Singlespeed – should I?

I have just realised I have all the stuff to sort out a singlespeed without paying a penny. ( Genesis ioid bike and spare wheels with old cassettes to butcher)

I haven’t ridden without gears for 40 years! I do like my granny gear on hills

Is it just a total waste of time and I will convert the bike back after one ride?

Should I go rigid as well ( rigid fork in the spares box as well)

Why not, if you’ve got the parts, what harm can it do?

Yes you should. A change is as good as a rest as they say and if you don’t like it it hasn’t cost a penny.

Putting a pair of On One carbons on the Cotic has also been a lot of fun for me.

I suspect singlespeeders lack the intellectual capacity and manual dexterity to change gear in the appropriate manner and at the apropriate time and are covering up their disability by this cult of the singlespeed

Its possible they lack opposable thumbs.

the evidence:-

😉

TJ – as a self confessed martyr to your granny UBER torque Alfine set up you will hate SS

Thank me later.

That ugly guy in the picture overtook me today !

Ah!

I believe that is known as hoist by my own petard!

I am not a singlespeeder ( yet) merely curious

Sorry TJ, couldn’t resist!

Granny gear! Pah! Do it and you’ll soon realise why it’s called a granny gear.

I am almost 50 – don’t I deserve a granny gear.

TJ I’m 48 been a single speeder for several years, rigid also and you need to at least give it a try. What have you got to loose. Do it and don’t forget a massive back pack with loads of kit in it 😉

Do it. For a while anyway. If only to prove to your self that you are a real man.
I did and since then I’ve been beating the ladies off with a big stick. So to speak. 🙂

yeh give it a go, i use my single speed all winter, even race it at longer enduro events…no dérailleur to mess up with mud and crap, you can play about with the rear cogs and pick a size that suits your strength and also the terrain you normally bike in…32 16 is the common set up…

Rigid is shit. But SS is quite good fun and rewarding

Well, I suppose it also depends to a certain extent where you live / ride?

If Lincs etc then go for it, if Devon, Midlotian etc then I suggest you stay with the granny!

If Lincs etc then go for it

SS on the flat is shite really, SS in the hills is fun

Depends what value you place on your knees 😕

You’re a spinner not a gurner(that’s a natural look you have),my guess is you’ll not enjoy it at all.

Please do try it though, nowt to cost you by trying.

I’m almost 50 too, and only started doing a bit of SS on the side 6 months ago. It’s fun if you have the right kind of trails, up and down, and not lots of flat stuff. That is where it sucks as you spin out on fire roads etc.

I find it tweaks my ankles more than my knees.

Go for it – what’s to lose?

build a SS, learn to ride a bike properly and efficiently and your geared riding will benefit too

Deffo worth a go, why not?

Rigid is really hair-shirting it, good once in a while to remind you what suspension is for, but couldn’t ride it myself regularly – hellish rough over the rocks.

Well its built 32 / 17

I am a little concerned at the strange fluff that is appearing in odd places on my face tho

Test ride might have to wait until tomorrow

The real issues are two – one its 8 miles to the hills on gently sloping well made paths and two – the local trails involve hills I can only just get up in granny

We shall see

the local trails involve hills I can only just get up in granny

SS is mostly about balance on the hills rather than all out grunt

SS in the hills is fun

Yep, so long as you enjoy walking 😆

Fact remains that some of the steepest parts of the UK (mainly off road I’m talking about here) are simply unsuitable for sustained SS riding / enjoyment, if like me, you enjoy staying on the bike 99% of the time. Or unless your name is Chris Hoy.

No doubt there are some super fit / strong SS’s on here who would grind up a steep, technical asscent faster than Chris himself (he is a roadie after all 8O), but SS is not the answer 100% of the time.

When I lived in Sussex I used to love riding SS, just not where I am now, hence why I said it can be location specific.

You will more than likely enjoy it after a while, it does have it’s short comings but then again it does have it’s advantages.

but SS is not the answer 100% of the time.

I don’t think anyone ever has TBH, it’s just riding a bike ’tis all.

The real issues are two – one its 8 miles to the hills on gently sloping well made paths and two – the local trails involve hills I can only just get up in granny

I assume you refer to the Pentlands? It is a bit of a pain getting to the Pentlands from Trinity on my 32:15 setup, but not too bad. I think you’ll find 32:17 too slow for well made flatish paths. Singlespeed fine when you get to the hills though – I find it ideal round Glentress red, and would probably be able to do my standard Pentlands route on it.

I concerted a couple of month ago and love it. It’s a great contrast to my regular bike – power is instant

You shouldn’t, TJ. Leave it to the right-wing IT geeks.

Easiest way to find out is to go for a ride and don’t change gear.

SS in the hills is fun

Yep, so long as you enjoy walking

Fact remains that some of the steepest parts of the UK (mainly off road I’m talking about here) are simply unsuitable for sustained SS riding / enjoyment, if like me, you enjoy staying on the bike 99% of the time. Or unless your name is Chris Hoy.

No doubt there are some super fit / strong SS’s on here who would grind up a steep, technical asscent faster than Chris himself (he is a roadie after all 8O), but SS is not the answer 100% of the time.

When I lived in Sussex I used to love riding SS, just not where I am now, hence why I said it can be location specific.

Chris is probably a pretty poor hill climber (relatively speaking, I doubt he is world class where as he is world class on the track), also he is a track racer rather than a roadie, although I’m sure he does plenty of road training.

Do it. Women are so horny for SS’ers. I’ve never had so much sex while out on the trails.

I love my single speed (converted about a month ago), just brought it up to uni with me to play with…we shall see how I fair on the road hills!

My theory is if I ride round here on SS all winter all be super fit by the summer 😛

Come on TJ pics of your steed, never seen a single speed tandem.

I am almost 50 – don’t I deserve a granny gear.

44 and started ssing a couple of years ago and everyday is a 500m climbing day, lots of hills in the Sierra Norte of Madrid. You will look at climbs differently and have to attack them differently and when you see what you can climb with a ss, you’ll be wondering what the graany ring is for. Those who are quick to dismiss ss are those who give up too easily or want everything handed to them on a plate.

What is more satisfying…
Getting to the top of a climb?
Getting to the top of a climb knowing that it was a challenge from the bottom?

DONT DO IT….. If you like to ride in your granny ring you won’t enjoy it.

Teh conversions done – only took half an hour. Genesis IOIO is simple to remove teh alfine and put an SS adapted spare wheel in

Don simon – the local hills to me – I see people 20 yrs younger and much fitter struggle with an SS on them. I will simply be walking as I ts all I can do to climb them in granny

I will report back

Looking at pictures of the Pentland Hills I don’t see anything worse than around here, just choose route which are more suited to a singlespeed. Enjoy it, it’s not the devil’s work. 😉

I’m over 50, ride a choice of 2 SS rigid and love ’em.

I think you’ve just been bulliied into riding with one gear.

Are you in a union? have you sort out the advice of your local CAB?

Maybe you should follow your own advice as we all know singlespeeders just gang up on weak willed individuals and steal their gears.