Just deeply unfashionable? I’m looking for a replacement for the inevitable death of my current frame:
- 29er in BIG frame sizes
- XC geo, 100mm fork.
- sliding/swinging dropouts or maybe EBB, I don’t like horizontals/tugs.
- ideally non boost so I can use nice wheels I have, but that’s just a cost issue more than anything.
All I can see is the Sonder Broken road, but that’s quite spendy and I’m not bothered about ti. What am I missing?
What am I missing?
A chain tensioner so you can open up your options.
[url= https://www.konaworld.com/unit.cfm ]Kona Unit 2020[/url]
[url= https://www.konaworld.com/unit_x.cfm ]Kona Unit X 2020[/url]
What am I missing?
Just how much modern geometry, dropper posts, grippy tyres and 1x groupsets have opened up the possibilities for most Mountain Bikers...
Out of fashion I suppose, the hipsters have retreated to their converted transit vans and taken all the trendy form-over-function nonsense with them while they work out the next move.
Tensioner +1
It made naff all difference anyway, and now that everythings tubeless the dropout makes no odds as youre not having to take the wheel out every ride to fix punctures.
Sam at Singular was talking about a new swift with track ends, tapered headtube and modernised geometry a couple of years ago, but ive never seen one and the website says singular bikes have been sold.
Stooge?
But really, just get any off the shelf XC frame you like and fit a tensioner.
Out of fashion I suppose, the hipsters have retreated to their converted transit vans and taken all the trendy form-over-function nonsense with them while they work out the next move.
Fashion moved onto.........
Just how much modern geometry, dropper posts, grippy tyres and 1x groupsets have opened up the possibilities for most Mountain Bikers…
Although, you can have all that without the gears too.
None of the benefits (fitness, maintenance, cost, simplicity, silence, weight, handling) have gone away.
Sam at Singular was talking about a new swift with track ends, tapered headtube and modernised geometry a couple of years ago, but ive never seen one and the website says singular bikes have been sold
Where does it say that? All the front page says is..
We are working on a new batch of classic Singular steel frames – stay tuned.
http://www.singularcycles.com/about/
Last parahraph:
Singular is now under new ownership though continues to have Sam’s creative input. We seek to maintain and extend the legacy of the Singular brand by continuing to develop new and innovative bicycles.
And the shop link only shows a couple of Ti models?
I'd be interested to see what they do, but I've got a Scandal now so that's my hardtail itch scratched for a few years at least.
Singular, Stooge, Niner all do EBB frames, plus some Santa Cruz and Salsa frames have drop outs you can change for SS ones?
When was the height of the fashion (2005?) Not surprising there are not the choices 13 years later but as said above they still make sense but not enough sales to warrant everyone making them I suppose.
Specialised Fuse has modern geo and sliding dropouts.
(I’m assuming it’s available in the UK?)
Stooge is a good shout, a surprisingly capable bike.
However I'd say that unless this is going to be your primary bike then just find any second hand XC 29er frame and build it up.
I was always a bit sceptical about singlespeed until I tried it - as @thisisnotaspoon says the benefits are surprising. Just very simple - ride until you can't! You soon learn how to carry speed and momentum because you have to 😉
Brother cycles Big Bro
To address some replies:
- tensioner. Nope. I want a SS not an unreliable bodge. They just don’t work as well as proper dropouts. It’s not a puncture issue either, I should be easy to tension, align brakes correctly without adjustment and never slip.
- modern geo/1x/dropper post. Got one of those thanks. And my SS is 1x1 with a dropper post 😉
- singular always had the head tube issue, really needs to take a taper steerer to fit most 100mm forks.
I’ll look at some of the options above. Custom is always an option but pretty spendy!
I should be easy to tension, align brakes correctly without adjustment and never slip.
Id argue that a sprung tensioner is actually the one tool free option that archives all of those. With the added benefit that they dont mess with the geometry. And reliability wise my sprung doofer has been on many bikes over many thousands of miles without so much as a bearing change, just works. Ive broken more swinging dropouts.....
They do look like a bodge though.
That Unit X looks awesome, but can’t see it available as a frameset?
Interested in this too. Weirdly, even the used market is pretty devoid of anything. I've had a few singlespeeds and always sold them and ended up regretting it but wanting another just as a bi-polar option to my Alpine.
How BIG do you need? I'm selling a Large Singular Rooster frameset soon which I run a SS, it has a tapered fork and runs 3" tyres.
Iscg or BB mounted lower roller guide works well. Leaves the back end to function as normal.
Size wise, XL or XXL in most stuff (I’m 6’4” and like bikes that fit. 23” seat tube on my current SS). A large rooster is too small.
I’ve had SS with tensioners in the past, and run bikes with various front rollers/guides. All at some point cause issues, proper sliders never have for me in years. I have horizontal with tugs on the commuter, and that’s more of a faff.
The Brother Big Bro is looking the best option so far. Annoyingly looks like thru axle only but they used to be QR so can maybe get some dropouts. Or I can convert my hubs (some nice american classics).
Remember as well that any frame that uses BB30 or PF30 bottom brackets, there are adaptors to turn them into an EBB..
If you cant wait for the new Swifts, actionsports have discounted XL Puffin mk2 frames with EBB for £380. Forks are £100. You’d need new hubs (170/135) though, but have massive clearances, or run it 29+, especially as your 6’4” and should manage supersize tyres. Tapered headtube. 100 bb.
Cleaned and greased, never heard a peep out of my EBB in 2-3 years my swift’s been ss and geared.
A Niner Biocentric 30 Bottom Bracket will convert ANY PF30 frame into a singlespeed by turning the 30mm BB into a 24mm EBB.
I've been using one for 5 years to run an Alfine 11 on a Niner RLT9 frame.
