hi guys new to this forum, I fancy trying a singlespeed 29er,not sure weather there are many of you that ride them on here? im unsure weather to build one up or can you buy them of the peg,which is best for a new sspeed newbie? I like the idea of rigid forks mary bars etc,anybody show me any photos and educate me please,thanks for your time and help

Hi pancho welcome to STW and the truth of SS. This place is wee bit conservative for decent answers regading singlespeed and 29ers as you will see there are many, many threads about which is better, 26 or 29, SS riders are attention whores etc…

if you get no joy and you do the evil that is facebook go and have a look at the onecog cycling group. lots of chaps and chapesses from around the world who are mega enthusiastic and you’ll probably get an offer of some free rides on various folks bikes to see what you like.

tazzy

EDIT: the MTBR forum is full of decent folk as well http://forums.mtbr.com/singlespeed/

TAZZYmtb a gent thanks

Not sure if many on here ride them? Thread revival time .. : )

On one are a good place to start for affordable and quality single speeds. They do both frames and built up bikes.

Welcome. At the end of the day, it’s a bike not a religion. Had a 29er rigid single speed and loved it. It was stolen so I now have a HT with an Alfine hub and 26″ wheels. I’ll run it singlespeed and look forward to less numb arms, slower rolling and twitchier steering.

For ready built, I really rate the Kona Unit 29er, an obviously somebody else did too 😥 . I just fancied a change (and I can make it a 69er).

thanks for all the help and threads gents great forum

If you want to make me jealous, get a decent bike shop to build you a Niner One

lol out of my price range

I fancy trying a singlespeed 29er… I like the idea of rigid forks mary bars etc

Welcome to STW – you’ll fit in just fine here!

I take it you’ve got neither SS or 29er at the moment ?
Converting an existing bike would be the best option, if you’re not sure you’re going to stick with it.
If you’re buying a bike or parts to build one, then I’d recommend getting a frame with either an eccentric BB or sliding dropouts, it’s better than using a tensioner.
Get one with a gear hanger and cable guides too, in case you really don’t like it and you want to go back to gears.

More importantly, if your quick, you can enter ssuk 2013. 😀
Beeereeeerrrr

:oops:SSUK brickin meself

Sounds like you want a Haro Mary- cheap as chips rigid singlespeed sampler. Trouble is i’m not sure if they still make them. – set up a search alert for one on ebay and ask in the wanted section in here. They do crop up from time to time.

Just buy an On One or Surly Karate Monkey, if you haven’t got piles of parts ready to use, try and buy a whole bike. If you don’t pay over the odds you can sell it on in the unlikely event you don’t like it, or as I did buy a bike, upgrade it, buy a frame and another and another………….

YES the look of the on one and surly will do thanks

An On-one earlier…

sweet love it

29ers are a bit of a hot topic at the minute. While i’m sure they’re lovely, i’ve never had any trouble with 26″ wheels.

Personally, i’d be looking at something cheap from t’internet somewhere – like this (i know it says it’s an Inbred, but it’s actually a 456 – google them, they’re great). If you decide you don’t enjoy the Singlespeed thing, then it has scope to install some of those gear-things.

Mollski?!

Clink what grips you using there ? ESI or the uber cheap foam ones off e bay ?

29ers are a bit of a hot topic at the minute

they’re really not you know, they’ve been around for years, just that mainstream bike companies have started looking at them so they’ve become more visible to joe MBUK

besides which wheel size does not make a bike. just ride what makes you happy

29ers are a bit of a hot topic at the minute

mainstream bike companies have started looking at them so they’ve become more visible to joe MBUK

My point exactly.

When the industry has milked this cash cow dry, they’ll move onto the next big thing. I’m not against the idea of the 29er, i’ll just stick with what i know until it becomes cheaper to change.

besides which wheel size does not make a bike. just ride what makes you happy

Here endeth the lesson.

Clink what grips you using there ? ESI or the uber cheap foam ones off e bay ?

ESI

Rode on Mendip today – more fun than fun thing on fun day 🙂

A rigid SS 29er is just about the perfect bike until you discover SS fatbikes. 🙂

SS 26″ bikes are great, but you’ll feel like you’ve had a talent upgrade when you switch to a 29er.

