Single Speed Bikes in Chicago

I’m not particularly old (26 or 27, something like that) but I still remember my first bike and it’s lack of gears. Basically, it meant that every time I came to a steep hill I’d go as far up it as I could and then get off and push the rest of the way. By the end of summer there were few hills that could stop me. I remember that the awful, heavy thing had coaster brakes as well, so I had to push the pedal back to stop. One time my feet slipped off and I ended up tearing off all the skin on my elbows in a traumatic crash.

I miss those days.

Lo and behold, I started noticing that a lot of bike riders in Chicago have starting leaning away from multi-speed bikes, going back to the good ol’ days.

Lets look at some of the benefits of a single speed bike:

Simplicity and Durability

Lets face it, more moving parts may mean more convenience, but it also means more to potentially break. Stripping a bike down to it’s bare minimum mean less snags, ankle scrapes,less to clean and less to lubricate. With a single speed, the only thing you have to worry about is your chain. Less moving parts also means less worn parts that need to be replaced. There’s something to be said for being able to abuse the heck out of your bike.

Extra Brain-power

No more down shifting when you come to traffic lights, no more worrying about what gear you’re in. Free’s up your mind for more important things, like watching for buses, cabs and pedestrians. On the fly maneuvering becomes easier too.

Power Efficiency

On a geared bike, the chain has to run a snake like path through the derailer to reach whichever gear you’re in. On top of that, the multiple gears prevent the chain from running in a straight line from the sprocket to the chain wheel. Basically, all this adds up to geared bikes being very inefficient, despite being easier to peddle in many situations. On flat to minimally inclined ground (Chicago), a single speed bike gets a lot more speed and distance from the same amount of leg power.

Weight

Stripping all the various gears, pulleys, cables and shifters can actually reduce the weight of a bike by two to three pounds. In the world of light, exotic alloy bikes, two to three pounds is a lot. It makes curb hopping and transporting your bike that much easier.

Cool Factor

Look around town. Single speed are very hip right now. If for no other reason then to be more hip then your friends, you should get a single speed bike.

All in all, there really is no good reason for owning a geared bike in Chicago, or any sufficiently flat city. Even if you do live in a town with a lot of hills, I want you to remember one of the reasons you bought a bike in the first place: Exercise. Now aren’t you ashamed? Go buy a single speed, or take your bike in to a bike shop and get it converted over.