I have several SS bikes both MTB and road. I also have geared bikes too. I tend to use geared bikes with friends and events and SS for commuting and individual rides.

I wondered whether you can do both and what effect it has on training, etc.

Invariably geared bikes tend you towards mainstream and training regimes, sportives, social rides. I worry will SS cut me off from this? I do enjoy SS and the idea. Have not FG yet but may do so soon…

Thoughts…

I worry will SS cut me off from this

only time an SS (off-road) really causes SS vs geared issues, ime, is when climbing as you have to attack the hills more. But everyone tends to climb at their own pace and regroup at the top anyway so it’s not normally a problem.

I’ve always ridden solo99% of the time and I can’t say tht having gears or not has influenced this.

I ride singlespeed mtb and geared road (the latter just for training really). The one thing I do notice is that I feel a lot better climbing out of the saddle than seated even when on the road bike, obviously because that’s how my fitness has been developed. In fact, I can’t climb in the saddle for s**t. It doesn’t bother me as all my competitive & most of my fun riding is on the singlespeed mtb anyway so climbing out of the saddle is what I want to be good at!

I can’t keep up with geared mates on the flat so tend to solo SS, but i reckin learning to spin with “suplesse” has gotta be good for all riding so it’ll benefit you whatever your riding plans

aw – Member
I wondered whether you can do both and what effect it has on training, etc.

**** all I’d say, in reality as well as compared to actually training.

Your ss may push you a little if you aren’t training much, so may help.

Naaaa, the fitness required is different, but it’s all riding a bike, I use the SS for muddy/wet rides and the geared bikes in the dry to keep maintenance costs down. Tend to notice that I’m unfit for the SS after a while on the geared bike rather than the outer way round.

I wondered whether you can do both and what effect it has on training, etc.

I’ve been SSing for years and usually do all my events SS too. This year I’ve started to train with a HR monitor and have been amazed at how high my HR is when climbing on a SS. I’m training for a 24 solo and with that in mind have decided that I won’t be able to follow my training plan riding SS. I find it’s almost impossible to stay in zone on the climbs and I’m simply putting in too much effort to build the required stamina/endurance that will be required for a 24 solo.

With 32/18 I can maintain ~14mph on the flat. It takes practice but like rd, I also figure it’s a good thing albeit tiring.

Uphills I usually find myself in front rather than behind due to the need to attack hills. Nailing difficult climbs on ss that your mates are struggling on with gears gives much kudos and riding god points.

I wouldn’t have ever considered it less social.

Edit: I didn’t consider the events side of things, just social. I imagine events require a different strategy if you’re likely to be pushing your limits.

I’ve been SSing for years and usually do all my events SS too. This year I’ve started to train with a HR monitor and have been amazed at how high my HR is when climbing on a SS. I’m training for a 24 solo and with that in mind have decided that I won’t be able to follow my training plan riding SS. I find it’s almost impossible to stay in zone on the climbs and I’m simply putting in too much effort to build the required stamina/endurance that will be required for a 24 solo.

I’ve been through the same process. Two things you can do…pedal slower & walk. Seriously, for long endurance events, particularly on a singlespeed, don’t get hung up on blasting the hills as you simply won’t be able to sustain it. Power = torque x speed, so lower the speed (of crank rotation), and you can still ride up quite a steep hill with not too much power output. If power output, and therefore HR, starts to climb too high, get off & walk. At that point chances are walking won’t be much/any slower anyway.

Less social in the respect of losing touch with faster geared bikes on the flat and downhill and having to attack hills or even walking up!

I agree with the comment about almost impossible to stay in zones with SS. Tried traning regimes with them and it just does not work.

I have 6 bikes, 5 of which are SS.
I ride maybe only 5% of my yearly mileage with gears.

I love SS, even round me on the malverns. Sure there’s a few short sections I cant climb, and a few longer ones I cant clean without stopping for a quick breather once or twice, but I can climb most stuff. I just do it much quicker than a spinner, and blow out my arse at the top. Its different, but I love it.

can I convert to SS only? I have 6 bikes…

Boardman team carbon road bike – gears
Genesis Flyer steel – SS
Alan Cross converted to SS (currently off the road)
97 Kona steel cindercone SS conversion (currently chain tensioner problems)
07 Kona steel unit 29er SS (might sell)
Klein Attitude alu geared with front suspension

I find myself doing more road than MTB increasingly…

Problem with MTB SS is the low gearing and when you hit a road section you are left spinning like a mad man and left for dead by mates.

I Love SS, and forced to choose one bike I’d take SS over gears…too hell what other people think

That said I’m not MTFU enough to be doing HONC SS this week-end – but doing the Trailbreak Princess Risbourgh 65K SS the following w/e

I have no mates (SS, qv) so the road sections arent an issue for me 😉

Invariably geared bikes tend you towards mainstream and training regimes, sportives, social rides.

😯

Out of my group of mates I’m the only one who rides SS. I can keep up with them fine, but they’re all overweight and drink/smoke. win/win!

I’m thinking about having a SS only road bike since i’m not really a roadie and it just gets used for commuting, but some friends are persuading to take up racing and come on “chain gang” (WTF?) rides so i’m having similar thoughts.

I used to have an MTB with two gears to cover the road sections where i cycled to start of the trails, 40:14 and 36:18.