Single Speed Bikes: Pros and Cons

Single Speed Bikes: Pros and Cons

This guide outlines the pros and cons of single-speed bikes to help you decide which drive system is best for your riding style.

What is a single speed bike?

A single-speed bike has one gear ratio. That means there is a sprocket and a rear gear. The chain stays on the same two sprockets all the time. You don’t shift a single-speed bike. There are no derailleurs or shifters, and no internal hub gearing. To change your speed, all you have to do is increase or decrease the pedal speed. You can’t change gear ratios.

Some single speed bikes have a fixed gear hub. These do not have a ratchet mechanism. Instead, the gears are basically bolted to the rear hub. Gears cannot rotate independently of the wheels. When the wheel of the bicycle turns, the crank also turns. You can’t stop pedaling and coasting when a fixed-gear bike is in motion. If you pedal backwards, the rear wheels spin backwards and you move backwards. The movement of the bicycle directly controls the movement of the pedals.

Advantages of a single speed bike

1. Single-speed bikes require less maintenance
A single-speed bike requires fewer parts to maintain. For example, there are no derailleurs, shifters, or shifter cables. There is only one sprocket and one rear gear. Single-speed bikes have fewer moving parts that can wear out, break, or cannot be adjusted.

When you ride a single-speed bike, you will never have to adjust the derailleur. You never have to worry about the shifter index. You don’t need to adjust or replace the shift cable. Chains also tend to last longer on single-speed bikes because the chain stays straight all the time. The chain never runs lean and rubs against the gears.

Single-speed bikes are also faster and easier to clean because there are fewer places for dust to accumulate. The only maintenance you need to do on a single speed drivetrain is to clean and lubricate the chain, keep the tires inflated, check the brakes, and make sure the chain is properly tensioned.

When you ride a single-speed bike, you’ll spend less time maintaining your bike and more time riding. You also don’t need to learn as much bike maintenance to keep your bike on the road.

2. Single-speed bikes are lighter
On average, a single-speed bike is about 1-1.5 kg (2.2-3.3 lb) lighter than a geared bike. The average single-speed road bike weighs less than 9kg or 20lbs. By comparison, mid- to high-end road bikes weigh 9-11 kg or about 20-25 lbs.

Single-speed bikes are lighter because they have fewer components. There are no derailleurs, shifters or shifter cables. Only 1 chainring instead of 2 or 3, and only one rear gear instead of a 9-12. Eliminating all these parts can save a lot of weight. The bike contains less material.

There are many benefits to riding a light bike. Best of all, lighter bikes are easier to accelerate and maneuver because you move less mass while riding. Lighter bikes are also easier to transport. It’s great if you frequently carry your bike up stairs or onto your roof rack a lot.

3. Single-speed bikes are cheaper
Because single-speed bikes require fewer components, they are less expensive to manufacture. Therefore, the retail price is lower.

Especially the drivetrain, which is one of the most expensive components in a bike. Single speed bikes do not have derailleurs, shifters or shifter cables and housings. This saves money because manufacturers don’t have to buy or install these parts. They also only have one sprocket and rear gear. These are cheaper than multi-gear models.

Eliminating these expensive drivetrain components can significantly reduce the price of a bike. You can save between $100 and $500 or more by choosing a single-speed instead of a geared bike. For example, entry-level to mid-range single-speed bikes can cost $400-$800. A similarly geared bike can cost $800 to $1200.

When comparing single-speed and geared bikes at the same price, a single-speed model may come with higher quality parts. Because you don’t have to pay for an expensive drivetrain, you get a better quality frame, wheelset, tires, brakes, and more. If you are on a tight budget, if you choose to buy a better quality bike single speed model.

4. Reduce maintenance costs
Riding a single-speed bike also saves money on maintenance and repairs. You don’t need to take your bike to a bike shop to adjust the derailleur. You never need to buy a new derailleur or shifter after it breaks in an accident. These parts don’t exist on single-speed bikes.

It is also much cheaper to replace individual gears or chainrings when worn. A single sprocket costs less than multiple. Single-speed bikes are a great option for those on a tight budget.

5. Single-speed bikes are easier to ride
When riding a single-speed bike, you never have to worry about shifting. This means you don’t have to remember which chainring and rear gear you are using. Never worry about cross-chain. You never have to think about which way to operate the shifter to get the gear you want. You never have to think about which shifter controls the sprocket and which controls the rear gear. For new riders, it’s easy to forget which button upshifts, which downshifts, which shifter controls the front derailleur and which controls the rear derailleur. You also don’t have to worry about picking the best gear or dealing with changes in rhythm during your shift.

