When it comes to riding a single speed, most people will never fully understand the reasoning behind it. I was one of these people until I got myself a single speed cycle and can tell you from experience, they come with a lot of benefits.
Probably the biggest benefit is they are made simply and easy to work on yourself. Unlike a typical bike, these have a single gear which means that if something were to break, you could fix it yourself. But since there is only one gear, chances of things breaking are greatly diminished. Simplicity is a blessing in this case.
Now, for those daily riders out there, you are probably using multiple bike gears on your commute to the office or the store. This is fine and dandy but I think shifting can be a pain. I like to keep things simple and single speed cycling brings me joy.
Click here to see the best selling single speed bikes on Amazon
Fixed Gear Bikes vs. Freewheel – What Is The Difference?
There are two different styles of single speed bikes out there. The first one is called freewheel. This is where you can keep your feet on the pedals and coast without moving at all once you pick up some speed.
The second kind is my favorite type of bike and that is the one that has a fixed rear gear. Essentially, there is no costing with these bicycles. You can coast, but that means the pedals are going to be spinning. This feels strange when you start to ride them, but once you learn how, there are lots of fun tricks you can do and use the pedals as your breaks because they go both ways!
Recently there have been more bikes popping up that have a switch that allows you to go from freewheel to fixed with a simple wheel change. You do not need two separate wheels. These bikes operate by taking the wheel off, turning it around, and putting it back in. These are a great solution if you enjoy riding both styles but only want to buy one.
Single Speed Bikes Look Great And Ride Better
These are not your typical bikes that are stuffed full of breaks, cables, and other nonsense. They are simple, streamline, and extremely fun to ride. They come in many different colors and styles to fit your personality. They are easy to work on, easy to customize, and just overall simple to turn into a machine you will love!
Alright lets get into my top 5 picks for single speed riding!
Takara Kabuto
This bike is one of the best values for a single speed on Amazon but I have to be honest. It is not the best choice if you are truely inspired to ride a fixed gear. Why you may ask? I think it is too heavy and the colors are a bit off.
They do not look bad! But there are better options further down the list. The reason I put this at number 1 on my list is because a lot of you are looking for budget options and this bike is extremely affordable. If this is all you can afford, get it, and enjoy riding around town!
I mentioned that this bike was heavy and I mean it. It has a steel frame and the wheels are not that great and only come in a single walled style which could break if you ride over a big hole by mistake.
If you can accept the above facts, then this bike is alright. It has breaks on both the front and rear tires and work well if you really clamp down on the triggers. This is one of the cycles where you can flip the wheel in the back to make it fixed gear or a freewheel.
Click here to see the Takara Kabuto Price
Vilano Single Speed Road Bike
Vilano is doing a great job as a brand to bring the latest and greatest to us bikers. On top of that, they are bringing quality at an unbeatable price. I would much rather pick up a Vilano than a competitor brand for twice as much.
Now, what you make up for in price, you lose in variety. There are not that many colors to pick from but I think the ones that are offered look great. If you want a single-speed, this one looks great riding around town!
he bike itself is middle of the road. The frame is made of steel but this steel is not as heavy as other brands and will offer a smoother ride. When it comes to the rims, which are 43mm and have double walls, you get the perfect solution for getting yourself around town or to work.
he bars on this bike feel fast, look great, and are very comfortable. This entire unit will weight just under 25 pounds which is pretty light when it comes down to it. If you do not want to break your bank, give this one a look!
Click here to see the Vilano Single Speed Price
Critical Cycles Fixed
Critical Cycles is a brand that puts out really quality bikes of all types. The frame of this is well designed, sturdy, and offers a nice ride. There are also a ton of colors to chose from so you can pick something that matches your personality.
When you take a look at this single speed, you see that they give you more than 7 different colors to pick from, all of which are multi colored. These can be seen from almost a mile away.
Unlike the units that I went over above, when it comes to critical cycles, you start to get some brand name components that hold up a lot better. This particular bike has Protek components, both breaks and cranks. This is also the style that allows you to flip the rear wheel for a choice of freewheel or fixed gear riding.
This package is very comfortable to ride because you are sitting upright without bending over thanks to the handlebar position. Comfortable, easy to ride, and looks great. What a perfect combination for city riding.
Click here to see the Critical Cycles Fixed Price
Critical Cycles Fixie Urban
I told you I liked critical cycles didn’t I? I just had to include another one in the list because of the way this bike looks and rides. This has lower handle bars making you learn forward a bit while riding. This has two benefits. One is that you can get a faster speed, and the other is that it gives you more control over your bicycle.
This style is almost a throwback to more simple times. When it comes to the breaking system, it only has a break on the front wheel. If you want to truly ride a fixie without breaks, simply take it off, easy as that!
Another great thing is that this still has the hub in the back that allows you to flip the wheel around and ride freewheel or ride fixed gear. Options are always the best thing when it comes to riding.
My favorite thing about critical cycles as a company though is that they are high quality and offer you so many styles to chose from. This one in particular comes in 9 different color styles. There is surely one there that will fit your style.
This is a great value for the money. I am surprised they can put this out for the amount they are charging.
Click here to see the Fixie Urban Price
Retrospec Beta Series
Finally we come down to the best single speed I think is being offered right now. A lot of the other offers I went over above had at least one thing I was not too happy with. Some had no name components, others had seats that were not as comfortable. Now, you have to realize that at this price point, these are not valid complaints. They are all great quality bikes that should last you a lifetime.
Now that being said, the Retrospec is on an entirely new level. Brand name components, an excellent frame, great rims, and looks great! Everything rolled into this package is pure gold. Sure it costs a little bit more, but overall is still a pretty cheap bike for what you are getting.
From experience, I think if you were to shell out the little bit extra and get this bike over the others, you will be very happy with your decision.
Oh, I almost forgot some of the things it comes with. Dual breaks, both on the rear and front, a hub to change your riding style, double walled wheels to keep your tires in good shape.
Everything you could want in a budget single speed is right here. Many colors to choose from make this a bombshell of a deal!
Click here to see the Retrospec Beta Series Price
Single Speed Biking Is So Much Fun
Do not believe me? Watch this video!
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