Single gear bike
- Thread starter Curley
- Start date
Bad at going up hill, or bad at going fast on the flat.
Probably OK if you are very fit, or don't mind going slowly.
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What do you think of the GTECH?...Thinking of getting a couple for my wife and myself
I'm really enjoying it to be honest!.
Sets off very well from traffic lights and is fine on the hills, brunt of the torque/ assist is around 12 mph.
I normally pedal around 16.5mph comfortably, anything above 18mph your legs will be going 10 to the dozen!.
It free wheels very well, seen 22mph peak with no real input just freewheeling down a slight decline.
Carbon belt drive is great, silent and silky smooth.
If you're after a speed machine it's not for you, if you want a simple well designed bike that you can just get on and ride it's excellent.
Transformed my cycle to work and back!.
I managed 50 miles out of the 1st battery charge as well, was very impressed with that.
I have owned a couple of single speed ebikes and they were fun low maintenance reliable bikes.
But as KeithMac indicated you get to use a wide cadence which some can cope with and some can't, if you are a low cadence rider probably better staying away from them as you won't be able to pedal assist at speed.
Side story we have a single speed riding group(some fixed wheel as well) down here and I was chatting to one of them and asked how they cope with our hilly terrain, to which he said it was not a problem, so I asked how he went riding in my suburb, the reply was only a lunatic would ride a single speed there. The electric assist corrects this problem, you do have to add some pedal assist but nothing to OTT as long as the gearing isn't ultra high.
But as KeithMac indicated you get to use a wide cadence which some can cope with and some can't, if you are a low cadence rider probably better staying away from them as you won't be able to pedal assist at speed.
Side story we have a single speed riding group(some fixed wheel as well) down here and I was chatting to one of them and asked how they cope with our hilly terrain, to which he said it was not a problem, so I asked how he went riding in my suburb, the reply was only a lunatic would ride a single speed there. The electric assist corrects this problem, you do have to add some pedal assist but nothing to OTT as long as the gearing isn't ultra high.
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Yeh that's the biggest plus point of the electric assist with a single speed, no worries about getting stuck in stop start traffic.
No doubt I would be faster on my 27 speed geared mountain bike, but for town riding the Gtech is much more enjoyable.
I suppose it all depends on your main use for the bike.
No doubt I would be faster on my 27 speed geared mountain bike, but for town riding the Gtech is much more enjoyable.
I suppose it all depends on your main use for the bike.
I was brave with our new Kudos K16 of putting a single gear,especially after my criticism of the lack of gears on the G-tech.
But the usage of the bike is important,the K16 was intended as a light (15kgs) commuter bike ,it is intended to cycle at 12-15 mph,so high speed is not a priority,with this in mind we put a small diameter chainring to offer rider assisted hill climbing.
The K-16 is very fast accelerating,it is nimble and quick at low speed and is an exceptional hill climber but it was never intended to be a high speed sports bike.
I don't think you can put a big chainring on a single speed bike unless you have legs like Wiggo to pull away or hill climbing.
However,we increased the chainring size on our Kudos Secret to lower the cadence at speed and make the gears more useful,the Secret is therefore more suitable if longer range at speed is important.
It's a case of 'horses for courses'.
The K-16 is selling the best of any new bike release of the Kudos range,it does a job that is not satisfied by other e-bikes and the fun colours are attracting a younger buyer to the world of e-bikes.
KudosDave
But the usage of the bike is important,the K16 was intended as a light (15kgs) commuter bike ,it is intended to cycle at 12-15 mph,so high speed is not a priority,with this in mind we put a small diameter chainring to offer rider assisted hill climbing.
The K-16 is very fast accelerating,it is nimble and quick at low speed and is an exceptional hill climber but it was never intended to be a high speed sports bike.
I don't think you can put a big chainring on a single speed bike unless you have legs like Wiggo to pull away or hill climbing.
However,we increased the chainring size on our Kudos Secret to lower the cadence at speed and make the gears more useful,the Secret is therefore more suitable if longer range at speed is important.
It's a case of 'horses for courses'.
The K-16 is selling the best of any new bike release of the Kudos range,it does a job that is not satisfied by other e-bikes and the fun colours are attracting a younger buyer to the world of e-bikes.
KudosDave
I took a week to get the hang of the single speed, you deffinitely ride it differently to a geared bike.
As you say I'm happy with 16.5mph on the legs, no chewing about with the gears and no problems up the hills/ into the wind.
I thought I would get passed far more than I have by other cyclists, seems although ultimate top speed is lower average speed is about the same.
I have overtaken a fair few people now up the two inclines on my way to and from work!.
Working my way up to 18mph, higher cadence.
As you say I'm happy with 16.5mph on the legs, no chewing about with the gears and no problems up the hills/ into the wind.
I thought I would get passed far more than I have by other cyclists, seems although ultimate top speed is lower average speed is about the same.
I have overtaken a fair few people now up the two inclines on my way to and from work!.
Working my way up to 18mph, higher cadence.
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