ok I didn’t get on with the unit 2-9er I think probably because it was a 16″ frame. On 26′ wheeled bikes I have always had a 18″ and I am 5 10 with 31″ leg. I tried the unit after having great fun with my kona cindercone as SS and thought I would get a modern version.

I got the SS bug after trying my shonky kona cindercone (97) as SS. The gears were shot so I thought what the hell and never looked back. I just love this bike! It is quick, light and fun!

Does anyone know what the frame material is? (steel obviously but is it 853?)

is that a HT John?

Apparently Halfords will source any bike they can for you…

ok lets get this straight…

the pictures are a little old…

The puncture on the unit will be fixed 🙂
The tensioner on the cindercone is now fixed 🙂
The tyres are similar width and tread pattern but not the same 😉

Other facts are that unit is a 16″ frame and the other two are 18″ frames. The Klein has Tubeless tyres and the other two have inner tubes. The route will be a loop about 3-4 miles long with fast single track and one or steep sections uphill (and corresponding downhills)

No worries Houns…I am seriously thinking of the Cotic Road Rat so if you can help in any way?

sorry everyone else – off subject!

Three bikes for the ‘test’…

Good point Dibbs – I thought of doing a short route cycling it one after the other. The third one will suffer but if I did this for three repeats changing the order so every bike gets a turn’first’it should even out. I could then average the results!

It might even put a different perspective on it if a bike is better at being first or last (i.e. better performance if I am tired or fresh).

If it is top end bike you could always sell and by a cheap second hand MTB. That way you can still get ‘out there’, you get rid of the ‘guilt’ of not supporting your family and you still achieve some stress relieving riding.

We all convince ourselves we need the best and latest kit but at the end of the day it is amazing how much fun you can have on a shonky bike 🙂

I bought a Klein Attitude V with gears. Very nice spec, hyd discs, rebas, etc but I really am not sure about it.

yes I could change for the faster bits and grind away for the big hills but the first ghost shift and gear ‘crunch’ got me thinking why oh why did I go back to gears!

I am going to do a three way trial between my existing MTBS…

1. Kona cindercone SS converted 1997
2. Kona unit 29er 2007
3. Klein V Attitude 2003 (geared)

To see which is faster and also HR…and of course ‘smile factor’

I will report back here shortly 🙂

lady luck…yes I am email me please at

wheelnut64@googlemail.com

old kona cindercone (steel of course) love mine!

Stiffees are legend – the only alu HT I would recommend!

other than that cotic Soul

Have you an idea of weight richcc?

seems you cannot go wrong with the Boardmans 😉

I dunno about £350?

It was £700 new about 18 months ago and is in excellent condition.

The frame is too small for me.

The delay in posting in this thread was I was inspired so I went out for a spin on my SS crosser (with 42 x 16). What a ride! I was buzzing charging up hills and flying along the flat. The crosser handled most hills even steep ones with a little ‘out of the saddle work’.

I love single speed 🙂

I have a purple 2007 kona unit 2-9er 16″ frame for sale 🙂

discovered mine had a split on the bladder hose 🙁

Houns my email address is…wheelnut64@googlemail.com

The delay in coming back to you was I was inspired so I went out for a spin on my SS crosser (with 42 x 16). What a ride! I was buzzing charging up hills and flying along the flat. The crosser handled most hills even steep ones with a little out of the saddle work.

I love single speed 🙂

No it has to be Halfords or Evans I am afraid…the boardmans do sound good but is it best to go carbon with a lower spec or alu with a higher one?

I am doing C2W scheme…could i build a roadrat for sub £1000? Would the bike shop do it for me?

I believe cotic only sell the frames not the rest?

Halfords and Evans are the two companies I can use.

typical weight of a road rat (£1000 build)?

What sort of ratio do people use on a road rat?

And lastly what sort of average speed do people get out of them? I ‘spin out’ my SS crosser at about 21-22mph but that is 42 x 16.

of course…:-)

Roadrats are cool…TBH I would agree if you have an on-one already I don’t think the soul will be that different.

I an thinking of a raodrat or maybe a boardman team carbon (darkside £999)

There’s something about the Stiffee which is so cool. I just love them 🙂

Beer and curry tonight. Tomorrow my six year old daughter’s birthday and then Sunday might get out for a blast around North downs in Kent 🙂

any excuse to post my kona cindercone (I know the chain is slack – the tensioner is broken :-))

Not a good pic but my Kona unit 29er…(and I have fixed the puncture!)

2:1 is the way to go either 32:16 or 34:17

yep that’s a good training ride distance if done at the correct pace and frequency.

Try a singlespeed to improve your strength and cadence…

I did the short version from devil’s dyke to Eastbourne and even though it was 40 miles or so found it really tough!

Only one water tap all the way so take lots of water.

Food is vital as posted before…

Single speed it or this foolish?

Is there still room this year? I might sign up again!

I got some blue tinted enduros on fleabay for £15 but I also got safety specs from parker tools at work for…well didn’t cost me anything 😉

I am a contact lens wearer so think that eye protection is almost essential however cannot stop the fogging 🙁

go the whole hog and pick just one gear…singlespeed 🙂

only a cup of tea and then on the bike…at work a muller rice or porridge normally

oh yes steel is immense…I have an old kona cindercone and I just love it. I have tried upgrading with other alu bikes even a modern version of the cindercone but nothing compares.

They are defo the best for fully rigid…

Lovely colours Michael!

eh this is a picture with a broken chain tensioner now fixed 😉

I like your attitude Bez!

how do I square this circle?

Easy: Don’t do club runs or ride with miserable sods who have to go at full speed everywhere. Works for me.

I think I might stick with the SS because I love it and it is sort of different and defining if that makes sense…if I cannot be the fastest what is the point, might as well be different and quirky 🙂

I do love the freedom of SS and the drive just feels so positive. I hate the mash ,or chain slip, of ghost shifting, or when mud plugs your gears and it continually clonks away under you…arrrgh…

absolutely amazing!

Is the Genesis IO 530 or 853?

I love my old kona cindercone converted to SS through a tensioner which is a pain TBH…would a second hand decent steel frame be an option if you are on a budget?

Can we widen the debate – which is the best chain tensioning method – slidey drop out, EBB or chain tensioner?

and what about cotic simple or is that too expensive?