First ever off-road ride on an SS!
Johnny Napalm
Posts: 1,458
I took the newly-converted ss out for a couple of hours today to see what I could muster. I've always assumed that I wouldn't have a chance climbing some of the hills I usually do...but I was wrong!
It was obviously more difficult, but I surprised myself by completing every hill that I tried. It's amazing what you can do when you have no choice. There is no doubt that had I had the choice of easier gears I would have taken it, but when you haven't got that choice...you either have to do it or push the thing.
The idea behind converting one of my old bikes was because a mate was interested in taking it off my hands. However, that now looks unlikely so I may keep it myself for that extra challenge every now and then, but I do like my choice of gears for the riding I usually do.
I'll have to see how I feel about it in a couple of weeks, but I thought I'd give myself a challenge and I'm happy with the results.
It was obviously more difficult, but I surprised myself by completing every hill that I tried. It's amazing what you can do when you have no choice. There is no doubt that had I had the choice of easier gears I would have taken it, but when you haven't got that choice...you either have to do it or push the thing.
The idea behind converting one of my old bikes was because a mate was interested in taking it off my hands. However, that now looks unlikely so I may keep it myself for that extra challenge every now and then, but I do like my choice of gears for the riding I usually do.
I'll have to see how I feel about it in a couple of weeks, but I thought I'd give myself a challenge and I'm happy with the results.
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Posts
I'm single-speeding my STP to make it into a low maintenance play/trail bike for short blasts (got a baby on the way so ride time will be limited). Going with 32-16 to start with, although the kit I've ordered also comes with a 18t sprocket.
It was pretty simple to clean after today's muddy ride too.
Congratulations on the forthcoming birth...you're right about limited time, but it's well worth it!
Marin
SS Inbred
Mongoose Teocali Super
Ta. It's all pretty flat around here so hopefully I won't notice the lack of ratios.
Johnny, beware, this SS lark starts off with a converted hack, and before you know it you've got a hugely expensive tarted up ssxc bike, a jump bike and a cx bike in your shed.... trust me on this one
Carbon 456
456 lefty
Pompino
White Inbred
I've just put a 18t rear sprocket on now so we'll see if that makes any odds :oops:
14 Kona Unit
Kona Kula SS
Trailstar SS
94 Univega Alpina 5.3
That is a souped up BMX in my eyes it has all the hallmarks of a BMX with Front sus forks that being the only difference
Get some glasses then. It looks like what it is: A singlespeed hardtail and doesn't resemble a BMX in any way at all.
Plus, I've never seen a BMX with discs
The Shaker
and i did see a race one with Discs front and rear not to long ago.
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
I still don't believe that Johnny Napalm's SS looks like a "souped up BMX" though
The Shaker
Well that's where we beg to differ ,, Any person who lived through the 80's will say the exact same ..where you didn't so you'll find to hard to accept .
One thing I did notice is that I will need wider bars for a little more leverage. The narrow bars on the CB felt weird when it was 27-speed, after being use to wider bars, but it really was apparent yesterday.
Oh, I hope not...I spend far too much on bike stuff as it is!
Marin
SS Inbred
Mongoose Teocali Super
I lived through the 80's
Your talking rubbish (yet again)
And I've never ever seen a BMX made with 26" wheels
found (dare i say it) bar ends a godsend with SS....
there i said it. now i feel dirty. :oops:
Erm, I am not some snotty nosed, acne pocked teen. Yes I did live through the 80's and still continue to live.
+1 on that and especially the "talking rubbish (yet again)" point
The Shaker
+2
While at Cannock Chase on Friday the bikeshop there had a new Genesis S/S outside that was reduced down to £400, I was chattin to a bloke about it and it was on its way to being part of my collection but he refused to let me have a quick spin on the car park to try it on for size and get the feel for it. Said if I got on it the bike would no longer be 'New'. For the sake of a 2 min spin that attitude lost him the sale.
Shame I didn't get to try it out but I'm still in the market 8)
Whyte 129S 29er.
He'll be wondering why he's got so much stock at the end of the year! Some retailers really do seem to go out of their way to deter you from making a purchase. :?
Marin
SS Inbred
Mongoose Teocali Super
Whyte 129S 29er.
I wouldn't choose a 27 speed twin suspension mountainbike, but I don't criticise those who do.
My own roadbike is single speed. I bought it as a fixie and found it great fun except on steep hills. If I found a ratio low enough to get up out the valley where I live, I had to ride back down with the brakes on - which is clearly silly. So I converted it to single speed, and it's great for journeys of many miles.
So on this single speed roadbike with 700c x 23mm tyres, I was riding some gentle off road today (and fell off!) and know what? It's fun seeing what you can do with the bike I've got, rather than constantly fiddling with levers to see if I can find the bike I think I'd rather be on for that stretch of my route. If I want easy, I'll ride the motorbike.
If I could afford it, I'd have a single speed mountainbike, and a more general purpose bike with a small number of gears. In the old days, clubmen rode huge distances on 3 speeds, and enjoyed it.
The original poster may want to look at singlespeed.net for inspiration.
Errr, no.
I saw BMX's come in at the tail end of the Seventies, and that bike looks nothing likeany BMX ever made... you need your eyes checking mate!
And it's not just the wheel size, there's the frame size and the bar height / width / style etc.
Not that it matters - who gives a toss what anyone else's bike looks like - it's whether you;re happy with your own bike that is really the issue... 8)