To Singlespeed or Not to SS.

[ti_boi]

That is the question. Sorry if this has been done before, but I did not see the topic. Perhaps it has and someone would direct me. I want to know about the whole thing in terms of the versatility of the bike once you go this route.

I have studied this:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/singlespeed.html


And I really think that I am a great candidate for a SS. I could always go full gearing if I want to. I just want fewer levers for my big hands to hit and fumble with. Fewer distractions. A pure experience!


Please advise and share your experiences. :hello:

[skreaminquadz]

I purchased a single speed a couple of years ago and am very glad that I did. I really like the simplicity of it (visually and mechanically). I commute on SS and it makes maintenance much easier. It's also a lot of fun to ride. I think it's helped me on hills too.

After I bought one a few guys that I ride were talked into doing it as well and they all really like it. I say, go for it! I think you'll be glad that you did.

[PSC]

I just got another SS, as I live in the PNW(sold my other bike). It is nice to have a simple bike for wet weather riding. Just hose it down after a ride and lube it.

[ti_boi]

Yeah. I think it would be great!! Aesthetically speaking I love the look. This is the candidate here....Flip Flop Hub. The only thing that is questionable in my mind is the tensioner. They are a bit of an abomination and may simply make me build this up as a regular MTN bike. And convert my Rudge 3-speed. Still sorting it all out. But I have always admired the austere look of the simple Ti frameset and the fewest possible levers. I might go for it! :beer:

[zray67]

Besides being fun to ride. A fixed gear or single speed is a lighter bike. Easier to carry up a flight of stairs, onto a ferry, etc. Also, I size my SS a cm or two smaller than my "he man" bike. I think a smaller size makes me faster(just my opinion). I use a SS for 20 to 30 mile jaunts. I always have front and rear brakes. Also, I am quite a bit over forty-five(see below). My two cents.

[skreaminquadz]

WOW! That thing is beautiful!! It's exactly what I'm looking to build next year. I have a road SS and now would like to build a mtb.

Very very nice ride. Looking forward to seeing it completely built up.

[markie]

You could always get a white industries eno hub and avoid the tensioner.

I like SS off-road, but I find it boring on road. Then it is fixie or nothing for me.

[ti_boi]

You could always get a white industries eno hub and avoid the tensioner.

I like SS off-road, but I find it boring on road. Then it is fixie or nothing for me. On Road I find anything but a road bike boring.


White Industries of Petaluma, Yes! I love their gear. That is what I will look into. THANKS markie! :beer:

[avalonracing]

I decree that if you turn that into a SS you will be required to strip the frameset back down and put it back in the classifieds. Well, if I were king that would be my decree.

[krhea]

I love riding a single speed and use it almost exclusively for winter club rides unless the scheduled route has some "real" hills. For the first couple weeks after switching from my geared bikes I always find myself "flicking" my finger as if to shift yet there's nothing to shift, only a single blade. I also notice I burn more calories riding my SS, gotta love that, makes that guilty pleasure post ride danish taste that much better!
I also live in the PNW, Portland, and boy does riding an SS make bike clean-ups easy.

Here's my newest SS build. Just finished it and began riding it about a month ago. Build specs:

Easton Scandium frame w/Ouzo Pro fork, Eno hub on Mavic rim, vintage Campy Scirrocco front wheel, Masterpiece post, WCS stem, King mango HS, Tektro skeleton brakes/Cane Creek levers, FSA Carbon Pro crankset w/Origin 8 ring, Arione saddle, SKS full fenders w/flaps, Portland Design Works rear blinkie, Knog 1 watt front blinkie, KEO pedals

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/KRhea/Russell%20singlespeed/P1011652.jpg

[ti_boi]

I decree that if you turn that into a SS you will be required to strip the frameset back down and put it back in the classifieds. Well, if I were king that would be my decree.


Well sire. Thanks for that. :beer:


Actually I spoke to my riding partner tonight. (pictured below with the sunglasses on) He's about as authentic a mtn biker as I know in the sense that he gets on planes and goes to places like Moab just to ride. He also routinely kicks my ass on the trail. He and I have logged more miles together on the trail and on the road than anyone else I can name and he knows my riding style and capabilities. The wingman essentially endorsed the SS build idea. And I must stress the fact that this is simply an Idea at this point. Chances are based on simple economics, I still lean toward simply stripping my geared bike (seen below) and building the Ti Max as a traditional mountain bike.

Anyhow, he cited a couple of incidences where a SS shot by him on the trail once in a race and once in a recreational setting. He also said that a lot of guys he knows are really enjoying the SS experience. Truth is that it would be more economical for me money wise just to build this as a geared bike.

But there is something about these singlespeeds that just has my attention. For the past couple of years it has been like that. When I see one, I just think. Man that is so nice. Can't help it!

Much like the road bike community, I also think the SS crew has an ethos that is appealing. Granted, I see mockery of these groups by those with an agenda or a sharp wit (ahem), but I also sense something intangible from the group that I find particularly appealing. :beer:

Attached is a photo of my 'local track' and myself (in the white helmet) on my Fisher Sugar 4. I like the Sugar a lot, but really missed a hardtail. While I am so incredibly fortunate to have this track so close to home and the sugar is a fine geared mtb, the hardtail is meant to be an entirely different animal. Just thought I would toss that in. The other person pictured is the riding partner that I mentioned above.

