WARNING! Following post contains serious day dreaming!
Just watched the Kunye video on MWM's and it occurred to me that you'd have to be pretty strong to ride any reasonable distance on a singlespeed,
What sort of ratio do people ride with? Where? and how far?
I've only been mtb for 3 years, switched to 1x9 this past month, My thighs are pretty big to what they were 3 years ago, I reckon another 2 years before trying SS, another year and I'd give Chris Hoy's hulk like legs a run for his money!
😀 😐
No but you will need a beard and questionable personal hygiene.
nope anyone can do it, technique is more important than power
[i]you'd have to be pretty strong to ride any reasonable distance on a singlespeed,[/i]
I think you just have to have a slightly different approach and really attack hills. If you normally sit and spin you'll run out of momentum on a SS fairly quickly. Stand up and fight and you'll surprise yourself what you can get up.
It's more technique and attitude than anything else.
on a more serious note, just try it. Riding in one gear is not the same as riding singlespeed mind you, but you will be surprised at just how mnuch you can ride without the gears you currently find essential
no wondering if you;re in the right gear
no desperatly going for one more gear to help you up that last bit
either attack the hill all-out, or get off the bike and push
either way, you'll usually be at the top before your mates and be recovered by the time they arrive
I'm a 10st weakling an have no issues at all.
OK, but what ratio are you all riding though?
32:17 on 26"
32:20 on 29"
Downs and woodland around Brighton.
A lot on the gearing is down to where you ride. Anywhere flatter I'd probably drop a tooth at the back but the hills tend to become problematic after an hour two.
I ride a 32 - 14 on a 26er but I'm a MAN 🙂
Some of the bigger hills are a killer but that's why I single speed.
32:16 here (26") - Sussex Downs/Worthing etc etc...
I've legs like an excited gazelle though.....!!
DrP
anybody can SS, MTFU... or at least choose the gear ratio for the type of riding you do.
You need a drinking problem to singlespeed.
Suits me fine. 😀
32:16 on a 26ss
32:20 on the new 29er SS
I ride on the edges of the peak district so not exactly flat.
Definitely technique over strength. Grind the hills and on technical climbs you'll develop a kind of hip thrusty movement that adds momentum to pedal strokes. Gurning helps too
Never mind all the above posts, they're not really doing it properly; merely playing at it. To [i]really[/i] ride singlespeed you need to be fitter, stronger, and more technically adept than a geared-bike rider.
It annoys me on here that people don't take singlespeeding seriously; they mess around at it and think they're cool or something.
In answer to your question, yes, you do have to be strong to do it properly and it takes years to get to the point where you can really shout out "Yes, I am a singlespeeder!"
I am neither strong, fast or fit and I ride (rode) SS. 32x16 FWIW.
I mostly ride alone, generally riding what used to be called XC or "dicking about in the woods". Linking little bits of trail up I can about manage 25 miles from my house and back again. I tend to walk up steep hills with a geared bike and tend to wear myself out more by trying to be fast. I must confess to having gears on currently as trail centres with mates were getting a bit dull as I'd have to sprint past them on the climbs (you can't just spin up) and they'd leave me standing on the long draggy fire roads.
I still ride SS on the road and find that generally (top speed aside) I'm faster as I'm trying harder!
Weirdly SS MTB reminds me of riding BMX, in the way we used to park on the industrial estates on the outskirts of nottingham and then slowly ride into the city, jumping, grinding, manualling off everything we could. Its kind of a fun way to ride, but I probably wouldn't attempt an all day epic SS. (though I have done road sportives SS)
The extra effor required on the hills is obvious. The thing that surprised me was how much it killed my arms and shoulders. Your whole body is more involved than with a geared bike. Makes you realise how much gears let you ease into a climb.
You have to be bloody daft, and not take it too seriously..
I'm enjoying it 😀
a good gurn can add anything up to 50W to your max power output, science FACTGurning helps too
after several years SSing I still get an itchy trigger finger atleast once a ride 🙂no desperatly going for one more gear to help you up that last bit
singlespeeding is a bit like bum sex.......so like it, some dont. 😀
Ok ok, I'm warming to the idea,
Are we riding HT or FS?
Difficult to properly singlespeed an FS due to chain stretch issues, although I have seen spring loaded chain tensioners. It kind of takes away from the direct, simple feel that makes singlespeed appealing (to me at least).
I ran my Giant NRS SS with a Rohloff DH tensioner - was really nice to ride.
I ride either singlespeed or 2x9.
Both are fine. I'd really struggle without a granny ring on gears though.
