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Hi there
I have a genesis fortitude adventurer with an alfine 11, and want to have a go at singlespeed just to save a bit of weight. What's the best/cheapest way to get a 29 singlespeed wheel? Buy a Normal wheel and convert? Singlespeed specific?
Advice much appreciated.
Simon
Yes, unless you can find a bargain singlespeed wheel, getting a geared wheel and some spacers is your best bet. That way you can also experiment either ratios more cheaply.
As above really.
SS specific wheel will be stronger but it's not like normal wheels are collapsing left, right and centre.
Even with some SS hubs you have the option of swapping sprockets cheaply if they have a short freehub body, rather than a screw-on freewheel.
Personally, i'm a big fan of the dedicated Singlespeed hub, but it's by no means necessary. They are stronger in theory but, as Breadcrumb pointed out, it's hardly a game changer.
Are you looking at retaining your existing alfine setup? If not, you could look at buying somethinig like the [url= http://www.tredz.co.uk/.DMR-Single-Speed-Freewheel-Rear-Hub_32578.htm ]DMR hub[/url] and having it built onto your existing rear rim. Even factoring in the price of the new freewheel and having the bike shop build the wheel for you, i think you'd be looking no more than £120.
Failing that, you could buy a 'normal' multispeed wheel and some spacers.
yes looking at retaining the alfine. can anyone recommend a good ss specific wheel?
s
Does the fortitude have horizontal dropouts? If so, you want a very secure rear wheel (i.e. nutted if possible). I know some people get away with chaintugs and qrs but I've always found it goes wrong at the most inconvenient moment.
You also need to factor in that the Alfine chainline is a bit different to a standard screw on singlespeed hub chainline. So whatever you get, it will be best to use some kind of cassette hub so you can adjust the sprocket position with spacers to make everything line up.
Singlespeed hubs with short cassettes are great but can be pricy. I've used a Hope one for 3 years and apart from an early set of spring failures it has been great (and they sent out a complete new freehub overnight FOC for that first failure).
A cheap and very reliable option would be get a standard Shimano STX / XT ish mtb rear wheel and then rebuild with a nutted solid axle in place of the hollow QR axle. There is even a higher torque 29er specific Shimano hub if you are that bothered. SJS sell good quality ones, but I know I've bought cro-mo ones from local bike shop and even Halfords in the past for less than £10 including nuts.
If so, you want a very secure rear wheel (i.e. nutted if possible). I know some people get away with chaintugs and qrs but I've always found it goes wrong at the most inconvenient moment.
That will be me! 😀 In 8 years of riding ss frames with horizontal dropouts and a shimano qr and one drive-side chain tug I've never had the wheel budge.
That will be me! In 8 years of riding ss frames with horizontal dropouts and a shimano qr and one drive-side chain tug I've never had the wheel budge
I salute the feebleness of your legs! 🙂 🙂 🙂
You do know that you have now cursed the chaintug to bend and qr to explode on your next ride?.....