Why single speed?

[gump]

moved.. you could argue singlespeed is actually very retro, but for all intents, this thread is not

 

[JamesM]

They're quite and hence more peacefull. You can hear the water sloshing around in your water bottle on the decents, rather than your chain and mech hitting the frame!!!

 

[Andy R]

I'm looking at my '94 Marin and thinking of keeping it pretty much as is and looking for an old Kona frame to SS (having read a couple of threads linked in post #2 )

Low maintenance is gooooood, I'm not historically big on fiddling about. . . with bikes.

Well a mid-nineties Explosif, Kilauea or Cindercone is a very good choice for a SS conversion IMHO but, if you're half serious about it don't bother with one of those bolt-on chain tensioners. They aren't very good at maintaining good (read safe) tension, collect crap almost as much as a rear mech, can be noisy and make it hard to remove the wheel. Plus they look untidy too :x .

Do a proper job and use one of these. Tidy, reliable and use Shimano HT2 cranks, which you can find cheap enough on Fleabuy. Even if you find a tatty set a bit of spit and polish transforms them into something quite cool.

Soon to be available in square taper too apparently.......

 

[ajantom]

if you're half serious about it don't bother with one of those bolt-on chain tensioners. They aren't very good at maintaining good (read safe) tension, collect crap almost as much as a rear mech, can be noisy and make it hard to remove the wheel. Plus they look untidy too

Can't say that I've found them to be a problem. The simple fixed bolt ones work well pushing either up or down, and the ones with a mech-like spring seem to maintain enough tension.

The second type means you can use a normal QR and the wheel just drops out as normal.

Also the idea of an SS bike is simplicity (and generally a cheaper, easier option) - so £10 for a tensioner or $150 for an eccentric BB? Plus that type only takes up half the distance of a proper EBB. Hmmmmm [/quote]

 

[Neil G]

Just taken the tensioner off my commuting bike (eccentric BB) and it looks way better and also you loose weight removing chain links

Tensioner good for wheel removal though and a good way of trying it out before you cut the old drops off and weld horizontal ones on!

 

[Andy R]

Can't say that I've found them to be a problem. The simple fixed bolt ones work well pushing either up or down, and the ones with a mech-like spring seem to maintain enough tension.

The second type means you can use a normal QR and the wheel just drops out as normal.

Also the idea of an SS bike is simplicity (and generally a cheaper, easier option) - so £10 for a tensioner or $150 for an eccentric BB? Plus that type only takes up half the distance of a proper EBB. Hmmmmm

Cheaper than fitting track ends (unless you do the work yourself, of course) and no adjustment of brakes (rim or disc) needed. If you can't get the adjustment you need then a link-and-a-half takes care of that (and they are cheap ).

Anyway -I wasn't thinking of the cheapest way to convert a frame to SS but rather one of the better ways. Lots of people (myself included) have probably spent more on singlespeeds than on geared bikes.

Besides - $150 is less than most of us spend in a week on shopping, only to have to do it all again a week later. That's what makes me feel compromised, buying quality components that will last for years and thousands of miles doesn't.

 

[IDB1]

Once I have the Marin up and running (and me riding it - it's my first year back under pedal-power for more than I care to remember) the plan is most definitely to get an ss ride sorted, a few threads (including this one) have me sold on the idea.. cheers all

Not really that concerned about shaving weight off the thing tbh, when I'm at a stable 200lb it's a bit daft for me to think that saving weight on the bike is going to be massively effective

Got a Kona frame on offer, if it's still there when I have fundage and wifely approval, it'll be mine... I'll think about the rest from there on in... perhaps I'll have a better understanding of eccentric BB vs tensioner by then too

 

[saltyman]

im onto my second single speed now (moots) after a cannondale i bought earlier in the year gave me the bug......

its not for everyone, if you are able to own a few bikes then its well worth having one in the stable.

pros for me:

you end up with a very lightweight (18-22lbs) bike that will have more reliability, and your fitness will increase as you have one gear to get on with the job.

cons:

on the flat you are limited with speed, where as with gears you wouldnt even notice and power away, a SS will be left dragging its heels.

on the steepeset hills, you have to give it a go or push, not much of an issue, but some folk would rather climb at a slower pace than they would walking anyways.

 

[Neil G]

Once I have the Marin up and running (and me riding it - it's my first year back under pedal-power for more than I care to remember) the plan is most definitely to get an ss ride sorted, a few threads (including this one) have me sold on the idea.. cheers all

Not really that concerned about shaving weight off the thing tbh, when I'm at a stable 200lb it's a bit daft for me to think that saving weight on the bike is going to be massively effective

Got a Kona frame on offer, if it's still there when I have fundage and wifely approval, it'll be mine... I'll think about the rest from there on in... perhaps I'll have a better understanding of eccentric BB vs tensioner by then too

Eccentric BB is a pretty neat thing but it does mean buying a SS specific frame. Maybe it's best to try it first then if you ike it go for eccentric & King singlespeed hubs etc

 

[hamster]

Unless you go for an EBB setup, but that works best if the distance between BB and rear dropout is a multiple of 1/2". That way you don't have to add a link between full back and full forward.