Forum home› Mountain biking forum› MTB general

Single speed, second ride thoughts..much better this time!!

Darra8Darra8 Posts: 721
edited November 2009 in MTB general
Hi Guys,

Took the Genesis SS for a second ride today, and this time the ride was totally different. I had a think about what happened last time and things worked out much better. I rode the route a different way around this time, making sure that any of the steeper climbs were taken down and not up. I ended up riding further than I usually do and was no more knackered than normal.

The steel frame is ace and soaks up the bumps much better than my alloy framed bike, it feels so smooth.

I know it's early days, but I think I really get the SS thing now. Of course it has it's limitations but it being so simple, there is far less to worry about, so you can just get on and enjoy riding the bike. It also took me just 5 minutes to jive it a good clean when I got home :)

DSC00065.jpg

DSC00064.jpg
40 year old censored who "still" hates the thought of falling off!!
«1

Posts

  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    I still don't get it. If you have a bike that means you can't ride routes you're accustomed to, it just isn't a good thing.
    Give up trying to brainwash yourself into it and face facts, gears are better.
    The sooner you stick a shifter and a rear mech on that thing, the sooner you'll enjoy riding it properly.
    Of course then you'll probably realise that a rigid fork is a bad idea too.

    You know, all of these downsides are ones the rest of the world discovered a long time ago.
  • majormantramajormantra Posts: 2,094
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    I still don't get it. If you have a bike that means you can't ride routes you're accustomed to, it just isn't a good thing.
    Give up trying to brainwash yourself into it and face facts, gears are better.
    The sooner you stick a shifter and a rear mech on that thing, the sooner you'll enjoy riding it properly.
    Of course then you'll probably realise that a rigid fork is a bad idea too.

    You know, all of these downsides are ones the rest of the world discovered a long time ago.

    Well aren't you a little ray of sunshine? :roll:

    Nice bike Darra!

    Matthew
  • RaymondavalonRaymondavalon Posts: 5,346
    LMFAO! yeehaamcgee telling it like it is from the moment he could speak.. :D

    Yes it is a nice bike and I think the whole SS thing is very personal, love or hate it, there doesn't seem to be a middle road..
    The Bouncer
    The Shaker
  • stubsstubs Posts: 5,001
    Keep it up Darra I only wish my knees were up to getting myself a new SS
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Thing is, I've been down the whole rigid, singlespeed route years ago, when it's all we had.
    It was censored .
    Now everyone and their dog is bandying it around like the next big thing.
    It really isn't, you're fooling yourselves.
  • stubsstubs Posts: 5,001
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Thing is, I've been down the whole rigid, singlespeed route years ago, when it's all we had.
    It was censored .
    Now everyone and their dog is bandying it around like the next big thing.
    It really isn't, you're fooling yourselves.

    So just because you dont like it he has to do what you tell him

    If it was my bike I would tell you to go F*** yourself
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Look, he's highlighting faults in HIS OWN bike, on several threads, and you're all cheering him on going "great bike mate"
    It's not though is it? It's a censored one, cause he can't ride it where he wants.
  • nicklousenicklouse Posts: 50,675 Lives Here
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    I still don't get it. If you have a bike that means you can't ride routes you're accustomed to, it just isn't a good thing.

    and that is the challenge, getting to a level where you can do the trails in one gear.

    anyone can do it with gears.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • stubsstubs Posts: 5,001
    nicklouse wrote:
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    I still don't get it. If you have a bike that means you can't ride routes you're accustomed to, it just isn't a good thing.

    and that is the challenge, getting to a level where you can do the trails in one gear.

    anyone can do it with gears.

    Couldnt put it better myself
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Sorry, Nick, I don't buy that hippy horesh*t.
  • v23v23 Posts: 217
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Thing is, I've been down the whole rigid, singlespeed route years ago.

    You still seem to be smarting from the issue. Did someone bum you at the time? Or expose you to some equally horrible abuse?

    Why can't you just let other people get on and do what they want to do without having to tell them you think it's censored ?
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Because I'm sick of being told how much "better" a singlespeed is. Even when the guy who owns it mentions it's not rideable on his regular rides.
    I'm as entitled to my views as you are.
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    v23 wrote:
    You still seem to be smarting from the issue. Did someone bum you at the time? Or expose you to some equally horrible abuse?
    Oh I see, I'm dealing with a child here :roll:
  • stubsstubs Posts: 5,001
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Because I'm sick of being told how much "better" a singlespeed is. Even when the guy who owns it mentions it's not rideable on his regular rides.
    I'm as entitled to my views as you are.

