Does anyone still single speed?

I’ve got a 26er Soul running as SS. Luckily this chain and chainring/sprocket combo doesn’t need a tensioner so it’s quite neat and tidy!

I use it quite a lot for zipping to to shops, riding with the kids, that kind of thing.

Feels too sketchy for “real” MTB compared to my BFeMAX, but I still love riding it, and I agree the simplicity of SS is a joy*.

*Until the next hill

Yes. Love my Soloist. I’m thinking of getting Meteorworks to build me a 29er version…

only on my pumptrack/dadcountry bike, which was meant to be a spare bike but in actual fact it s the one that gets ridden 99% of the time.

If I restart winter night-rides then they’ll be SS, as the place is way too muddy for a geary bike in Dec-Feb

Not that strong often these days but I stil ride my Stooge singlespeed. It’s a cracking bike and is a proper workout off-road.

I’ve got my Niner One9 which has been transformed by the SQLab backswept bars – feels like a big BMX now somehow.

Also in the process of ss’ing the rim-braked Allez turbo trainer bike for evening rides IRL.  It has a standard threaded BB shell so I’m using a First Components EBB for BSA threaded BB shells to keep it looking really neat – not fitted it yet but it seems really well made with plenty of adjustment for getting the chain tension set correctly.

My Shand is still SS, not ridden much just now.

Still quite a few SSs in my riding circle – including @chiefgrooveguru

I love my sonder transition:

Damn I miss bluebells and that is a nice looking bike.  Don’t ride so much this side of the pond now (crap weather and apartment living) but Stateside, singlespeed all the way 😉

Yup.. recently built this back up as a SS after it languished on the turbo trainer for the past few years..

its wonderful!

Yep, have done for last 20+ years switching between fixed and freewheel but all one gear.

It is lighter so must be better (5.9kg)

@mamadirt long time no see, glad your still pushing them pedals!

Yes, it’s my favourite bike.
My On One Pompetamine has been is several different guises but SSCX is my favourite!

PXL_20240114_111423418_Original by benjishucksmith[/url], on Flickr

Nah lost the love for it. Dunno why, just didn’t want to do it any longer. Had a Inbred that was worked on by Robin Mather to give me a set of sliding brake mounts and was repainted genuine Ferrari Rosso as well, which was a pretty unique bike. Sold it on and bought a Hummer as replacement. Haven’t gone back and don’t miss frankly

I’d love a beady little eye. Hard for me to justify buying one though.

The heart wants what the heart wants 😉

Unless you’re racing or commuting the bike’s for fun. That’s all you need to justify it. My BLE makes me smile just thinking about it, let alone riding it. It’s makes other people smile when they see it, and look concerned for their bank account if they try it 😉

It’s by far the bike I’ve had that’s brought the most fun and pleasure to the world. Totally worth it.

Still own one – beaten-up, rigid ti thing with a neat eccentric outboard bottom bracket – but don’t ride it often, mostly because the local terrain is the Peak District and singlespeeding round here takes a certain level of ,erm, ‘commitment.’ I spent around two years a decade or more ago riding almost exclusively ss on a Voodoo Wanga and loved it, but it takes a specialised type of on/off, anaerobic conditioning to survive on hilly stuff and trying to do it regularly would almost certainly put me in a box.

If I lived and rode somewhere a bit more mellow and undulating, then yes, I think I would for the visceral simplicity, but round here it’s most about visceral suffering. Thanks for the inspiration though, I’m teetering on the brink of getting the thing out, swapping some tyres and going for a one-cog ride.

I love my sonder transition:

Ooh, that’s a single-speeded carbon Transmitter, right? A mate had one of those for review for a couple of weeks, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in the wild. I reckon that frame with a Pike or similar, light but wide carbon rims and some carefully chosen, fast-rolling tyres would be a hoot.

Not off road anymore, ride one religiously in London for Epping Forest and North London parks, my knees complained when I moved somewhere with short sharp climbs so I have gears now fir off road.

I still have a SS for daily commutes to the train station and shopping trips into town along the tow path. I do like the silence and simplicity of it.

Fair play to all of you… will pop out to spectate… really tough gear ratio… presumably gear for “up”, free wheel “down” and presume (fairly correctly) there is no “along”

Seems that most people ride SS for different reasons to me – “fun” and “a hoot” are not phrases i associate with it.

SS is a practical solution that allows me to keep riding through the worst of the weather without destroying my other bikes.

As soon as the trails dry out, the SS is in the shed and forgotten.

That’s a single-speeded carbon Transmitter, right?

Oops yes typo on the name. And yes it is indeed a hoot.

Cheers @rOcKeTdOg 👍 No ACL but the old lady keeps going ☺️

Yes, but due to garage mess they are further back in the order currently.
Obvious plan to solve this is I’m looking to build a more modern 29″ SS which will be closer to top of the pile by virtue of being last in the door.

When the Kilauea SS does get dug out, I’m always amazed how it hasn’t dated as bad as other 26″ wheel bikes. Or maybe that’s just love?

