Mountain Bike Reviews Forum banner

Singlespeeds *are* harder..

2K views 29 replies 25 participants last post by  Mudflaps 
#1 ·
There is this rumour going around that singlespeed bikes are easy to ride.

It's wrong.


Singlespeed bikes are Harder To Ride.


Have a very Merry Christmas, everyone.. :)


R.
 
#2 ·
My current crop of SS bikes are EASY to ride! It's the elusive FS geared bike that I don't own that is hard to ride, as I don't have it......that is hard, or something like that. I don't want one either, and that was a hard decision, perhaps.....maybe not. Decisions are hard, or easy. ??

Merry Christmas to ya'll down under as well!
 
#9 ·
a la choy n' sh¡t

InfXXIV40-60 said:
...live with myself if I gave up singlespeeding.
Same here. it is hard for me to ride SS right now because I feel like I got hit by a truck. Massive cold on xmas eve. ugh.

But to me, SS adds the challenge that was lost by a multi geared/mass produced bike.

I like my bikes 29er
I like them black
I like them as gnome deflectors
I like them simple
I like to ride
I ride in the cold
I ride in the summer
I ride your mom
 
#10 ·
Spookykinkajou said:
I'm the opposite. My knees got much much stronger.

I also really believe ss'ing is easier than riding a geared bike. No one will persuade me otherwise:)
I'm in the same boat, knees are much stronger and hurt less.

How much easier can it get to just pedal?? There are always times that it is more work to pedal, but that is the same on any bike!
 
#11 ·
Because I ride my SS more often than my geared bike I find that I have lost my endurance to sit and spin.

Out of the saddle on a 32 lbs bike with 6 inch travel on the front and 5 rear the bike wears me out. There is 8 lbs difference between my bikes and when I am tired it feels like allot more. I can tell you that my SS is easier to push uphill.
 
#14 ·
When ever I ride my SS I always feel good about myself after the ride cause I feel like I have accomplished something that was a personal challenge physically and mentally. And I'm no pro-rider, just a 50 something overweight guy with too many calls on his time and too little time on the bike. My new years resolution is to ride more.

Easy is boring, and you never fail so you don't learn..
Hard is fun and builds character.

Merry Christmas SSers!
 
#15 ·
Sure, on some trails where you need an even *smaller* gear, riding a single-speed is harder...

...but, I would encourage any novice MTB'r to ride a single-speed. Why? You don't lose concentration worrying about if you're in the correct gear, or trying to remember to change gears for the next obstacle. If you're on a single-speed, you just ride it. Full concentration on the obstacle/terrain, you learn how to approach obstacles better, and overall, you develop your skills a lot quicker.
 
#16 ·
VegasSingleSpeed said:
Sure, on some trails where you need an even *smaller* gear, riding a single-speed is harder...

...but, I would encourage any novice MTB'r to ride a single-speed. Why? You don't lose concentration worrying about if you're in the correct gear, or trying to remember to change gears for the next obstacle. If you're on a single-speed, you just ride it. Full concentration on the obstacle/terrain, you learn how to approach obstacles better, and overall, you develop your skills a lot quicker.
brad?
 
#17 ·
Agreed. Just ride...nothing to mess with....just ride! "Sadistic Simplicity"

VegasSingleSpeed said:
Sure, on some trails where you need an even *smaller* gear, riding a single-speed is harder...

...but, I would encourage any novice MTB'r to ride a single-speed. Why? You don't lose concentration worrying about if you're in the correct gear, or trying to remember to change gears for the next obstacle. If you're on a single-speed, you just ride it. Full concentration on the obstacle/terrain, you learn how to approach obstacles better, and overall, you develop your skills a lot quicker.
 
#19 ·
It's harder than riding a mult-geared bike at first, but then it gets easier after the body adjusts and get stronger. I too feel the big weight difference after riding mostly SS for a spell then jumping back on the multi-geared bike (especially the FS one). That said, a SS'er generally still has to work harder in certain sections of a trail that a geared rider: rocky uphills, extended climbs. Putting in the extra effort required throughout a ride, generally makes the end of the rider harder for a SS'er. Can't sit and spin...
 
#20 ·
has this been resolved??
i mean i recently read ss is dead, now it's harder. i need a new line of work.

i suppose 'hard' is a relative term. I find acts of a physical nature easier than those requiring mental capacity...say above normal bodily functions...the point is geared is harder for me.

i try to pedal, it makes noise, too easy, too hard, creaking, cracking, dials and levers. nope.

like many others my crappy knees are much better thanks to my one speed.


happy new year. mine started at noon...hic.
 
#21 ·
.......................

My knees and legs are much stronger since I went back to riding singlespeed.

I have no problems riding up the steepest hills with my 32-28 gearing. I just sit and spin.

My riding friends have all deserted me though, because I am so slow, they say.

I don't care, because I know that I am a stronger rider than all of them.

Coasting is nice.. :)

R.
 
#22 ·
True

While I've found SS much more difficoult and limiting on my local trails I'm still riding mine 1 to 3 times a week but I only have two local trails where I ride more than I walk. I'm learning that for my style of riding the lightweight build can make things worse. I had my 1fg built fairly light but very cheap but recently put some 2.4 and 2.5 tires with an extra 2 lbs and made a switchback that I was 0 for 20 on so I'm finding ways to make it a bit easier. :D
 
#23 ·
Eye of the beholder

VegasSingleSpeed said:
Sure, on some trails where you need an even *smaller* gear, riding a single-speed is harder...

. If you're on a single-speed, you just ride it. .
I like that.
SS can be harder but, above all it is just a different approach to riding. One thing that can be harder is that moment when the cranks just barely want to turn on that hill and it's either push it or EFF it. I can't remember the first time i saw this posted or who said it. You know you are on a SS when you endo going UPHILL. That's something you don't really get until it happens to you. Otherwise it's all just momentum and flow!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top