Singlespeed vs Multispeed, and other Gearing Options
The most common question new riders ask is whether it's better to buy a multispeed or a singlespeed. For those of you who don't know, a singlespeed is a bike with just one gear, and a multispeed is a bike with multiple gears, in which you can select your desired gear ratio with the click of a shifter, located on your bike's handlebar.
Today I will walk you through all the advantages and disadvantages of singlespeed and multispeed setups, and also talk about other gearing options available.
1)Multispeed-
Pros:
1. You can alter your gear ratio, which helps in climbing of hills. On flat or downhill sections, you can increase your speed without changing your cadence (cadence in cycling means revolution of cranks per minute, or rpm.)
2. It feels less stressful on your legs. You can climb any hill without walking up it, and also get faster on a downhill sections if you have good high and low gears.
3. It is a bit easier to remove the rear wheel from the frame dropouts.
4. They are always used in competitive cycling events/races.
5. Chain stretch is lesser than singlespeeds.
Cons:
1. They are heavier. A bike with gears can weigh about a kilogram more than a singlespeed. This means you have to carry more weight around with you and hence more power is lost.
2. If they break, they can be expensive to replace. A derailleur (the part that changes the chain's position) of good quality can cost about 2000 rupees or 25$(USD) (or more).
3. They are not fully efficient. As the chain has to go through so many bends, and also can be laterally bent if they are not used correctly, they can become inefficient. The efficiency in numbers is about 95%. This means that the power put through the pedals is not fully utilized in forward motion of the bike.
4. They can become very dirty, if not cleaned for a long time (I once remember removing 1 cubic centimetre of dirt out of a derailleur!).
5.If they break in the middle of nowhere, they can totally ruin your ride. This is a more common problem on cheap gearing setups.
6. They look more complex. They can also be a hassle to fully service (cleaning, alignment etc.).
7. For better performance, you need to buy groupsets, which includes the total gearing setup, of a specific brand such as Shimano, or Sram.
2)Singlespeed-
Pros:
1. They are far less complex and the bike looks cleaner.
2. They are very efficient. The chain only bends when it goes through the two sprockets. The efficiency can be as high as 98%.
3. Cleaning of the chain and sprockets is easier.
4. It makes you a stronger rider, as you have to push that one and only gear you have, up the hills.
5. It's more fun. Almost all singlespeed riders who were before, a multispeed rider, like riding a singlespeed more (as the case with me!).
6. It's good for long distances. I know many people will oppose me, but if your gearing is correct, a singlespeed will be a lot easier to maintain on long journeys. A derailleur can get fully jammed if you ride through mud, which will never happen with a singlespeed. A singlespeed is the best option for recreational cyclists, who want to go at their own pace.
7. You can concentrate on your ride more, as you have no gears to worry about, because you are always in the wrong gear! However, there are some places where your gearing will work totally correct.
8. It's always ready to ride! You can never say that a singlespeed is not ready to ride due to it's gear problems.
9. You can put more power on the chain without the chain slipping. On some geared bikes, what happens is, that when you put a bit too much power on the pedals, the chain slips out of the sprockets.
10. It's cheaper. A lot cheaper for buying, as well as maintenance. For those who are on a tight budget, they can buy a singlespeed and not regret it.
11. It's becoming more and more popular! Almost all cyclists are not racers, so they do not like the complexity of gears and opt for a singlespeed.
12. It was the first bike you started on. If you had ridden a bike in your childhood, it is highly likely it was a singlespeed. So, you can also relive the moments when only one gear was your option.
13. It's lighter. As I have said, a multispeed can be almost a kilogram heavier than a singlespeed. This means that you carry less weight around, and you can have less power loss.
Cons:
1. You sometimes have to apply too much power to climb a hill of a high gradient (steep hills).
2. It is not good for racing and competitive events. You most certainly need gears if you are planning to be a competitive cyclist.
