Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)
  • Single Speed
  • Roscoemck
    Free Member

    Apologies if this has been asked before, however, I am new to the forum.

    I’ve read quite a few posts on ss bikes and have a few questions.

    The obvious one…..why?? What are the advantages of ss against a geared bike?

    Is it not murder on the old legs? I live surrounded by lots of hills and can imagine the sheer pain of climbing a lot of them on a ss.

    I take it there’s a lot less maintenance?

    How easy/difficult/expensive is it to convert a geared bike?

    Olly
    Free Member

    welcome Roscoe, your opening a can of worms there, if i were you i wouldnt look back at this thread without some defensive protection lined up 😉
    best thing to do, is give it a go.
    easiest way being go for a ride without changing gear, middle 4th (usually around there is 2:1)
    it makes you keep your speed on the ups, keep off the brakes on the downs, so isnt actually that much harder, until a critical point where you just get off and walk.

    loose a pound of drivechain too, loose the maintenence,
    i wouldnt ever class myself as a singlespeeder, but i do have 2, and do love riding them. 🙂

    give it a bash, see how it goes (though be aware on a singlespeed you can really crank hard, on a geared drivechain, if you crank too hard youll knacker some components (freehubs, cogs, chainrings)

    Sam
    Full Member

    Try it and see – converting a geared bike is cheap and easy. Some never go back, some go back immediately. You shouldn’t form your opinion on the basis of what people here might say.

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    Olly
    Free Member

    ….converting a geared bike

    a spacer kit, including a cog, will cost around a tenner, and replaces the cassette, and a tensioner will be required to take up the slack in the chain, i would reccomend a NON sprung one for offroad (gusset bachelors are the 3 ive got (one spare)
    remove front big ring if u so wish, with narrow bolts to keep the middle ring, or a bash to space it out.
    i wouldnt reccomend using a shimano hub or other cartridge unit, i dont think they are up to it personally, but im sure other people may disagree.
    hope XC would be the ideal hub for a conversion.

    Roscoemck
    Free Member

    Cheers guys.

    I’m a bit of a novice on the MTB scene, however, the simplicity of single speed appeals to me for some reason. I’m quite tempted to now go out and buy another bike (2nd hand) and convert it.

    Jackass123456789
    Free Member

    The maintenance part is one element but there is just something simple about SS bikes, no ‘right’ gear to be in, just pedal and you do the rest!

    As you are in the same gear all the time you know when to pedal hard and when to rest, use your fitness and power to get up hills, pedal quicker at the bottom and keep the same speed all the way up.

    Advantages over a geared bike is simpilicy and weight I guess. I had always ridden ‘geared’ bikes until I made a road bike with a fixed gear which I loved so decided to build a ss mtb and love it.

    Very easy to convert, you’ll need a SS chain tensioner, a ss cassette conversion kit (spacers and a single speed cog) and a single chain ring up front. If buying second hand will cost about £20 – £30 quid, If buying new £30 – £50 depending on where you buy from.

    will
    Free Member

    Roscoemck – Member
    Cheers guys.

    I’m a bit of a novice on the MTB scene, however, the simplicity of single speed appeals to me for some reason. I’m quite tempted to now go out and buy another bike (2nd hand) and convert it.

    I love the idea of singlespeed, easy to maintaine, light weight, cheap to run etc…

    Got a SS for sale if you want though…

    18″ GT pantera
    SS
    SR suntour Forks (They don’t work, so are just rigid)
    Conti Slicks
    Giant MPH Hydralic Brake set
    Xero Race Wheel set (off a giant NRS 2)
    Deore crankset
    Bontrager seat/seatpost
    Flatbars
    Can supply Maxxis off road tyres also 🙂

    £160posted

    Email: will.beresford(at)googlemail.com

    speaker2animals
    Full Member

    I always assumed it would play havok with my already dodgy knees. Can’t say it has so far. I convinced myeslf on holiday a few years ago. Just rode in one gear and didn’t “need” to change gear. Soon after built a SS.

    If you’re thinking of buying a bike to convert you may as well look to buy a true SS.

    I’m lucky that I live in an area where I can ride SS easily. It forces fitness and strength that geared Rodin takes longer to do (IMHO). I find that hills I can’t get up eventually come. Fitness and technique. There really is a technique to honking some hills. Obviously there will be some that can’t be conquered but so what.

