I am finding I have less and less time for bike tinkering, I know I’m going to have even less in the new year. I’ll also have less funds for consumables. So I just want a bike I can get on and go, no worries. Therefore I intend to build a SS 29er in the New Year. Thing is I live on the edge of Dartmoor, so all of my riding is on the moor. I haven’t seen anyone else singlespeeding in the moor & a typical Dartmoor ride invokes a lot of climbing. But primarily I like to just cover some ground.

Oh, it may also be rigid so I don’t have to worry about servicing forks.
Am I mad?

Seen a couple of people but you’ve got to be strong.

I run 1×10 and that’s ok for me.

I imagine you’ll be doing a fair bit of pushing, I’m no expert on the subject but it sounds iffy to me..

Rigid on the other hand is ace on the moor..

Birchy seemed to be fine on his when he guided me on Dartmoor.
I’d have taken one of mine but a was falsley warned not to by someone. 😕

ah well.. that’s me told *swoon*

yunki.

I thought you knew/had riden with Birchy?

I’ve been invited along a few times but I’m just too shy.. 😳

I’d love to see it done, I’ve been sat here now thinking of where I could manage to ride singlespeed up there.. not many places spring to mind

chapeaux and all that 😀

Cheers Stu 🙂

There’s only one climb we ride a lot (out from the river/dingley dell towards hound tor) that is a bit much, but even that is doable with a couple of stops if conditions/legs/lungs are all aligned.

I run 32:16 as I also ride Haldon a fair bit which has easier fireroad climbs but you could of course, go lower (29er ratios obviously but I know nothing about them ;))

He did have to push up one climb.

After nutcracker we went round to the right and dropped down to a narrow wooden footbridge. Then steep up to the right.
Everything else was fine.

Edit.

Were my directions to the steep bit correct?

admittedly I’m a bit of a wimp but you lot must be monsters

Thanks chaps. I’m down south in Buckfastleigh & typically ride up onto Pupers Hill, Newbridge, Dr B, hembury woods. Don’t get over East to Lustleigh much, then head to Haldon when it’s minging.

May give it a go, or set up a simple test. Nothing ventured nothing gained….

Yunki, please tell more of your rigid exploits…

I ride a singlespeed 29er over the moor with no real issues.
There’re a very few places I have to walk, like the climb up to water or the section over the waterbar on the way up to houndtor but then again, the geared cyclists are also walking.

Different climb, but my argument is the first bit of that (up bridge too far) is a push with gears 😉

Yunki – I think we’ve met at the hound when I’ve been out with Si but haven’t ridden together.

The 29er is rigid btw and if my guess is correct I’ve been riding with Burchy a bit of late and he is quite capable when it comes to cranking up steep stuff to say the least.

fwiw julio I’m currently running a 26inch rigid with an alfine hub that seems like a nice little toy for the moor, off out tomorrow in fact.

Different climb, but my argument is the first bit of that (up bridge too far) is a push with gears

I’d have cleaned it if the person in front hadn’t stopped me. 😉

All this talk has got me wanting to come down for another ride.
Maybe we could all meet up for a ride out?

singlespeedstu – Member

I’d have cleaned it if the person in front hadn’t stopped me.

the old ones are the best…….. 😉

Honest he was right* in front of me and just stoped without any warning. 😆

*About half a mile.

Burchy1 (front left of photo) cranking up some steep stuff (on a geared bike) earlier 😉 ………

presumably that was before “the incident” slugwash? Looks amazing!

Ontor, well if someone makes SS work, manages to live with it then I’m going to give it a go.
I’ll keep you posted!
And as for that climb up to water, it’s always going to be a pusher!

Dave – ” a walk with gears” That’s just the defeatist talking 😉

Onto…. Maybe I need to adjust our route tomorrow…. Houndtor woods perhaps…

Julioflo… Keen to learn Hembury and Buckfastleigh at some point… Well versed around Bashers Halt but be good to link

quite happy to go out for a spin sometime if you fancy julioflo, drop me an email sometime.

Singlespeed Stu.. anytime just drop us a mail… Plenty to still show you!!

If you like Si! I was about to ring you and see if we can do the yarner carpark after-all as I’ll have Perrin the wonderhound along?

Can do Yarner but I also know enough ways around Parke not to worry too much

ok cool, I was just trying to avoid the roads a bit but if there’s a good way through I’d be super-keen to learn it.

Si.

I wiil mate.

Stu – sounds good, haven’t actually been on the moor myself since I broke my arm in September.

Slugwash, the ‘moor’ looks good in that pic, is that Castle Drogo in the background? 😉

I’d be game for a ride-out too…

Not enough hills for Dartmoor Dave…

the ‘moor’ looks good in that pic, is that Castle Drogo in the background?

It’s the council flats in Buckfastleigh yer plonker 😉

Bit of road work but much quieter than main route to Hisely Bridge Onto and a couple of extra trails…

Si, ontor, more than happy to oblige. Some of Hembury is a bit cheeky but it’s fun. As well as mechanical issues I’m all out of night lights at the moment, so it’ll have to be day time riding sometime soon. Haven’t ridden much around Bashers Halt, so that’d be good to learn.
& Slugwash, this thread reminds me, I never up dated you on the North coast to south coast (devon) bivvy trip I did back at easter. We followed the 2 moors way as much as we could while on exmoor & dartmoor. Did some lane work between the two moors, then roads from ivybridge to Prawle point. 2 nights out. Great trip.

I remember now Burchy.. I think I had my kids with me..

I nearly almost sort of turned out for a Haldon night ride last week, but arrived just as folk were getting changed and packing up cars to leave..

I like the rigid bike on the moor, it makes that climb up to Water an absolute doddle 😉

haven’t actually been on the moor myself since I broke my arm in September.

oh god. it was just a scratch. stop going on about it and mtfu.

I’m suprised you can type coherently and add pictures after the pub 😉

i hardly recognize the moor in that pic, must be the daylight and Burchy’s personal transport. you’d think he could ride up like everyone else.