The Single Speed Thread

Big JD

Wheel size expert
romantic ideals

I have just strippped off the gears and installed SS on my HT. I brought a FS which I prefer offroad and the carbon wonder bike hasnt left the garage. Im thinking that turning it SS will significantly alter its usefulness. It will be used for commuting and tame local singletrack- especially over winter. I have set it up with Surly Singulator with 32 x 19 off road and 32 x15 commute- just change the chain over.

I admire the romance of one gear, wind through the beard, simplicity of effort and sense of weightlessness. I look forward to gaining legs of steel, loosing 10kgs and becoming a better lover. I will admit that I am scared- why would you do this when there are gears in the garage. I mean it might last a month but for that month I will be with you my brothers and sisters- flying in the face of technology and consumerism with the romantic ideals of SSing.

I love you all and we can be great together (please wait for me at the top of all climbs)
 

Coaster

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I have just strippped off the gears and installed SS on my HT. I brought a FS which I prefer offroad and the carbon wonder bike hasnt left the garage. Im thinking that turning it SS will significantly alter its usefulness. It will be used for commuting and tame local singletrack- especially over winter. I have set it up with Surly Singulator with 32 x 19 off road and 32 x15 commute- just change the chain over.

I admire the romance of one gear, wind through the beard, simplicity of effort and sense of weightlessness. I look forward to gaining legs of steel, loosing 10kgs and becoming a better lover. I will admit that I am scared- why would you do this when there are gears in the garage. I mean it might last a month but for that month I will be with you my brothers and sisters- flying in the face of technology and consumerism with the romantic ideals of SSing.

I love you all and we can be great together (please wait for me at the top of all climbs)
Good to see you back. I've been using my SS as my commuter but lately got it back out on the dirt. Awesome. Completely forgot how much fun it is........ And bloody hard work!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Nath8

Likes Dirt
I admire the romance of one gear, wind through the beard, simplicity of effort and sense of weightlessness. I look forward to gaining legs of steel, loosing 10kgs and becoming a better lover. I will admit that I am scared- why would you do this when there are gears in the garage. I mean it might last a month but for that month I will be with you my brothers and sisters- flying in the face of technology and consumerism with the romantic ideals of SSing.

I love you all and we can be great together
Big JD, glad to have you back.
I also have a rig in the garage with gears, but spend 90% of the time on the SS. I just can't seem to adjust to all them gear choices.
Have fun :whoo:
 

Yeti575

Squid
I have just strippped off the gears and installed SS on my HT. I brought a FS which I prefer offroad and the carbon wonder bike hasnt left the garage. Im thinking that turning it SS will significantly alter its usefulness. It will be used for commuting and tame local singletrack- especially over winter. I have set it up with Surly Singulator with 32 x 19 off road and 32 x15 commute- just change the chain over.

I admire the romance of one gear, wind through the beard, simplicity of effort and sense of weightlessness. I look forward to gaining legs of steel, loosing 10kgs and becoming a better lover. I will admit that I am scared- why would you do this when there are gears in the garage. I mean it might last a month but for that month I will be with you my brothers and sisters- flying in the face of technology and consumerism with the romantic ideals of SSing.

I love you all and we can be great together (please wait for me at the top of all climbs)


BigJD, I think you'll find that the SS will will allow effort less hill climbs that will see you at the summit before the common rider that has all that non essential weight and power sapping rubbish hanging off the back of the frame. That's my 10 cents!!!
 

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
Yeah, im still waiting for the improved lovemaking. Maybe im doing it wrong.

Anyone got any pointers?
 

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
Everythings 1x with me mate. Real names jim! I'd be very happy to see them hands :wave:


full homo
 

discofrank

Likes Dirt
Hey all

thinking of joining the single speed sadists ranks.. after reading some sites etc

riding a trance atm, BUT i do have a talon thats not getting used which was my 1st mtb
how hard would it be to convert it to SS?
As it will be my 1st SS i dont want to fork out a heap of $$ i was thinking maybe i could just keep the 3 x 10 setup
and use the lower ring ( not sure on size atm )
and then use any gear on the rear cassette to figure out what my shitty legs and fitness can handle?

I can these use the rear derailer with the cable removed to help keep chain tension and with the rear cassette still on i can still figure out my ratio i need as above??

OR if anyone in WA wants to lend me a HT SS for a few weeks in exchange for some beers etc that be great too

cheers for the help
 

Daniel Hale

She fid, he fid, I fidn't
is your small ring a 26 or similar? ride it around with the rough SS ratio which most run at 32:19 [1.68] so throw it on the 16 cog if you have one, I am weak so usually ride 32:20 -so you can use a 17t cog if you like.
once you try it out just buy some 6mm chain ring bolts -a rear wheel spacer & cog kit should be had for $30, remove cassette & put it on -youre right you can run with your derailleur to keep tension -when you put the chain on remove links till its faily tight, you want the derail leaning forward so your chain is fairly tight to avoid it jumping off
 

cammas

Seamstress
IMG_0771.jpg
IMG_0767.jpg
Just acquired this a couple weeks back as I wanted something a bit lighter and racier than my current ride a Salsa El Mariachi, which is certainly ticks both of those boxes. It has some upgrades, brakes are now XT's with ice tech rotors (both installed now), Syntace P6 post, 3T cockpit with carbon bars (stem now flipped since this photo), SRAM cranks with an Absolute Black Oval ring and of course the Maxxis Ardent skinwalls.
Still to be done I have fitted Flow EX on Hope front wheel but still awaiting the conversion kit so I can fit my rear wheel with the SS hub but the kit is proving difficult to obtain and later on down the track I may weigh the front down by adding a suspension fork also once the Ikons are released in skinwall I will install them.
 

discofrank

Likes Dirt
is your small ring a 26 or similar? ride it around with the rough SS ratio which most run at 32:19 [1.68] so throw it on the 16 cog if you have one, I am weak so usually ride 32:20 -so you can use a 17t cog if you like.
once you try it out just buy some 6mm chain ring bolts -a rear wheel spacer & cog kit should be had for $30, remove cassette & put it on -youre right you can run with your derailleur to keep tension -when you put the chain on remove links till its faily tight, you want the derail leaning forward so your chain is fairly tight to avoid it jumping off

well i did 14kms this evening on my trance with the big ring and 4th cog on the rear which was 1 : 1.58 38/26
besides the chain changing up or down when it wanted too i did ok, avg 16kms hr or so,
flats where easy as , any decent uphil was out of the saddle! and made me really work!
some how according to strava 2 prs!

after my thread in wanting to build a SS up, im thinking now i will convert my Talon to SS as i was offered a rear cog, spacers , front ring and tensioner for a very good price , all i will need to do if i do enjoy the SS is get a better fork for the front as the crappy rockshox is a cartridge fork and 100mm travel, maybe 120 mm will be good
 

Nath8

Likes Dirt
Chiner 29er

My new build. Bought the frame and gave it a paint job.
FR202 frame, BB30 eccentric.
Niner front fork.
XTR Brakes and cranks.
Crest wheelset.
7.76 kg's as pictured.
 

Attachments

Asininedrivel

caviar connoisseur
Pic from sneaky ride yesterday arvo. 2.4 Ardents front and rear do a pretty good job of grafting more compliance into the ride.

20161021_163211.jpg
 

poita

Likes Dirt


Now looking even more second hand after SSWC over the weekend. About half a kilo lighter after a clean!
 
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Spike-X

Grumpy Old Sarah
Yeah, it's the up I'd have a problem with. Some short but steep climbs at that place!

Also, I'm fat and unfit.
 
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