Without thinking about shifting, you can always focus on pedaling and steering the bike when riding at a single speed. This makes single speed bikes easier to ride for beginners and children. Riding a single speed requires less thinking. Single-speed riding has a smaller learning curve.

6. Single-speed bikes give you more exercise
Riding a single-speed bike requires more effort because you can’t take advantage of the mechanical advantages of different gear ratios to climb or cruise at high speeds. To climb a big mountain, you have to pedal hard. To ride fast, you have to pedal fast. Your average heart rate will be higher, and you’ll burn more calories on a single-speed ride. If your goal in cycling is to lose weight or improve your fitness, a single-speed bike is a great option. An average-sized person can burn about 500 calories per hour.

7. Single-speed riding can make you a stronger rider
When riding a single-speed bike, you usually need to pedal with more force than on a geared bike. For example, when climbing a steep hill, you really have to hit the pedals hard. You can’t just downshift and spin fast. Pedaling with more resistance helps strengthen your leg muscles. This extra power allows you to pedal harder. Having stronger legs can help you ride any bike.

Riding a single-speed bike can also help you improve your rhythm. This is possible because a single-speed bike forces you to ride at lower and higher cadences that your body isn’t used to. For example, you might need to pedal at 120 rpm in order to maintain momentum downhill. Riding at this high cadence helps build your muscles and train your legs to move faster. With some practice, you’ll be able to maintain a higher cadence comfortably, even when riding a gear bike. Some cyclists also experience smoother pedal travel when riding at a single speed.

Being able to maintain a higher cadence and ride smoothly will make you a stronger, faster cyclist. Today, some professional road cyclists and mountain bikers use single-speed bikes as a training tool.
8. Single-speed bikes have less mechanical complexity
Single-speed bikes have fewer moving parts than geared bikes. For example, there are no complicated derailleurs or gear levers. This means fewer parts can be damaged. There are also fewer parts to maintain or replace when worn. This makes single-speed bikes more reliable than geared bikes. There are fewer parts to worry about. The overall complexity of the bike is low.

One benefit of this is that you don’t need much mechanical knowledge to maintain a single speed. For example, you don’t need to learn how to tune a derailleur or change cables. If you know nothing about bike maintenance and don’t want to learn, a single speed might be better. Your bike will spend less time in the shop.

9. Appearance
Single speed bikes look simple and clean. There are no bulky and complicated looking derailleurs hanging from the frame. There is no shifter mounted on the handlebars or a shifter cable running along the frame. A single-speed bike has only one sprocket and one gear. Many riders love the sleek, minimalist look of a single-speed bike. The look really appeals to minimalists.

10. Single-speed bikes are harder to damage
Single-speed bikes have fewer broken parts. For example, there is no fragile rear derailleur hanging from the frame. No complicated integrated shifters. You don’t have to worry about damage when transporting your bike or in an accident. This makes single-speed bikes more reliable. If you crash or drop your single-speed bike, chances are you’ll be fine.
 

Disadvantages of Single Speed Bikes

1. Single-speed bikes are inefficient
When cycling, your cadence plays an important role in your efficiency. For most cyclists, the optimal cadence is between 60-90 rpm. Because you’re always using the same gear when riding at a single speed, it can be difficult to maintain an optimal cadence. Especially when riding in areas with uneven terrain.

Sometimes the gear ratio is too low, so you end up pedaling too fast. According to this interesting article, pedaling at higher rpm than necessary will make you expend more energy to lift your legs up and down. Sometimes the gear ratios are so high that you have to pedal harder. This can cause you to burn energy too quickly. You will eventually burn yourself out. This is common when climbing with a single speed bike.

On a single-speed bike, you can’t change gears to adjust the cadence. All you can do is pedal faster or slower, which is inefficient. As a result, you won’t be able to ride that far, maintain top average speed, or carry as much weight as a geared bike. You’ll burn more energy and tire faster.

Of course, your cadence isn’t the only factor that determines your riding efficiency. Aerodynamics, weight and rolling resistance also play an important role.

2. Single-speed bikes are harder to climb
A single-speed bike has a higher gear ratio than the lowest gear on a geared bike. This makes it harder to climb hills at a single speed. You need to apply more force to the pedals to go uphill. Sometimes you run out of energy and have to ride a bike. When climbing steep hills, sometimes you simply can’t generate enough power to keep the hawker turning. Therefore, single-speed bikes are not suitable for riding in hilly areas. You end up riding less and walking more.

