Single speed disc brake bike?

imafatman

This is an awkward ask I know but.....

I want a single speed with a freewheel that has disc brakes. This will be my every day commuter/shop/whatever bike.

Found a few options out there:

Genesis Day One 10 : https://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bike/day-one-10
Plug 1 Disc: http://www.chargebikes.com/plug-1-disc/
Pinnacle Dolomite Single Speed: https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-do ... e-EV306255

The genesis is steel and a little heavier than the other two which are alloy frames. I don't particularly care for ride quality given this bike most likely won't go beyond 15-20km per ride.

I can't really tell these 3 apart. Anyone have any comments or recommendations?

I want single speed for the simplicity and maintenance. I want disc brakes because I'm a heavier chap and I cycle in London where stopping quickly is important. It needs rack and bottle mounts. Everything else I'm not too fussed with, tyres/finishing kit I'll end up changing anyway.

luv2ride

imafatman wrote:

This is an awkward ask I know but.....

I want a single speed with a freewheel that has disc brakes. This will be my every day commuter/shop/whatever bike.

Found a few options out there:

Genesis Day One 10 : https://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bike/day-one-10
Plug 1 Disc: http://www.chargebikes.com/plug-1-disc/
Pinnacle Dolomite Single Speed: https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-do ... e-EV306255

The genesis is steel and a little heavier than the other two which are alloy frames. I don't particularly care for ride quality given this bike most likely won't go beyond 15-20km per ride.

I can't really tell these 3 apart. Anyone have any comments or recommendations?

I want single speed for the simplicity and maintenance. I want disc brakes because I'm a heavier chap and I cycle in London where stopping quickly is important. It needs rack and bottle mounts. Everything else I'm not too fussed with, tyres/finishing kit I'll end up changing anyway.

Note what you say about wanting discs, but the rim brakes on my carbon road and v-brakes on my alu singlespeed are better than my mechanical discs on my 'crosser by a country mile. Might be my set up, but the mech discs have never been great.

Pinnacle used to do a single speed version of their Arkose adventure bike, I've got one and is ace (converted to 1x11 now though). The TRP Hylex hydro brakes it came with would be the best option on a singlespeeder if rim brakes just won't do...

joe_totale-2

The 3 bikes you've linked are much of a muchness, all 3 would do a very similar job. I assume they all have a method of tensioning the chain given that they don't have horizontal dropouts?

The Genesis is steel so will be heavier, my brother has one and comments on the ride quality being good.
TRP Hylex brakes are available as an upgrade if you must have disc brakes and want decent performing ones:

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.TRP-Hylex-RS-B ... 104570.htm

moonshine

I'm struggling with the idea of a disk brake working on a bike with horizontal track ends as the disk position changes with wheel position in the track end.
Vertical dropouts and a chain tensioner / ecentric bb would work I guess

haydenm

moonshine wrote:

I'm struggling with the idea of a disk brake working on a bike with horizontal track ends as the disk position changes with wheel position in the track end.
Vertical dropouts and a chain tensioner / ecentric bb would work I guess

I can't see how the other two do it but the Genesis has sliding brake mounts, I assume it would be fairly fit and forget unless you change chain lengths a lot.



To the OP, the Charge looks coolest which is obviously the most important thing

ugo.santalucia

Conversion...

I have one converted from a cyclocross frame, at the moment I am dismantling it, so if you need parts... I might be able to help. For rear hub, I got a Hope Trial/SS hub, which is a very neat solution... builds a non dished wheel and it's strong as an ox

moonshine

HaydenM wrote:

moonshine wrote:

I'm struggling with the idea of a disk brake working on a bike with horizontal track ends as the disk position changes with wheel position in the track end.
Vertical dropouts and a chain tensioner / ecentric bb would work I guess

I can't see how the other two do it but the Genesis has sliding brake mounts, I assume it would be fairly fit and forget unless you change chain lengths a lot.



To the OP, the Charge looks coolest which is obviously the most important thing

Thanks. that answers that question!

timothyw

I did have a genesis day one for a while, written off in a crash unfortunately, replaced it with a similar Verenti for a while (which I broke but that's another story).

Anyhow. Don't get the Genesis.

Sliding/track dropouts work fine when you have a well lit place to work and are in no rush. When you have had a puncture and you are out in the dark and wet it's a fucking nightmare. Also makes proper mudguards massively impractical.

It looks like the other two use an eccentric bottom bracket to tension the chain. This is a much better solution.

ugo.santalucia

yet, the easiest solution is a simple chain tensioner

craker

The same brake problems exist for rim braked fixies too. Put on a longer chain or flip the hub for a smaller gear and you'll find yourself moving the pads. The rear calipers on my Langster have nothing like the drop needed to accommodate an extra link in the chain.

timothyw

ugo.santalucia wrote:

yet, the easiest solution is a simple chain tensioner

Not as easy as you might hope.

Used one of these to convert a regular frame to single speed - https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FSOOSSD/o ... -tensioner

Doesn't work. Not in it's designed 'push down' configuration anyway. Meant that not enough of the chain was wrapping around the rear cog so it would slip anytime I pressed hard on the pedals.

You might have more luck depending on which gears you are using.

Anyhow, converted it to a push up configuration by cable-tieing it to the chainstay, which worked but I had to use a half link chain to get the chain the right length.

What worked better was an old rear derailleur preset with a backwards limit screw (you could also use a short length of gear cable if so inclined).

Anyway. Eccentric bottom bracket definitely the better solution IMHO.

bontie

I have the Genesis. It has served me well. Its heavy and I changed almost all of the build as it uses really poor quality brakes, handlebars and kit. No regrets.

Benefit of discs here is that it stays clean for those wet commutes, and works reasonably well in all weather conditions.
As for the puncture comment above. The tyres it comes with are no good, I changed to schwalbe Marathon plus city tyres, which weigh a ton, but have had no punctures in what is now coming up to 21 months. I commute 9 miles each way, 9/10 days of the workng week. I carry a puncture repair kit, so I intend to mend the puncture rather than chnage tube, should it happen.