curious about single speed MTB's

mikeouk

I understand why some people use single speed road bikes for commuting or for a more intense work out, but Im not understanding single speed mountain bikes. Maybe its because I live near the lake district and cant begin to imagine riding most of the trails here on a single speed.
Do people who own a single speed mtb actually use it for serious off road riding? Im not knocking it, just curious to hear from owners of such bikes, how they use them.

nicklouse

Yes. It is simpler and more of a challenge. But you will never get anywhere fast.

snotty badger

I use my Kula SS (see sig) round Whinlatter, its great! I'm climbing way, way quicker now and I wasn't exactly slow to start with. Also I'm a lot smoother coming down, less braking- can't just power out of a corner when the gearing just isn't there. I've done Keswick to Skiddaw house to Mungrisdale too, only had to walk one hill and road sections are a bit slow but that just means you notice more stuff..

As Nick says it makes for more of a challenge, and less bike to clean when you get back.

Some people get it some don't,at the moment I'm really enjoying it..

mikeouk

snotty badger wrote:

I use my Kula SS (see sig) round Whinlatter, its great! I'm climbing way, way quicker now and I wasn't exactly slow to start with. Also I'm a lot smoother coming down, less braking- can't just power out of a corner when the gearing just isn't there. I've done Keswick to Skiddaw house to Mungrisdale too, only had to walk one hill and road sections are a bit slow but that just means you notice more stuff..

As Nick says it makes for more of a challenge, and less bike to clean when you get back.

Some people get it some don't,at the moment I'm really enjoying it..

thats hardcore :shock:
cool looking bike, so whats the gearing on it?

schmako

My mate has only the middle ring on the front and 9spd cassette. It already seems like too much hard work going uphill! Granny ring comes in useful far too often!

snotty badger

32:18 at the moment, but might change to a 17t or 16t sprocket.

My first outing round Whinlatter on my DMR was hardwork, I had to stand for the entire fire road and was seeing stars too! It's surprising how quick it improves fitness, I can blast that climb now. Made me feel that gears make me lazy, I'd of selected something easy on my Pitch and just spin up.

rockmonkeysc

I run my hardtail singlespeed & rigid in the winter. I still ride everything I ride in the summer. A bit slower & I have to push some climbs bit it is fun in a strange kind of way. Climbs take commitment, you have to attack them from the bottom or fail.
Some of the fastest riders who come on our club night rides are on single speed, I can't get anywhere near keeping up even with gears.

stubs

I love the fact that a SS turns an easy ride into a challenge. I am not into epic mountain rides SS thats what my Canyon Nerve with 18 gears is for. Blasting my local trails on short sharp rides that leave me gasping unable to talk and seeing stars is what its for, or with a slick back tyre and the fork locked rides down back roads and canal towpaths to work or the pub.

Its not better than gears its different but just the same its cycling.

YeehaaMcgee

stubs wrote:

I love the fact that a SS turns an easy ride into a challenge. I am not into epic mountain rides SS thats what my Canyon Nerve with 18 gears is for. Blasting my local trails on short sharp rides that leave me gasping unable to talk and seeing stars is what its for,

Imagine how much more of a workout you'd have on your canyon, by sticking to the very highest gear, then.

Shylock

Interesting thread.... always thought it was just a bravado thing.

Hats off to you.

MountainMonster

I ride my ss simply because of the simplicity of it in town. I have thought of joining onto some of the longer rides that our local CC does, but since i'm on a SS mtb I don't really fancy getting dropped too quick, although I think I would manage. I have noticed some weight loss since switching to SS, but that is probably down to just riding regularly and not eating too much, although I do attack all the "hills", i.e. the bridges, in Cambridge quite hard.

I really want a new bike though with a bit more gear choice, although I won't be selling the ss to get it!

supersonic

If you all want a challenge, get an 80mm XC bike ;-)

YeehaaMcgee

I might just do that

Chinley Churner

I built mine up (rigid 69-er Sanderson Life SS) as a low maintenance winter bike... my local trails (Dark Peak) eat components and the SS is a great solution... saying that though, it gets summer outings too as, for an hour or two evening blast, it's great fun and a brilliant workout. It's definitely made me a stronger and faster rider and makes you realise you don't have to dump down the block to get up climbs. I run 32:18 and it surprises me what you can get up but as a previous poster says you do have to 100% and be aggressive. As well as my local trails, I've also had a blast round the Red/Black at Llandegla on it (all rideable) and a fairly challenging but fun bimble round the Beast at CYB.

stubs

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

stubs wrote:

I love the fact that a SS turns an easy ride into a challenge. I am not into epic mountain rides SS thats what my Canyon Nerve with 18 gears is for. Blasting my local trails on short sharp rides that leave me gasping unable to talk and seeing stars is what its for,

Imagine how much more of a workout you'd have on your canyon, by sticking to the very highest gear, then.

The Canyon is for big rides. The ones you plan on google earth, text or facebook your mates about the night before, check the bike out, pack a rucksack and wear cycling gear. The SS is for looking out the window deciding to go for a ride dragging it out of the shed sticking a helmet on my bonce and jumping aboard. The SS is as near to zero maintenance as your going to get with a bike and I dont wear out my expensive sticky knobblies on tarmac and cycle paths.

Not saying either is better just saying they are different but equally good fun.

YeehaaMcgee

The point I was trying to make, is that you can stick a geared bike in a very high gear, and push yourself even more than on a singlespeed.
Think of all those times where you're not struggling on the ss, well, with a geared bike you could turn those into a lung bursting workout.

snotty badger

It's too easy to wuss out and go for the easy gears though!

YeehaaMcgee

snotty badger wrote:

It's too easy to wuss out and go for the easy gears though!

Only if you're a wuss.

cooldad

Or sensible.

wayneloveskona

Long as youre having fun who cares if its slower, no ones actually getting timed on a ride out anyway!

snotty badger

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

snotty badger wrote:

It's too easy to wuss out and go for the easy gears though!

Only if you're a wuss.

Can't be helped, its a well known fact that gears make you soft.

YeehaaMcgee

Except fot the fact that geared riders can push themselves anywhere, on any ground, up down or across.

nicklouse

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

Except fot the fact that geared riders can push themselves anywhere, on any ground, up down or across.

So can SS riders. It is easy. Get off and push.

YeehaaMcgee

Chinley Churner

This weekends Mountain Mayhem was a great example of when Single-Speed is the way to go.. I've never seen so many ripped rear mechs and terminal chain suck cases.

supersonic

Interesting - what won?

mrmonkfinger

supersonic wrote:

Interesting - what won?

a few years ago a man on a fixed gear drop bar bike won*, now that was hardcore



* no, not really

Chinley Churner

supersonic wrote:

Interesting - what won?

teams who were having their bikes cleaned, stripped and re-built after every lap.. not really an option for mortals.

YeehaaMcgee

Chinley Churner wrote:

supersonic wrote:

Interesting - what won?

teams who were having their bikes cleaned, stripped and re-built after every lap.. not really an option for mortals.

What does all this mean?
This is more intruiging than the Da Vinci cod.

cooldad

I think he means the best riders won.

mrmonkfinger

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

Chinley Churner wrote:

supersonic wrote:

Interesting - what won?

teams who were having their bikes cleaned, stripped and re-built after every lap.. not really an option for mortals.

What does all this mean?
This is more intruiging than the Da Vinci cod.

now that was a fishy story