[BikingViking]

I prefer not having to shift all the time when I'm riding

[Oneway]

Simplicity of bike, simplicity of mind. I ride single speed when I'm with less aggressive multi speed riders to level the playing field. I also enjoy my bullet proof 35c tires.

[fatandslow]

Originally Posted by BigDumbBear

Flats are just a pain in general. I carry the spare stuff needed. I just hate dealing with it. That's pretty much the only weakness found on a fixed gear bike though.

I don't understand why a ss would be more likely to get a flat than any other bike.

[funetical]

My new BMX only has one gear. It's nice to not be overburdened with choices.

[Industry_Hack]

Originally Posted by fatandslow

I don't understand why a ss would be more likely to get a flat than any other bike.

It's not. But if you've got 15mm axle nuts instead of a QR, it's a pain.

[hophead]

Originally Posted by BigDumbBear

Flats are just a pain in general. I carry the spare stuff needed. I just hate dealing with it. That's pretty much the only weakness found on a fixed gear bike though.

Here's another weakness:

Catastrophic drive train failure. I only lost one rider on my Thursday night ride last week and he was on a fixie. Reason was that his chain exploded. It broke in three places ending his ride.

Here's another one from a couple of years ago on the booze cruze:

[Oneway]

Yeah, I crush sprockets and explode chains alot too.

These aren't fixie specific but may be abuse related. I suppose a fixie may average more moments at high torque but well below hardware limits.

BTW I find flat repair takes 7 min. on my fixie instead of 5 on my multi-spd. It takes 2 minutes longer to adjust the chain. I ride Oneway with 35c, 75 psi bullet proof tires compared to my 23c 120 psi 18 spd.

[jwcart10]

i have two bikes... both singlespeed. one commuter/cross-ish fixie beater that i love and will never get rid of. its nothing special but it caused me to fall in love with biking again after a spell of annoying trips to the mechanic with my gear bikes. my second is my new surly 1x1 ss mountain bike. i've only been able to take off-road a couple of times due to weather. ssing is about simplicity... very little maintenance, the ride becomes about the ride.

[KC-Steve]

Originally Posted by hophead

So why do you all ride singlespeed?

He-he, I posed this same question to a young guy (20s to 30s) at my LBS and his answer was basically, "because it's cool." I don't really know whether his answer was tainted by the fact that they would like to sell high-end multi-speed bikes, but his answer didn't seem to help me understand why anyone would want a single-speed.

You see, my family was too poor to afford even a 10-spd Schwinn when I was young so I rode whatever I was given, but always wished for a 10-speed in the mid 1960s. So I have A LOT of trouble understanding why anyone would want one today.

Steve

[retromike3]

I have quite a few bikes and I can get a good workout on my fixed gear( Its a "Superman" inspired time trial frame I built with a very long top tube) when I ride about ten miles and the next day comes around, I'm a bit sore but I still have grin on my face.

Granted When I was riding home I got passed by a neighbor because he could dive around the corners, still I would not trade in that ride or the feeling I got for the world.

Mike Frye the bike guy