No creaking either as the BB halfs are bolted together.
I chuffing hate sliding dropouts. You constantly have to adjust the wheel to adjust for chain stretch and the disc always seems to end up out of allignment. Even using Surly tug-nuts its a faff.
Speaking generally, i think the EBB also gives alot of weld area for tubes and the insert with the big diameter steel EBB tube gives a stiffer bb area than you might otherwise get.
I run my Trek Stache as a SS. There’s enough adjustment in the drop outs, and huge amounts of mud clearance for this time of year. It’s still one of my favourite bikes. 🙂
I just fitted the Problem Solvers version of the PF30 EBB. Seems great and isn't really a pushfit as it just clamps between the BB faces. However, if you have a carbon frame, rotate the BB so it tensions as the twin bolts are at the bottom of the BB shell, it sounds as though you should not clamp where the downtube/seattube holes are made in the BB shell as there is less material.
I ended up getting a Vassago Verhauen, True Temper platinum tubing/Paragon sliders/70 degree head angle, it’s rocket but it was VERY spendy, £1300ish frame only
The Problem Solvers EBB is great - been using one for a few years on my custom Kite.
New Ti Pegasus is really very nice - oversize headtube, 142mm rear end, internal routing for dropper and a Bushnell EBB.
Don't know what the timeframes are for the steel Swift, but imagine they'll be done in small runs rather than a big container load.
Shand Bahookie with EBB? Available in XL. Normally they are boost but you could probably ask for non-boost as they seem to do that on the rohloff versions
Shand is a PF30 BB shell, not EBB. Problem Solvers or Wheels Manufacturing PF30 eccentric required, no bad thing seeing the amount of swearing directed at true EBBs in the past 🙂
P.S I'm one ride in and the Bahookie is a hoot 🙂
[url= https://i.ibb.co/kG9XYcL/IMG-20191230-110937.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.ibb.co/kG9XYcL/IMG-20191230-110937.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Pivot LES 29er?
I used to have one I ran singlespeed, it was a fantastic bike!
Got a 2Souls Quarterhorse singlespeed doing nothing if anyone is interested?
Chris King hubs/headset,Fox 34 and dropper post.
Great bike, just that I'm far to old and unfit to ever ride singlespeed again.
PM me if anyone is interested in it as it's just been hanging up in the front room for a while now...
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/7537/16066635358_9e99c45266_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/7537/16066635358_9e99c45266_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/qtKGWs ]2Souls[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr
Shand is a PF30 BB shell, not EBB
Then I misunderstood what EBB means. The singlespeed Bahookie does indeed use an eccentric bottom bracket but maybe that isn't the same an an EBB.
edit: just checked on their site and they say PF30 EBB so maybe we are both correct
P.S I’m one ride in and the Bahookie is a hoot 🙂
Bahootie?
Stanton's (e.g. Sherpa) have replaceable dropouts - you can get it with a sliding dropout.
O-O Scandal with tensioner here - cheap as Nachos and lightweight, though not to spec, I realise.
Stantons are horizontal dropouts not sliders. I think some people are misunderstanding the distinction. I want nuts and tensioning screw not just a slot.
Shand is not a bad shout if I’m feeling spendy. Though once I’m up near custom frame money my problem’s a different one, it’s one of choice isn’t it?
I’d discounted the various PF to EBB type adapters as a bodge, but maybe I should reconsider? Might open up the possibility of something quite light & spanky and properly XC...
Leffeboy, an EBB is a different size shell, and the bottom bracket expands to clamp inside the shell at the correct location. Can be problems with them creaking or seizing, slipping, or distorting/stretching the shell. (Never used one but have stood by several times whilst spanners, abuse and rocks have been used)
The PF30 eccentric conversion fits in a pushfit BB shell, I think it has a bit more adjustment, and it clamps between the faces of the BB so less likely to slip or creak. Problem Solvers and Wheels Manufacturing include the bearings so the cranks just slot straight in, I think the Niner Biocentric 30 rotates but you screw a normal BB into it.
Indy Fab steel or Ti deluxe - custom.
I have a steel one with original rigid steel fork - the base for a long-running build project; bought frame/fork here 2+ years ago.
Have had it tweaked by Argos in Bristol - and re-sprayed by them.
Will post some pics when IO get to next stage.
I've just built a 2Souls Quarterhorse as a SS and I am very impressed.
Sliding drop outs, 142 mm on mine.
Leffeboy, an EBB is a different size shell, and the bottom bracket expands to clamp inside the shell at the correct location. Can be problems with them creaking or seizing, slipping, or distorting/stretching the shell. (Never used one but have stood by several times whilst spanners, abuse and rocks have been used)
I think your missing a few options there. And they're all called EBB. "EBB" covers a whole plethora of options.
Phill wood (and later tiawanese versions) were just a cylyndrical sleeve in the BB shell with an eccentric BB. They could be locked in position either by grub screws or by the shell having a slot cut in it and clamping bolts.
Bushnell had a similar (and compattible?) One that had bolts running axially through the BB that drove an expanding wedge, a bit like an old quill stem. Dunno if they were all Bushnell or if companies just copied them.
Then theres the PF30 addapters that just rely on clamping force and friction with the end of the shell as you describe.
Then there's ecentriker and similar which are kinda like the BSA version of those PF30 addapters.
And probably more.
Ive had most of them at some point! All will probably creak if installed badly. Although touch wood ive never had one creak or slip that wasnt quickly solved with a smear of copper grease. Id suggest if its been fixed with the aid of a rock then its user error 😂
Most give the required ~13mm of adjustment. Some are limited to about half that, some limit it to save weight (probably halving it, its a big old lump of aluminium) and therefore require a half link or being less picky about ratios, others do the same due to limitations on the BB size.
