Frankenstein
Deceased - Frankenstein 1991 - 2018
- Local time
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- Joined
- Jun 24, 2016
- Messages
- 5,035
If you want to shift, you must use a shift kit, it's not cheap but in my opinion it's worth every penny. As long as you set it up right that is (I've seen failures, but they were user error)
Top speed is about the same you'd get from a single speed, it's the same engine, same horsepower, and therefore the same ability to move an object up to a certain speed. Difference is that you can work your way up and beyond the gear ratio of a single speed, so you can effectively cruise within the power band of the engine, that means 35mph won't make your bike feel like it's going to explode under you. And going up hills is very nice, since you can shift down and let the engine run at a nice pace without over working it, or having to help it.
I can't say you'll be faster, like I said, the motor can only do so much, no matter how you change the gears it will only ever be able to do so much, but you can get the same speeds at a lower rpm than usual, and going downhills you don't need to clutch or hold the gas in to keep the speed, on a single speed the back wheel and engine run together as a single unit, that means is your wheel is moving faster than the engine, then the engine has to speed up to be the same, but if you're not hitting the throttle downhill then the engine will be slower, and so it behaves like a brake on the rest of the bike.
It's kinda like how a tractor trailer needs to have the engine and transmission at the same input to output rpms before letting the clutch go to engage the 2 together.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about in that sense perhaps you've noticed some of those big tractor trailers rolling down the highway making that loud rumbling sound, that's the engine brake, slowing down the engine speed before the transmission is engaged to lock them together, if it's not in sync the whole thing wants to fight itself as into self destruction. I guess the point is that you either have to pay close attention to your motor speed and traveling speed with a single speed bike, if you want to get the best performance and life from the motor and drivetrain.
With a shift kit you have better control of the way the motor and rear wheel interact with each other, and roadside fixes are way way easier, that heavy chain is a complete b**ch to replace roadside, with a shift kit you can replace or repair the chains way easier with a small multitool that fits in your pocket, I own a tool from diamondback, it's got an array of Allen keys, a torque #25 bit that let's me adjust my brakes, flat head and phillips, and a small but rather robust chain breaker, I broke 2 chain breakers on my half link chains but this one has no problem at all with them. It folds up and is smaller than the palm of my hand.
Anyways off topic a bit, but seriously you have better control over all the aspects of operation, and in a very worse case scenario, you can simply remove the vertical chain and then you can pedal the bike with 0 resistance that you would otherwise see with a single speed with the clutch in, all you have is extra weight.
And you don't need to wait for the engine and you and the bike to get to its power band, rather you shift up as the engine passes it's sweet spot, then start up through it again, this delivers the most power possible while also accelerating you as quickly as possible, which is something that can be harder uphill or against wind.
I can't stress enough that a shift kit is not a faster bike, it's a better way to get the top speed, while holding the top speed. And it's better at hills by a long shot. If you are riding a lot on flat grounds, then single speed could be your racehorse, but here in PA you are talking about really nothing but hills and potholes, especially in the Pocono region.
So Uh yeah, that's my feelings on the subject.