I wouldn't say that SS riders are strong, they just ride really slow
Never mind all the above posts, they're not really doing it properly; merely playing at it. To really ride singlespeed you need to be fitter, stronger, and more technically adept than a geared-bike rider.
It annoys me on here that people don't take singlespeeding seriously; they mess around at it and think they're cool or something.
In answer to your question, yes, you do have to be strong to do it properly and it takes years to get to the point where you can really shout out "Yes, I am a singlespeeder!"
Oooh, get you... 😉
DrP
Given the profusion of 9 stone shandy drinking girlpants who turn up to Ssuk every year I'd say not.
Given the profusion of 9 stone shandy drinking girlpants who turn up to Ssuk every year I'd say not
Mmmm goes off to start diet so will not out of place on 3rd May 😉
32:18 on a 26er on Dartmoor.
As above it's a lot about technique - draggy climbs are the ones you're going to wish for gears on. Short sharp, steep ups you just attack.
You'll spend a lot of time out of the saddle so a good upper body workout.
I'm not sure whether singlespeeds are inherently slower - as above on a lot of climbs you'll beat the pants off people with gears as you're forced into attack mode. On techy stuff you'll probably match them for speed. It's the long flats or draggy climbs where you'll struggle. Round here it's pretty much either up or down so not really a disadvantage.
Forget all the haterz who say it's a fashion thing - what they don't realise is that it's basically just really good fun - like riding a big BMX bike. Riding my 1x1 always puts a grin on my face.
size of thighs has no bearing on suitability for single speed riding. general cardio fitness is going to be more indicative. most pumped up roid-rage gym pumpers wouldn't last 5 min on a bicycle.
Naa!
32 - 15 here..rode SS for a few years now CBA putting the gears back on.
100kg @ 183cm 45yrs, mid table strava, ride 50 miles plus xc quite regular no more difficult than geared.
Did I mention I live in Suffolk.
I'm no athlete, trust me. I love it though, once you get the mindset that some hills can't be done (by me at least) and that walking's allowed it's surprising what can be done, and the ones that can't - meh.
I actually find it OK for longer rides, particularly bridleway cruise types, because when you hit the flats and spin out (at maybe 15-17 mph on my 34:20 29er) you can't go faster so you don't try, you just sit back and enjoy the ride and save energy for the other bits.
On the other hand - 90 mins of up-down-up-down at somewhere like swinley sees me breathing out of my arse and jelly legged!
I'm not sure whether singlespeeds are inherently slower
Due to the forecast, I did my normal commute today on the SnowRat-SS-SnowBike™ (36-18, 26" wheels & studded tyres). Certainly [b][i]felt[/b][/i] much slower, but I was actually only marginally slower (approx 2 mins over the hour). I normally use a 1x9 (36 - 11/32) 700c wheeled Kaffenback.
Take from that what you will! 🙂
33:17 for me. Even sprocket and chain wear.
As above with long draggy hills. Killers.
SS really have 3 speeds. Sit down, stand up, and push.
Oh, and MTFU. 😉
29erSS rigid here, ratio 32:17 but have recently changed cranks so now 37:20 (effectively the same) I have a 19 which I'll try out, but I've yet to hammer the 37:20 so until thAt happens it'll stay as is. Sth Downs bumps here.
And I sport neatly trimmed goatee, and spectacular hair.
You just have to modify technique, normal stuff, bit like riding a bike.
32:16 here, but i put a 17T sprocket on if i'm going anywhere near a hill
36-18 here on a 26. Recent convert. Like the simplicity of it. Most hills are ok but there's no(t much) shame in walking.
secret to ss riding..big guns, strong upper body and a gurn of power.... 😀
(all 29er)34-19 for wales, lakes, the peak etc... 35-18 on the SS race bike and 34-20 on the fatty singlespeed
I did the Strathpuffer on a SS - 34:17 on a 29er 🙂
Stubborness more than strength "i will bet to the top of this bloddy hill!", at +50 miles get knee twinges but that happens on the full suss aswell. I'd recomend spd's with some sort of platform to spread the pressure points on your feet (or better shoes but again stubborn).
Ridgid 29er and run 34:18 i think.
Due to the forecast, I did my normal commute today on the SnowRat-SS-SnowBike™ (36-18, 26" wheels & studded tyres). Certainly felt much slower, but I was actually only marginally slower (approx 2 mins over the hour). I normally use a 1x9 (36 - 11/32) 700c wheeled Kaffenback.Take from that what you will!
