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They can, but the temptation to just change down a gear is always there and they take it.
You what? Every geared rider is weak willed?
What about the SSers who get off and push? How is that different?
Hmmm, my science fiction books were wrong about insects then. So, less gravity, thinner air, less oxygen, smaller insects. It's a win for everyone. Let's do it!
I was wondering the other day what cycling would be like on Mars.
Incidentally, since you can choose different gears on an SS in the workshop, does it matter what ratio you choose? Do you have more fun in 32:16 than 32:18?
Just pick a gear and stick to it...F changing in the workshop!
I'm 32:18 (wonky ring) on my 29er.
Not much I can't get up on that, TBH... Probably a few of the tough climbs on the Ard Rock would have had me walking on bits, but most trails/hills etc are fine...
It's an agile beast, my SS...
DrP
The one person [b]I know[/b] who rides exclusively singlespeed on all his bikes does vary his chosen ratio depending on the expected terrain but it's usually within a fairly small range. He's pretty handy though and can get up stuff on his SS that I struggle on with gears.
Doesn't prove anything other than one individual being better than me. No news there then.
Every geared rider is weak willed
No, think the fact you are still here trolling/trying to convert single speedy folk shows that you at least have epic staying power and tenacity. I think I'm developing a bit of crush to be honest. Maybe we get married and have beautiful children who will heal the rift of the ss and Geary tribes, by riding 1 x 10 as an agreed compromise. Call me, I'm wearing my special pants just for you
yes but all bodies are different for exampie I can eat the entire cake and not put on any weight where as if you so much as look at it your weight goes up 😉The way your body works has a massive effect - as demonstrated by the bags of cement thought experiment
I was wondering the other day what cycling would be like on Mars.
Some long descents off the north side of Olympus Mons, but even singlespeeders have to walk some of the climbs (average 8.75% for 300km)
Cheers Molgrips and Tazzy!
My pleasure, we are actually 2 log-ins for the same person.
You what? Every geared rider is weak willed?
When it comes to hills and the option to change down a gear then yes most of them are in my experience. In the same way I probably would be.
- Note, I am talking about people riding road bikes around recreationally (not people racing or training for racing) and there are rather a lot where I live.
Oh.. so you are comparing hardcore SSers to recreational riders, and not hardcore geared riders. Okay. Committed riders are more committed than less committed riders. Yes, I agree.
No, think the fact you are still here trolling/trying to convert single speedy folk shows that you at least have epic staying power and tenacity.
🙂
Not trying to convert anyone's bike. Trying to convert people into not being smug SSers 🙂
beautiful children who will heal the rift of the ss and Geary tribes, by riding 1 x 10 as an agreed compromise.
I seriously think 1x2 would be a great option. I've been working on a twin chain design to create two ratios both with direct drive i.e. no planetary gears.
Direct drive? What are the chains for, then? yanking? 😀
Oh.. so you are comparing hardcore SSers to recreational riders,
Incorrect as I am not a hardcore SSer, I am a recreational SSer.
Trying to convert people into not being smug SSers
Who is a smug SSer and why are you so bothered about it ?
Molly and Tazzy sitting in a tree,
K I S S, having a dirty reach round.....,
😉
molgrips - Member
...I seriously think 1x2 would be a great option. I've been working on a twin chain design to create two ratios both with direct drive i.e. no planetary gears.
Twin chains? Been there... 🙂
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SS or not, I don't think I'd get up a 17% without something prolapsing, I'm 18 bloody stone and my bikes aren't much lighter.
To be fair though, I did convert to SS precisely because I was that guy who just kept picking a lower gear on big hills.
I find a 40/16 works on my commuting bike (rigid inbred 29er) and 32/18 on my MTB will get me up pretty much anything I'd get up with gears.
But that's just me, molgrips, you can use gears if you like, I'm not saying gears aren't quicker, just that I'm shit at using them, I always seemed to be picking the wrong ones. Figured I might as well be in the wrong one all the time. 😉
And I'm a smug ****.
Standing up pedalling is much worse on an FS. But FS is much nicer on rocky trails. Therefore gears are good.
Mmm?
Rode one many years ago.
Really did enjoy it.
Rode fixed on my road bike too.
But had a few knee issues so went back to a geared bike.
Most recently been doing a lot of Cx and been ripping off a lot of rear mechs so thinking the singlespeed might be a good choice?
Anyone riding or racing Cx on singlespeed?
Doesn’t seem to slow down Isla Rowntree or a lot of the Islabike team!
Max
Going to convert my Genesis CdA to single speed. Think I've got most of the parts and it's going flat bar and 650b at the same time!
Might be a fun bike, might be a pig. Suppose we'll see 🙂
Just done the annual maintenance on my SS.
