Which Singlespeed MTB under £1000?

Hi Guys,

On the look out for a singlespeed at the moment. Looking for recommendations. I don’t mind building one or buying a complete bike. Recommendations please.

Thanks

Didn’t canondale do one, trail SL I think. Brakes were pap but they’re cheap to change.

I really rate my Kona Unit, the rear hub seemed a bit ropey though.
Are you after a rigid?

Wouldn’t say no to front fork but really after rigid me thinks. Booked to test ride a cannondale trail sl ss as I really like the look of that, read the same about the brakes as well.

There’s allsorts you could build for £1k. Swift? Inbred? Simple?

Currently building an Inbred, myself.

Can build you a Swift for around £1000.

My wifes got an inbred ss. Very nice bike. Ridden my friends Onone SS Scandal. Looking for peoples opinion of what they like best. The swift looks like a nice frame sam

I’d consider one of these too.

Anyone ridden/own an on-one lurcher?

I’ve always wanted a Karate Monkey….that would be so cool! Not sure about the bike, I think the wiggly seat tube puts me off a bit. Have you got one breadcrumb?

One of my riding buddies has a Cannondale Sl. A quick swap to Deore brakes and it’s good to go. Very nice bike.

Another vote for the Kona Unit… I shopped around online and got the previous years model with a £200 reduction….

As mentioned above the rear hub is awful but not exactly a deal breaker given your budget…

Kinesis Decade Virsa, plus you can go geared if you want to return to normality and shave the beard. 😀

On One 853 SS and rigid – my most used bike

New – tight budget
S/H – you’ll find something loved and cherished perhaps?

Kona Unit 29er, excellent. I have the 2014 model, which is a big improvement size and handling wise for me over the previous geometry. Rear wheel is total fine on my bike, might have been improved over past versions.

In true STW fashion I recommend the one I own which is also the only single speed I’ve owned since my BMX when I was a kid. Kona Unit 2013. Looks the dog’s danglies and that’s the main reason I recommend it 😆

In case you wanted some serious feedback, I will say it is not a very light or flickable bike. It’s a bit of a brute and encourages/necessitates a steamroller style of riding. Some like that, some don’t. It was certainly a very different kind of ride to the rigid hard tail 26er I had before [EDIT] which was like riding a feather.

although the 853 inbred was the nicest bike I’ve ever owned, I would advise NOT buying the SS 853 inbred currently in the classifieds but instead looking to build up an aluminium framed SS with carbon forks. They ROCK

ScandAl by Notoriously Bad Typist[/url], on Flickr

A Charge Cooker SS is serious fun in the woods for £699 and a great frame ripe for upgrading at a later date if required.

http://www.chargebikes.com/bicycle-collection/cooker-ss

cannondale sl ss for 750 deore brakeset for 77 plenty left for cheese and beer 😉

nbt – that pic must have been taken on the very first day, I’ve never seen it that clean 🙂 There’s a lot of love for the Kona, might have to seek one out for a test. I am very tempted by the cannondale if I’m honest.

although the 853 inbred was the nicest bike I’ve ever owned, I would advise NOT buying the SS 853 inbred currently in the classifieds but instead looking to build up an aluminium framed SS with carbon forks. They ROCK

😯

I’d definitely take a VERY CLOSE look at that 853 Sliding Dropout Singlespeed Inbred in the classifieds as it ticks all your boxes – plus you’ll have lenty of cash left for coke / hookers 8)

OoooooooO that Charge Cooker SS looks nice (and the 15.5″ would fit me). The Cannondale looks good too, but any rigid aluminium fork made by Cannondale is gonna be brutal. Buy the Cooker…

I’ve had a Swift and an El-Mariachi. Both good, the Swift is more typical steel, the E-M is stiffer, so I’d recomend either. The frame only is possibly better VFM, the E-M hubs weren’t great, finishing kit is average/heavy, cranks were basic, brakes typical avids (great, but needed a lot of bleeding to get right).

Ive had as ss the karate monkey, swift, inbred and el mariachi out of all of those id rate the inbred the nicest ride tbh but the worst for paint longevity and rusting. The others were very nice but the salsa seemed to aesthetically have the edge. Also salsa easy to set up as ss with rear disc as was the swift. The km on the other hand wasnt til I swapped the rear hub to bolt thru. Id probably if buying now go for the salsa or the singular as it has a certain something. Tho when I was looking last month It was hard to look past the cannondale tbh

this one;
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=294162&hilit=dekerf+singlespeed

I have a Karate Monkey at the mo, with gears, but it would be great SS.

If you want a 26er, look at the dialled love/hate, but why would you want a 26er?

if you want a 26er, buy 40mpg’s 853 inbred

but you want a 29er 😉

You can fit 29+ tyres in a Swift as well 🙂

Take Sam up on his offer of a Swift for under £1k. Best singlespeed out there for ride quality and looks.

There you go sams the winner then 😉

Sam, will that work on my blue Swift? (or 26″ fat?)

Nemesis – I have the new forks that take a 29+ tyre in old blue – drop me a mail for details.

Ive had as ss the karate monkey, swift, inbred and el mariachi

Serial bike buyer or all of those bikes were actually rubbish 😀

serial bike buyer 😉 totally regret selling my el mariachi rohloff tho ;(

Oh bugger. I had just about decided on a Charge Cooker SS, the only worry being the ability to put anything over 2.2″ tyres on it, and then the Singular idea is planted in my mind. Hmmmmm.

I had 2.2’s in my swift with ooodles of mud clerance.

I have a fire eye flame (m) frame in green for sale which has swap out drop outs. I ran it SS for quite a while. £100 posted? It’s in pristine nick as it never went off road and I only rode it a handful of times.

I replaced with a santacruz chameleon, just because I want something more BMXy and I flippin love it but the fire eye was damn good, just couldn’t jump it too well.

this makes the charge look fun!

I’m an On One fanboi.

I’d take Sam up on the Swift offer.

I’m kicking myself I didn’t go for the kickstarter offer for the rooster. How does the swift differ?