided to buy a single-speed bike which is also known as SS, here are some things for you to keep in mind:
Make sure that you really like an SS. This type of bike is not for everyone. There are no gears so it’s like you are riding the BMW when you were still a child. You need to be fit for a bike for you to completely enjoy it unless your place is flat all throughout. Remember its benefits include being lighter, more agile, and a flippier ride.
Be sure that it’s not a fixie you ask for in the bike shop. Most people easily mistake the two bikes. The fixie is what is the other name for the fixed-gear bike. It is also an SS but it has no brakes. When you stop pedaling the fixie, it breaks.
You may opt to make your own. Making your own can be fun and interesting when you have a team who can help you. But if you like to make things faster, you can simply buy off the shelf.
One thing about the SS is that it has great agility, and you riders would truly enjoy it if it is refined and perfectly calibrated. It can also be treated like an art project by building it from an assortment of light materials.