my first dable at singlespeed

Andy R":y0kjki0y said:
GarethPJ":y0kjki0y said:
Discs? No thanks. V brakes are more than good enough to lock the front wheel, why would you need better brakes than that?
Because disc brakes offer better modulation (so that you don't lock the wheel), don't collect mud and crap like V brakes tend to do, work predictably in wet and muddy conditions and don't wear your rims away.

That's enough advantages for me anyway.

:LOL: Yup...gotta agree with you
 
To get back onto the topic :roll: I think SS does improve fitness as it forces you out of your comfort zone - certainly I have to force it up every hill and it's the choice of that or walk.

The other thing is lightness. Ditching gears and sus forks saves a shedload of weight.

I run 32x17, with a screw-on Shimano freewheel. The freewheels are poorly sealed (well, unsealed :shock:) and certainly are going nowhere near a hose in future. Strange noises after 250 miles is not what I'm used to !
 
I don't think it improves fitness,4hr road rides averaging over 20mph do that,it does improve your love of cycling though cos ssing is great fun,4hr road rides ave over 20mph are not.
 
What's speed got to do with fitness? Riding SS or fixed might not be as fast (to listen to some of the fixed community it's faster) but if you put in the effort you get fitter.

Cycling is high efficiency locomotion so you won't get as fit as you would by, say, running. Ride a single gear your increasing the effort so it should have correspondingly higher gains.

I remember a sports coach once saying to me, "If you can't run, walk. If you can't walk, cycle."
 
why does every mention of a single gear promote a discussion on its merits and possible downfalls :?

speed over time or distance is a pretty good measure of fitness . it cant just be a coincidence that most other sports use road cycle training as a means to maintain and improve performance

weight lifters put in a decent effort . i wouldnt say they were very fit though . comeon its a completely different kind of twitch fiber . explosive strength isnt comparable to prolonged endurance . it seems like effort is being misinterpreted as determination

id laugh in the face of a " sports coach " who quoffs at such a low impact / high aerobic gaining activity
 
perry":6jxjzn54 said:
why does every mention of a single gear promote a discussion on its merits and possible downfalls :?

speed over time or distance is a pretty good measure of fitness . it cant just be a coincidence that most other sports use road cycle training as a means to maintain and improve performance

weight lifters put in a decent effort . i wouldnt say they were very fit though . comeon its a completely different kind of twitch fiber . explosive strength isnt comparable to prolonged endurance . it seems like effort is being misinterpreted as determination

id laugh in the face of a " sports coach " who quoffs at such a low impact / high aerobic gaining activity

Exactly what I was trying to say but not very well :oops:
 
GarethPJ":2bksx45k said:
What's speed got to do with fitness? Riding SS or fixed might not be as fast (to listen to some of the fixed community it's faster) but if you put in the effort you get fitter.

Cycling is high efficiency locomotion so you won't get as fit as you would by, say, running. Ride a single gear your increasing the effort so it should have correspondingly higher gains.

I remember a sports coach once saying to me, "If you can't run, walk. If you can't walk, cycle."

What do you mean what has speed got to do with fitness? If you hadn't noticed the fitter you are the faster you go cos to go faster is harder due to wind resistance etc.
I hope you didn't pay that sports coach for that snippet of wisdom,can't imagine he'd of got a job at British cycling :LOL:
 
I think what some people (including me) are trying to say is...roughly this...oh and lets forget about wind resistance.

In theory..two bikes...one geared, one singlespeed. Riders of equal fitness etc etc...
Lets say the geared bike is travelling at 15mph. Lets say that equates to a comfortable cadence for the SS bike.
Go faster and the geared bike simply changes gear...with a bit more effort. I would say the SSer would have to put in significantly more effort to maintain that speed.
The same for going up hill etc
Extrapolate that over a ride, and the SSer is putting in more effort for the same results plus a greater variance in cadence = using different muscle groups...legs and upper body.
But at the end of the day....who cares :LOL:
I'm definately fitter for riding SS....and thats all that counts to me :D
 
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