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Thought I had a brilliant, novel idea...but sadly not (I think)
I was musing about a new hardtail bike to perform two pretty distinct roles:
Hard-core hardtail to explore local trails
A bike-packing, er, bike
I've got a drop bar Diverge gravel bike but my local singletrack is far too steep and technical for a drop bar bike. I have a 160mm table FS bike but it's nearly 16kg so not great for hike-a-bike when scouting around. So a relatively light HT seems ideal and I'm also coming to the conclusion that a lightweight HT would make a more versatile bike-packing, er, rig.
So in the spirit of less-is-more, I'm musing about a single bike to do both BUT my biggest quandary is gearing. I'd want (at least) a 50t cassette for the local exploring but I'm not sure what front chainring would suit both roles.
Then I had an epiphany! What about two chainrings without a front derailleur?
For local exploring, I'd use a small 28t. For bike packing, I'd use something slightly bigger (eg 32t) and just manually move the chain back and forth (with my fingers) when needed, without having to swop cranks or chainrings.
Anyway, turns out someone has done something similar already...
FingleSpeed or DingleSpeed?
What’s the working title for the novel?
Btw 32 front, 46 rear is what I use.
FingleSpeed or DingleSpeed
Is that/them a thing? I need to work on my Google fu.
Anyway, does anyone know of a manufacturer of such a "Single speed" which works with relatively main stream/current cranks and, preferably 12* speed cassettes?
*My fantasy bike build includes 12spd SRAM AXS Transmission...
Btw 32 front, 46 rear is what I use
I'll happily acknowledge my legs are too weak, my knees too creaky and fragile and my trails far too steep for that to be a long-term solution 😉
What’s the working title for the novel?
You seem to have missed the all important comma in the title...😜
Finger-changing for chainrings? Try this
Here's another idea https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-xtr-m9000-11-speed-gear-levers-pair-76477.html
Wasn’t the automated one the
Hammerschmidtderailleur?
You'll still be exceeding the capacity of the derailleur when you're in big-big or small-small. You'll want 2 chains to swap too.
Dinglespeed 😁
I've run one on and off for years.
34/26 front with a ss cog in the rear and a Paul's Melvin tensioner.
Basically it's single-speed with an extra steep hill gear. You can change down pretty easily with your heel, but need to manually put the chain back on the big ring.
You’ll still be exceeding the capacity of the derailleur when you’re in big-big or small-small. You’ll want 2 chains to swap too.
In my mind, I'd keep the difference in chain ring sizes quite small (probably 4t) and hopefully "someone" can program the SRAM AXS so that it has two modes (large or small chainring) and then avoids the "bad" end of the cassette so large chainring only uses the lowest/smallest 10 cogs and the small chainring avoids the lowest/biggest 2 cogs
Also, no need for any sort of mech or shifter as I'd only be changing chainring when I change from ride type ie I wouldn't generally use the smaller chainring when bike packing and I wouldn't generally use the larger chain ring when exploring local trails.
2 chainsets, 2 chains, 2 (identical) cassettes (the latter if uneven wear/use is a consideration) almost seems a more elegant solution if you can spare half an hour to change it between riding modes.
That has promise OP. Perhaps think about a way to be able to switch forms mid ride; a lever or button on the handlebars perhaps? Some sort of Bimble-convert2Gnaaaar set up?
Dinglespeed 😁
34/26 front with a ss cog in the rear and a Paul’s Melvin tensioner.
Always thought dinglespeed was two rear cogs. Or two front and two rear where the ratios needed the same chain length.
I'm sensing some mockery here. You guys just don't have the vision!!!
Isnt it mad that youd genuinley conside that rather than have a 2x. I'm converting a 1x hardtail to 2x10 with about a 36t sprocket for bikepacking myself - we will soon start to be told we need front mechs again to keep us buying.
Pinion hard tail?
rigid/short travel fork for Bikepacking, long travel fork for looning around in the woods? <br /><br />
OP you’re not alone. I tried to dinglespeed my pinklespeed with an alfine tensioner and single cog rear with two chainrings like @ajantom but the alfine tensioner chainline didn’t marry up with the crankset I’m using so I binned it for now. The idea was for a flat gear of around 72” and a climbing gear of around 50”.
Back in the old 26" 9-speed days, XC bikes typically had 22-32-42 triple cranksets and 11-32 cassettes. A 22-32 granny gear is about the same as a 32-46, so 32-50 is a little bit lower. 29" wheels will increase that by about 10% so a 32-50 gear with 29" wheels is fairly close to what everyone used to consider a standard granny gear.
Nah, the solution is obviously N+1a+1b where 1a is a hardcore hardtail and 1b is a bike packer. More expensive but more satisfying.
Surely just do 2x11 or 2x12 with a front mech?
Always thought dinglespeed was two rear cogs. Or two front and two rear where the ratios needed the same chain length.
All permutations on a similar theme 😁
Would you really notice any significant difference between 28 and 32 (1 gear perhaps)?