Going SS

[Quo Fan]

Over the past few weeks, I've been thinking how I can change up my riding. I've ridden all of my bikes, and that doesn't seem to do it for me now. I'm thinking what I need (like a hole in the head) is another bike, and I'm thinking of a single speed.

I have an old frame that will do the trick, I'm just not sure how I should outfit it, fully rigid or hard tail. I can't put discs on it, because the frame isn't disc ready, so it will be Avid Single Digit 3's. What kind of gearing should I be looking at? I could use some advice.

Thanks.

[gnurider1080]

youre back! well on my ss i run a 32:19 gearing which works really well. its not fully rigid because i enjoy my suspension up front too much to take the edge off of my harsh riding style. i like to ride over things than around usually.

[bdee]

I usually run the equivalent of a 32x18 for most places. The 32x16 is good for flat riding (like GB on Sunday). I believe AOF uses a 32x20? He seems to like it, and he hauls ass so maybe that's the magic gear for rolling terrain. Play with a couple of different ones until your knees don't hurt, uh I mean you feel comfortable ;).

[ArmOnFire]

I usually run the equivalent of a 32x18 for most places. The 32x16 is good for flat riding (like GB on Sunday). I believe AOF uses a 32x20? He seems to like it, and he hauls ass so maybe that's the magic gear for rolling terrain. Play with a couple of different ones until your knees don't hurt, uh I mean you feel comfortable ;).

Thanks bdee, you are no slow poke yourself
I do use 32x20, originally for snowey trails, but I like to spin instead of grind, and have grown to like this gear ratio.
Be warned Quo, once you try SS, it's hard to go back to gears!
It is so addictive!
-Dan

[PutAwayWet]

I've run 32:18 since I built the SS. I've got a 20 and a 16 waiting to be tried, but that would involve maintenance on the bike.... 32:18 has done me well at Ft. Rock, Mt. A, Lynn Woods, and various other places. I think that if you pick a gear that's not too hard to begin with, like 32:18 or 32:20, you just learn how to ride things in whatever gear you pick. I was expecting to have to change gears every time I rode someplace new - but that kind of defeats the SS simplicity. I find myself just adapting my riding style, not my bike, whenever I ride different terrain.

[C.P.]

Geat Paul! I had a feeling you'd be giving SS a try, what with all the interest you had Sunday at GB. I run a 34:19, because I have cranks that are 110BCD "pre-micro drive (IE 94mm BCD)" and the smallest chainring I can run is 34 (some 110's can run a 33, but good luck trying to find one).

If you're converting a geared bike, there's a ton of info online (and here) available for conversions.

[ssnoobie]

Over the past few weeks, I've been thinking how I can change up my riding. I've ridden all of my bikes, and that doesn't seem to do it for me now. I'm thinking what I need (like a hole in the head) is another bike, and I'm thinking of a single speed.

I have an old frame that will do the trick, I'm just not sure how I should outfit it, fully rigid or hard tail. I can't put discs on it, because the frame isn't disc ready, so it will be Avid Single Digit 3's. What kind of gearing should I be looking at? I could use some advice.

Thanks.


Do it.

I like the ride of my rigid single speed. It is nice to stand up and stomp when the trail gets steep and not feel the front end sag under the effort (I do not have the scratch for the new technology forks).

As most of these posts indicate gearing is a pretty personal choice. You probably can not go wrong with something in the neighborhood of 1.7. I run 33:19 and the single speeder I ride with the most rides 40:23. I find the gear perfectly fine for the trails I have ridden, including Gile MT in Norwich, VT. The Kingdom Trails, and lots of stuff in Leb, NH, etc. Eventually I will make it down to try the trails that the rest of you guys ride in southern, NH.

For me, single speed rules.

Happy riding,

SSnoob.

[Quo Fan]

Thanks for all the info, guys. Now all I have to do is get my frame back so I can start the build.

[Bikenow]

Check out the SS articles at www.harriscyclery.com. They stock the parts necessary to convert and if you are not local they will send them to you the same day. Good luck!

