A single speed road bike is a surprisingly common thing to see on the road and in a bike shop these days. Most people believe that bikes with 21 gears or more are virtually required these days. In fact, the opposite is true and many bike enthusiasts are buying single speed road bikes online or at their local bike shops.
Before the invention of geared bikes and mountain bikes, a single speed road bike was the only thing available. Until recently, the best place to see one was in a bike racing velodrome where track racing bicycles have a single speed and even lack brakes! An increasing number of people are bringing single speed bikes off the race track and onto city streets. Some people do this for style reasons – it’s considered a glamorous and stylish practice. Others believe that a single gear allows them to train better than a bike with many gears. Still others are looking for a simple bike with low maintenance and as little weight as possible.
There are two main types of single speed road bikes. The first is a free wheel road bike. This means that there is a ratcheting action that allows the rear wheel to continue spinning while the pedals have come to a rest. This sounds complicated but this is the standard behavior on 99% of bikes today. It means that you will obviously have to pedal when going uphill, but will allow you to coast and keep your feet in place while soaring down a hill. The steady clicking sound you hear when coasting downhill is the ratcheting action of the free wheel at work.
Another more rate style of single speed road bike has a fixed gear. This is the most mechanically simple style of bike because the chain stretches between a single gear in front and a single sprocket gear in back. When the pedals move, the rear wheel moves. When the rear wheel moves, the pedals move too. This means that the rider must always be pedaling while the bike is moving and cannot coast while going downhill. This style of riding is foreign to most people and requires some learning and care.
This direction connection between the pedals and the rear wheel means that a skilled rider can slow down the bike by resisting the turning of the pedals. Some riders will therefore use just a front brake or even have no brakes on their bike, and depend solely on their legs for stopping power!