I spent many years singlespeed and had a fat bike while they were en trend.
I never felt like the way i rode the fat bike or terrain they excelled in would have made singlespeed a good idea…..
But then SS doesn’t make sense 95‰ of the time yet it is great so why not
Not singlespeed, but for the last ~12 months until the driveside crank sheared through the pedal axle, I ran my Wazoo without a rear mech cable stuck in the 17T sprocket using the rear mech limit screws, with the option of 24T or 38T chainrings.
Worked fine for my moderately hilly standard short commute routes, down a ~6% hill and up two ramps that hit ~9% and ~13%.
I did for SSUK 2018 (as we’d arranged the ‘racy’ bit to happen on the beach!). I think gears work better for Isle of Wight hills, but in my usual stomping ground of the New Forest, works fine.
One geared, one single speed. The singlespeed is the one that gets used & was bike of choice on rides across Scotland last summer. I’m a plodder so 32 x 20 works fine .
Beard yes, but no coffee bean grinding for me though.
For me the joy of owning and riding a fat bike (Surly Pugsley) was the fact it could climb pretty much anything. While I’m sure it’d still be a complete hoot to ride in SS form, you’d lose some of that ‘go anywhere, climb anything‘ ability which really appealed to me about them, even as a diehard SS/FG rider.
It’s harder work as you’re compounding the singlespeeds lack of acceleration/climbing and lack of top speed due to gearing, with the thefar bikes lack of the same due to weight and aerodynamics.
As usual, not better, just different. If you’re fit enough you’ll still keep up with group rides.
Well I’ve taken the plunge – it’s going to be a “posh” one too – Shand Tumshie with a few nice parts – I foresee some parts issues but let’s see how it shapes up!!
@thisisnotaspoon – I know, maybe a bit too posh – but what the hell!
Pics will follow in the next few weeks once all the parts are here and I’ve had a chance to build – with luck all the bits will be here when I’ve got a few days off wk after next!
Think I went for 32/19 when I built up my Puffin. Pretty hilly found here, and I cleaned some techy climbs I’d not made on geared normal bikes. The grrrip lets you get a lot more power to the ground with a lot less finesse!
Went up to 38/18 for Battle on the Beach. Had a terrible time, mostly unconnected with the gear!
I give up trying to post photos on here from an iPad. Probably my sheer IT incompetence. Anyway it is Moonmen M21 converted to a singlespeed. If interested you can find it on the moonmen website….great fun bike.
Shand Tumshie frame/fork
Cane Creek headset
Hope Fatnso hubs on Fatlabs rims w Surly Nate tyres
Hope stem
On one bars
Brand X seatpost
Raceface Aeffect cranks
Rideworks EBB
28 ring, 20t cog
Brooks C17 saddle
All parts oare either from the parts bin or secondhand, apart from the very nice and v expensive Rideworks EBB which was an absolute breeze to fit and set up.
It’s only had a shakedown ride round the block so far but hopefully will get a proper ride tomorrow – only thing I’m not happy about is the cable routing for the dropper – I already had the external dropper and the frame has a port for an internal one – had to use stick on guides for now – will look to “upgrade” at some point
Looks nice next to it’s younger, slightly slimmer 650b brother!
@spooky_b329 – ah yes, frame and forks were a s/h bargain – came up bang on my size and is set up exactly the same as my Bahookie (which I bought new so whole different ball game price-wise!)
@leffeboy – yep it’s actually set up for Rohloff with all the right guides etc – but you’re right, a replacement r/h dropout would give me the ability to easily stick a rear mech on there 👍
@lummox – about £2k – but lucky to pick this up s/h
That’s how I got my Bahookie, second hand,2 years old but had literally just had a few test rides trialling different handlebars it appears!
The seller was very particular and repacked it into my van as he was worried about scratches…it now gets plastered in mud at every opportunity, the paint is really durable although can’t stand up to a bit of heelrub! I think seller would be beside himself 🤗
I got it rideable 2 months before the first lockdown and it is was probably my best timed purchase ever!
Posted 3 years ago
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