Thinking of getting a cannon dale 29 ss for easy maintenance commute and muddy fun. Never had a ss so was wondering if anyone had advice or interesting tales of woe or joy on this subject?

32×16 is a bit of a stretch on a 29er, getting an 18t cog before my knees fall off.

33×20 is my favoured gear, covers most situations.

Had the cannondale loved it so much I sold it to fund something more exotic but still singlespeed. It’s one of those things that either grabs you or doesn’t, give it more than one ride as well, it’s a nice way to travel as long as you pick the right terrain/riding style.

If you ride claggy muddy trails in the wet season then they are pretty much made for the job, ideal for winter imo.

I went with 32×20 for 29er SS – around Brighton on the South Downs.

I run 32:17 on my 26″ bike.

If you’re looking at the one with a Rigid fork try and get a larger volume front tyre you can run soft at the front.

I now own waswas’s 29er….
Currently running 32:16 cos that’s all I had from my 26er… Bloomin fast like that, but not sure I could carry that sort of shenanigans off all winter…! Got an 18t on order…

DrP

I’m loving my Kona Unit, I considered the Cannondale but went for the Kona. I prefer the sliding dropouts to the EBB of the ‘dale.

Few bits changed from that photo..

Cheers. I looked at a Kona but I will need a rack at times and the dale has mounts.

Im riding the kona as well. Rigid with carbon forks. It flies, running 32-15. It suits where I ride, mainly thetford forest so no big hills. Also on-one scandal ss. Love em both.

El Mar has rack mounts?

Right. I’ll buy one.

Depending on your commute and your trails, might one gear for both be too much of a compromise?

I’ve got something similar, set up SS for a while, which was lovely. Ended up putting another 8 sprockcogemjoggets on the back when I moved somewhere hilly.

SS isn’t for everyone.
I like it. Its my only mtb. Has been for a few years. But its not for everyone. I keep a 1×10 set-up to go on if I’m riding somewhere posh, but these days my riding is condensed into hastily arranged 2hr slots, once or twice a week at most. And for that I love the no hassle approach. Get home, hose it off, oil the chain & hang it back up. I dont think I’ve taken a spanner to my bike for more than a year.
Lazy, perhaps. 😉

You can always run two chain rings and two sprockets. Provided they are reasonably similar in total teeth and size of ring you can have a road setup and an odd road setup. Say 32-18 and 36-14. Play with the numbers and you’ll get fun both ways (a bi-cyclist perhaps, IGMC)

Get home, hose it off, oil the chain & hang it back up. I dont think I’ve taken a spanner to my bike for more than a year.
Lazy, perhaps.

Lazy? You’re a pro mechanic. I brush mine off if it ever dries and oil the chain when it squeaks.. run it dry and it self-cleans )

I have a Cannondale SS29er 2013 model, had a Curtis SS before it. Love it – minimal maintenance, great for messing in mud. No probs with EBB.
Running 33-18 (i think) dropped down by 2 teeth on the rear sprocket.

Fine on the hills/valley of Rossendale apart from big stuff like Holcombe tower.