Oiled the chain.
🙂
Do you only ride it twice a year then?
I have to clean and lube my chain every weekend.
Too much work. Saw a hole in your rear triangle and fit a belt drive.
Saw a hole in your rear triangle and fit a belt drive
And stop regularly to puck mud and stones out of the sprockets or have them snap on you.
Anyone riding or racing Cx on singlespeed?
Plenty. Makes a lot of sense with flatish courses, lots of mud and short, steep run-ups. Maybe a bit less sense on courses with long tarmac sections.
Incidentally, since you can choose different gears on an SS in the workshop, does it matter what ratio you choose? Do you have more fun in 32:16 than 32:18?
Depends.
I'm on a fat bike so these gears are quite low partially the big diameter wheels, partially as it suits it.
33-20 is my default 'unfit' gear, I had 32-20 for SSUK as that's the lowest I've got.
I sometimes go higher in summer, but never past 52" (the old fashioned 32:16). Even in a quick group on a road section that's high enough that I can spin my legs without being so inefficient that I'm going over threshold.
Obviously that varies as I get more/less fit, but it's only a couple of times a year, doubt I'll change it between now and late spring.
Do you only ride it twice a year then?I have to clean and lube my chain every weekend.
Putoline is your friend. I oil mine monthly* if I'm bored, otherwise it may well be January before I next bother.
*20-25hours of proper (i.e. muddy, excluding road miles, commuting etc are extra on that) a month.
kerley - Member
Do you only ride it twice a year then?I have to clean and lube my chain every weekend.
[url= http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chainclean.html ]But do you do it properly?[/url] 🙂
molgrips upset me so much that last night I had to build a new singlespeed just to make me feel better
I created a sscx from the broken remains of a geared CX bike after 3 mechs went in the first half of a season.
Now use it regularly both regionally and nationally. It's got limus mud tyres on it so if that's the tyre I want to use then that's the bike I use. Love it. 36/16 BTW
How would you go about doing sscx? There's not a lot of frames about that accept a SS setup. There are some steel, but not many lighter, racey ones. I'm tempted by it. Maybe my cross check would do the trick.
Tried fixed, didn't like it.
Tried ss, didn't like it but persevered for 3 years.
Tried IGH, loved the speed and 7 year service intervals.
Converted my PX London Road commuter to SS during the summer and love it. Where I used to spin up any hill at 1mph I now have to ride hard up them and feel much stronger for it. My commute is 26 miles (most of which is fire road) each way but only has 400m climbing so 42x16 works (added bonus is it is the magic ration for the london road)
Off road I use a Rolhoff so all the advantages of SS but with gears 🙂
The fatbike is 1x11.
I like riding all of them.
(I wish I hadn't sold my Curtis 29er singlespeed last year BTW - it was a very high-end sub 19lb build and absolutely beautiful - I've already tried to buy it back but the new owner won't budge!)
@velocipede... You're saying that Curtis bikes are worth the outlay...? After getting a rigid 29er SS last year (Salsa El-Mar) I've been totally converted to SS and rigidity but, I'd love something that fits me better; being an orangutan and weighing very little I'd like a springier custom-fit. Been looking at the raw finishes on Curtis bikes and wondering how people found them - I get that they make much burlier options too.
[quote=tazzymtb ]molgrips upset me so much that last night I had to build a new singlespeed just to make me feel better
Have you lubed it yet ?
However much Taz lubes it, it isn't going to fit.
All lubed and smashed up a muddy gulley, it's a right monster of a bike and so, so twinkly and sparkly and pretty. Just like me
How would you go about doing sscx? There's not a lot of frames about that accept a SS setup
There are not a lot of options. I used a Kona Major One for a few years that was very nice (scandium tubes) but was not disc.
The new Trek Crockett looks good.
Yep, the Crockett does look good - Tanks for the pointer. Didn't realise that had a sliding rear end.
for sscx frames also worth having a look at Cinelli Mash, State bikes, All city nature boy, old Felt breeds or look at frame with a PF30 bband use a team beer, onza, wheels manufactirung EBB converter in it for a normal 24mm axle chainset. gives you loads of options
Did a "faux singlespeed" ride on the fat bike on Saturday. No real reason, just set off and decided not to change gear. It was 28:21 ratio so pretty low really, I probably should have been a cog or two higher.
Mostly it was OK but there was one short steep section near the end of the ride that I walked. It was pure bloody mindedness by then. 😀 The only time I've done one or two of the climbs faster was in a race which quite surprised me TBH, I wasn't heading out intending things to be fast. Managing to ride through the section of track chewed up by cows and about a foot deep in mud was more interesting - definitely in the "I don't want to do a comedy stop and fall to the side" category.