Whats the all the hype about single speed road bicycles?
Whats the advantages of single speed road bikes compared to multi speed? I sold some old road bikes on Craigslist, and a few people wanted to convert them to single speeds. Why have one speed when you can have multi speeds?
Reliability.I ride my bike 10 miles to work and I want to make it there. Emplyers do not understand that my derailleur fell apart and I will be late. I have found that the simplicity of the single speed leads to less problems. No derailleurs to fail. I have had derailleurs fall apart, ripped off, and cables break. Derailleurs will also quit working in ice and snow. There is no joy in riding to work at 20 degrees F in your 52×13 while it is snowing.
There is also less maintenance. Oiling the chain is all that you need to do. Multi-speed bikes really shine on hilly routes. Mostly flat routes can be done easily on a singlespeed.
I also have a nice road bike set up with 9-speed that I use in good whether for non-commuting rides.
Build a Single Speed Bike – Make: Video Podcast