I live in a valley with steep sides on each side and am putting together a singlespeed for the first time.

Any advice on gearing it?

I reckon just one gear on a singlespeed 😉

I went 32 front and 18 rear if that helps. I now run 1 x 10 with 36 front and 11/36 cassette as I found riding s/s limiting in hilly Yorkshire and riding with fellow riders.

Big’un up front, little’un on the back. Test and adjust as required.

On a more serious note, 52″ is a good starting point.

32:18 would be ‘normal’ 32:20 might be better for hills.

you had an SS before?

Well I have been riding my 26er with the classic 32:16 for years and after some trail and error I found that 32:18 suited my 29er the best for me.

I dropped from 34-18 to 34-20 and actually went faster on a 90 minute undulating loop, even though it feels really low on the flat. Pushing big gears was obviously just counter productive.

I’m on 34:20, mainly because on a XT double the smallest ring I can get on & still clear the tabs is a 34t and I happened to have a 20t surly cog in my parts bin.

Works just fine & dandy for me

34:18 here, have to climb a 1 in 10 to get to a decent trail.

Nope, never has a ss before. It’s just as much a build project as something to ride at the end of it.

Good fun trying to source parts on a budget.

I originally ran 32:16 on my 29er before I realised that it’s not the same as 32:16 on a 26er 😳

I’m now running 32:18 and I can manage all the climbs I normally can on my geared bike. It took a bit of practice getting the technique right for SS’ing but it’s now a lot easier than when I started!

33-17….xtr 960 33’s are loads cheaper than 32’s and 17 means the chain is the right length.

17 means the chain is the right length

How so? I don’t get it.

Running a Pf30 ebb.Using an 18 means the ring hits the chainstay (adjusted all the way back) but there’s not enough throw in the ebb(all the way forward) to take up the slack of adding an extra link (half link on the way).
Also I like odd numbers.

Fair enough! I just use 32:16 on a magic ratio…

Edit: on proper sized wheels

36×18 working ok for me, mind you my road SS runs 53×14 so I’m kinda used to pushing big gears

32:19 on mine, bit skinny on the flat but great on the hills

I start with a climb – then flat twisty single track
32:20 for me – think fast legs

32-19 for me in North Yorkshire.

But also have a 20 and 18 and do play about. Buy 3 cheap cogs, start with the biggest and work your way down.

36:20 (Malverns) for me as all my cranks have 36T chainrings to be the right ratio for my rohloff. Makes swapping SS for gears just a case of of a rear wheel change and swapping chains.

33:18 for me (off the shelf on Genesis Fortitude SS) and I live at the bottom of the Churnet Valley. If anything it’s a little on the easy going side and I’m thinking of changing it a bit.

I’ve was running a 32:18 on my Kona Unit and had no issues on a recent holiday in the Cairngorms.

I’ve found that 3 years on the SS has changed my riding style on my geared mtb. I tend to stand up now and push larger gears rather than going through the cassette.

I actually can’t be bothered changing gear, as if pushing a shifter is too much hard work!!! 😯

35:19 on mine, with a wobbly Goldtec ring.
That is on a Krampus, so the wheel diameter is a bit bigger (something like 30.5″)
Been fine with that ratio round Devon – Haldon, Woodbury, Dartmoor, etc.