I want to build an SS bike, just for canal paths and local smooth trails. Rigid is fine, got £170ish to spend. Is this achievable? I was looking for SS specific frames, but will it be cheaper and good enough to just grab any old hardtail and running a tensioner?

old SS frame is best bet, tensioner are always a pain in bum. Look for old inbreds and the like on ebay and pop up a wanted on onecog cycling on facebook, there will be loads of folks that have bits kicking about to help you get something built up

Cheers I’ll keep an eye out, been looking for an Inbred but I need a 16″. They seem quite rare.

What size?

Inbred i need a 16″ I’m 5ft8.

Ah yes. 16″ mmmm

Where is my measuring tape…

worth keeping an eye out for old surly 1×1, sanderson solos and kona units as well

To counter Tazzy, I found tensioners just fine, and it opens up any frame as an option. If anything it’s marginally better because they do it all automatically, no tweaking every few hundred km to take up slack.

That said, old 26″ inbreds must be very cheap now.

I tried SS for two rides on my old merlin mtb frame. Was very liberating but not for me. I used a surly type tensioner clone in push up mode, bought it as push down and bought the surly push up spring. Worked absolutely fine and was easier to take the back wheel out – the intention was to keep it in the car when working away so I could go on evening rides but did it twice. The trick is getting the chain length just right using a half link so the tensioner has very little to do but just enough that there is enough slack in the chain to get the wheel out.

Keep meaning to put it all up for sale so if you are interested give me a shout.

+1 for tensioners. I have used a few types over the years, the On-One Other Doofer being the best, most robust, design.

A tensioner, cog and spacers and a set of shorter chainring bolts (so you can remove the superfluous chainrings from your existing chainset) is easily the cheapest way to go about SSing, and I don’t feel you lose anything over a dedicated frameset. OK – an SS frame looks cleaner.

Unless you get very lucky you’ll be very hard pressed to build a whole bike with £170.

at 5’8″ you’d likely fit an 18″ too. More of those pop up.

Yup 16 or 18 would be fine, especially for non-tech riding. I’m 5ft 9 and have had both

I wonder if there is any Haro Mary’s knocking about….. They were good budget entries into the SS/29er world.

Cheers, Steve

I bought my Voodoo Wanga sliding dropout as a fully-built SS for £150 so it is doable..

Vitus Dee

Bit urban, but should do you.

Thanks for the suggestions. Vitus does look a little urban, as many want to fit some suspension in the future may.

So 18″ inbred should be ok at 5ft8? I’ve been dismissing them!