As an experiment I did my usual 6 mile commute on 3 different bikes over a week last year. Very steep and rough Devon lanes on a geared rigid 26" MTB on slicks, geared 29er on knobblies and my 1x1 with knobblies. The 1x1 was the fastest by around 3 mins in both directions.
My theory is riding singlespeed boosts the levels of sheer bloodymindedness such that you overcome the feeble rules of physics.
As above, tenacious rather than strong, IME.
32:18 on 26 here. Live the requirement for tenacity, and simplicity. As I'm indecisive the nature SS does me a world of good!
on a more serious note, just try it. Riding in one gear is not the same as riding singlespeed mind you, but you will be surprised at just how mnuch you can ride without the gears you currently find essential
no wondering if you;re in the right gear ?
no desperatly going for one more gear to help you up that last bit ?
either attack the hill all-out, or get off the bike and push ? (mostly the latter, [i]very[/i] occasionally the former)
either way, you'll usually be at the top before your mates and be recovered by the time they arrive. (You're kidding, right?)
32:16 on my SS, rigid, with carbon forks, weighs about 19lb.
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Go on, you know you want to... 😀
I'm a 10 stone shandy drinking weakling and have represented my ****ree at European level SSing, my thighs are like twigs but I did hear a blind old lady in the supermarket say I looked rather fit in my bulging skinsuit, I ride 58 x 9 on a 36" unobtainium framed trellis bike.
a singlespeeder
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I only ride ss on the road bike at the moment,think the gearing is 48/17 and with some extreme gurning can go up most climbs.
Did the Cheshire 100k on it a few years back so distance is not really a issue.
[i]"What sort of ratio do people ride with? Where? and how far?"[/i]
Ratios are for dullards what can't do sums.
[b]Proper[/b] singlespeeders use metres development.
Graham
Worcestershire's fastest veteran vegan single speed mountain bike endurance racer with a beard.
Oh, and 4.1m, since you ask.
I've been toying with the idea, purely to keep my fitness up in the winter and to reduce my payments to Shimano
However, the thing putting me off is downhilling
I really like to pedal my little heart out and i'm afraid i'm just going to spin out too quickly and people will get away from me
How do you regular SS's deal with it?
i can't recall the last time I pedalled downhill. ss is about momentum - if you need to pedal it's because you've braked too hard and slowed down too much. on ss it's all about staying off the brakes and keeeping going. it's great for teaching you about line choice
boltonjohn,
spinrestspinrestspinrest.
Let 'em ride away from you. Get 'em on the uphills!
32x16 here, and 10 mile commute as quick on ss as i am on geared mtb.
32:16 on 26". +1 for the gurning.
Seriously, it's great fun, not sure I'd want the SS to be my only bike though, but it's great as an Old Skool back-to-basics thing.
I'd not really thought about it before, but starting riding SS coincided with me taking up drinking beer instead of lager. Hmmm.
"Is impressed with CountZeros ticks"
Boltonjon; I'd lend you a go on mine but you'd probably break it 😉
You're practically passing mine on sat am - call in and borrow it for the SH ride, see what you think!
[i]What ratio?[/i] 36:18 on the Inbred and 44:16 on the Pompino (not for any kind of proper mtb obviously)
[i]
Where?[/i] Anywhere, until I can't go any more (like trying to get up an 18% road at the weekend)
[i]
How far?[/i] Miles and miles.
Cheers JonV - but i'll pass - taking the big bike out for a proper blast on Saturday!!
And yes - I would break it 🙂
bikebouy - Member
"Is impressed with CountZeros ticks"
Why, thank you sir, you are most kind. 😀
Actually, I've got a whole bunch of Dingbats that I found on't interwebz, which I copied into Notes on my Pad, then I can just c'n'p them when I want something a bit unusual;
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Most singlespeeders I know seem to have well developed bike-pushing muscles
turned to SS 18 months ago never looked back.
Running 32x16 in the middle of the Peak.
Just about to test Taz's wobbly ring on two new builds if I can ever get out on the bike.
Find what you like pedalling on the flat in, take it easy on the climbs, roll down the downbits. Congratulations. You've found singlespeeding.
Strength is not an issue. Fun is. Sometimes it'll hurt. If it hurts too much then stop.
It's not about going fast or winning stuff. It's about rolling along, enjoying the view, smiling and going...hmmmmmmm. Nice.....
Sweet.
Been riding two years, only ever on singlespeed. 32:16 Inbred. Can't wear jeans now but it's all worth it.
