I am a committed single speeder and have been for about 2 years...
I have four bikes all SS (2 x mtb, 1 x c/cross and 1 x road bike).
None have suspension either 🙂
I do live in a very hilly part of the south east (yes we do have hills odwn here) on the north downs in kent.
I noticed when I go out with the local MTB club that no gears and no suspension is limiting me a little (they have full bounce geared bikes). They have to make a few accomodations for me although I am brave and chuck my fully rigid cindercone off most hills!
I have been out with friends and I need to question them closely to as to route terrain and hills to decide which bike to take!
My strength has improved with the SS and I am concerned if I go back to gears I will lose this 🙁
Do I keep the faith or relent and give in and go for the gears (and the suspension)?
My strength has improved with the SS and I am concerned if I go back to gears I will lose this
You'll get used to whatever bike you ride and whatever riding you do.
Your "faith" sounds pretty stupid to me - why limit your riding?
well I do enjoy SS riding but I suppose that I am not a fitness god. Sometimes it is difficult aligning my riding with others on geared bikes.
Just remember that the number of bikes you need is
n+1
Where n is the number of bikes you currently own.
Based on that equation you have the perfect excuse to buy a geared full susser to complement your collection. I don't think you'll regret it.
no I really do need to get rid of at least one!
I think maybe 1 mtb, 1 cyclocross and 1 road bike would be about right?
Here's a great idea, have a geared bike and just leave it in one gear. I am from the other side, I think ss is ridiculous and faddy, 4 bikes, fine, a bike to suit all occasions.
4 bikes, all ss and all without suspension......??
😕
you say the single speed has made you stronger, but stronger for what? It's not much use unless you occasionally utilise that extra strength by blowing your mates away on a gears bike with suspension.
well I am stronger climbing out the saddle but if the hill is too long or too steep then I have to get off and walk!
My mates are amazed at my climbing strength although they think I am weird for using SS! Sort of making life hard for myself.
I think I want one geared MTB with front suspension (something good like a cotic soul, rocky mountain blizzard or a Klein altitude). Then one awesome road bike around £1000 (carbon or alu and carbon fork) and I will keep my shonky alu cyclo cross SS.
i have a full 27gear set up but have taken to riding in the 4th lowest at the back then just changing via the 3chain rings on the front when off road this has helped me no end with my fittness but it is useless when on the road so need to change down 2 a lower gear at the back then still use the front chainrings to alter the gearing with a single speed you are stuck to pedaling like mad and get nowhere fast. each to there own and if you are happy then chin up and keep pedaling 😳
For off road then SS is fine I think but on road my 16:32 ratio is so low! The road bike is fine but as soon as I point it downhill or more than a short steep hill then the 48:16 is inadequate.
My first suspicion was that this is an anti-SS troll, but disturbingly it actually seems to be serious!
I suggest you have a look at threads like http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/blind-faith-creationists and ask yourself if your attitude has any parallels with that!
Get a suspension fork instead. I dont ride rigid though i have, and I can keep up with the club i ride with and i have no gears.
Or brains but that is another story. 😀
ride singlespeed on your own. get a geared hardtail for riding with company.
keavo I think that is the best option 🙂
As a parallel, I have a friend who is a committed longboarder (surfer). He can't paddle out in anything bigger than 4' as his board is such a lump. However, he refuses to ride a shortboard out of pride/stubborness, and therefore loses out when the rest of us are rippin'.
Mountain biking is supposed to be fun! If you're not enjoying your riding, then change. Sounds like Keavo has hit the nail on the head. I'd keep the nicer SS mtb (not sure why you'd need 2 bikes that are pretty much the same)and flog the other to finance a geared hardtail. If it'll make you feel better, I recently sold my SS road bike to finance a geared one and have no regrets in doing so - I love it, in fact!
Perhaps you could try a mate's bike for an afternoon?
just stay in each gear for a long time and you wont notice 🙂
I've got 3 singlespeed rigid-forked mtbs, and a road fixie. But I've also got two geared hardtails and a geared cross bike. And I really want a beefy full susser, oh and a really fast short travel full susser. And a nice geared road bike.
