The latest trend that’s helping reduce e-bike prices - Single-speed electric bikes

[smorgasbord]

My first e-Bike experience was in Monterey, renting Rad Power bikes. Their instruction was to leave the shifter at "7" (it was a 7-speed), and then to change PAS levels or use the throttle if we needed. These are hub-motor bikes, so they don't care what gear you're in. That said, the paths and streets along the ocean are, well, almost as flat as the ocean itself.

 

[6zfshdb]

The popularity of SS bikes depends entirely on how and where you ride. Although a motor does reduce the need for the old style 21 or more speeds, 7 to 10 are handy if you ride trails or hilly city streets.

 

[FlatSix911]

I have always enjoyed riding Single Speed analog bikes for the ease and simplicity of the design.
Try riding a Fixie (fixed gear) if you want a challenge of maintaining the cadence with no backpedaling!

 

[WattsUpDude]

In our early 20s, a friend and I really got into road riding. He really got into a SS Bianchi and I stuck to my 3*10 Raleigh. I was really, really jealous of how light his bike was...until we needed to get up a hill.

 

[john peck]

The one thing that appeals to me is ease of maintenance, no derailleurs, cassettes, shifters, & cables to complicate & confound one.
Changing a rear tire has to be 100% easier. I´m still too damn big to ride one. That´s one reason why I abandoned my elegant, but fragile
road bike. skinny tires just bottom out or pop, & rims just end up tacoed. That blue Rad bike looks pretty substantial, tempting, but how
well does it climb? There´s some rather salient topography ´round here.

 

[kmccune]

I agree that a SS has a limited use case and can be a polarizing subject.
For me, the simplicity and ease of use makes the SS an attractive option for a quick town run.
I have a SE Lager analog bike that I have enjoyed riding both SS and fixie over the last decade... just flip the rear cog.

View attachment 70602

Man thats sharp!

 

[FlatSix911]

Man thats sharp!

Thank you... here's another beauty shot.

 

[mogulskier]

People who don't shift don't live in hilly or mountainous areas.

True. A single speed ebike would be just the ticket if you lived urban/flat/commute areas. But even then, I still shift through the gears if I am a little tired, or vice-versa have energy and want to ride faster. But I would suspect most of us live or ride in mountainous or hilly areas where shifting through the gears is mandatory.

Single speed really limits where you can ride, but that is OK for some people and obviously a market for them.