am planning on saving up for another bike,and have been thinking of a croix de fer 10 as one choice (as it can do just about any thing).

i have also been drawn to a kona paddy wagon too.

it’s £250 cheaper than the cdf.

for some reason the simplicity appeals to me (and the bike is lovely also).

now i live in wiltshire where there are a fair amount of hills,also not being fit am wary about going the ss route.but i do like the idea of the simplicity of not having to worry about getting gears adjusted e.t.c. just concentrate on turning the pedals.

i would think about saving for a hub hear at some point for it also.

what advice might you have for a ss numpty?

ta 🙂

p.s would be doing some bridleway/ridgeway riding also on it (well a bit of everything tbh).

Advice? Do it.

I’ve cycled mine for years round scotland and yorkshire.

Its different to geared riding but no less enjoyable. Is the paddywagon equiped with a flip flop hub because you’ll want to try fixed too 🙂

yes i think it is.

am intrigued by fixed wheel riding also,so 2 birds one stone as they say 🙂

Its like buying 2 bikes!

From your previous posts I believe motivation to ride may be an issue for you?

If so I’d advise against going SS if you live in a hilly area.

I know some experienced riders love the purity and challenge of it, but I’m pretty sure it’d do my nut and be really frustrating for me – and I ride a lot anyway.

I’d actually disagree my motivation can dive drastically.

my fixed gear is always ready and requires zero faff so less time for me to be put off.

Now of it was me a motivation was an issue I’d say go cages or straps so you can literally hop on and go for a blast in what you are wearing.

you are right chakaping about motivation (depression).

i have plenty of time to think about what to go for (due to having to save the funds),and will definitely have a good think about the pros and cons of it.

i do need to start riding my bike again first off,but hopefully the weather will start getting warmer now.

i have missed riding my bike tbh.

I thought i would get a fixie and i build up a beautiful Scott addict frame with White Industries Eno eccentric hub. The bike is stunning and about 5kg. I live in Snowdonia, and as i havnt put a freewheel on it, if i can actually ride up the hill to my house, then im doing about 130rpm at 21mph. Its frustrating having to brake downhill…

So i would definately recommend a flipflop rear hub if you live anywhere near hills!

Paddy Wagon, great bike, used one all winter, they come with a flip-flop rear hub, not sure you will be able to get a hub gear in there, as it’s 120mm rear dropouts and there are no gear cable fixing points.

I have a PW too. Great bike. I live in very-hilly North Devon, and have been riding it fixed. Am thinking of going to freewheel though…. Much as I love pushing a fixed gear on the flats and climbs it takes the fun out of downhills…. as you tend to be pedalling uncomfortably quickly and can’t lean the bike over into the corners properly. And, let’s face it, you need to get the fun in where you can on a roadbike!

The kona looks grea in real life, better than in the pictures

I tried SS on the road for a while and found it really hard to find a gear that made climbs doable, but wasn’t ridiculously spinny everywhere else. Based in the Peak, so some biggish hills and I’ve ridden SS mountain bikes a fair bit, but I couldn’t work out gearing for the road that worked for me. Maybe I was just being feckless and lazy though.

Sorry but I don’t get it; I know two SS riders and both have bad knee problems but won’t admit that riding SS in a hilly area is causing the trouble.

I test-rode a CDF and found it too heavy. Road riding is about maintaining good pace and attacking hills and a CDF wouldn’t allow you to do that.

Road riding is about whatever you want it to be.
?
I’ve never had any knee problems and i know plenty of other people who haven’t.

I know people with only geared bikes that have knee problems…

My single speed road bike is probably my favourite bike. I do tend to avoid the really hilly routes when I’m riding it if I’m honest…. The simplicity and lack of maintenance is a major bonus particularly for commuting though…

If there was a link between ss and knee problems then everybody who walks uphill would have shagged knees too.

I’m drawn to the Day One Disc as a potential SS dabble. Fancy the versatility of wider tyres as we have lots of Sustrans and tow paths routes to explore.

I’ve ridden with clubmates who ride fixed all over the Peak District. They are all mad and/or fit as the proverbial. Having tried fixed on the track, I’d want to very comfortable and confident with it before trying it on road!

Sorry but I don’t get it; I know two SS riders and both have bad knee problems but won’t admit that riding SS in a hilly area is causing the trouble.

What do you see as the link?

Out of interest when folk say they ride SS up hills what sort of hills,length,steepness,Category etc are they talking about and how many do they do in a ride? I wouldn’t fancy any of the climbs near me SS,they’re hard enough (for me)34/32.

I’ve ss and geared road bikes and tbh the maintenance thing is a bit overstated. I’ve done next to nothing mechanically on the road bike in about 3 years. Granted it’s now due a drivetrain replacement but even so that’s a couple of hours work and then I’d expect to do almost nothing for another 3 years.

As far as buying goes, if you’ve a geared bike already get the ss, but I wouldn’t have only a ss myself. Notwithstanding all the fit chaps hooning about the Peaks and Lakes on theirs, for me it’d be too limiting.

For commuting yes. I range a Boardman SS for a year and it was great. I also used it for club runs and longer rides on my own, and that was where it struggled.

Too slow on the flat and too slow on the hills ust meant it was a bit of a pain, so I sold it and bought a geared commuter and winter bike, much better for what I need now.

Having said that if speed isn’t an issue then i’d go for it. Do miss it for commuting though.

I’ve put double sided pedals on my SS bike. So I can use it with proper spd shoes for longer rides and normal shoes for local rides, like emergency supermarket run

I fancy a geared road bike as well, but I do love my SS bike

Clocked a few thousand miles on my day 1 disc. New rear hub bearings and moved to a WI freewheel, which now needs new bearings…

Overall it’s been great and still on original disc pads.

42/16 and I can crawl up most hills on Blackdowns/Quantocks/Exmoor as I ride most days but just gear down a bit and you should be okay (just spin out a bit more quickly on flat)

I ride fixed/ss Dolan Fxe, rode it this morning on a wet and windy club run, no real hills here in SE Essex though, if you’re riding on your own ss is great, it can be a bit frustrating on faster group rides though. I’ve not had any knee issues, if it gets steep I just slow down.

OP I used to live near you. I really wouldn’t bother with SS it will restrict your riding too much unless you gear it down or are are fit enough to monster it up the hills.