Singlespeed Epiphany

I grew up riding bmx and a 1950's ladies bianchi with no gears ...so personally i love having gears.

Would i go back to not having gears? nah 21 gears for me thanks.

I ride a fixed gear daily to work.. there is no back brake but the front is there for emergencies. It definitely teaches you to read the road ahead as stop/starting all the time is a ball-ache. I love pulling skids by lifting my weight and jamming the cranks but my ratio is 44/16 (spin to win) so there's only four skid patches and my tyres are shot! Goin' to invest in a 15t cog to increase the patches.

My Simple is always my main choice as it seems to suit the local trails of Cannock Chase, currently very tempted to get rid of all my bikes and get something rather special ss made for my lanky legs.

clunker":3c9cgh6t said:

My Simple is always my main choice as it seems to suit the local trails of Cannock Chase, currently very tempted to get rid of all my bikes and get something rather special ss made for my lanky legs.

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29er ?

dyna-ti":9o61ptdy said:

29er ?

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Indeed mate.

two words: Alfine Eleven.

Missing the point...

Right, having been out, over the weekend , for a couple of hours with plenty of climbing, I have ditched the gears.
The Soulcraft has had them removed, and I found that 36x17 sort of fits, looks a bit like sleeve of Wizard, but doesn't jump or owt under pressure.
The gears are staying off!
I might keep an RH suntour thumby and STX mech for emergencies, but that's it!
I now have a dilemna; one bike has to go, but which one?

forgot this thread was here.....

i love single speed, really hate suspension too but i need that off road, same with gears.......hence i will always have a geared bike with some sort off suspension fitted for play days/group rides.

99% of my riding is on cycle friendly tracks, within citys and towns so no need for nobbly tires, gears, discs, gears or suspension....its bliss having a bike thats back to basics........like my old BMX days.

i have converted a few bikes to SS, trying new ratios each time etc. dont think i have found a perfect one, i just get on with what each bike has at the time. part of the fun really.

my advice is try it if you have a space for one. ratio selection is key though, some folk might be put off when all they need is a good test session.

dez":27j5pn9f said:

i ride freeride, jumps, street, bmx tracks, and northshore kind of stuff.

singlespeed is just so much stronger, cheaper, quieter, and less damaging to other components (chain slap). im not sure how id get on with it for XC use, always being in the saddle, but for what i do, its ideal.

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You'd get on with it just fine, especially coming from your background (you'll be able to spin like a maniac). For XC riding you're always in and out of the saddle, more often out of the saddle if you have any hills at all.
Out of the saddle to climb and to come back down - singlespeeds are at their biggest disadvantage on the flats. Unless it's all flat and then you could just gear up to suit.