Re: High quality Single Speed Bicycle on a budget?

So "MattB" <[email hidden]> says:

Quoted message said:

I ride a coaster brake bike every day around town. It's fine for me and I
prefer it on a cruiser. Makes one-handed riding work better since I brake
with my feet. Good for sipping on my coffee on the way to work in the
mornings.

I just built a 24" wheel cruiser with only a back V-brake. The other
day as I jumped off the curb into traffic, coffee in right hand and no
brake lever under my left I thought how good an idea a coaster brake
would have been...

jeffb

jeffbonny said:

So "MattB" <[email hidden]> says:

Quoted message said:

I ride a coaster brake bike every day around town. It's fine for me
and I prefer it on a cruiser. Makes one-handed riding work better
since I brake with my feet. Good for sipping on my coffee on the way
to work in the mornings.

I just built a 24" wheel cruiser with only a back V-brake. The other
day as I jumped off the curb into traffic, coffee in right hand and no
brake lever under my left I thought how good an idea a coaster brake
would have been...

jeffb

It's tha shiznit!

Matt

My beat up old MTB currently runs as a single-speed coaster-braked
slick-tired urban beater. It's a old cromo non-suspension MTB, lost
it's derailer long ago, and a few months ago I changed it to the cheap
generic one-speed coaster brake. The thing runs great. I kept the
front canti brake, put some 3" steel riser handlebars(a change from
the northroad bars I was running), changed the saddle for a cheap,
wider sprung unit, and keep it geared at about 77". The thing is fast,
comfy, reliable and fairly light and nimble. Riding position is
upright and relaxed. Changing cogs on the coaster is cheap and easy.
The frame is old enough to have horizontal dropouts, so I can go from
a 12t to 18t with ease.

Running only a coaster brake is a bit iffy in my mind, unless you
prefer going at a slower more relaxed pace. I like to think a coaster
brake has the worst of both single speed and fixed gear worlds. 😉
You've got one speed, can coast and can brake at least as well as a
brakeless fixie. 🙂

One concern I have about the Van Dessell Staight Up is that there only
seems to be a provision for a front caliper brake. They sell the
add-on Odyssey 1999, which is a inexpensive BMX, rather long reach,
sidepull. I'd much prefer cantis or V-brakes. Or at least a shorter
reach sidepull (not sure what'll work with their fork/tire size). But
other than that, it looks like a good choice.