[Quo Fan]

Is it cool if I use a riser bar, or should I have a flat bar?

[ssnoobie]

Use whichever bar you want. My first singlespeed had a Scott bar with built in bar ends. My current single speed has the on-one Mary bar. It is nice to have the bar ends or a wider bar for leverage while cranking on a single speed.

[PutAwayWet]

Is it cool if I use a riser bar, or should I have a flat bar?

I'll second the wider bars. I have 2" risers (my SS is low in the front, though). They help keep my weight balanced when I'm standing and cranking, and the width really helps me 'convince' the front end it wants to do what I want it to.

[Quo Fan]

I've begun the process of ordering all the parts I need for the build. I got a set of Mavic X220 rims on ebay for $25, and I ordered a Surly rear hub and an XT front hub. I'll be building the wheels myself. I got a Scott riser bar, and I'm going to use a set of LX cranks that I had lying around. The frame is a 1998 Marin Bolenas Ridge, and I'm putting a Cane Creek C2 headset in it with a Manitou Black fork that came from my Cake.

I should have the bike ready by Pedros.

[ArmOnFire]

Alright Quo!
Got any pix?

[Quo Fan]

All the parts are still on their way here, and the frame is in another location. I'm awaiting it's return. I'll post some pics when I get it built, but realisticaly, I don't think it's going to happen before Pedro's. I may be building it while I'm at Pedro's, you never know.

[PutAwayWet]

Sounds nice! Just a headset thing... Seems more singlespeeders ride rigid (no pun intended) than geared bikes. I had a C4 headset with a rigid fork, and it died in less than a month. I know you're putting a black on it, but if you're considering running it rigid in the future, I might get a little heavier duty headset. My buddy destroyed his C2 with a suspension fork in a year.

[MMcG]

Sounds nice! Just a headset thing... Seems more singlespeeders ride rigid (no pun intended) than geared bikes. I had a C4 headset with a rigid fork, and it died in less than a month. I know you're putting a black on it, but if you're considering running it rigid in the future, I might get a little heavier duty headset. My buddy destroyed his C2 with a suspension fork in a year.


I can't remember if it was C2 or S2 that I had installed on the Ted Wojcik I got from Narlus but it didn't even last a month - it was a total POS.

I happened to have an old Ringle hs that I got used with sealed bearings and it is holding up great! I should have just used it from the get go.

So needless to say I'm leary of Cane Creek Headsets now and probably always will be.

[PutAwayWet]

I can't remember if it was C2 or S2 that I had installed on the Ted Wojcik I got from Narlus but it didn't even last a month - it was a total POS.

I happened to have an old Ringle hs that I got used with sealed bearings and it is holding up great! I should have just used it from the get go.

So needless to say I'm leary of Cane Creek Headsets now and probably always will be.

I've got an S6 on my geared hardtail that's held up really well, I'd probably buy another one. I think their lower priced headsets might not be of the quality their top price ones are...as is the case with most things, unfortunately.

I went with the FSA Orbit MX for the rigid, on the recommendation of the guys at FSA. Seems like it's built really solid, and no problems yet (a little over a month) even though I still ride it with a rigid fork.

[ssnoobie]

I'm curious about your headset woes.

I have ridden a blown headset on beater bikes, but those problems were rough spinning because of rusty bearings. I assume that the kind of damage you are refering to is a little different. What does the headset feel like as it goes bad?

I am curious because I am running a rigid fork on my single speed, and I am using the stock WTB headset that came with the bike.

Thanks for your advice,

SSnoob

[PutAwayWet]

I'm curious about your headset woes.

I have ridden a blown headset on beater bikes, but those problems were rough spinning because of rusty bearings. I assume that the kind of damage you are refering to is a little different. What does the headset feel like as it goes bad?

I am curious because I am running a rigid fork on my single speed, and I am using the stock WTB headset that came with the bike.

