Single-geared bikes come in many different forms and a single-gear setup may be chosen for a variety of reasons.
The development of the bicycle has generally tended towards more and more gears, yet some of the fastest bikes in the world have only one. In fact there are a number of reasons why a single-gear setup (also called singlespeed) may be preferred.
In track racing a single gear is not just preferred but mandatory. In fact track bikes have a fixed gear (also known as fixed wheel) - there’s no freewheeling. The banked track of a velodrome, where a skid can turn into a steep slide, makes brakes dangerous, so the fixed wheel allows safer deceleration. Of course there are no hills or headwinds, and it’s also true that many track events are run off within a fairly narrow speed range so there’s no need for variable gears - as long as the bike is set up initially with the right ratio.
Track bikes can be ridden at speeds in excess of 40 mph in sprints and other short events, while Chris Boardman’s Hour Record stands at over 35 miles, so single-speed bikes certainly aren’t slow!
Fixed-wheel bikes are also used on the road; in most countries the law then requires a front brake to be fitted. Traditionally these bikes were widely used for winter training as the low gearing and constant pedalling encouraged riders to develop a supple fast cadence. They remain popular with bicycle messengers, who value the extra control that they give.
Singlespeed bikes are also favoured by a select band of enthusiasts for their lightness and simplicity. Some swear by them for mountain-biking in winter as they are much easier to clean and maintain; no fiddly derailleurs to get choked with mud and no chance of the dreaded ‘chain-suck’. Most of the major manufacturers have a singlespeed mountain bike in their ranges. It may be needless to add that no-one goes mountain-biking on a fixed wheel - or at least not for long!
The other area where single gears still dominate is bikes for young children, who aren’t yet ready to cope with gears. In fact studies show that a lot of riders (especially, but not only, kids) hardly ever change gear even when the bike does allow it. Which seems like the worst of both worlds.
