I give my claris a scrape once a year or there abouts and it just keeps working with the addition of oil.

That’s interesting, the same conditions that my SS just trundled through effectively paralysed my SRAM GX drivetrain, resulted in such a badly rusted chain that I had to replace it, seized jockey wheels (a common GX trait I’m learning) and subsequently a new cassette as I’d obviously passed the point of no return with chain wear…

61 gear inches … also go downhill at 35mph

I remember getting that sort of cadence once on a 72in fixed. You must have fast legs!

This looked good to me, but discontinued I think:

https://www.marinbikes.com/gb/bike-archive/bikes/2017-nicasio-ss

BMC Mass Challenge 01 works for me, but on the flat you always are in just the wrong gear.

To be honest 13thfloormonk.

I don’t trust Sram gears or brakes to go to the shops never mind rely on them.

And every time someone near me does. It lets them down badly.

you can’t blame a chain rusting solid on anything other than lack of maintenance!

So in answer to my original question, it seems that there were quite a few of them but now there aren’t.

Sure if I magically change jobs to make such a bike feasible then I’ll be able to find something though. Thanks for all the input!

there’s loads here in copenhagen but with what looks like drum brakes or something, maybe look at non uk manufacturers

Fixed gear is best for commuting on flatter terrain but hillier needs a freewheel

I’ve had loads of success with crud roadguards on my dolan precursa because they are away from the track ends

Gatorskin rear only and run at bottom of the pressure range

SS commuter should be home built 🙂

Oh and KMC chains every time

I’m eyeing up the Pinnacle Dolomite singlespeed. Stealthy – until my breathing gives me away.

http://raleigh-canada.ca/rxs

I saw one of these for sale for £400 (new) on eBay and was very tempted for bombing around London.

Would have needed to fly to the US to pick it up, but still a pretty good deal!

I’m eyeing up the Pinnacle Dolomite singlespeed. Stealthy – until my breathing gives me away.

I’ve got one of the 2016/2017 blue ones (bought just before the black was annnounced – boo!) and it’s been awesome.

daily commuter, 15-20 miles a day depending on route. fitted some of the full length dolomite mudguards and managed to sell the spyres for virtually the cost of a set of 2nd hand hylex hydraulics on eBay.

Tempted to try a singlespeed imperial century on it next year……

A

I remember getting that sort of cadence once on a 72in fixed. You must have fast legs!

Yep, 180rpm (although have hit 200rpm) – riding pretty much only fixed for the last 17 years helps. Although can’t keep it up for more than a minute though so the hills have to be short.

If I rode just road I would up the gearing a bit but I ride more than 50% gravel and off road so it works out about right.

you can’t blame a chain rusting solid on anything other than lack of maintenance!

Well no, but that was sort of my point, the SS survived the exact same negligent maintenance regime (functionally) unscathed, the orange chain eventually embarrassed me enough to do something about it.

I run mudguards with an alfine hub and horizontal dropouts. Just extend the back of the mudguard a bit further to give you clearance to get the wheel out..?

I’ve got a hilly commute (5-600m over about 24 miles daily) so can’t easily get away with SS. I’m never going back to deraileurs on a commuter it’s just shit and far too much faff.  I’d also run a mile from cable discs or rim brakes.

My current bike is a Genesis day one drop bar with alfine 8, trp hylex hydraulics, microshift bar end shifters. I run schwalbe marathons and have full length mudguards. While there are ways it could be minorly improved it’s basically perfect and I’d buy another if I had to, over pretty much all other commuter bikes out there.

As some others have suggested, I’d say you need to get creative and go ‘home-made’, assuming you have the time and inclination. I have a Dialled Love/Hate converted to run a belt drive and although it’s a 26″ frame it fits 700 x 38c and mudguards. Whether the terrain is too hilly/flat for SS is pretty subjective. It works for me in Edinburgh and the low/lack of maintenance for daily commuting in all weathers is a real plus:

So much clearance I could get 2″ MTB tyres in there.

I’ve been commuting on a Day One Disc in London for the past 4 years, around 20K km in total.

In that time I’ve only had to replace chain and chainring once (at around 16K km), brakepads and tires (oh, and the rubish rear hub).

The greatest advantage of a SS is simplicity, I’ve seen a few commuters wrecking they RD, and TBH London is pretty flat so I don’t miss gears.

So much clearance I could get 2″ MTB tyres in there. Eyetted for mudguards. Heavy wheels. I may make them light by putting Enve stickers on….

I rode fixed whilst commuting in London, 20 miles or so each way.  Did it for a couple of years and enjoyed it by the end, although going back to a geared bike was a strange experience.  I did try it a couple of times with a freewheel but I preferred the feel of fixed so soon swapped it back.  It certainly makes you fit, especially when you’re a bit over-geared like I was.

All City Nature boy would be my choice, there’s a chap on LFGSS called Hoke who had a lovely one built up with carbon rims and guards – looked a proper bit of kit and ideal for commuting.