My friend Bill gave me an old 12-speed Raleigh that, while still a solid, classic bike, had seen its better days. Meanwhile, I was moving from one house to another and that I had a shorter commute with no big hills that I wanted to do year-round and in all sorts of weather. An ideal choice for this type of ride presented itself in the Raleigh and so over a weekend, I converted it into a single-speed commuter bike. With fenders, it'll be just about perfect. This photo gallery shows what it looked like before the project, and what it looks like now.
There are a couple of reasons why a person might want to ride a single-speed. Mechanically they are a lot simpler, with no gears, shifters or derailleurs to worry about. They do much better in bad weather because all you have to be concerned about is keeping the chain clean. Plus, the bike is lighter without the extra parts. Finally, riding a single speed develops your spinning ability and increases your pedal cadence.
