Had a bit of a play at single speeding today, swapped the rear mech on my 456 for a chain tensioner, left the cassette as I didn’t want to invest in a new cog and spacers till I knew whether I’d get on with it. Left the front mech in place as a chain guide but also a get-out-of-jail access to the small ring if I needed it. Ran 36 at the front and 19t at the back.

Result – not too bad, no pushing required, maybe I’m fitter than I thought, did struggle with traction a few times but didn’t use the get-out-of-jail ring.

However after just over an hour and just before the best downhill section I’m been looking forward to, I made a special effort to get to the top of a small muddy rise and stood on the pedals and … ping! wtf? Where’s my chain?

Note to self – never ride without a chain tool.

Mrs Bob not too happy at coming out to rescue me and suspicious that my breakdown happened 100 yards from a pub (every cloud and all that)

Hoping now for an 18t cog for Christmas, maybe I’m a convert.

Don’t forget that on a singlespeed you may not have enough slack in the chain to be able to just re join a broken chain. Always worth having a few spare links with you or magic link type things.

I find teeth a better call than chain specofic tool as I split one completely nit long ago winding it in to try split chain and YES I did it correctly.

It’s also wonderful feeling realising all those wasted gear changes have gone when your cranking one ratio eithout loss of momentum.

If you hadn’t noticed, I’m 100% partial to SS machines.

I find teeth a better call than chain specofic tool as I split one completely nit long ago winding it in to try split chain and YES I did it correctly.

Sorry to be dim, but what does this mean?

It’ll feel even better once you’ve removed those superfluous chainrings, shifters, mechs and stuff. Silent, light, efficient and reliable. And always the wrong gear…

SS specific chain is much stronger so chances of snappage a lot lower 😀

thought id try SS on the 29er today as the gear cable was gunked and by chance i discovered a 34t and 17t on a 17″ cube race one was the magic ratio and no tensioner required. brilliant little blast on it but hard work on the hills and slower than the 1×9 because of it, too much grinding and rocking, although did get up cow drove hill ok.
34-17 is just too high really probably 34-18 or 19 for the nasty sections but tbh i’ll be back to 1×9 soon.
just use cheap 8 speed chains if you go SS no need for thick heavy noisy ones

thought id try SS on the 29er today as the gear cable was gunked and by chance i discovered a 34t and 17t on a 17″ cube race one was the magic ratio and no tensioner required.

Chain will stretch, you will need tensioner. Surly SIngulator is good.

32-18 is ‘normal’ for a 29er. & there’s no shame in walking sometimes, we all do it and it’s part of SS culture, so don’t let that put you off running a bigger gear.

good job both for giving it a go, every rider should at least try it IMO

my breakdown happened 100 yards from a pub

You’ve passed the test. Welcome aboard. 🙂

Bruce,

I’ve a 18t surley wide foot cog I don’t use.

Email if your interested.

Matt

Bruce.

Did you drink in the pub whilst waiting for the emergency pick up? If so good lad.

Now ditch the gears for good and become a real man, women will love you more. 😉

Pushing? Nah! 34/16 on my Duster but ……. Well, I live & ride Thetford’s trails! 😀 perfect ride for it but I’d be tempted by a Cooker should one happen along.

SS specific chain is much stronger so chances of snappage a lot lower

nonsense. 😉

It took me ages – on and off for 5 years – until I really made singlespeed work for me.

I needed really “easy” ratios (32:18 26er, 32:20 29er) for the terrain I’m used to.

It was worth the perseverance though. 🙂

Did you drink in the pub whilst waiting for the emergency pick up?

Too right I did. Nice pint of the guest winter beer ‘Fireside’

Questions…
So I need an 18t cog, which one and why?
Revmatt has offered me a Surley but I’ll need a spacer kit, Matt suggested I try Charlie the bike monger who has this.. http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/charlies-spacers–lockring-219-p.asp but the description says 6-9 speed hubs whilst mine is 10. Can anyone recommend a kit for 10 speed hubs?

On the subject of chains:

SS specific chain is much stronger so chances of snappage a lot lower

nonsense.

So which is it and why?

Thanks all.

There are those who say that a ‘normal’ 9sp / 10sp chain is the better choice for a Singlespeed. I certainly agree, and I’ve never had a cheapo SRAM 9sp chain break on my Singlespeed. They’re cheaper, easier to get hold of and you’ll have cross compatability with your riding buddies.

Have a good read of the Surly website, notably here and here.

Quote from Surly:

Multi-speed drivetrains is where the bucks are at, and chains that work on such drivetrains are where the manufacturers of chains showcase their innovations and developments in quality. The rollers are better, the plates are better, the pins are stronger, and the construction method (riveting procedure) is better on all multi-speed 3/32″ chains.

Got back on the SS more regularly after a summer of road and cx miles .. ouch. A number of depressing and painful rides later it’s coming back and there’s nothing like the feeling of being able to do those ‘one more hill’ rides again, it’s like a silly dare to yourself, egging you on, ‘don’t be weak..’. Some sort of jey XCer pleasure in climbing that last hill on a longer ride that a geared bike doesn’t give me. The gear is a constant and a reference point, only my fitness and the surface change.

So which is it and why?

It’s not really true that SS chains are stronger in general. The narrower the chain the higher the UTS assuming the same materials etc – the shorter pins add strength. It’s much more to do with quality of chain and joining. Track chains tend to have thicker side plates but it’s more common for the plate to pop off the pin than a plate to break. I like 3/32″ SS chains, higher-spec KMCs, and I only ever shorten them, never add links as that’s then a weak point. Use strong quick-links – that will be the weak point but removal and refitting won’t make it any worse.

There are those who say that a ‘normal’ 9sp / 10sp chain is the better choice for a Singlespeed.

I’d agree, the higher spec ones are good quality. But they’re made to move off cogs easily so they do bounce off more easily than a SS chain if you’re the lazy sort that lets your chain go slack, or uses an oval ring, or both.

I use SRAM 8spd chains, never had an issue with one.

Gearing wise I run 32:19 on my 29er, ridden mostly in the lakes. When I was on my old 26″ wheeled bike I ran 32:18.

10spd freehub is the same as 8/9spd.

Welcome to real biking and women throwing themselves at you 😉

Bruce.

Your 10spd hub is the same as a 9spd. The spacer kit will work fine. Velo Solo do some in bling colours, but Charlie is ace, so I’d support him if he has what you need.

Chains. I’ve used everything from £4.99 cheap KMC to £40 wippermann connex 10spd chains with no problems. Keep them clean and lubed and the right tension and they all work. I’m 120kg with thighs like Hoy. 😉

thighs like Hoy.

Erm… http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoy

😉