    No one has said SS is better its different there is no better its just a bike. I regularly see a guy at Rivington riding an offroad unicycle I think hes a bit nuts but I admire him for doing something different. I admire him for having the bottle and I would never dream of telling him his unicycle is censored . I personally think your new bike is way over the top for riding in Britain you dont need a bike like that unless you live in the Alps the Pyrenees or the Rockies but I dont care what you ride its your choice and I would never call it censored .
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    I do ride in the alps you muppet. Also quarries, real mountains, and anywere I bloody well please.

    That unicycle rider doesn't come here and try and convince us all that unicycling is the way forward.
    SS riders, on the other hand, are pretty damned annoying with their chin-stroking "we are above you all" attitude.
    Now what annoys me mostly, is that this guy's spent his hard earned on a bike that by his OWN accounts, is unsuitable, yet you STILL don't have the balls to tell him so.
  • stubsstubs Posts: 5,001
    You have just made my point for me YOU do as YOU please but YOU want other people to do as YOU tell them.

    Why cant Darra8 spend HIS money and waste HIS time doing something HE wants to do.
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • Johnny NapalmJohnny Napalm Posts: 1,458
    I can see the advantage regarding the ease of cleaning (I could really go for that :D ), but it's not for me because of its limitations. That said, it's each to his own.

    I also know where Yeehaa is coming from; the trails are not going to be as easy when riding an ss bike, which should be glaringly obvious when making the initial decision to venture down the ss route. And there are some deluded individuals around (not on here as such) who proclaim that anyone who doesn't ride ss bikes are somehow inferior.

    If anyone can tackle the climbs I like to regularly climb on an ss, then more power to them, and I take my hat off to you. If you like to ride with gears, then fine...if you don't, then that's fine also. Let's all just enjoy our bikes.

    I'm sure that the more you ride it, Darra, the more you'll get used to it. Have fun!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Marin
    SS Inbred
    Mongoose Teocali Super
  • v23v23 Posts: 217
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Because I'm sick of being told how much "better" a singlespeed is. Even when the guy who owns it mentions it's not rideable on his regular rides.
    I'm as entitled to my views as you are.

    At no point in this thread or the other single speed thread you invested time in has anyone said it's better. It's just different, as different as a full on downhill bike is to a lightweight cross country bike. Horses for courses.
  • WhytepeakWhytepeak Posts: 2,616
    yeehaamcgee

    You're missing the point completely. No one is try to promote SS bikes above geared bikes, but both they have their advantages and disadvantages, thats all.

    As far as I can see, it looks like a very good bit of kit, light, easy to maintain and clean - perfect for winter and it sets a challenge, simply to ride it on your average loop.
    Now that we are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves. ROMANS 15:1
  • colintravcolintrav Posts: 1,074
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Thing is, I've been down the whole rigid, singlespeed route years ago, when it's all we had.
    It was censored .
    Now everyone and their dog is bandying it around like the next big thing.
    It really isn't, you're fooling yourselves.

    Quoted for the truth ..

    Personally I feel they BIKES should never be really labelled or advertised as MBT's They are Not and aren't built nor do they have EQ as such for the obvious reason like myself pointed out on a previous thread and you yourself has ..

    All it is is a basic bike at the end of the day , and when i seen someone post It's hard work ...

    Well i just had to respond for simple reason why buy the bike when the person has already stated he had 2 others , then surely he would have known the main differences without even bothering of posting the said post ..

    Don't get me wrong it is a nice looking bike but i for one wouldn't waste my cash nowadays , All they are is a cheaper way for compaines to get ride of stock they can't get sold .... because the market is already saturated as it is .

    And guess what they release a basic bike labelled as a MBT with the help of friendly PR by the mags people will be suckerd into buying it ..



    WHEN ALL IT IS A BASIC BIKE .. end of nothing nothing less ..A glorified BMX
  • Darra8Darra8 Posts: 721
    Wow, bit of a sh!t storm brewing here. Everyone is entitled to there opinion, that's what the forum is for, but hey, chill out.

