Tell us about your bike(s)

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Permalink Reply by Bob on November 1, 2007 at 8:42pm

I've been giving the singlespeed bike idea a lot of thought. Below is a link to a site I have found useful in learning more about options a person has in choosing a singlespeed bike.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/singlespeed.html

I know my next bike will be a singlespeed, I just need to decide which options I want to go with. One thing for sure is I want to build it myself.

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Permalink Reply by Meetzorp on November 2, 2007 at 4:12am

My SS is my favorite bike. Granted that's also because it's the best fit of the lot of them, and also the lightest. My bikes tend to be pigs.

Because a singlespeed ends up being pretty significantly lighter, it is less work to get it going and keep it going. I've done 90 mile round trips on my SS with no complaint.

I'm not a fixie freak. I'm quite the opposite, actually. I'm a big fan of the freewheel, and find fixed gear counterintuitive, annoying, and inconvenient. Especially with the generous scattering of roller hills in Kansas City. I like to be able to coast down a hill if I feel like it.

That Centurion of yours would probably be a decent candidate for a SS conversion.

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Permalink Reply by Bob on November 2, 2007 at 8:35am

I know my Centurion would be an excellent candidate, but I am going to keep it stock. That bike is the first bike I purchased in adulthood and it signifies the beginning of a journey to a place only a bicycle can take me now. I ride it mostly during the winter while mounted on a trainer, but I also still take it out on the street and enjoy the places only a bike can take me. I also feel the same way Jen does about her Bianchi.

The other part is I have built several computers and there is something to be said about building it the way you it and up until I have always had bikes built the way a factory saw fit. I now want a bike exactly the way I want it, with exactly the components I want on it. The parts won't all be new because of the abundance unique bicycle shops and used parts in the Portland area, thus it will make building of the bike a fun parts gathering and people meeting adventure too.

I know I won't save a lot money, but the SS will be what I want and for my first SS it would be a great way to start a new adventure in cycling.

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Permalink Reply by feral geographer on November 8, 2008 at 9:31pm

i just blogged about my newest bike project, which happens to fit in with this discussion about single-speed conversions. i had her set up as a 3-speed (sturmey-archer internal geared hub) until recently, when carpal tunnel syndrome led me to seek a wheel with a coaster brake so that i wouldn't have to use my hands when stopping. the only wheel available was single speed, so i went with it, and it's great! i'm used to riding a fixie, which makes the big difference for me just being able to coast when going downhill: i'd forgotten how nice that feels.

my bikes:
nigella (above-mentioned 1972 raleigh sport with original front wheel and new rear with SS hub & coaster brake)
the pug (70s retro 12-speed orange peugeot road bike, overhauled and outfitted with some new components)
duncan (14-42 ratio fixed-gear, navy bianchi frame)

there's also a raleigh road runner (20 inch wheels, kids' bike, probably circa 1975) languishing in the garage, and i recently found an amazing road bike (campagnolo and shimano 600/dura-ace components!) in the trash, but those are still in the project phase.

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