    I’ve got a rigid Voodoo Wanga and in the snow/salt/slurry of the last couple weeks it’s ace. Get home, quick spray with the garden spray unit, wipe chain and oil and sorted. 10 minute job. Much simpler than a geared Ht or FS which need/deserve more pampering in these weather conditions.

    Roscoemck
    Free Member

    Hi Will

    Nice looking bike. Thanks for the offer, however, I really want to gain the experience of doing it myself, I love a challenge!

    Roscoemck
    Free Member

    Another quick question. A couple of times a year my son and I head up to Laggan for a few days at Wolftrax. How are ss bikes for trail centres? As I said in my original post, I can see hills being a challenge.

    Olly
    Free Member

    people will tell you 32:16 (2:1) is the “best” ratio

    its a good STARTing point, but not the law.

    32:18 here, but the bikes for mud plugging, so better off with slightly higher revs on the flat

    keep us informed as to how you get on!

    enfht
    Free Member

    Two reasons

    1. Easier to maintain, less issues with gunk

    2. Nearest thing to this for adults

    Happy memories, I’m tempted to SS my P7 now 🙂

    will
    Free Member

    Roscoemck – Member
    Another quick question. A couple of times a year my son and I head up to Laggan for a few days at Wolftrax. How are ss bikes for trail centres? As I said in my original post, I can see hills being a challenge.

    No worries mate, you will have fun making one i’m sure.

    In terms of trail centres i have never actually tried it, but plenty of here have. I find going on the full bouncer just far too much fun. In terms of Laggan…I wouldn’t fancy hitting the black on anything but a full bouncer 🙄 Although it would still be fun on a SS.

    Olly
    Free Member

    awesome fun, the rollers and berms can all be pumped, like a bmx rider would a bmx track. once you get above a certain speed you cant pedal, so you can get speed out of the trail features instead.
    predictable surfaces and bermed corners ecourage you to keep off the brakes 😀

    more fun that a postbag full of badgers 😀
    possibly more fun at a trail centre than natural riding

    Nick
    Full Member

    I had a raleigh tuff burner just like that! 25 years ago 😯

    SS is a bit of a con really, it’s no harder than riding a geared bike just that occasionally you have to get off and push. Currenly I only have SS bikes to ride (until I get around to building my 456 up) and am not in a rush.

    As for hills or trail centres, done the full distance real ale wobble on mine, Marin & Landegla, didn’t have any trouble keeping up 😉

    will
    Free Member

    Also gets you fitter…would people agree?

    enfht
    Free Member

    Nick, me too, or as Terry Tibbs would say “Bootiful bike, I had fwee in the seventies”

    Del
    Full Member

    Also gets you fitter…would people agree?

    hmmm…
    it’ll get your cardio vascular system up to speed if you haven’t ridden very much, and it’ll improve strength for sure ( assuming you persevere! ), but if you are already a quick, fit, geared rider all it will do is make you a bit stronger, and fit to ride a ss.
    if you’re keen ( and you sound it ), then i’d say bite the bullet. try and get a kona explosif or a unit frame, as they have slidey dropouts, and you can gear them later if you want to. otherwise any old frame with a ‘push up’ type tensioner will be good.

    thomthumb
    Free Member

    a bike without gears are you mad?

    zaskar
    Free Member

    I’m building the SS due to bad weather and a spare frame lying around.

    Just like being creative with junk and having fun.

    USed carbon forks years ago and haven’t ridden SS yet well since my BMX and I could climb hills on that-ok it will be tougher for a while!

    If it doesn’t work out then I’ll stick gears, bouncy fork on the frame and give to my old man play with.

    Badgerpoo
    Free Member

    omg that pic of the Raleigh Burner… I had an identical bike and had totally forgotten about it, happy memories! It finally died shortly after I rode it in the sea, I wonder why 😛

    Considering SSing my commuting bike, I’ve already converted it to fully rigid, I’m just not sure I’d get up the many steep hills on the way to work.

    Having just checked out the lowest gear I use, it is 32-18, so maybe I would get away with something like 32-16…

    zaskar
    Free Member

    Hey Badge what brakes and forks did you use?

Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)

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