[Closed] Singlespeed - should I?

Al - the bike is converted.

Not really trolling but a bit of an opportunity for a lighthearted thread.

I shall give it a go but I think that the difficulty in climbing and the spinning out on the downhills will annoy too much.

Al,TJ unleashed enough last night on the 'entertain me' thread.

I agree, embrace it with some grit and a whole new dimension in riding could be discovered.

until you ride a fatbike on the beach this may be a new riding experiance for you TJ! 😮

I agree, embrace it with some grit and a whole new dimension in riding could be discovered.

Or just park it up outside the nearest cafe/pub/trail center carpark like the rest of the singlespeed slackers that never ride their bikes. 🙄 😉

If you spin at 100/110 rpm with 32/16 you can sit at 16/17 mph, that's more than adequate for a bit of flat riding to the trails. If you can't spin your legs that quickly for any duration then perhaps ss will do you good!

You should only consider it if you plan to grow a suitable beard to do it justice IMO.

TJ- I used to ride SS in winter in the Pentlands without any hassle 34:18 was good for me- more of a spinner than a grunter. I think you'll like it.

Ezekiel 25:17

that's an odd SS ratio, what gear inch does that give you?

FCOL, what's all this - ageism? 😯

Since when have you needed to be a particular age to ride a particular type of bike? Tosh.

TJ - don't listen to the silly youngsters. Go for it. 8)

I am just about at my 1st anniversary as a singlespeeder. I love it but it has its place and isn't suitable for all the terrain that I do. Using 32:16 round here certainly takes some getting used to but after a while you certainly notice the benefits. The legs get stronger and your anaerobic threshold rises, plus your upper body gets far more of a workout too. Careful though, pick your components carefully as you exert far more force through the drivetrain and bars. I had a close call tonight putting the power down up a hill in the woods. Just ended up stamping my foot on the floor and avoided the gut to stem interface.
[img] [/img]

FSA = F*****g Sh1t Alloy

Aye - that looks like it is made of crappite

I forgot

spds or flats? I normally ride on spds but do ride flats occasionally. I suppose it should be flats for the "full luddite"

Go for flats - another thing less to maintain/worry about/adjust.

Spds for sure, you'll need them to get up Castlelaw and many others, and spin back into town.

For me it's nothin to do with being a Luddite. AFAIK there were no singlespeeds back in the day, they came about in the 90s.

Singlespeed the tandem and just get the mrs to pedal harder.

cynic-al - Member
...AFAIK there were no singlespeeds back in the day, they came about in the 90s...

Maybe not on the fluoro mtbs of the time, but there were plenty of us riding around offroad on skinny tyred drop bar bikes. RSF et al.

But of course, single speeding didn't exist until the Americans "invented" it, before that we were just "that stupid bloke" 🙂

AFAIK there were no singlespeeds back in the day, they came about in the 90s.

My dad rode a singlespeed 29r over black sale pass in the 50s. Of course then this was simply known as a bike

Can't ride singlespeed on flats personally, I need the SPDs for that extra bit of grunt when necessary.

this is the next thing for you TJ

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/remember-the-tandem-of-doom
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-tandem-of-doom-ready-for-ssuk

Ok - spds on it then the test ride.

Dunno how far I will make it

Oh ffs there's no comparison between RSF etc and mountainbiking as came about in 70s Marin and how it evolved into what we know today.

Never stops the stupid comments though. Completely irrelevant

[i]I shall give it a go but I think that the difficulty in climbing and the spinning out on the downhills will annoy too much.[/i]

you need a different mindset for SS.

Nickc has it.

I ride rigid SS with flat pedals. Managed fine in the Lakes, Swaledale, Dalby and Hamsterley.

25 miles on the road on 32:17 requires a zen-like state 🙂

TJ...how did you get on ? Are you about to join the "GODS" that are rigid single speeders. SSEC2011 is open for pre registration if you want to come party with my crew in Belgium. I know we are from Yorkshire but we are just like scotsman only a bit tighter 8)

Al don't take any offence, but the sutpidest comment is thinking yanks invented mtb...
Sorry but that is on of the few things french people can be proud of 😉

I'm not talking about invention, just bringing it to the likes of you and me.

Proof of your statement?

TBH 'bout 75 me and my mates were riding around the dirt in Honk Kong...Does that mean we invented MTB? Folk have been doing this for years, it was the just the Yanks who bought it to a mass audience.

Well back from a short spin.

Spinning out continuously on the flat tarmac stuff I have to do to ride anywhere - a bit frustrating but apart from being significantly slower OK

One short Technical climb I can normally climb with a geared bike - total failur3e. Just stalled out despite giving it everything I could. Myt full weight on the pedal plus pulling on the bars and other pedal could not create enough torque. Its a testing climb as you have to start it from virtually ataionary

Undulating single track - no differnce apart from not being able to turn the pedals at the bottom of dips

Longer climb - useless! A climb I normally can spin up not even in bottom gear became a lungbuster - and it was only 50m vertical

So - more riding needed but remind me again what the advantages are supposed to be? I could bunnyhop easier without the alfine but what else?

remind me again what the advantages are supposed to be?

It will make you strong like an ox!

TJ what are the climbs?

Sorry but if you think it won't take time to get used to, well...

Do you ever read posts?

TJ said

So - more riding needed

You won't know the climbs in question. One is a short rooty ramp by the WOL the other an old path down by crammond prom.

W'evs.

I'm finding it quite demanding, but in a good way.

TJ - Did you enjoy it though ? Thats the main question.

No -not really - less than riding a geared bike but I shall persist enough to know I have tries it.

Frustrating to spin out all the time, frustrating not to be able to climb things I would normally.

spinning out on the downhills will annoy too much.

I'm thinking of singlespeeding this winter, but if it's going to slow me right down getting to the Pentlands and back, I'll probably not bother...

cynic-al - Member
I'm not talking about invention, just bringing it to the likes of you and me.
Proof of your statement?

I don't know if Juan can provide proof, but there's plenty pics in British cycling mags of the 1920s showing French riders doing descents & jumps on what we would call mtb singletrack and some of it looking like downhill track.

Next time I'm looking through my collection I'll scan some of the pics.

remind me again what the advantages are supposed to be

This is where you are in error. There are no direct advantages compared to geared bikes, apart from weight saving and less maintenance, although overtime you will develop more strength.

Its just different riding, ligke the difference between FS and a hartail.

Some of your other comments suggest that your mindset is perhaps not flexible enough to accept the differences yet.

Its not for everyone.

I think it makes you a better rider. You can't just sit and spin up a climb so you learn to feel how much grip you have and judge your effort accordingly and use your body postion to get you up and over stuff. When descending you have to learn how to pump, use your brakes as little as possible and corner properly.

Scienceofficer - Member
...Some of your other comments suggest that your mindset is perhaps not flexible enough to accept the differences yet.
Its not for everyone.

Kit IME you will spin out on the (well my) way back but I don't think you lose significant time at all. I need to work it out but I suspect I spin out in the late teens.

Lack of maintenance wins it for me.

I wonder if you quite realise what sort of people you'll be mixing with and what might happen to you.

Before touching any tools I suggest you read The Outcast. (from Just Riding Along)

It's the funniest mag I have ever read.

And yes, I too am tempted by the dark side...

I need to work it out but I suspect I spin out in the late teens.

I spin out/along at 20[b]km[/b]ph on my 32:17 SS on the road, whether slightly uphill or slightly downhill.

I was spinning out at well below the speeds I would normally be riding at along the north edinburgh cycleway

I remember riding with Al once - he could only keep up with us on the tandem on the way back by slpstreaming but he was spinning along at high teens