what is the attraction of single speed?
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Another advantage of SS is that you don't get chain bounce. This stops your frame looking like it has been attacked by a rabid rodent! 
A few weeks ago I went on a ride with some mates. There were 10 of us with myself and a friend on SS and the rest on geared. They all took the mickey out of the two of us for riding SS. The usual comments about not keeping up and all that. Twenty miles later they had changed their tune. Not only had we kept up but we'd finished in front of a lot of them. A couple of them have now got SS of their own.
A few weeks ago I went on a ride with some mates. There were 10 of us with myself and a friend on SS and the rest on geared. They all took the mickey out of the two of us for riding SS. The usual comments about not keeping up and all that. Twenty miles later they had changed their tune. Not only had we kept up but we'd finished in front of a lot of them. A couple of them have now got SS of their own.
Wold Ranger
Old School Grand Master
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The weight saving, simplicity and bash proof ness has such a lot going for it. The weight saving is huge so hills can be over come easier than you would think, with a 15 pound mtb being quite achievable. A good half way is a 2x1 with just a mech an a sprung chain tensioner at the rear.
The weight saving, simplicity and bash proof ness has such a lot going for it. The weight saving is huge so hills can be over come easier than you would think, with a 15 pound mtb being quite achievable. A good half way is a 2x1 with just a mech an a sprung chain tensioner at the rear.
No Longer Registered
Retro Guru
I used to wonder what all the fuss was about, then a few weeks ago I killed the 8 speed screw on freewheel on my Bontrager so decided to try a single speed set up out of curiosity. A 15 quid freewheel, 20 quid tensioner and a box of anodized redundant parts later I had a stupidly lite bike that was a bundle of laughs to ride on my local trails.
I've been riding the single speed more than the rest of my bikes over the last couple of weeks. Although there are a couple of hills which I have to push the bike up i'm shocked to what ground you can cover on non geared bike without handicap.
A single speed is by no means better than a geared bike and for heading off into the wilds of the highlands I think i'd be opting for a geared bike, but for hacking around the generally tame flowing trails of the South Downs the single speed renews the challenge of what would be monotonous rides on the same trails on my door step. The lack of refinement of a single speed means you have to work at riding terrain that a geared bike would lap up, for me this is adding a little more challenge to a trail that would normally be boring on a geared bike.
I've been riding the single speed more than the rest of my bikes over the last couple of weeks. Although there are a couple of hills which I have to push the bike up i'm shocked to what ground you can cover on non geared bike without handicap.
A single speed is by no means better than a geared bike and for heading off into the wilds of the highlands I think i'd be opting for a geared bike, but for hacking around the generally tame flowing trails of the South Downs the single speed renews the challenge of what would be monotonous rides on the same trails on my door step. The lack of refinement of a single speed means you have to work at riding terrain that a geared bike would lap up, for me this is adding a little more challenge to a trail that would normally be boring on a geared bike.
Steve's last comments sum it up - it isn't better, it's just different. Not always the best solution, but for 80% it's as good as (if not better!) because as he says it can make a tame trail fun again.
That's where I lost my faith in full suss too, it was like riding a sofa down a motorway rather than a bike down a hill :roll:
SS rigid is rapidly becoming my setup of choice.
That's where I lost my faith in full suss too, it was like riding a sofa down a motorway rather than a bike down a hill :roll:
SS rigid is rapidly becoming my setup of choice.
Little Bob
Senior Retro Guru
But how much weight do you actually save?
Surely it's a couple of chainrings, a cassette, front and rear mechs (but then you add the tensioner) and the shifters - does that lot really make a dramatic difference?
Surely it's a couple of chainrings, a cassette, front and rear mechs (but then you add the tensioner) and the shifters - does that lot really make a dramatic difference?
rienster
Retro Guru
Morning Paul and 'Radjatoe'. I understand you both. Benefit ofbeing a dutchman in Norway.
Can't help but think that the mountains in Denmark aren't really the same as those in Norway.
Having said that I could see a SS working for the mainly flat terrain in Holland.
Har en fin dag Paul
En jij ook een goede dag Radjatoe.
And the same to you lot on the other side of the lake too.
Can't help but think that the mountains in Denmark aren't really the same as those in Norway.
Having said that I could see a SS working for the mainly flat terrain in Holland.
Har en fin dag Paul
En jij ook een goede dag Radjatoe.
And the same to you lot on the other side of the lake too.
I just think the bars look really clean with just a pair of brake levers ...
I take my SS out when I'm riding with slower people. It started because one of them said I was only faster because I had full suspension and disk brakes. So next time I turned up on a rigid SS.
No, it's not as quick on the flats or the downhills.
Yes, it's light (but then it would be anyway, it's a Merlin Mountain with RC31s) saving the mechs, extra chain, cables, shifters (but not the chainrings as I haven't bought any SS bolts yet).
Why ride it? The same reason that I'd drive a TR6 if I had that and a Porsche 911 in the garage: because sometimes it's not about getting there fast, it's about the journey.
I take my SS out when I'm riding with slower people. It started because one of them said I was only faster because I had full suspension and disk brakes. So next time I turned up on a rigid SS.
No, it's not as quick on the flats or the downhills.
Yes, it's light (but then it would be anyway, it's a Merlin Mountain with RC31s) saving the mechs, extra chain, cables, shifters (but not the chainrings as I haven't bought any SS bolts yet).
Why ride it? The same reason that I'd drive a TR6 if I had that and a Porsche 911 in the garage: because sometimes it's not about getting there fast, it's about the journey.
Morning Reinster. There are no mountains in Denmark whatsoever. It's almost as flat as Holland, so SS really works well here. It would probably problematic in Norway. Even riding in the south of Sweden (Skåne) can be a little too hilly for it actually, but that's why I have more than one bike
Hmmm, well I'm a Canadian in Denmark, but luckily Norwegian and Danish are virtually the same on "paper". Can't understand Norwegians when they speak to save my life! I always think Dutch looks like a mix of German, English and Danish (I studied German for a year loooong ago), so with a bit of effort I can figure out a few things when they are written down. But he's got a point...it is an English site, so I'll keep it to my native tongue
I have to admit I'm a little jealous of the riding you must get up there.
Hmmm, well I'm a Canadian in Denmark, but luckily Norwegian and Danish are virtually the same on "paper". Can't understand Norwegians when they speak to save my life! I always think Dutch looks like a mix of German, English and Danish (I studied German for a year loooong ago), so with a bit of effort I can figure out a few things when they are written down. But he's got a point...it is an English site, so I'll keep it to my native tongue
I have to admit I'm a little jealous of the riding you must get up there.
