Most people who ride bikes have no idea how to shift gears
maxmautner.comthere must be a strong causal link with terrain / the nature of these rides. I live in hilly country so I learned as a kid how to upshift and downshift. 80% of the rides I take would be slow and laborious with a single-speed bike. I'm willing to bet most cheap single-speed bike people (of those who aren't using them out of financial necessity or social conformity) are urban riders who have mostly flat terrain to cover.
It was hard for me to believe that most people don't know how to shift gears. Every bicyclist around here learned on a bike with multiple gears and learning to use them was just part of learning to ride a bike.
But your comment gave me clarity. I've lived in very hilly/mountainous areas where having multiple gears on your bike isn't really optional. Not everyone lives in such terrain.
I'm not sure that the bike shops around here even carry single-gear bikes. The closest I remember seeing are three-speed children's bikes. Very interesting peek outside my bubble here.
I didn’t learn how to use gears until I took up road cycling last year. I remember walking my bike up every hill when I was a kid