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I prefer freewheel (having ridden both) and the efficieny difference, even to gears, is insignificant.
Pompino (it was a few years ago). We met in a darkened carpark....
I ride SS (MTB) just for a different challenge & variety, and as the winter-slop bike. Feels lighter, less draggy, more efficient than a geared MTB. I like the challenge of what uphills I can clean, and of balancing the in/out of the saddle with traction conundrum. It is said that you are never in the right gear, but actually, on a MTB particularly, in local general XC riding, the single gear works pretty well across the range of speed you are using most of the time (most of my local trails are undulating; it would be different if the ups & downs were all steep!).
I turned my commuter SS to liven it up a bit. Since I got my nice gravel bike, I'd been using that for most of my commuting too, which meant the commuter had sat in the garage mostly unused. It's shed a bit of weight (about a kg), and with the wet weather we've had recently, because it has guards & a rack, I've used it more in the last month than the preceding 18 months. Simplicity, lower maintenance, variety, and a different challenge (gurning up a long slog of a hill, just slightly too steep for the gearing to be comfortable).
Haven't tried fixie, and don't really feel the need. But love SS.
Many a bicycle/frame/wheel exchange has been done in a dark car park 🙂
Mm, I thought the Pompino must have been it (apologies, terrible memory for forum names). It was a shame but that didn't work out, it was too small for me. I built it up with some nice kit and sold it for a healthy loss.
I used to commute through London on a fixed track bike - loved it. Yes, it does take some getting used to but you soon get into it. I used to ride with Look road pedals which on reflection wasn’t the brightest idea but you soon get good at clipping in.
Things worth noting - keep on top of chain tension, you don’t want a slack chain. Don’t try and brake with your knees as it screws them up. Stretch your hamstrings a lot. Oh and be amazed at the number of times you freewheel on a geared bike - see a drain cover, freewheel. Reach for your bottle, freewheel. Trust me, you’ll only make the mistake once..
All of this talk of zero maintenance.
My Niner RLT with its Di2 Alfine 11 has had a nothing bar an oil flush, tyres and a set of pads in over 23k km. I think it needs a headset, but there’s a CK waiting in the drawer for when it dies.
EDIT - I also have a Kona Bandwagon (2010) SS roadbike. It’s on its second set of wheels, second BB, second headset, etc.
They’ve all been replaced with Phil Woods, Royce, CK etc, so should last a while.
Love singlespeed, thinking of getting a fixie too (with a front brake). I found having a belt drive just felt so much better than a chain. All in my head I'm sure but it's nice not to have to bother with clips on yer jeans when you pop down the pub.
All of this talk of zero maintenance…
Yeah, but no-one said all other bikes were high maintenance. Derailleur systems are high maintenance. Good hub geared systems are low maintenance.
All except my folder sport Look keo pedals. Clipping in becomes second nature and you will become good at it - when fixed you have no second chance, as you can't just coast to engage that second foot! I do it instinctively and don't notice a difference to my non-fixed bikes.
On the folder I use flat pedals and no straps or toeclips. I'm not spinning as fast and normally wearing work shoes.
The Paddy Wagon had some robust (read heavy) wheels, good sealed bearings. but heavy. I ride low flange Miche hubs with Open Pros and have two sets on different bikes. I also have track wheels and nice heavy set of campag for anther bike with MA40 rims. The dream bike is a Rourke fixed road bike in stainless steel with TCR compact geometry and Royce bling. One day...
@tired you want a giant Bowery(treat it to a bling paint job) awesome ss/fixed bike 🙂
Thinking of fixed wheel for my surly crosscheck, it's been many guises but that's one it hasn't had.
Will it improve stopping distances in bad weather? I'll have front and back brake as well but kinda assumed it would help in those car pulling out of junctions over cycle lane moments?
Also anyone recommend a cheap decentish wheelset? Preferably flip flop hub?
It's an interesting notion to equate being in the wrong gear with efficiency, I shall try constantly driving my car in 2nd and see how my fuel economy goes `:-)
Back when I was only commuting, like many I bought one of those bargaintastic Specialized Tricross Singlecross that were available 2008-2010, think it cost me something like ~£325 from Hargroves. In hindsight, I kind of regret never trying fixed on the flip-flop hub, or trying anything like ~40mm tyres it had clearance for. But then I had my RTA on it, lost all confidence in rim brakes and sold it on here.
Problem is that bike prices have risen sharply since then, while trying to source an SS with hydraulic brakes under £1k is almost impossible. I still can't believe that I was early to spot the Charge Grinduro editions at Wiggle for ~£510 back in 2017, but failed to spot the brakes were "proper hydraulic" TRP Hylex and so didn't snap one up! 😆
Still, every cloud has a silver lining and all that, a few months later I got my Cube for the steal price of £900 as one of the final ones left at Rutland in their May bank hol promo.