3. You have to set the correct chain tension. This is mostly done after a couple of hundreds of kilometres of cycling, when your chain becomes too long after stretching. If the chain falls off frequently, then it is time for making the chain tensioned again.
4. They may not be good for people with leg injuries, as more power is needed to climb hills on a singlespeed.
5. Many people may think that geared bikes are more fun to ride than a singlespeed, as you don't need much power.
6. There are times when you have to get off your bike and just push it up a hill.
If you ask me, I've had enough with gears. I don't like them and feel much better on a singlespeed with a gear ratio of my choice. I just like their simplicity. That's it!
But what if you like both and want to see the best of the two worlds? Well, there are some solutions. Their are two other gearing options, one is the use of a double threaded hub (also called a flip flop hub), and internal gears.
Double threaded hubs-
They are great if you want everything that a singlespeed has, with an extra gear ratio too. Traditional hub have one side threaded, where the freewheel is mounted. On a double threaded hub, you can mount freewheel on both sides, thus having two gear ratios. For changing gear, you remove the rear wheel and turn the wheel 180 degrees, so that the other freewheel is on the right hand side of the bike.
These are great if you do not wish to change gears frequently. There's also no change in efficiency, except that the bike will be just a few grams heavier than before due to the added freewheel. They are the best option if you live where it is flat, but might want to change your gear ratio once in a while. Personally, I'm also thinking of buying one and having two gear ratios on my singlespeed. However, there is just one issue, and it is that you will have to correct the chain tension if you want to change the ratio. There are no other downsides to this type of gearing.
Internal gears hubs (IGH)-
This gearing option is great if you plan to do long distance riding, whether touring or bikepacking, and want a bike that looks like a singlespeed. These types of hubs have gears inside of them. You change gears with a shifter, just like using a derailleur gear. But the shifting takes place inside the hub. From outside, the bike may not look like it has an IGH at first glance, but they are present. They also do not need much cleaning, and some specific lubricant is enough for them to be maintained. They can also be shifted when your bike is stopped, unlike a derailleur.
But these also have downsides. Firstly, they are heavy, thus increase the weight of your bike. They are also inefficient, because the input power passes through many gears inside the hub. They are expensive as well, and the cheapest ones have very less number of gears and gear range. They do not have as much range as a derailleur gear. They are also rare in developing countries, so if they break somewhere remote, they cannot be fixed by unskilled mechanics. They are also very noisy, so they may not be totally ideal if you are going bikepacking and want silence.
So, these are the two options that are available if you want to maintain a singlespeed look for your bike, but at the same time have gears. Not many people know about these, but it's great to try something new!
Thank you for reading and stay tuned!
Today I will walk you through all the advantages and disadvantages of singlespeed and multispeed setups, and also talk about other gearing options available.
1)Multispeed-
Pros:
2. It feels less stressful on your legs. You can climb any hill without walking up it, and also get faster on a downhill sections if you have good high and low gears.
3. It is a bit easier to remove the rear wheel from the frame dropouts.
4. They are always used in competitive cycling events/races.
5. Chain stretch is lesser than singlespeeds.
Cons:
1. They are heavier. A bike with gears can weigh about a kilogram more than a singlespeed. This means you have to carry more weight around with you and hence more power is lost.
2. If they break, they can be expensive to replace. A derailleur (the part that changes the chain's position) of good quality can cost about 2000 rupees or 25$(USD) (or more).
3. They are not fully efficient. As the chain has to go through so many bends, and also can be laterally bent if they are not used correctly, they can become inefficient. The efficiency in numbers is about 95%. This means that the power put through the pedals is not fully utilized in forward motion of the bike.
4. They can become very dirty, if not cleaned for a long time (I once remember removing 1 cubic centimetre of dirt out of a derailleur!).
5.If they break in the middle of nowhere, they can totally ruin your ride. This is a more common problem on cheap gearing setups.
6. They look more complex. They can also be a hassle to fully service (cleaning, alignment etc.).
7. For better performance, you need to buy groupsets, which includes the total gearing setup, of a specific brand such as Shimano, or Sram.
