I Want One of These...

I currently have the 12 speed Bianchi road bike...but what I really want for riding out on the road is a nice inexpensive and basic single speed bike.

This bike here is available on Ebay for right around $250 with shipping, and it's about as basic as you can get. Single speed, 700c tires, flip flop hub to be used as a single speed or a fixed gear bicycle.

Now, why do I want a single speed bike?? A couple of reasons, really.

First, they are VERY basic. They don't have gears that need to be maintained, they don't have derailleurs to adjust, and in fact you usually remove the rear brake on them so they only have one brake. Really, there's just not much to them, which means you just ride and don't worry about maintenance.

Second, they look cool. The fact that they don't have many extra parts means that they are just a bike...no flashy expensive components, just a frame, two wheels, cranks and pedals. They are utilitarian, which I think is cool looking.

Third, and most important, having no gears to switch to forces you to work harder to ride the bike. When you are going uphill, you can't switch to a lower gear and just pedal your way through it. You actually have to power your way up the hill...and if you can't do that, you get off of it and walk it up the hill. If you set the bike up as a fixed gear, when you are going downhill your legs will move as fast as the pedals do, or else you're going to slow yourself down. Basically, they are supposed to be about as good as you can get for getting a good workout on a bike. What that means is that if you can ride a single speed well, you will be able to ride a geared bike even better.

I really want a nice bike for the road that will force me to get a good workout, which will in turn help me to lose weight and prepare me for riding the mountain bike a lot this summer. Basically, the single speed seems like it would be better suited for getting me in shape than even my Bianchi is.

I don't know when or if I'll be able to get one, but I certainly want one.