One Speed is Enough

I'm of the opinion that single speed bikes are the way to go. Pretty much all I ever really need is one gear. One time of stomping down on the pedal just to have the chain fall off was enough for me to look for another type of bike. Bikes with shifters have to be kept in tune frequently. My bike currently has a 4:1 ratio (110" gain ratio) fixed gear and that works for most places I need to go. It's more efficient because the chain is always aligned directly with the gears and not at an angle. Yeah I have to build up speed to make it up the long hill to campus and at the top of the hill on the bike path going from Provo to Orem by the mall I have to make a few switchbacks. Those are the only places I go frequently where a lower gear would be nice. If I want to bike up to the Y or Squaw Peak I flip my rear tire around and that gives me a 2.4:1 ratio, which is pretty high but it still gets me there with a lot of work. I wish they made a 28 tooth freewheel so I could have a 1.9:1 which would be nicer for the steeper hills. So it takes me 5 minutes to change gears, but it's worth it. This gets me in the habit of not slacking off in lower gears and helps build up strength which I can use when I'm on my regular 16 speed and it's speed that matters more. If you think about it cars only have 5 speeds and they go a lot faster, there's really no need to have a bike with 21 or 24 speeds. It's the range of the gears that is more important than the number. Those extra chainrings rarely get used and just add extra weight.