[rodcad]

I love SS riding for pavement, but aren't so nuts about it in the dirt. I'm in CO and we have hills. YMMV

[ti_boi]

I love SS riding for pavement, but aren't so nuts about it in the dirt. I'm in CO and we have hills. YMMV


No, you have mountains. We have hills. :) :) :) Our maximum elevation here is between 800 - 1100 feet. Of course where you are might be the plains and foothills section of the state of CO. Rock on brother!

[yakstone]

SS format in an MTB is clean, simple and very challenging. My SS is my "go to" MTB unless we are talking about serious extended climbing.

[AngryScientist]

No, you have mountains. We have hills. :) :) :) Our maximum elevation here is between 800 - 1100 feet. Of course where you are might be the plains and foothills section of the state of CO. Rock on brother!

where are you in the above pics anyway, it looks familiar??

for my 2-cents, i say go SS if you have a geared bike, i routinely grab my fixed gear road bike for casual rides and love not having to think about shifting. its not best for every occasion, but you'll enjoy the rides you do have on it.

[flickwet]

I love my Surly 1x1, built as a dingle speed, 32/34 front and a 17/19 white industries rear.For the tow path or winter road the higher gearing is great, around here the lower gearing is also perfect for mtb'ing. workouts on the bike are a perfect blend of work and recover, the simplicity is cool, people notice its cool. It may be my favorite bike.

[rugbysecondrow]

I have a Surly Travelers Check setup as a Road SS and I have a Redline Monocog Flight 29er SS and I really like them. Go for it Boi, it will be fun. I would go for the WI Eno rear instead of a tensioner though.

As for the SS off-road, I think it is great fun. The simplicity of it, I feel faster and more nimble and I actually climb faster than many of my geared brethren. You might see if you can ride a buddies SS a time or two before making a final decision.

Cheers :beer:

[Steve in SLO]

Hey Ti,
You might want to first try a tensioner to see if you like the ss experience--that's quick, cheap and easy.
If you like it, then go for a more elegant solution with a White hub or EBB.

[Lifelover]

There is a mind freeing simplicity to riding SS that is hard to understand and impossible to explain. I have never done it off road but I suspect the experience is similar. I have a old Cdale MTB set up as a urban SS (with tensioner) and Aegis Aro Svelte set up as a true road SS (track drops). The Cdale is hands down my favorite bike I own and gets ridden more often than any other.

If I had to deal with hills I do not know that I would feel the same. Go for it! I like the idea of trying it with a cheap tensioner first. You can even use on old RD if you have one laying around.

[tuscanyswe]

If you are going to use the bike in events that exhaust you i would go with gearing. I really like my ss setup on the cross but on days where i find myself with less power than others or just more demanding days i find myself really wanting gears. Works really great before fatigue sets in imo but when it does its harder to recover from since the only way to ride it at lower speed is with less cadence. low cadence on a cross with studded tires and crappy winter surface to deal with is actually not that much less of an effort to ride than the same conditions with higher speeds imo :/

This is just my personal experience and theres a ton of other messengers around here who seem to be doing fine, maybe im just used to gearing..

[spiderman]

to induce nausea, i'm sure...
but my encouragement to you
is the same as when i received my ss off-road machine.
i'll ride it like i mean it
and get gears if i ever find i miss/need them.
i have my white industries double double
at the ready
but am hesitating because
in the last two weeks of winter riding
i haven't felt the need for anything other that the 34/18!
...and i love the way the white indutries freewheel sings to me...

[zray67]

I love riding a single speed and use it almost exclusively for winter club rides unless the scheduled route has some "real" hills. For the first couple weeks after switching from my geared bikes I always find myself "flicking" my finger as if to shift yet there's nothing to shift, only a single blade. I also notice I burn more calories riding my SS, gotta love that, makes that guilty pleasure post ride danish taste that much better!
I also live in the PNW, Portland, and boy does riding an SS make bike clean-ups easy.

Here's my newest SS build. Just finished it and began riding it about a month ago. Build specs:

Easton Scandium frame w/Ouzo Pro fork, Eno hub on Mavic rim, vintage Campy Scirrocco front wheel, Masterpiece post, WCS stem, King mango HS, Tektro skeleton brakes/Cane Creek levers, FSA Carbon Pro crankset w/Origin 8 ring, Arione saddle, SKS full fenders w/flaps, Portland Design Works rear blinkie, Knog 1 watt front blinkie, KEO pedals

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/KRhea/Russell%20singlespeed/P1011652.jpg

That is a beautiful frame and a great selection of components. I especially like the fenders. Raining in the winter in Portland - you definitely need fenders!

[cnighbor1]

Single speed with single FW and Stoppers is fine, fixed on road not a great idea. If you really need to stop than 1st statement apply in spades
My experence is knees. Can't do more than one day rides. Than need a day or two off the bike. if I push beyond the grear I have. i don't notice the extra push but my knees let me know

[shoe]

i did the pbp on a single speed and thought it was great. then again i haven't ridden a single speed since on the road...both are cool really...ss on a mountain bike and have no real desire for gears...helps if you are in shape though...ss and out of shape makes hills much harder...anyone that thinks they want to ss should- its fun and a good way to get to know yourself as a rider and your bike and only adds to your riding when you go back to gears..you learn alot of little things if you have only one gear....but if you do group rides with racers it's not really fun unless your gearing is just right or you are well matched to the riders or riding with slow racers...good luck- have fun...d