You just need more bikes 🙂
jonathan how many do you have!
No I think four is enough...
Riding SS on group rides, my only problem was not riding away from the group on climbs. I think you just need to ride the SS more and harder, and stop worrying about it.
Get a geared bike with some suss then, how hard can it be? I ride SS in the winter almost exclusively, but change to gears about now, and TBH it's like cheating, it's such a piece of piss. Plus now the trails have dried out a bit, cranking down some descent in big ring is hard to beat.
Love my SS, but wouldn't want to miss out on gears.
i find ss'ing always limits your riding.
the problem with ss is not the lack of small gears for climbing, its the lack of big gears. for climbing/flat/doonhill.
Get rid of one ss for a geared ht with forks.
the problem with ss is not the lack of small gears for climbing, its the lack of big gears. for climbing/flat/doonhill.
The benefit of SS is that it forces you to vary your riding style and cadence: grind up the hills; spin like mad on the flat; freewheel down the hills.
🙂
aw - MemberI think I want one geared MTB with front suspension (something good like a [b]cotic soul,[/b] rocky mountain blizzard or a Klein altitude). Then one awesome [b]road bike around £1000 (carbon or alu and carbon fork)[/b] and I will keep my shonky alu cyclo cross SS.
Have you been following me! 🙂
I have a Soul for all off-road duties and have just taken delivery of a Dolan Mythos via the cycle to work scheme. I'm hoping it will be the perfect combination.
Matt
I have a geared FS and a rigid SS. I use the rigid SS with other SS riders, I use the FS with other geared FS riders. I've noticed my strength increase massively since I've been forced to ride with only one gear. This has aided my geared riding, but you COULD just do it with the geared bike in one gear. The reason I still ride SS rather than "geared in one gear" is its lighter, simpler and somehow entertaining in its own right. I'd not say it was *better* in any way, its a good compliment to the other.
That said, I never have to alter my routes when riding with others - if I cant get up the hill they can I'll jog next to them, and being rigid doesnt affect my downs anywhere near as much as I expected - just makes it a little more twitchy.
It being the end of winter now it's getting its gears and slicks back for commuting, though it wouldnt if I had a road bike.
I think you'll end up leaving your group behind when you add a geared bouncer to your stable.
I have 4 bikes at home a\nd 2 at my old mans place.
Only one is SS and rigid, one HT with U-tunrs and 2 road bikes-commuter and racing.
I think I'd get bored if they were the same.
I'd love a full bouncer but I'm too much of a roadie and never get round to cleaning the FS.
Get rid of one of your bikes at least and build/buy a bouncer if you ride that much.
I don't get this with singlespeed, it won't make you a different person if you decide to use gears. All this keeping the faith is a load of shite if you ask me. Either let the bike dictate the conditions you ride or the other way round, but it's pretty selfish to expect other people to adapt their riding to suit you so you can 'keep the faith'. Its only a bike with or without gears ffs - it's no big deal so why get so uptight about it.
I ride singlespeed too btw, but its a bike not a way of life, but I do have geared bikes. You're not changing the world because you ride bike with one gear.
Problem with SS I reckon is that it's a bit antisocial...there's only one speed for long climbs, which is usually too hard to chat to your mates in! I get all the flowery purist mullarky but question the practicality of it especially those riding without suspension!
I reckon bike evolution is great, things getting lighter, better travel, brakes and gearing...its the way forwards!
Sounds as if you need to get fitter, rather than get a bike with gears.
Problem with SS I reckon is that it's a bit antisocial
funny 🙂
Thanks Zaskar...wise words!
Gary I hear what you are saying but I suppose my SS was kind of a statement - made me different but I guess it is a little too in flexible for me.
I think I will ditch the road SS (2008 SE Lager) and the newer MTB SS (2007 16" kona unit 29er)...dont suppose any one is interested?
And buy a geared FS MTB such as a Cotic soul or Cove Handjob.
And buy a geared road bike for sub £1000 such as Giant or boardman...any suggestions?