Anyone ride a Felt Breed or a Spec Singlecross? What sort of trails are they suitable for, could you ride a single speed CX bike around the hope valley/mam tor area etc.

Ta

Get geared considering your requirements.

Got a singlecross that I ride the south downs on. No idea what the hope valley's like though.

Depends if you're strong like ox, but you probably want gears.

I've a singlecross and it's a great commuter and fun off road, but for any sort of techy climbing you really want gears.

A tricross could be used around edale, but not in standard spec ratio, which is 42/18. You'd need to drop depending how fit you are/if you push a hard gear or spin. I'd drop to about 32-34/18 for riding most dark peak stuff, but unfortunately, that's going to leave you spinning like crzy on the flat road bits.

great bikes though! mine is currently in 48/18 road training/commuting mode.

I rode in the Peaks with a guy in a Spesh singlespeed CX bike. He made me look foolish. So it can be done if you are fit and determined.

i've got a spec:) ride 42:18 around hope and edale. Most stuff i can ride up, but obviously some of the techy stuff you have to walk up! Seriously good fun though!

john_I: hats off!

I was riding on the South Downs at the weekend and was disappointed on a couple of occasions to find myself already in 22:28 with nowhere to go!

I gear down BTW – 39/18 makes it a bit easier on the legs & not too spinny on the road.

39 chainring, 18 on the back and you're stomping up big SD climbs? Or do you avoid the steeper bits?

i use 38/16 on my surly good allround gear hard on some ups but runs a decent speed on the road bits

39:18 on my Breed … seems to work ok in the hills of mid Wales.

Yeah I have 39:16 on my Pompino on which I can ride up *almost* as much as I can with 2:1 on the MTB. But I don't often take it out into the rocky end of the Peaks because of the 32mm tyres and lightly built wheels.

nedrapier – I live in Steyning, so ride pretty much all the steep stuff between here & Lewes & Amberley in the other direction. Plenty of steep stuff off the sides too. Narrow tyres at 80psi roll surprisingly well.

It would seem genesis have discontinued the day one (in drop bar mode) Booo.

42 /18 on my Singlecross here in the FoD. Just the very rare hill that I can't get up that I can on my Enduro. partly as I am fat and unfit. Long easy hills tend to be quick as you can't twiddle . ditto short sharp ones. the only hills I find harder are things like ditchs which is really in the mind. downhill its about bottle. I have done most of the FoD dwonhill tracks but not the super steepies or those onto the gravel track. You do get stuffed by mates saying "left here" with no warning where you can't get a run up.

My commuter bike is a felt breed. thankfully my commute takes in a nice section off road over the south downs then some ace country lanes. it's for sale too BTW….. £420 and just fitted some new salsa woodchippers (not even ridden them yet!)

I had a singlecross and loved it for commuting and easy rolling hill type stuff off-road. Found it impossible on anything with serious climbing, so sold it and bought a geared tricross.

I considered changing cogs / chain lengths etc for different rides but couldn't be arsed with it – absurd idea when you think about it.

That said, the singlecross would work if you're a bit of a beast and were riding more rolling tracks. You'd be walking anything steep – 42/18 or whatever is a pyar massive ratio.

i have a singlecross, use it for commuting on road and surfaced cycle paths. i thought i might have used it off road, but i haven't. as above, can't be arsed changing the gear ratio for different uses. i wouldn't buy one again but would get/wish i had got a geared cross bike.

prototype Singular Kite, able to run single speed or gears, available in the autumn

Felt Breed, frame replaced by the Singular as it was a tad too small for me.

they are a lot of fun, and like all cross bikes you'll be surprised what you can ride on one, Samuri rode the 3 peaks cyclo cross race on a fixed OnOne Pompino

Rorschach – not discontinued just sold out for this year! They were unbelievably popular and sold way beyond our expectations. Keep your eyes peeled for a 2011 model with Alfine 8sp and Versa dropbar shifters.

Steve that prototype looks interesting, how close is that to being available and that rear triangle is right up my street, I love a tight rear triangle. I'm not interested because it's steel or singlespeed but those angles are turning me on 😕

Steve that prototype looks interesting, how close is that to being available and that rear triangle is right up my street, I love a tight rear triangle. I'm not interested because it's steel or singlespeed but those angles are turning me on 😕

Ah the clue is in the Autumn bit 😳

That Felt is great!!

Cheers for all your replies,

Im not 100 % sure weather or not I want a single speed CX or a geared one yet. The trouble is my limited budget. I want the best bike I can get for about £700-800.

The felt is looking good though!

The spez singlecross looks a little hard to get hold of!

For £700 you can get a nice geared CX bike! I picked my singlecross up for £200! If you keep your eyes peeled on forums/Ebay you'll find one.

For me the idea of my cx bike is for simplicity, hence the SS! You can leave it covered in mud for a month and have no issues!

I think my singlecross went on ebay for just under £300, and that was with a decent goldtec rear wheel to replace the low quality stock one. Loads of geared tricross' up there as well last I looked – think it's a popular bike for cycle to work failures. Defo worth keeping an eye out for a good second hand one.