It’s an interesting notion to equate being in the wrong gear with efficiency, I shall try constantly driving my car in 2nd and see how my fuel economy goes
The drivetrain is more efficient not the gearing choice. You would need to remove the gearbox and directly drive the wheels from the engine if you want to try fixed in your car. I would guess it may not be worth it.
I have ridden fixed for almost 20 years with a bit of single speed in between but always go back to fixed (road, gravel and off road). This year I picked up a bargain 29er with 1x11 and the novelty was great at first (being able to ride fast on off road downhills) but 2 months later I am selling it and back on fixed again.
I just don't like gears or freewheels or brakes.
plus one
@tired you want a giant Bowery(treat it to a bling paint job) awesome ss/fixed bike
I had one in Oz. Can also recommend it.
Lovely direct feel to the pedalling. Also it has nice handling at almost zero speed when you're busting a gut up a nasty steep bit, ie flowing zigzags no problem.
I used to take mine up Mt Nebo in Brisbane, and Lake Morris in Cairns - both similar climbs to the Bealach na Bah.
Also anyone recommend a cheap decentish wheelset? Preferably flip flop hub?
I use halo wheels on my Langster, think they're flip flop but I only ever run fixed and it's at work so I can't check. Run true for commuting, cope with London streets on 25c and spin up to speed well. If money's tight you can always just stick a normal road front wheel in and save any fixie / hipster tax
£400. DB Cromo, nice lugged fork, good kit. Takes big tyres or guards. Silly brake levers imo but fashion said.
Bah. Extrapolating the geometry chart for that, I’d be spot on with an XXXL. I won’t hold my breath 🙂
@kilo cheers, looked at halo wheels but not sure about full painted rims as I want a decent braking surface.
Gave it some thought and I want bombproof and ability to monster cross single speed and road tyres for fixie, also ideally 130 oln rear. Oh and cheapish so I was thinking a bit moon on stick but went to the original bearded bike fiend, where fixies were the preserve of old men and audax riders. Spa cycles 😀
Can take between 25 and 55mm tyres built by person with Original hipster beard, hand built and tough as old boots.
It’s an interesting notion to equate being in the wrong gear with efficiency, I shall try constantly driving my car in 2nd and see how my fuel economy goes `:-)
It's more like being stuck in 3rd or 4th but you've got a reasonable diesel engine with a decent power band and plenty of torque at low revs, you're just a bit slow away from the lights, but it's not a race you know 😉
@nobody:
with hydraulic brakes under £1k is almost impossible. I still can’t believe that I was early to spot the Charge Grinduro editions at Wiggle for ~£510 back in 2017, but failed to spot the brakes were “proper hydraulic” TRP Hylex and so didn’t snap one up! 😆
I bought mine here in the USA in early 2017 at $799 thinking that was a damn good price. Then they dropped to $599 - I should have bought another one, just because.
Horribly blingy graphics and the cranks are made of cheese, but otherwise what a stonking deal that bike was. Shame they don’t do it anymore, but getting great use out of mine. In fact, doing a gravel race on it this Saturday!
Nope - Singlespeed
Thanks all much appreciated.
The Pinnacle and Dolan look pretty decent choices.
Worth the extra dough over the Pinnacle?
With the carbon forks and nicer wheels, and probably a decent chunk lighter I'd go for the Dolan. As Jamso suggested himself with the brake levers comment, the Pinnacle is trying to appeal to a more fashionable market. Dolan is a speed machine.
^ it's also easier to swap to flat bars or go fixed with a front brake only using those cross top levers. I'm just grumpy as I like SS road bikes with normal levers.
Dolan, no question. That pinnacle has slow handling geometry and a heavy frame. Butted, not double butted steel. By contrast, the Dolan has classic road geometry, light alloy frame and decent spec. Worth every extra penny. Have one set up as a fixed TT bike.
It's double butted crmo TiRed, light gauge. Frame's a pretty good weight for a steel bike esp at that price. Handling isn't quite as steep as a race or track bike, more city and winter road use, I know you prefer race geo though.
Sorry Jamso, I feel a bit bad for liking the Dolan better, but for balance I like my own Dolomite a lot and a bloke at work purchased a Laterite on my recommendation. 👍
I ride a Specialized Tricross (mentioned above) and love it. Great for cx/gravel riding and exploring over most surfaces. Great fun to ride and is my go to bike when I ride on my own. I’ve not ridden it fixed as the need to dab is a constant and I’m not sure how quickly I could unclip with spinning legs.
the Dolan has classic road geometry, light alloy frame
The Dolan isn’t that light: mine (60cm) is a bit over 2kg for the frame*, which is 250g or so heavier than my Trek Crossrip (61cm) and 500g or so heavier than my CAAD9 (63cm). The fork is a bit heavier than both the others as well, though only about 50g.