Thanks for your advice,

SSnoob


I knew mine was gone when it started creaking and developed a little play under normal top cap tension. I took it apart and looked at the cartridge bearings. They looked normal - until you push up on the inner bearing race while holding the outer race in your other hand. The inner came up, like it wanted to separate. Normally the two races will spin freely, but not have vertical movement. The inner race actually came up about 1/4 of its thickness. Something inside was letting it move in directions it wasn't supposed to, but I never opened it up to see what was actually gone.

[ssnoobie]

Thanks PAW

I will keep an eye on it.

Someday I am going to catch up with you southern NH riders. For now I will continue to lurk around the boards reading about your exploits.

cheers,

SSnoob.

[Quo Fan]

I'm building this bike with many parts I have lying around my shop, ergo the C2 headset, and the old Marin frame. If I was going all chi-chi, I would get a true single speed frame with horizontal dropouts and get a Chris King Headset. Those cost money, and this is going to be an inexpensive bike.

[MMcG]

I'm building this bike with many parts I have lying around my shop, ergo the C2 headset, and the old Marin frame. If I was going all chi-chi, I would get a true single speed frame with horizontal dropouts and get a Chris King Headset. Those cost money, and this is going to be an inexpensive bike.


It'll rock Quo! I think my HS was the S2 not the C2 anyway so you should be golden.

Post up plenty o'picks of it when you are building it up and have it fully operational and ready to rip!

[Quo Fan]

I usually don't destroy equipment, just myself! I try to be a finesse rider, although sometimes I get finessed right off my bike!

[PutAwayWet]

I'm building this bike with many parts I have lying around my shop, ergo the C2 headset, and the old Marin frame. If I was going all chi-chi, I would get a true single speed frame with horizontal dropouts and get a Chris King Headset. Those cost money, and this is going to be an inexpensive bike.

Not trying to make you spend cash, just relaying my experiences with my SS. Cheap is always good, I just seem to break inexpensive stuff a lot. Once you ride the SS though, you might find you like it so much you start spending crazy amounts of money on it.. ;)

[Quo Fan]

The stuff I have lying around is better than what most people buy on a regular basis. I have found that spending more for better stuff is cheaper in the long run. I would rather spend a little more now and get a better part, then buy the same part 4 times because I keep breaking the inexpensive one.

[PutAwayWet]

The stuff I have lying around is better than what most people buy on a regular basis. I have found that spending more for better stuff is cheaper in the long run. I would rather spend a little more now and get a better part, then buy the same part 4 times because I keep breaking the inexpensive one.

It's taken me a while to realize that, but I couldn't agree more.

[Quo Fan]

I have a quandry.

The fork I wanted to put on the single speed doesn't have brake bosses. I have another fork, but it is a "Diva" fork, designed for women. I don't want to spend any more money on this bike, so do I put a disc on the front, even though I've already ordered a non-disc hub, or do I put the Diva fork on the bike?

[PutAwayWet]

I have a quandry.

The fork I wanted to put on the single speed doesn't have brake bosses. I have another fork, but it is a "Diva" fork, designed for women. I don't want to spend any more money on this bike, so do I put a disc on the front, even though I've already ordered a non-disc hub, or do I put the Diva fork on the bike?

Well, do you have a disc setup or do you have a rim-brake setup? You can get a surly fork or a Kona P2 for $60-$80, with brake bosses.

[C.P.]

I have a quandry.

The fork I wanted to put on the single speed doesn't have brake bosses. I have another fork, but it is a "Diva" fork, designed for women. I don't want to spend any more money on this bike, so do I put a disc on the front, even though I've already ordered a non-disc hub, or do I put the Diva fork on the bike?


Try the Diva fork. I think the only difference betweeen a the "diva" and a "standard" is the spring rate(s)
IE A diva "medium" spring is the same as a standard fork "soft" spring.
So, worst case is you may need change the spring in the fork.

[Quo Fan]

Ok, I'm gonna yank the DIVA stickers off the fork and try it as is. If the spring rate is wrong, then I'll get new springs. Cheaper than a new fork.