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Raleigh 12-speed: Diamond in the Rough

From David Fiedler, About.com

Here's a 12-speed Raleigh bicycle dating from the 1980s. With its sturdy steel frame, it was a prime candidate to convert to a single speed commuter bike.

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(c) David Fiedler

Why would a person want to get rid of all those perfectly good gears and take it down to just one, you ask?

Well, a single speed bike is lighter and much simpler to maintain. That's good news if you ride in all types of weather, because you only have to keep the chain clean, as opposed to worrying about all the things that moisture and road grit can do to a bike with derailleurs and shifters.

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