Let’s get one factor out of the best way early: single-speed electrical bikes aren’t good. In case you dwell within the hills of San Francisco, they’re not going to be your greatest pal. However when you’re like nearly all of metropolis riders around the globe – rolling by means of principally flat neighborhoods, navigating stop-and-go site visitors, and hopping on and off curbs – then a single-speed e-bike may simply be the neatest and most underrated choice in the marketplace.
Sure, hill climbing is the elephant within the room. A single gear ratio means you’re caught with no matter mechanical benefit the producer determined was center floor between acceleration and high pace. However right here’s the kicker: most city environments around the globe are constructed on flat terrain.
Sure, not all of them. Please don’t blow up my feedback part with “…However my metropolis has hills!”. It might, however you’re within the minority.
There’s a motive why most cities are comparatively flat. Traditionally, cities have usually developed alongside rivers, coasts, and plains – locations which might be simpler to construct on and navigate with early transportation infrastructure. Cities had been additionally inbuilt comparatively flat areas that had been simpler to broaden because the cities grew. Flatter areas had been additionally simpler to construct on, every little thing from constructions to roads and railroads. Whereas there are actually exceptions (I see you Lisbon, San Francisco, Wellington, Jerusalem, Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong, and numerous others), an enormous variety of the world’s densest city facilities are both utterly flat or gently rolling at most. So whereas it’s true that single-speed e-bikes don’t climb properly, it’s additionally true that in most cities, there’s not a lot climbing to be performed.
Which brings us to the true strengths of single-speed e-bikes. And so they’re value celebrating.
Simplicity that simply works
Single-speed electrical bikes are an ode to simplicity in a world of overcomplication.
The primary and most blatant profit is the sheer mechanical simplicity. No derailleurs, no shifters, no multi-sprocket cassettes to regulate or tune. Simply hop on and go.
There’s one thing extremely liberating about by no means needing to consider which gear you’re in.
For lots of riders, particularly newer ones, gears are a supply of confusion and intimidation. Single-speeds take away that completely. You’re actually at all times in the correct gear.
There are fewer components to take care of, fewer issues to interrupt, and fewer distractions whereas using. That’s a win throughout.
Lighter and extra environment friendly
With out all the additional drivetrain {hardware}, single-speed e-bikes are sometimes a couple of kilos lighter than their multi-gear counterparts. That may not sound like a lot, but it surely’s noticeable while you’re carrying the bike up stairs, lifting it onto a rack, or simply maneuvering it by means of tight city corners.
Plus, with out derailleur drag or chain line inefficiencies, energy switch out of your legs (and the motor) to the wheel is simply extra direct. In stop-and-go metropolis using, that interprets to snappier acceleration and a extra responsive really feel.
Single-speeds are good for belt drives
Right here’s the place single-speed e-bikes actually shine: they make belt drives attainable – and belt drives are superior!
As a result of belt drives require a tensioned system and may’t simply accommodate derailleurs, they’re a pure match for single-speed setups. That’s why most belt drive e-bikes are single-speed.
And when you experience a belt-drive e-bike, it’s laborious to return. My day by day rider e-bike is a belt drive and I completely LOVE it. No grease, no rust, nearly zero upkeep, and whisper-quiet operation. They final manner longer than chains and don’t stretch or skip below torque. For commuters or anybody who doesn’t wish to take into consideration chain upkeep ever once more, belt drives are a dream come true.
Extra inexpensive and simpler to take care of
Fewer parts imply a lower cost level. That’s true for each upfront prices and long-term upkeep. No derailleur changes, no worn-out cassettes, no shift cables to exchange. And if one thing does go mistaken, you’ve received manner fewer transferring components to troubleshoot.
This makes single-speed e-bikes particularly interesting for riders who need an ultra-reliable, low-fuss experience, whether or not that’s for a day by day commute, meals supply shifts, or simply errands round city.
Actually, when folks inform me they’re on an especially tight finances and wish an e-bike suggestion, I inform them to take a look at the Lectric XP Lite 2.0, which is a $799 e-bike that’s too good to value that little. It’s a single-speed, which is a part of what retains it so light-weight and cheap, but it surely’s so darn good!
City-optimized efficiency
Electrical help makes an enormous distinction right here. On a non-electric single-speed bike, your legs should make up for the dearth of gears. However with a hub motor or mid-drive supplying you with a lift, that burden is lifted. A well-tuned single-speed e-bike with respectable torque can deal with metropolis stops and begins simply superb, particularly in areas with delicate inclines or flat routes.
When your commute is 5 miles of flat pavement and a few purple lights, you don’t want twelve gears. You want reliability, simplicity, and a motorbike that will get out of the best way and allows you to experience.
If I’m being sincere, for lots of multi-speed electrical bikes, I find yourself simply leaving them in high gear since I’ll continuously throttle up by means of the decrease speeds shortly. Even with me pedaling alongside, it doesn’t pressure my legs very a lot as a result of I’m solely spending a couple of seconds at decrease speeds and pedal cadences till I’ve reached cruising pace, at which level the upper gear ratio is smart. A commenter on one among my earlier articles a couple of single pace e-bike mentioned it properly, “the facility band on an e-bike motor is way wider than the facility band of your legs.”
The sincere downsides of single-speed bikes
Okay, again to that elephant. Single-speed electrical bikes are nice, however they don’t seem to be for everybody. Single-speed e-bikes will not be very best for steep hills or closely loaded using. In case you usually carry cargo or experience in mountainous terrain, a geared setup goes to serve you higher. And since the gear ratio on a single-speed e-bike is fastened, chances are you’ll sometimes end up ghost pedaling on lengthy descents or pushing more durable than you’d like up a uncommon incline.
Additionally they provide much less flexibility general. Wish to tinker together with your drivetrain setup or optimize for cadence? Not a lot room to play with until you wish to swap sprockets, and even then, you’re nonetheless caught with a single gear ratio, albeit a totally different single ratio.
In case you’re a kind of riders who simply has to have gears, and there’s no disgrace in that, I’d suggest searching for an e-bike with an internally geared hub. These methods provide most of the similar advantages as single-speeds: low upkeep, no uncovered derailleur to get knocked out of alignment, and a clear, minimalist look. However additionally they offer you a number of gear ratios hidden contained in the rear hub, usually permitting you to shift whereas stopped, which is ideal for metropolis using with a lot of begins and stops. It’s an awesome center floor for riders who need the comfort and sturdiness of a single-speed however nonetheless want a bit extra flexibility to deal with occasional hills or heavy cargo.
However nonetheless… they only make sense
Regardless of these limitations of single-speeds, for almost all of metropolis riders, particularly these in flat to mildly hilly city areas, a single-speed e-bike isn’t just adequate. It’s higher. Decrease value, decrease upkeep, cleaner strains, quieter experience, and fewer to consider.
In a world the place electrical bikes have gotten extra complicated by the day, typically much less actually is extra. In case your day by day rides don’t embrace a mountain move, you may wish to contemplate going single-speed. You may simply discover it’s every little thing you want, and nothing you don’t.