Yea, started again after it being in the garage for a few years. Pictured freewheel side but now it is actually fixed and rear brake taken off – front has SLX disc brake. Ride on gravel and asphalt, 30 mm tyres and the fork is 26″ Reba Dual-air with hydraulic lockout, so you can ride with lockout on and it still takes bigger bumps. The 28″ wheel and 30mm tyre leaves just enough clearance in the front.

Pretty old NS Bikes Analog.

Not been out on the SS MTB since COVID – road the Cx bike instead. But I have ridden road (fixed) a lot, and have raced TT’s fixed. Did my first 50 since COVID with a PB today (not hard as I’d only ridden one before), and have a 100 coming next week. I’ll dust down the Genesis IO soon.

Not ridden/had one for about 10 years (on one inbred) but may build one next. A DH/park bike, so ‘fun’ and ’hoot’ are top of the agenda.

Always fancied a Beady Little Eye too.

Sam Morris of Bike Village certainly does single speed. 2nd at the southern divide! https://dotwatcher.cc/race/the-southern-divide-2024

Yep, singlespeeding to me is an unfiltered, simple way to have fun on an MTB. Currently have an On One Huntsman, the frame is ‘reassuringly heavy’ and the paint isn’t great but importantly the frame is the right dimensions for tall me and it rides nice.

Not off road these days (although I keep telling myself that I will get the Inbred rolling again soon)

But the On-One Pompino (freewheel) is easily the bike that I enjoy riding the most, despite having a Van Nicholas Ultegra Di2.

The Pompino just makes me feel good about myself, especially when I’m overtaking riding buddies on geared bikes. I never get that level of satisfaction from a geared bike.

Edit: This thread has inspired to pump up the tyres on the Inbred for the Tuesday evening ride

“Seems that most people ride SS for different reasons to me – “fun” and “a hoot” are not phrases i associate with it.”

It is strange isn’t it? My Moxie is the most fun bike I’ve ever owned and it’s rather hard to explain why. I was extolling the virtues of it whilst chatting to a fellow ebiker who I’d tagged along with in Friston Forest, as I don’t know my way round there very well. He seemed unconvinced by the idea of giving up the motor, the rear suspension and the gears! I like my ebike a lot but it’s just a bit sensible.

I have a 26er geared HT and a Big Bro (Brother Cycles) 29er rigid steel single speed. I ride the single speed 99 times out of 100 and love it to bits. I’m quicker up hill on it than on my geared bike, and I’m never in the wrong gear 😀

Foggy silhouette is Friday just gone, early morning pre WFH pedal through Summer. Overgrown track this afternoon.

IMG_2579 by Bindylou[/url], on Flickr

IMG_2605 by Bindylou[/url], on Flickr

This thread has inspired to pump up the tyres on the Inbred for the Tuesday evening ride

👍👌

IA

Full Member

I’d love a beady little eye. Hard for me to justify buying one though.

The heart wants what the heart wants 😉

Unless you’re racing or commuting the bike’s for fun. That’s all you need to justify it. My BLE makes me smile just thinking about it, let alone riding it. It’s makes other people smile when they see it, and look concerned for their bank account if they try it 😉

It’s by far the bike I’ve had that’s brought the most fun and pleasure to the world. Totally worth it

Oh I’d buy one in a heartbeat if i had the money to spare. I’d love to know if anyone successfully runs it with 27.5 wheels.

This thread made me take my Singular Rooster singlespeed out for a quick local lap this afternoon as it’s not been out since last year. Forgotten just how good it is, it just makes you ride everywhere flat out. It’s somehow developed a creak since I put it away which needs sorting but it’ll definitely get more ride time this summer now. Archive shot below.

Not on the MTB anymore.  All the local riding to me is steep, sharp, rocky and often wet.  You just end up walking (a lot) and then to get between all these climbs, you just and up spinning (a lot), so combined, they suck the fun out of it.  34 -10:45 works better for me here.  Still have and use a SS road bike.

Oh I’d buy one in a heartbeat if i had the money to spare. I’d love to know if anyone successfully runs it with 27.5 wheels.

They made some like that, that was the default when I ordered mine…

You just end up walking (a lot)

TBH I don’t mind pushing a heavy bike up a very steep trail, even if it is a real struggle – I treat it as cross training and it is particularly good for stretching the hamstrings.

Superb ride this evening. #SummerOfSinglespeed pic.twitter.com/wjj9JcGWuY

— Mr Sparkle (@darwendashers) May 19, 2024

Oddly, I find a rigid Singlespeed a very lazy way to ride. No thinking about gears just pedal or push. I can grind my way up most stuff (eventually). Its the perfect de-stressing bike. Fat might not be everyone’s cup of tea but it works for me. Good to see so many singlespeeds still out there.

Nice and simple so I don’t have to think. 16 years and all the associated stupidity. Love it.

That reminds me, need some new tyres, the current ones have got a little too slick.

I miss the simplicity of SS. Maybe time to revisit. Steel definitely, maybe short travel remote lock fork and a dropper this time. Oh and definitely 29 this time.