2)Singlespeed-
1. They are far less complex and the bike looks cleaner.
2. They are very efficient. The chain only bends when it goes through the two sprockets. The efficiency can be as high as 98%.
3. Cleaning of the chain and sprockets is easier.
4. It makes you a stronger rider, as you have to push that one and only gear you have, up the hills.
5. It's more fun. Almost all singlespeed riders who were before, a multispeed rider, like riding a singlespeed more (as the case with me!).
6. It's good for long distances. I know many people will oppose me, but if your gearing is correct, a singlespeed will be a lot easier to maintain on long journeys. A derailleur can get fully jammed if you ride through mud, which will never happen with a singlespeed. A singlespeed is the best option for recreational cyclists, who want to go at their own pace.
7. You can concentrate on your ride more, as you have no gears to worry about, because you are always in the wrong gear! However, there are some places where your gearing will work totally correct.
8. It's always ready to ride! You can never say that a singlespeed is not ready to ride due to it's gear problems.
9. You can put more power on the chain without the chain slipping. On some geared bikes, what happens is, that when you put a bit too much power on the pedals, the chain slips out of the sprockets.
10. It's cheaper. A lot cheaper for buying, as well as maintenance. For those who are on a tight budget, they can buy a singlespeed and not regret it.
11. It's becoming more and more popular! Almost all cyclists are not racers, so they do not like the complexity of gears and opt for a singlespeed.
12. It was the first bike you started on. If you had ridden a bike in your childhood, it is highly likely it was a singlespeed. So, you can also relive the moments when only one gear was your option.
13. It's lighter. As I have said, a multispeed can be almost a kilogram heavier than a singlespeed. This means that you carry less weight around, and you can have less power loss.
Cons:
1. You sometimes have to apply too much power to climb a hill of a high gradient (steep hills).
2. It is not good for racing and competitive events. You most certainly need gears if you are planning to be a competitive cyclist.
3. You have to set the correct chain tension. This is mostly done after a couple of hundreds of kilometres of cycling, when your chain becomes too long after stretching. If the chain falls off frequently, then it is time for making the chain tensioned again.
4. They may not be good for people with leg injuries, as more power is needed to climb hills on a singlespeed.
5. Many people may think that geared bikes are more fun to ride than a singlespeed, as you don't need much power.
6. There are times when you have to get off your bike and just push it up a hill.
If you ask me, I've had enough with gears. I don't like them and feel much better on a singlespeed with a gear ratio of my choice. I just like their simplicity. That's it!
But what if you like both and want to see the best of the two worlds? Well, there are some solutions. Their are two other gearing options, one is the use of a double threaded hub (also called a flip flop hub), and internal gears.
Double threaded hubs-
They are great if you want everything that a singlespeed has, with an extra gear ratio too. Traditional hub have one side threaded, where the freewheel is mounted. On a double threaded hub, you can mount freewheel on both sides, thus having two gear ratios. For changing gear, you remove the rear wheel and turn the wheel 180 degrees, so that the other freewheel is on the right hand side of the bike.
| Flip flop hub/double threaded hub on a bike. |
Internal gears hubs (IGH)-
This gearing option is great if you plan to do long distance riding, whether touring or bikepacking, and want a bike that looks like a singlespeed. These types of hubs have gears inside of them. You change gears with a shifter, just like using a derailleur gear. But the shifting takes place inside the hub. From outside, the bike may not look like it has an IGH at first glance, but they are present. They also do not need much cleaning, and some specific lubricant is enough for them to be maintained. They can also be shifted when your bike is stopped, unlike a derailleur.
 |
| Shimano Nexus Internal Gear Hub on a bike |
So, these are the two options that are available if you want to maintain a singlespeed look for your bike, but at the same time have gears. Not many people know about these, but it's great to try something new!
Thank you for reading and stay tuned!
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