There are several techniques you can use to make single-speed climbing a little easier. As you approach a hill, build as much momentum as you can. This momentum can help you go up the hill. When climbing a mountain, stand up and sell. This allows you to use your body weight to help you turn the crank. It also helps you tilt the bike back and forth while pedaling. Try leaning the bike off of the foot powered by the downstroke. Leaning the bike makes it easier to move your weight from one foot to the other. While leaning the bike, you can also use the power of your upper body to generate extra power. With a little practice, you can climb some surprisingly steep hills at a single speed.

3. Riding a single-speed bike can make your knees hurt
This is a controversial point. Some cyclists claim that single-speed riding is no harder on the knees than riding a gear bike. Some even claim that single-speed riding can increase leg strength and reduce knee problems. Others claim knee pain while riding a single-speed bike. I haven’t found any scientific evidence to support either of these claims.

Hard mashing on a hawker can cause knee pain and injury. According to this article, knee injuries usually occur when the revs are below around 60-75. Pressing down hard on the pedals puts pressure on the patella (kneecap). All the power you use to sell goes through the weight-bearing surface of the knee joint. Over time, this can cause pain.

Cyclists tend to pedal harder on single-speed rides than on geared bikes. Especially when climbing and starting from one stop. The reason is that you can’t downshift into an easier gear while riding a single-speed bike. The gear ratio is higher than the lowest gear on a geared bike. Sometimes you have to pedal harder if you want to keep riding. You end up overusing your knees. Over time, this can cause damage.

One solution might be to stand on the way up the hill. This seems to reduce knee stress when riding at a low cadence. Another solution might be to lower the gearing by replacing the sprocket or rear gear. In this case, you may need to install a smaller chainring or a larger rear cog.

If you experience knee pain while riding at a single speed, you should stop riding. As a rule of thumb, if it hurts, it’s not healthy. If you endure the pain, you may cause permanent damage.

It’s also important to consider that the transmission may not be the cause of the pain. Bike fit also plays an important role in comfort. Incorrectly adjusted saddles or clipless pedals can also cause knee problems.

4. Single-speed bikes have a lower top speed
On a single-speed bike, your top speed is determined by the gear ratio and the maximum revs you can pedal. A single-speed bike has a fixed gear ratio. This means that the rear wheel has a fixed number of crank revolutions per turn. This is so because there is only one gear. Your maximum pedaling speed will peak at some point. After all, your legs can only move so fast. On a single-speed bike, your top speed is limited by the gear ratio and how fast you can move your legs.

On a single-speed gear bike, your maximum cadence will be the same. The difference is the gear ratio. A single-speed bike has a lower gear ratio than the highest gear ratio on a geared bike. This is necessary so you can ride in a variety of conditions. For example, if the gear ratio is too high, you won’t be able to climb a mountain. For this reason, you won’t be able to go as fast on a single-speed bike as you would on a geared bike. If you’re riding with a friend on a gear bike, you may not be able to keep up in some cases.

5. On a single-speed bike, you need to change the sprocket and rear gear more often
These parts wear out faster on single-speed bikes because they are used all the time. The chain always rolls on the same chainrings and gears because there is only one of each. Over time, the wear and tear of the chain can wear down the teeth.

The chainrings and gears wear out more slowly on geared bikes because the wear is distributed over multiple gears. For example, a geared bike might have 3 chainrings and 10 cogs. In this example, there are 13 sprockets instead of 2. It takes longer to wear out all 13 sprockets.

Having said that, the sprockets and gears on a single-speed bike tend to last a long time. The reason is that the chain stays straight at all times. The chain never leans. This greatly reduces wear and tear. You can also extend the life of drivetrain components by keeping them clean and well lubricated.

6. Single-speed bikes are less useful
Single speed bikes are not suitable for certain types of riding. They are best for commuting, recreational riding, errands, city riding, cruising and other forms of recreational riding. They also work better in relatively flat areas rather than hilly areas.

There are places where you simply cannot ride a single-speed bike. For example, some grades are too steep to ride at single speed because the gearing is too high. You probably won’t use a single-speed bike for long bike trips due to inefficiency. You can’t use a single speed for most types of competitive riding. In most disciplines of road cycling and mountain biking, racers ride bikes with gears.