You either get SS or you don’t, but give it at least a month if you’re trying it for the first time – it’s mainly technique rather than strength.

My take is that I prefer riding my bike rather than operating it. I also love the lack of maintenance and bits that wear out.

On-One, Surly, Singular are good places to start.

There are a couple of singular swifts in the classifieds at the moment. Lovely 29er SS – just got one myself

Put myself together an On One Inbred ss 29er last week, done about 75 miles on it and believe it could be the future ( well mine anyway) composed ride considering full rigid and steers a dream!

and believe it could be the future ( well mine anyway) composed ride considering full rigid and steers a dream!

You are wrong! I have the best inbred In the world and that’s a fact….so there! 😆

Here it is today on a tea break…

I bought a stock Karate Monkey from the bikemonger which I have since modified to “half fat”. I run a 33:18 set up and it was fine for the Maastricht area (short, sharp climbs). Just moved to Birmingham area and its also fine for the chase….

As a standard 29er, I found it perfect for long, woodsy singletrack stuff that was not overly technical. I love the simplicity of it and I am able to climb farther and faster than ever before. As “half fat” it is less harsh, more fun but less efficient (not an issue to me but still a point to bear in mind). I ride it for anything other than peaks/lakes type stuff as I also have a Five.

If you enjoy riding bikes purely for fun and you are open minded, then you’ll probably enjoy it . If you can, have a bash on one and see what you think, it is a fair amount of cash to splash!

Just my opinion, hope its of use!

Chris

Go for a scandal over an inbred if buying an On-One – significantly lighter.

Hey Pancho, just got into SS a few months ago myself and bought a 2012 Cannondale Trail SL 29er 3 SS, bit of a bargain at £500 for the full bike (from Moutain Trax in Barkham, not sure if they still have a few left?). I had some bits left over so stuck on new tyres, brakes and a carbon handlebar.

And so far so good really. It seems good on the local trails and tbh I’m finding the singlespeed thing fine, I don’t have enough up and downs where I am to miss gears too much though I have thought about getting an alfine sometime in the future. It’s also great ploughing through the mud at the moment not worrying about destroying a drivetrain that costs as much as the bike I’m on!

The one upgrade I might get in the near future is a suspension fork. Whilst I did ride fully rigid ‘back in the 90s’ and enjoy the nostalgia, it is also the main upgrade I’m finding that I wish for during every ride… Maybe I’ll try a 2.4″ Ardent before that though….

Enjoy!

Picture on Instagram

Go for a scandal over an inbred if buying an On-One – significantly lighter.

That’s subjective bollox, I built my x-cal as SS and at 18ib I found it wayyyy too light and skittish. Plus Steve-o’s swap out thing is shite IMO, massively effects the feel of the frame. Inbred slot dropout ftw….

All IMO of course 😉

Mleh

Still lighter, so there.

Anyway, I have one so rule #8 comes into force.

Don’t tell us you don’t know the roolz……..

Yep I know ‘the roolz’ but personally I run on real life experience rather than be a sheep….baaaaah 😉

jambo13, when you find the Ardent 2.4 a little small try a Surly Knard. If you want an Ardent 2.4 I have one spare and I’m not a million miles from mountain trax

LOVE the on one speeds and the swift need a large in these frames has im 6ft 1,thanks gents for all the help info,great help enjoy your bank holiday blast

I love my Inbred 29er SS. It’s amazingly capable. I had a 26er Inbred before and the 29er is much smoother and more controlled, although a bit less keen to pop off things and skip about the place.

It’s not the lightest but IME there’s always a trade-off with downhill performance when you shave off every last gram.

I’d recommend a Swift fork from Sam at Singular (that’s what’s on that first Inbred above, I think). I’d also recommend a wide – 740mm+ – bar and a big front tyre.

If you’re close to me (Guildford / Woking area) you can happily come out for a go on my inbred 29 er and see what it’s about.

thanks but your miles away from me 🙁

Big wheels and one gear will take you anywhere 🙂