The 75/74 angles are pretty keen, too, even by classic road standards; the 72/73 on the Pinnacle will probably suit most people better, I’d have thought.
* NB looking at Surly’s quoted frame weights for the Steamroller (1.9kg for the 53cm, 2.0kg for the 56cm) it looks like the FXE may be only about 100g shy of an equivalently sized Steamroller 😬
The Dolan isn’t that light
It certainly isn't. I have had quite a few Dolan pre cursa frames over the years as they are almost disposable at £100 for the frame. A 54cm frame weighs 1850g and the carbon blade fork weighs almost 600g. I had a 531c track frameset that was lighter and my current Langster Pro frame is 1500g with a 360g fork. The Steamroller frame is 1.9kg but the for is almost 1kg (I have had a few of those too)
The geometry is steep but the fork offset is 30mm so the handling is actually a bit more stable than a road bike due to increased trail. Having ridden quite a few of the available track frames on the road and gravel I would go for a Dolan for a budget option.
tthew - don't, very different bikes, it's all choices, all good 👍
(2x post fat fingers)
Just been to look at that Pinnacle in the flesh, I be been toying with a single speed that can take guards for winter commuting instead of the Langster. Just a case of whether to get a large or extra large at 6'1". The blue version looks pretty nice.
The downside is it's a shame about the ridiculous brake levers, they really compromise it imho and that's another thirty quid or so for replacements, cables and tape. A frame only option would be handy given that I'd change the brake levers, wheels, saddle and run it fixed only.
OK, I'll fess up - my Dolan Pre Cursa sports a sub 322g (yes really!) Ritchey WCS carbon monocoque fork, the standard Alpina fork (I have two of those) is a bit of a boat anchor with an alloy steerer. Mine is a 54, so 73 head and 74 seat angles. A bit steeper at the rear than my (perfect) 73 parallel Paddy Wagon. The Seta has a 74 degree head angle, which has all that's stopped me putting it into summer road duties. My Poyner steel track bike also is 74 degrees, and "a bit of a handful" out on real roads.
The newer PW has slacker geometry than my 2007. The Bowery and the Langster also havea 73 head angle, from memory. Langster is a nice bike, but fitting guards can be a pain. Son1's now sports the original kona steel fork and yellow wheels, after he wrote both off at UNi.
My PW has an Enigma monocoque carbon fork (with SKS guards), Ritchey Stream bars, -17 Thomson stem, carbon seatpost, 105 165mm cranks and custom wheels (of course). Only the frame and Cane Creek brake levers are original now. It's my favourite bike (and I have plenty to choose from).
Just ridden into town on my plug setup fixed. Still not entirely sold on it compared to SS. I've probably got it geared too high for bimbling, but fixed seemed to amplify that, especially on all the small rises and dips where on a SS you would sprint up and coast down and onto the flat, on fixed I'm always moderating that so I don't hit the crest too fast and end up spinning out on the downs. Probably just needs more practice.
Same with braking. Still got front and rear brakes, but having to coordinate legs as well makes slamming on the anchors a bit difficult.
What’s the gearing? Typically 42x16 is the norm for off the peg fixed wheels. I ride 42x1 and 42x14 when fit. Track starts at about 48x14. Off to ride my Dolan on a closed circuit for a couple of hours of testing.
And I only ever use my brake to slow, front and rear. I don’t think about my legs, they just turn over with the speed. Try not to apply back pressure, or skid, just ride it like a bike!
I also found that going to just a front brake did not change the way I ride. Which was a surprise. My folder and the Dolan only have a front brake.
on fixed I’m always moderating that so I don’t hit the crest too fast and end up spinning out on the downs. Probably just needs more practice.
Same with braking. Still got front and rear brakes, but having to coordinate legs as well makes slamming on the anchors a bit difficult.
As you say, needs more practice. I use a low gear for fixed (44/18 - 64.5 inches) as also ride it off road and also don't use brakes so being able to spin is critical and after many years of riding fixed I can spin at over 180rpm without bobbing on seat and still maintaining control. The lower gear also makes stopping easier (slowing gradually and skid stopping)
You will get used to it and it will all feel so natural that a freewheeled bike feels a bit disconnected.
So having looked at the pinnacle Monzonite Jameso linked to over the weekend I went in to try it for size just now and as it was now only £350 bought one. I think I'm going to swap all the good bits off my Langster - brooks saddle, wheels and brake levers and then see how I get on with it