why single speed
sparky803
Posts: 29
I am on the hunt for a new hardtail and a couple I have been looking at have dropouts for easy conversion to single speed. Why would you want to convert a hardtail mtb to single speed. Surely it isn't practical. Thanks
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There is no reason. It's just a mental illness that the sufferers are oblivious to.0
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The singlespeed has its advantages in deep mud - you will get at least 200m further along the trail before the rear triangle clogs up and you have to find a twig to clear it all out. Of course you won't be able to get started again because the single gear you have is much too hard and you either spin out or your legs can't turn it. By this time the person on a similarly clogged geared bike will be walking up the hill alongside you.
I have much respect for the real, angry singlespeeders that get it done and grind to the top of climbs with nothing but the sound of gritted teeth and popping cartlidge to keep them going.0 -
I pity them, to be honest.
If I wanted to ride around in the same gear all the time, I'd just, not change gear!0 -
I have a singlespeed because I cracked the gripshifts on my hack-bike and couldn't be bothered replacing them
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It's probably ok if you live in Holland where there are no hills! You could also have those breaks where you have to pedal backwards to stop heheRide it like you stole it!0
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^^here is a typical example of one of the sufferers of this bizarre condition.chedabob wrote:I have a singlespeed because I cracked the gripshifts on my hack-bike and couldn't be bothered replacing them
He claims he couldn't be bothered replacing a shifter.
He has, however, removed the shifter from the bar, removed the rear mech and all cabling, then split the chain, measured it and re-joined the right length. And probably fit some sort of chain tensioner.
On top of all that, he's likely removed the fromt mech as well, and one or two chainrings.
Because he "couldn't be bothered" to replace a broken shifter pod.
See what I mean? It's a fascinating condition 0 -
convert to SS why?
just build it SS or fixed from the start."Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
yeehaamcgee wrote:
^^here is a typical example of one of the sufferers of this bizarre condition.chedabob wrote:I have a singlespeed because I cracked the gripshifts on my hack-bike and couldn't be bothered replacing them
He claims he couldn't be bothered replacing a shifter.
He has, however, removed the shifter from the bar, removed the rear mech and all cabling, then split the chain, measured it and re-joined the right length. And probably fit some sort of chain tensioner.
On top of all that, he's likely removed the fromt mech as well, and one or two chainrings.
Because he "couldn't be bothered" to replace a broken shifter pod.
See what I mean? It's a fascinating condition
Nope. All chainrings still attached, and no chain tensioner. Can't be bothered wasting money on a bike I use for the odd spin up to the shop. I'd never consider doing it on a good bike 0 -
because they are for brown rice eating vegan lesbians called nigel0
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Tried singlespeed and it was more interesting than I expected, you really have to try to conserve momentum (especially on a 29er) or you probably won't get up the next hill - I found it great for figuring out whether or not I really had to brake to get round a corner.
I couldn't live with it all the time, but I'm glad I tried it and could imagine myself getting one as a training tool.0 -
just don't change gear.0
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GHill wrote:Tried singlespeed and it was more interesting than I expected, you really have to try to conserve momentum (especially on a 29er) or you probably won't get up the next hill - I found it great for figuring out whether or not I really had to brake to get round a corner.
I couldn't live with it all the time, but I'm glad I tried it and could imagine myself getting one as a training tool.
Why don't you just not shift gears?0 -
Because I'd give in and shift gears
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In that case then...In the words of something from Mortal Kombat
"YOU WEAK, PATHETIC FOOL"0 -
I'd ride singlespeed purely for the lack of rattles and simplicity of the bike. I wouldn't set one up as a serious trail bike though. There's too many hills around here for that.0
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Well, then what you technically have there, then, is a broken bike, not a singlespeed.chedabob wrote:Nope. All chainrings still attached, and no chain tensioner. Can't be bothered wasting money on a bike I use for the odd spin up to the shop. I'd never consider doing it on a good bike
I still maintain that my ideal bike would be a steel framed bike with 6" of rear suspension, a rigid carbon front fork, with gears, but a fixed hub.
Singlespeed is just wrong.0 -
I suggested over on the Commuting forum that nobody actually needed a single speed as long as they had a normal bike and didn't change gear. They didn't like that very muchchedabob wrote:Why don't you just not shift gears?
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
Yes, I have put that to them a a few times ;-)
The old 'it makes you fitter' argument is wrong too - geared bikes are heavier, and you can choose and even harder gear!
The only benefits I see are less weight, and less complexity.0 -
the real reasons are this.
SS is fun.
fixed is scene."Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
Stevo 666 wrote:
I suggested over on the Commuting forum that nobody actually needed a single speed as long as they had a normal bike and didn't change gear. They didn't like that very muchchedabob wrote:Why don't you just not shift gears?
On a commuter bike though, the less weight and complexity, the better. And if you commute the same way every time, you're not going to be in the wrong gear if you pick the right one to start with.0 -
I would think 'winter' is the best and perhaps only reason, it's about putting your regular steed safely wrapped up till spring and leaving behind those drivetrain cleaning blues in the freezing cold months, personally my hands go blue at times while cleaning, it's tempting to invest to be honest if it cuts some of that out.0
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Unless your commute goes up and down hills.chedabob wrote:Stevo 666 wrote:
I suggested over on the Commuting forum that nobody actually needed a single speed as long as they had a normal bike and didn't change gear. They didn't like that very muchchedabob wrote:Why don't you just not shift gears?
On a commuter bike though, the less weight and complexity, the better. And if you commute the same way every time, you're not going to be in the wrong gear if you pick the right one to start with.0 -
Like mine does....yeehaamcgee wrote:
Unless your commute goes up and down hills.chedabob wrote:Stevo 666 wrote:
I suggested over on the Commuting forum that nobody actually needed a single speed as long as they had a normal bike and didn't change gear. They didn't like that very muchchedabob wrote:Why don't you just not shift gears?
On a commuter bike though, the less weight and complexity, the better. And if you commute the same way every time, you're not going to be in the wrong gear if you pick the right one to start with.
There's a bloke on a SS that takes part of my route into Cental London. He can't keep up with me up or down the hilly bits so he resorts to jumping the lights to try to get ahead of me. I rest my case "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
Because I'm poor and singlespeed means i can change my sprocket and chain for less than a tenner.0
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You can tell by the slagging off from the likes of yeehaamcgee and others that they definatly haven't tried single speeding.
They are great for improving your fitness, hill climbing and general riding skills.
They are easy to look after, you just dust off the dried on mud and give the chain a squirt of oil every so often.
For the record I've got 2 geared and 2 single speed bikes0 -
yeehaamcgee wrote:
Unless your commute goes up and down hills.chedabob wrote:Stevo 666 wrote:
I suggested over on the Commuting forum that nobody actually needed a single speed as long as they had a normal bike and didn't change gear. They didn't like that very muchchedabob wrote:Why don't you just not shift gears?
On a commuter bike though, the less weight and complexity, the better. And if you commute the same way every time, you're not going to be in the wrong gear if you pick the right one to start with.
Then you'd be stupid to switch to SS, or just MTFU.0 -
I run gears so I can argue the SRAM vs Shimano debate...0
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i have 2 single speeds
a flat bar road single speed for commuting as gears cost more to replace when they ware
and a rigid steel single speed 29er because im trendy and it was REALLY cheap but i have no real use for it. id much rarther be out on my 27 speed xc bike.0 -
Actually I have 27 single speeds, but only about 13 are unique.0
