Very easy undulating ride, more cross than mtb. Thought my knees were going to explode and still kept reaching for the shifter!

Really enjoyed it tho and got into holding speed for climbs.

Frame is a Lynskey ridgeline 26’r (bought on here), now with 700c wheels, 1.75 Veerubber tyres and drop bars, 20lbs

I’ve returned to it (on the road, mostly) after giving it up and telling myself my knees couldn’t take it.

This time round have just introduced myself gently (lots of short commutes basically) and given myself a fairly spinny gear (for the road anyway, 40/16). Knees seem content so happy days!

Love SS, everyone should try it at least once 8)

Yes quite! Can confirm it is ablast to ride single speed and to perfect the art of pace or just tell yourself sod this and pedal like speedy Gonzales.

Ratio question as I’m running a 34T ring vs 19T rear on hardtail mtb, am experiencing it recently to be a pita to climb steep hills. Yesyes I could lose a lot of weight myself but until that eventually happens, is it best to look at an easier ratio or battle on me wonders?

Pics of Lynskey please 🙂

IMHO singlespeeding being hard on the knees is mostly a myth, so long as you get out of the saddle when you’re meant to. I have a dodgy knee and singlespeeding is far better for it than grinding up a climb whilst seated.

tdog – Member 
… perfect the art of pace or just tell yourself sod this and pedal like speedy Gonzales.

Ratio question as I’m running a 34T ring vs 19T rear on hardtail mtb, am experiencing it recently to be a pita to climb steep hills.

Sounds like you need gears!!

What size wheels? There is no shame in running a gear combo that suits you rather than any perceived fashion. Try a 32 on the front, see how you get on but you’ll be doing more of the speedy Gonzales! Chop and change ’til you find your ratio. I have a range of chainrings and cogs that have been changed from time to time to suit how I feel or where I’ll be riding.

Well I started with a 38 vs 19 but bloody hell at times so Yeah I’m a BIG bloke currently on a 29er ss.

As I have a Hope ss rear hub, I think my only real options are to go to a geared hub or possibly wack on a roady/homemade cassette 6speed. Not even sure if a 9spd shiftebr would work but guess so as limit screws should do job on rear mech?

Totally depends where you ride, but for hills a 32/19 (29er) is suitable for most stuff imho. That’ll give you approx 14mph @ 100 cadence on the flat, so can get pretty spinny but it’s a gear for the hills really. 32/18 for easy hills or more flat, 32/20 for hilly bikepacking. Obviously, there are other ways of achieving this…eg, 34/20 is pretty similar to 32/19 etc.

IMHO singlespeeding being hard on the knees is mostly a myth

No smoke without fire! 😉

But you’re right, simply setting your bike up singlespeed doesn’t immediately cause knee problems, I think what causes the problems is poor adaptation to the single gear, either sitting and grinding when you should be standing (I was guilty of this), suddenly going from zero singlespeed miles to hundreds in a month (also guilty…) and finally not doing any stretching as your quads start to develop into Chris Hoy-esque tree trunks that pull your kneecaps all akimbo (I was definitely guilty of that!).

I used to ride with a guy called Markus Stitz who has gained a wee bit of fame from riding round the world singlespeed, amongst other things. I noticed he successfully moved to riding singlespeed with no injuries, when I spent loads of time with problem knees, and eventually gave it up. I think the difference was he built up to it sensibly, and maybe didn’t feel he had to grind up every. single. hill. no matter how steep. I’m trying to follow his example this time round (well, I’m still prone to attacking any hill, no matter how steep).

On second thoughts It wasn’t my knees, it was thighs….getting out of the saddle was definitely the way to climb. Running 36 x 18, bike is not intended for serious climbs, more like cross. I’m sure it will teach me to attack climbs rather than winch up, as with gears

Back on the wagon with a nice rolling 100km fixed this morning. Off road I’m a 2:1 ratio SS and never had had knee problem. On road I’m 3:1 for rolling terrain. Ultimately you just stand up a lot more for the “low” gear, and “spin up” for the high one. It’s not to everyone’s taste, but the fixed wheel is absolutely silent and probably 99% efficient, so that’s 2 watts for free 😀

@pedalhead- is there a conversion calculator for ss ratios as might swap out to a 21t out back

SSs are great, I’m waiting to get the Naughty Northumbrian enduro out of the way next weekend and then I’ll be SSing my BFe for the winter and into spring. I normally go for 33/19 on 26″ but I’m a bit of a feebleton and we have a few climby bits on some of the trails around here. Having to plan a bit further ahead to keep the kettle boiling because there’s nowhere to hide is good practice too 😀

Here you go @tdog…

http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/

http://www.bikecalc.com/gear_inches

+1 for SS being fine for knees. I started singlespeeding during recovery from a fairly significant knee injury, it worked wonders. Just get out of the saddle.

If only it worked wonders on my dodgy back. But sadly that’s one thing that singlespeeding *is* hard on.

If only it worked wonders on my dodgy back. But sadly that’s one thing that singlespeeding *is* hard on.

See, I find the opposite. Getting out of the seat and moving about a bit seems to loosen mine up 😕

I get more knee pain on my geared road bike than my SS mtb (32 – 16 26er). What i find odd about singlespeeding is legs burning like **** but the breathing and heart rate are quite relaxed! 😕 no matter what the gradient up to the point you can’t push the cranks over.

I bought one of those Edinburgh Bike Co-op single speed cross bikes.
I thought it would be impossible for the hills around me but it has been a revelation, totally loving it.
I think I am guilty of staying seated and grinding up climbs!
Is the consensus you should stand up for climbing SS stylee?

Knees usually ok. I feel like I put a lot through my back though. Currently tweaked my neck/r chest area. May have something to do with a ss ride. Not sure.

Yes climb standing, unless the gradient allows you to get a decent cadence sitting down.

Converted my old commuter a couple of weeks ago, it used to have an Alfine hub so the conversion was pretty easy. Ended up with a 39:16 ratio since that chainring was already on the bike, not sure if it’s right but it’s pretty tough up some of the climbs around here (South Dales). When/if it wears out I’ll possibly replace it with a 42T.

As for the point about knees, no problems so far. Technique? Seated until it starts to feel strained, probably around 60rpm, then stand. At that point there’s no reason to worry about cadence, if you can push down on the pedal then keep going. When you can’t do that, get off and walk.

+1 for knees but also +1 for back. Particularly either side of my lower spine; at times it’s felt like kidney pain but it’s purely muscular. And also shoulder blades from pulling on the bars, although I find bar ends (Cane Creek ergos) changes how you pull and that helps.

Get used to using your WHOLE body singlespeeding!
Arms, legs, back..nance why the back hurts the first few times..

I stand by the statement of 32:18 fora. 29er whatever the terrain..you’ve only one gear, so this is a pretty good coverage of ‘all needs’…
I find the flat sections (especially in races) are the nemesis…the gear it’s can just click and fly away..pick a short blasts hilly ride and you’ll be laughing!

DrP

28/16 here-28 direct mount was cheeep and I had a 16t sprocket lying around.My legs can’t tell the difference from 32/18 so it’ll do.
I’ve not got much meniscus or PCL left in my knee these days and have no pain from riding (other than my heart exploding).

back for me., been lucky with knees I think.
wouldn’t be without my SS, got a s/h frame years ago and not looked back. suffice to say my riding mates all jested when I turned up on it, wind on several years later and they’re all along at SSEC ’17 with me along too.

Did you learn to ride on a bike with multiple gears?