Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 69 total)
  • First ever singlespeed ride tonight – will I die?
  • tlr
    Full Member

    I bought a cheap rigid singlespeed recently, which is now in a fit condition to ride. I’m quite looking forward to the experience, it should be a laugh if nothing else.

    I’m slightly concerned that the gearing of 32-16 seems a bit stiff for the Peak District though; what are most people using?

    If you are out around Sheffield/Stanage/Blakka tonight then please feel free to point and laugh.

    uselesshippy
    Free Member

    No.
    But your knees will explode.
    And possible blind you.
    And you’ll grow a beard.

    nbt
    Full Member

    you won’t die, but you;ll wish you had at one point. Your first pint won’t touch the sides.

    I ride 32:16 in the peaks (I’m in marple on the other side to you) and while it’s bloody hard work, it’s very satisfying, and in my local area there are very few climbs that I can clean on a geared bike that I can’t clean SS.

    You will hurt everywhere tomorrow – SS is a full body workout, as you will be out of the saddle and heaving on the bars.

    Best tip – it’s about momentum. Brake a little as possible, stay loose and let the bike float under you, attack the hills for as long as you can then get off and push

    and remember at the end of the day it’s just a bike, so smile and enjoy it

    jimthelad
    Free Member

    I had my first rigid SS ride yesterday. Started out with a 32-18, but the tensioner broke so I had to take out a link and ride 32-16. I was dreading it, but it was fine. I would definitely recommend riding clipless pedals if you don’t already.

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    when you have to get off and walk on a particular hill remember where it was you stopped.

    next time you do that hill make sure you do at least 2 pedal strokes further before you stop.

    and repeat.

    Eventually you’ll a) get fitter and b) reach the top.

    Love my singlespeed rides – it doesn’t feel ‘odd’ any more to just have to stand up and gurn rather than sit and spin.

    nbt
    Full Member

    QFT, bro

    tlr
    Full Member

    Cheers. I always ride with spds anyway, and rarely use my granny ring so it should be an interesting night but I reckon I’ll survive.

    I wonder whether I’ll miss the gears or the suspension more?

    The bike kind of feels like a big bmx compared to my usual bike so I’m hoping it’ll be a bit like that.

    cp
    Full Member

    32:16 in the peaks here. I only ride it in the winter/muddy filth, but it’s great fun, and a bit different/nice change to the geared bikes.

    Junkyard
    Free Member

    I find myslef reaching for higher gears* rather than lower ones as a rule .
    you will be fine and either begin a love affair with simplicity or you will neve ruse ot again
    * Not uphill just in general when i get close to spinning out

    TiRed
    Full Member

    attack the hills for as long as you can then get off and push

    Absolutely agree. There is no shame in pushing. SS is a good upper body workout. Climbing is about rhythm. You’ll find that you can’t climb too slowly, as you can on a geared bike, as I remind my geared friends when I’m behind them. It’s medium speed or get off and push!

    tlr
    Full Member

    Are bar ends useful, or essential even?

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    don’t use them on either of my SS bikes – find I tend to spin out the rear tyre if I have weight any further forward on climbs.

    agentdagnamit
    Free Member

    On the contrary, you seem to be ideally suited for singlespeeding.

    You havent ridden one yet, but you’re already drawing attention to yourself.

    nbt
    Full Member

    Don’t use bar ends personally

    DaveyBoyWonder
    Free Member

    I’ve recently found that a great aid to climbing on my singlespeed is a 3 year old child. Sat on the back on his bike seat, giggling at me. Provides mega amounts of traction up climbs where I regularly wheel spin.

    32:16 in the Peaks though – respect! I run 32:17 around Calderdale and wouldn’t want to drop down any further – 17t cog is a nice compromise between knee popping climbing ability and being able to keep a nice turn of speed along swoopy, flattish stuff.

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    so how did it go?

    ononeorange
    Full Member

    nbt above is right.

    I tighten my SPDs a little on the s/s as I really pull up on hills and definitely don’t like them popping out (clips that is, not knees).

    I rode my s/s in the Chilterns Challenge on Sunday, first ride for a while, I’d forgotten how much fun singlespeeding is. Until I get knackered I do reckon the s/s is faster than geared – partly because it’s lighter and partly because I have to ride in a set rhythm which = momentum.

    Riofer
    Free Member

    I ride 32:18 in the Peaks (Sheffield side) and I still struggle up most hills, 32:16 would be a step to far for me. It is good fun and back when I had more miles under my belt could do a 5/6 hour ride, now it is saved for shorter 1-2 hour evning and winter rides.

    glupton1976
    Free Member

    When’s the funeral?