Ups- All in the head... And "core". 🙂
Flats- Can get a spectacular uptake of pace plus a "super thigh induced extra acceleration" only known to singlespeed folk.
Downs- Smash it, hard, on the zenith then get to spin out point asap before forgetting about brakes and smashing past the mincers.
Good technique, no fear.
Samurai pins it.
Sounds great Samuri, if only it were possible to do the same with gears! Oh...
Get bike out of shed like this...
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8099/8468565815_c5037d3b0d.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/takisawa2/8468565815/ ]IMAG0200[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/takisawa2/ ]pten2106[/url], on Flickr
Ride.
Put bike back in shed like this...
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8099/8468565815_c5037d3b0d.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/takisawa2/8468565815/ ]IMAG0200[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/takisawa2/ ]pten2106[/url], on Flickr
About sums it up. 🙂
I've been toying with the idea, purely to keep my fitness up in the winter and to reduce my payments to Shimano
However, the thing putting me off is downhilling
I really like to pedal my little heart out and i'm afraid i'm just going to spin out too quickly and people will get away from me
How do you regular SS's deal with it?
Not sure about everyone else but riding SS taught me to lay off the brakes on downhills and try to conserve speed. You can't flat out pedal on an SS downhill unless you're running a ratio which would be crap at anything else, instead you concentrate on line and flow. Again its a different technique but loads of fun - sometimes you'll be faster than the gearies, sometimes not....
Just ride, if you don't get up a hill no worries try again next time, you get up it at some point. Enjoy the simplicity.
I ride 35-19 on my 29er and its always the wrong gear. That's fine because everyother set of cogs is wrong as well.
I find marketing bull#### helps a great deal, clown wheels and funny shaped chainrings. 😉
Just ride, if you don't get up a hill no worries try again next time, you get up it at some point. Enjoy the simplicity.
I ride 35-19 on my 29er and its always the wrong gear. That's fine because everyother set of cogs is wrong as well.
I find marketing bull#### helps a great deal, clown wheels and funny shaped chainrings. 😉
It's not about going fast or winning stuff...
Sorry, you've lost me there. 😕
Asthmatic arthritic grandfather here rides 32:16 in Brecon Beacons.
I'm a skinny, asthmatic, wonky-legged singlespeeder.
32:17 on my 26er, riding (sporadically) Swaledale and Hamsterley. Sometimes on the same ride.
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I recently did some of the power tests in the Allen/Coggan book.
Depsite a lot of singlespeeding I actualy had Ok 20min (FTP) and 5min (V02 max) power , but crap 1min (anaerobic) and 5s (neuomuscular) power.
Ok - low Cat 5
Crap - didn't even register on the scale!
So it seems 'strength' has little to do with it, just ana bility to sufer for longer climbs.
boltonjon - Member
However, the thing putting me off is downhillingI really like to pedal my little heart out and i'm afraid i'm just going to spin out too quickly and people will get away from me
How do you regular SS's deal with it?
Pies, Pasties, Cake & Beer seem to help build up momentum on the downhills...
Don't reckon you need to be super strong or fit (luckily, 😉 ) to enjoy SS riding, just smooth on the bike and determined.
The kind of people you see mainly at trail centres, who drop down to the granny and spin like mad at the first whiff of a climb, would probably be faced with a steep learning curve, however. 😀
FWIW, I ran 32:17 on the 26" and now use 33:19 on a 29er.
And 33:18 on 29er here, but it's a wobbly snake-oil special from honest-tazzy.
I've worked out the gear I need to be on my geared bike to simulate my SS
ratio and leave in there when going up hills.
Hardcore*
*prays chain doesn't break.
if you don't get up a hill no worries try again next time
never......gurn 'till you puke and then keep going...sometimes even a bunny hop on a stalled climb can get you going again...pushing up hill is for fat boys with DH bikes*
*unless the said ss rider has had a shandy or 3, in which case drunkly meandering holding onto the bike for support is perfectly acceptable 😀
[url= http://www.mbaction.com/Main/News/Master_the_Single_Speed_Game_Fuzzy_Mylnes_racing_t_360.aspx ]awsome singlespeedy hints from a bearded racing master[/url]
Oh yeah, only "whole food real" beer is allowed in yer camelbak or bottle, organic of course.
[img][url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8382/8474460862_a6f888989b.jp g" target="_blank">
I've worked out the gear I need to be on my geared bike to simulate my SS
ratio and leave in there when going up hills.
Trouble is, that doesn't work for some reason I can't explain. Unless you take the gears off you can't replicate the feeling. It's easier than you can believe.