Single speed , drop bars and long distance riding/climbing?
 

Anyone here have a single speed drop bar (non hipster ha!) Setup? I am looking for my next project and I think it's going to be a single speed drop bar road/track bike that will be for long distance (20 to 60 milers that can handle about 3 to 4 k of climbing). Seems like th fixie/track crowd has died down, and those frames can be had for a reasonable price. Can someone recommend a couple frames? Specifically I am looking for something with horizontal drop outs (looking at dolan and aventor matador) that won't break the bank(hoping to stay under 3 to 400 bucks used for the frame)

I'd like it to be really light (sub 15lb), so will be looking for carbon options initially. I already have a wheelset, crankset, drops, stems, carbon fork, brakes, hoping to reusese mosy of those. I am also thinking I want a freewheel setup in the back (not sure how I feel about fixed gear decending, although I might give it a shot). Why do you ask? Part of the hobby for me is keep to the projects going ha(as long as my wife allows)

I currently have a full rigid 29er SS I take regularly on the trails and I just love the simplicity of it. Also the ass kicking feeling when I ride past other dual sus bikes with a 52t in the back. Looking for that same feeling on the road lol.


I have Ti geared road I ride very regularly. I'll probably be using the SS for some commuting also.

Terminology is somewhat important. Note the difference between horizontal dropouts and track ends (not the same thing).
I bought a 2004 Gunnar Street Dog (road geo, track ends, mid-reach brakes) this summer and built it up with a steel fork, nice components and handbuilt wheels and I really, really dig it.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...9ffc3dbb_b.jpgUntitled by ColonelJLloyd, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...84801c5d_b.jpgUntitled by ColonelJLloyd, on Flickr

Your Gunnar looks great. I picked up a used Riv Quickbeam and I’ve used it a lot including climbing. It’s a little under geared which helps. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...4797892a51.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...a762e63690.jpg


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Forgive the photo but here's one I used to have. I used it for hill repeats and audaxes. I once did a 500k on it to complete the Festive 500 in one ride and it was great. I think single speed for that kind of ride makes a lot of sense - where you don't want to have to think about anything.

I think it's less about the weight of the bike and more about the gearing.

A bike with one gear is always gonna be relatively light, but it's meaningless if you're overgeared. I don't remember what the ratio was but it was 66 gear inches IIRC.

I'd want horizontal dropouts rather than track ends for single speed road use. I would want track ends for fixed gear track use.

Obviously my Riv is not super light with the semi-hipster wald basket and such, but I have ~1400g wheels on it and it rides like a light bike. I’d like to try a 15lbs SS.


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Ah yes, track ends are probably what I intended to ask about.

What gear ratio are you all running?

Just checked. I was running 42/17 on the Genesis flyer above. Nice climbing gear.

What kind of surface are you going to be riding. Are you going to be riding steep hills? Do you like walking?

I have ridden SS a bit. I find it much easier to hang with a group on the SS MTB. With gears it is pretty easy to drop a fixie or SS on the descents and even flats. Still I like riding fixed and often ride fixed off road...

Pics are from 2011. I am pretty sure I could not ride D2R2 fixed right now

I don’t get the distinction between horizontal dropouts and track ends. I have bikes with those and others with sliding dropouts and eccentric bottom brackets. They all do the same thing for me... I’m a Luddite.

I used to only ride a track bike. I believe the first pic was about 230 miles fixed between 2 nights. Fit matters a lot when you're doing long rides with one gear.

If you're shooting for weight the Dolan is great for the price. The weight however is about exactly the same as my steel Gunnar Track Star, which if you can swing the price (1,100 painted without fork i think?) I'd really strongly recommend. Mine is about 15.5 built up with pedals with 25mm clinchers. IIRC it's about 2250g for the frame and fork, about 1550g for frame 700g for fork, no doubt you could spec it with a carbon fork and get it under 15 pounds. If you're doing longer rides you really want something that can fit reasonable tires and water bottles of some kind, which that can by request.

Have you ever tried to remove a rear wheel from a fender equipped bike with track ends? This is why I'd always prefer horizontal drops on a road going single speed/fixed bike. Track ends are horrible in that exact situation.

20-60 miles long distance!? :rolleyes:

Build it up fit-wise like you'd build up any other road bike - road bars will give the most options for climbing and flats.

Go fixed, not a freewheel. Use a front brake.

Forget carbon, you can easily build up an alloy or steel fixie in the 15 lb. range.

Ha. Yeah. I have a Rivendell Quickbeam with fenders and track ends. I try not to take the rear wheel off too often. The IF in the picture has track ends but no fenders or provision for them. I like them and the simplicity.

Relatively long ha! 20 would be my morning ride before my first meeting. 60 would be my typical weekend road ride.

Thanks for the input everyone, keep them coming!

I had a Wabi Lightning that built up really light. I think they changed this from scandium (which is what I had) to some light steel. Good to put an eBay alert on those bikes, if they come up they should go for a song. Fun bike.