    Whathaveisaidnow
    Free Member

    what a way to go . . . .

    mattjg
    Free Member

    4-5 rides in on my rigid SS and love it. 32:16, Surrey Hills, it’s OK but I think our climbs are lots shorter than yours in them there Peaks!

    Trails I have been riding for years are fresh again and there is a definite payback in my geared riding. I am more agressive in the climbs and change down gear a lot less.

    I’m just a normal mid-paced rider, no whippet. If I can do it anyone can.

    A grippy tyre on the rear helps as you’ll be putting a lot of torque through it.

    Listen to your heart rate and take advantage of any plateaus on the climbs to recover, go as slow as possible while still keeping the cranks turning, then just balls-out at the steeps.

    Have at it!

    OP how did it go?

    D0NK
    Full Member

    I would definitely recommend riding clipless pedals if you don’t already.

    I’d recommend stocking up on cleats. Cleats used to last yonks but SSing kills ’em. Left shoe always seems to go first for me.

    ampthill
    Full Member

    A grippy tyre on the rear helps as you’ll be putting a lot of torque through it.

    Surely you can’t get more torque with a single speed? (aasuming of course that your geared bike has lower gears…)

    Or is it the spikey torque curve?

    Or the standing up and unwaiting the rear wheel?

    Rorschach
    Free Member

    Cleats used to last yonks but SSing kills ’em

    Its all the walking 😉

    rogerthecat
    Free Member

    I’m in the Hope Valley and huff and puff about on 32:16 – run clips so you can pull up on the pedal as well as push, have bar ends as I need the leverage. Would not go back to gears – it’s just a battle of wills. If only mine was a little tougher!

    Would be fun to run a SS ride one weekend.

    mattjg
    Free Member

    Higher gear = more torque at the wheel, no?

    Its all the walking

    class

    Bernaard
    Free Member

    I rode my full suss with gears today, after months of SS rigiding.
    It felt wrong. I said to myself, it’ll be fine on the way home.
    Wrong.

    I’ll have to stick with it for the weekend, but its by far my favourite over the FS

    BTW. You are now a god 😀

    buzz-lightyear
    Free Member

    You body may protest after a few rides. You can but try.

    fenred
    Free Member

    I’ve been toying with the idea of running one of my 29ers SS, but seeing as the OP has obviously expired after his maiden voyage I don’t think I’ll bother… 😥

    sheephills
    Free Member

    I use 32-18 on 26ers, i can ride most the hills in my local wood, if its dry weather that is.

    Put a wide bar on, i like fleegles.

    Grippy tyres, what are you using?

    mattjg
    Free Member

    Mud X on the rear.

    Junkyard
    Free Member

    Its all the walking

    😆

    I ride with him , its not true.
    That’s me that is 😳

    ampthill
    Full Member

    Higher gear = more torque at the wheel, no?

    No the reverse.

    Low gear uphill because you need large torque

    down hill high gear, low torque, so you get more speed

    nbt
    Full Member

    You know when I said I rode 32:16 in the peaks, up there ^^^?

    Well, that’s the 26er SS which will soon be sold. I just built a 29er Rigid SS. My but it’s lovely (and slightly lower geared at 32:20 which us about the same as 32:18 on 26″ wheels)


    ScandAl by Notoriously Bad Typist, on Flickr

    mattjg
    Free Member

    No the reverse.

    Low gear uphill because you need large torque

    down hill high gear, low torque, so you get more speed

    Fair enough. Anyway I still think a grippy tyre helps as it’s being pushed harder than in a lower gear. For lack of a more scientific explanation. Aham.

    ampthill
    Full Member

    mattjq

    you can’t argue with experience….

    D0NK
    Full Member

    Its all the walking

    ooooh get her

    😉

    grippy rear tyre yep deffo a good shout, of course what’s grippy in the mud is not neccessarily grippy in the dry. I mostly only SS when the trails are wet and muddy, happily this is 90% of the year. MudX works for me.

    of course no matter what rubber you’re running at some point up a really steep hill you’ll be putting 100% of your weight through one pedal and accidentally slightly unweight the rear and all that earth wrenching torque will be suddenly unbound, it’ll either result in OTB or ruining your manhood on the stem/top tube. Like falling over still clipped in, it’ll happen, accept it and try to laugh it off when it does 🙂

    Cheezpleez
    Full Member

    I’ve been riding rigid SS for a couple of years or so now – 32:16, Mud X, etc. Don’t have a beard but I am toying with the idea of a merkin. Do Rapha make them?

    bm0p700f
    Free Member

    I have been riding SS for years now and I have grown a beard. I have not died yet but it comes to us all sooner or later.

    womble72
    Free Member

    I’ve got 36:16 on my 29er Swift. It’s my first SS bike and I’m loving it. It makes every hill a challenge. The bike is fully rigid and my full suspension specialized hasn’t been used in the past 6 months.

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