Once upon a time, Bicycles were considered as just an affordable mobility solution. However, in recent times, especially after the enforcement of the nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, people have started enjoying cycling. People now want to stay fit & fine by cycling and also there are some youths who aspire to be a professional cyclist. Cycles are becoming very popular in India but if you are out in the market to purchase one for yourself, you might face a dilemma that whether you should choose a hi-tech cycle with gears or a gearless cycle. We thought of making it easy for you and so here we have a detailed comparison of the Cycle With Gear vs Cycle without Gear. We have also listed their Pros and Cons.
Basically, there are two types of cycles in the market - Cycle with Gears and Cycle without Gears. A gearless cycle or a traditional single speed cycle has a single gear ratio. It works on a very simple straight forward principle, the harder you pedal, the faster you go. Then, we have cycles with gear. These types of cycles have multiple gear ratios. The new-age hi-tech geared bicycle allows the cyclist to shift from one gear combination to another, depending on the terrain he or she is riding on. These types of cycles have derailleurs which let the cyclists shift between different cogs, thereby allowing them to maintain cadence even if the terrain around them changes. The new-age bicycles with gears are very comfortable for long-distance riding.
In the above paragraph, you heard a term called Cadence. Now, let me tell you what it is, so basically, Cadence is the rate at which a cyclist pedals. It is the number of pedal revolutions per minute. Talking about gearless cycles, there are two types of gearless bicycles. They are Free Wheel cycles or the regular bicycles which we use and the second one are Fixed Wheel Cycles, also known as Fixie Bikes. The Free Wheel Cycles are very popular in India. They are very affordable too and can be easily ridden by anyone. In these cycles, the back wheel is not fixed to the pedal while in the Fixed Wheel Cycles, the rear wheel of the cycle is connected very hard to the pedals. The Fixed Wheel Gearless Cycles are mostly used in indoor track racing events.
Now, let me tell you some Pros and Cons of both Gearless Cycles as well as the Cycles with Gears.
Cycles without Gears (Gearless Cycles)
Pros
- Easy To Ride - Just get on to the saddle, start pedalling and you are good to go. It is very easy to ride.
- Very Affordable - The gearless cycles, particularly the free-wheel gearless bicycles are very affordable.
- Easy To Maintain - The gearless cycles are very affordable and they are low on maintenance too. You can, in fact, do most of the repair and maintenance work on your gearless cycle on your own.
Cons
- Not Suitable On All Terrains - The gearless bicycles are best meant for riding on smooth roads. It is very difficult to ride such bicycles on hilly terrains, flyovers, bridges, etc.
- Limited Speed - The main mantra of gearless cycles are the more you pedal, the faster you go, thus your speed always remains limited.
- Might Cause Injuries - As you have to constantly pedal the cycle, it is not at all suitable for long-distance journeys and might cause injuries in leg muscles.
Cycles with Gears
Pros
- Suitable for different types of Terrains - The gearless cycles were not at all suitable for riding on hilly terrains, on bridges, flyovers, etc. However, you can easily ride on different types of terrains on a cycle that has gears as you change your riding gear as per the riding terrain.
- Faster and Smoother - The new age hi-tech bicycles with gears offer smoother acceleration, they pick up pace very quickly and ride faster, compared to a gearless single-speed bicycle.
- Can be used for long-distance journeys - The cycles with gear are flexible, faster, can be ridden on various terrains and thus, one can use them to cover long-distance journeys.
Cons
- Expensive - The first and the major negative point of the bicycles with gears is that they are expensive. The geared bicycles cost much more than the gearless ones.
- Higher Maintenance Cost - The new-age hi-tech bicycles with gears require more maintenance. Their maintenance and replacement costs are higher than the gearless cycles. Especially, the replacement cost of the cogs of the geared cycles is very expensive.
So, this was all about the Bicycles with Gears and the Gearless Bicycles. We have explained to you what are the major differences between them and also their pros and cons. Now, as you know most of the things between these cycles, so Cycle with Gear vs Cycle without Gear, which one will be your personal pick and why? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions with us in the comments section below. You can also join our 91Wheels Auto Enthusiast Telegram group (click via mobile to join) curated exclusively for the fans, enthusiasts and the owners. Further, subscribe to our YouTube channel for more such amazing motoring updates.
