Shoutout to the co-op on 4th Ave, they got me to stop hating single speed builds | Bicycle Mechanics - Freelance Forum - The Community for Independent Professionals
Shoutout to the co-op on 4th Ave, they got me to stop hating single speed builds
I used to think single speed conversions were a waste of a good frame. Every one I did at the shop felt like I was taking options away from a customer just to save a few bucks on parts, and I'd steer people toward a 1x setup every time. Then I stopped by the bike co-op on 4th Ave here in town to drop off some old bars and the volunteer there walked me through a track frame they built up for a commuter who rides 6 miles each way in the snow. She pointed out the guy had replaced one chain and one cog in two winters, no derailleur to ice up, no cables to freeze, nothing. I sat with that for a bit because my whole argument was about versatility, and this dude just wanted to get to work. I've done 4 single speed builds since then and every customer has come back happy. What sold me was the simplicity more than anything, less stuff to fail when the weather is bad. So for the mechanics here, when do you actually push a customer toward single speed versus just letting them pick?