    I would also like to point out to one person in particular, that at no point have I tried to convince anyone, myself included that SS bikes are the way forward. As I said in my original post, I bought the bike on impulse, because A, I liked the look of it, and B, because it was a little different to the other 2 bikes I have. I have not moaned about how hard it is to ride, I just stated that on my first ride on my local route I found it very hard to complete it. My second post was just to say that I have altered my route to accommodate the new bike and I found it much easier. As Nick said, it's a challenge and the more I ride it, the better I will get and the more I will enjoy it....It really is as simple as that 8)

    We all love bikes here and given the chance I'm sure most of us would buy more than we needed, so what would be the point in having loads of bikes that were all the same :?:
    40 year old censored who "still" hates the thought of falling off!!
  • colintravcolintrav Posts: 1,074
    ^^^

    We learn something new with each day that comes
  • CpsCps Posts: 356
    Darra

    Just stick wit it

    I built my first rigid SS March this year with the intent to use it round my local route just to get fitter, whilst keeping my FS for rides on hillier terrain, but now I just use it everywhere!

    Your fitness will build quite rapidly and you will find the faster you go the quicker your reactions will become to adjust for differing terrain.

    So just go out and enjoy your Singlespeed rides.
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Darra, I aired my (strong) opinions on it. Stubs is the one who started throwing turds around.

    Here's another analogy, would you buy a pair of stilletto shoes to run in, because all tha fashionistas said it was "cool" or it was the latest "in thing"? Hey, it's harder to run, so it's more rewarding when you can.

    For greater challenge, why not ride faster, or in a higher gear (an option that's lost on SS riders :roll: ) or over bigger terrain? Why make your regular rides a ball-ache?
  • M1llh0useM1llh0use Posts: 863
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    For greater challenge, why not ride faster, or in a higher gear (an option that's lost on SS riders :roll: ) or over bigger terrain? Why make your regular rides a ball-ache?

    or for the time limited among us, turn your "regular" route into something much harder by taking off all but one of your gears...

    :wink:
    {insert smartarse comment here}
  • geordiefreeridergeordiefreerider Posts: 888
    nicklouse wrote:
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    I still don't get it. If you have a bike that means you can't ride routes you're accustomed to, it just isn't a good thing.

    and that is the challenge, getting to a level where you can do the trails in one gear.

    anyone can do it with gears.[/quote Im with yeeha on this one, I defy anybody no matter how strong your effin legs are to climb some of the climbs i can get up with gears on a ss !
    http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak- ... 230783.jpg
  • _Ferret__Ferret_ Posts: 660
    SS is blatently limited. It has it's place - but for me that is nipping down the shops on, not takling my favorite mountain. And like geordie said - I'd love to meet a SS biker who can get up the climbs I ride on my local routes.
    Not really active
  • Darra8Darra8 Posts: 721
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Here's another analogy, would you buy a pair of stilletto shoes to run in, because all tha fashionistas said it was "cool" or it was the latest "in thing"? Hey, it's harder to run, so it's more rewarding when you can.

    Sorry, but I fail to see where you have got this idea that I am trying to say that SS is fashionable and cool and a must have bike. You show me where I have said, hey everyone, go buy a SS, they're great?

    I don't have a scooby, as I am sure you will be the first to point out, about technique or how to ride bikes properly. I just love bikes and love riding them! My posts about the SS were all about telling people how I was getting on, good and bad, and nothing more....do you get that???
    40 year old censored who "still" hates the thought of falling off!!
  • v23v23 Posts: 217
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Thing is, I've been down the whole rigid, singlespeed route years ago, when it's all we had.

    Actually, how old are you? I've had mountain bikes since 1988, an Emmelle Cougar was my first one and that had 18 gears, though it did obviously have rigid forks. You've got to be going a long, long way back to get to a point in time where mountain bikes were single speed because "it's all we had".
  • Darra8Darra8 Posts: 721
    v23 wrote:
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Thing is, I've been down the whole rigid, singlespeed route years ago, when it's all we had.

    Actually, how old are you? I've had mountain bikes since 1988, an Emmelle Cougar was my first one and that had 18 gears, though it did obviously have rigid forks. You've got to be going a long, long way back to get to a point in time where mountain bikes were single speed because "it's all we had".

    He must be quite old, because he seems to be very grumpy too. The two usually go hand in hand :wink:
    40 year old censored who "still" hates the thought of falling off!!
Sign In or Register to comment.