I’m looking for a chainset for a singlespeed build but I’m not sure what to go for.

From reading elsewhere, the new Sram XX1 can be ran in an SS set-up with a 9 or 10 speed chain and they can be bought for around the £150 mark.

Any other recommendations?

There’s nothing special about SS drivetrains. Traditionally you use the discarded, beaten up square taper chainset in the corner of the garage underneath the giant pile of mud-covered worn out tyres.

EDIT: don’t try to use a road chainset on an MTB or vice-versa as that won’t work.

I have 2 cross bikes and a tourer all with mtb triple chainsets on they all work fine

middleburn or white industries,

any chainset will do really. i’m quite happy with my raceface chainset.

Hi, where have you seen the XX1 chain sets for £150?

Hi, where have you seen the XX1 chain sets for £150?

There’s a guy doing them on eBay for £154.

I have always used old or new shimano chainsets.

One thing to bear in mind is the availability of sprockets. BCD of 104 like shimano is very easy to find and replace in a variety of sizes.

In general though it is a 9 or ten speed with a replacement dedicated single speed chainring.

on-one
charliethebikemonger
velosolo
sjscycles

are my go to shops.

Race Face big cog, crank etc and Gusset little cog kit which includes the spacers. Get a proper chain though only £12 from Charlie.

Just get one of these: CTBM Kit

EDIT: Too slow

Got Deore hollotech on mine all polished. Taken over 5yrs of abuse and still totally fine. Cheap enough, if you sell the rings too. Dont need to spend a fortune, just get something that works. i used to ride Race Face and Syncros tapered cranks, but would kill a BB in a few months, so the Hollowtech is definately better. On my 2nd BB in 5 years, gets ridden everyday.

Sadly I haven’t got a spare chainset knocking about to convert to SS so it’s going to mean buying one. I’ve been looking at a couple of the Shimano sets, something like an SLX with a proper SS ring fitted but I was just thinking that the XX1 would probably work out the same price or possibly cheaper than buyign and converting an SLX set.

Looking at the German sites, something like a Zee chainset for £80 seems pretty good.

Zee is just a heavier Deore. Unless you really feel the need for steel hardware, or can’t be bother switching chainrings, I’d go Deore: about £45 for the chainset from Rose, sell the rings for £15-20, buy a decent single ring for £20-ish.

Oops double post

I use shimano whatever’s with a salsa chainring, or white industries, which are gorgeous

http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/white-industries-eno-cranks-250-p.asp

unless you’re building a pimpy SS just for the hell of it then you’re over thinking it….

It’s for a single speed, if you haven’t got a chainset in the shed you can use, and none of your mates have either, then just find a cheap and cheerful 2nd hand Shimano Deore/LX or similar on eBay for ~£15 and put a decent SS unramped ring on it. Look for 104 BCD 4 bolt cranks as already said as choice of chainrings is wider.

Total cost should come in less than £40 for cranks, ring and chain easily, and will work fine.

If you’re not building a budget SS for winter grinding-paste longevity and want something posher for the sake of it* then just set your budget and buy whatever takes you fancy at that price and fit an decent SS ring.

*equally valid reason in my eyes 🙂

If you’re not building a budget SS for winter grinding-paste longevity and want something posher for the sake of it* then just set your budget and buy whatever takes you fancy at that price and fit an decent SS ring.

It’s not going to be a budget build and not a blingy one.
The idea is for it to be a back up bike for some 12h races as well as a winter hack!

I might just go for a Deore chainset unless I can get hold of a cheapish SLX or something a bit nicer 🙂

I’m using a Shimano Hone on one bike and a BMX crankset on another there’s nowt special about SS bikes cranks, only the number of rings…

XX1 seems like an expensive / Blingy choice, Deore will do all that you need…

Race Face Deus, pink flowery bash guard and a Surly stainless SS ring on mine. Bit bling. Light but tough in the right places.

My Middlesburn RS7 I believe has been faultless, usual thing is to go 180mm too.

All I’ve done to go SS it change to cassette for a cog – just using the old mech & full guide as tensioners

ericemel – Member
usual thing is to go 180mm too.

Is it? I’m pretty sure that more people haven’t than have.

*shameless plug*

I’ve got some basic Deore (I think) and some blingy RF Next SL carbon crankarms sitting in the ‘stuff I must get round to selling’ box, both of which would happily take a SS chainring if you’re interested…

Both HollowtechII by the way (I may even have a bottom bracket…)