Single Speeders

[Bin]

I noticed a few folks in the Sandy Climb discussion a while back mentioned primarily riding single speeds.  I thought it might be fun to get a little SS discussion going here. 

In addition to just finding out who else can't shift on the trails I'm curious what the general consensus is on a good gearing for our local trails.  I started out with 17-34 on my 26" which put me at 51.9 gear inches but I found that was too much for Quarry Ridge and Camrock.  Last year I moved to 18-34 which took me to 49 gear inches and makes all  the climbs at both QR and CR doable for me but leaves me seriously winded at the top of most of them and sets me up for walking if I don't pick my line very well. I'm thinking about getting a larger sprocket still or a 32 tooth chainring to make climbing easier but I'm afraid I will get really frustrated on the flatter sections from spinning out.  Of course, if I'm not so dead tired from mashing up the climbs I may be able to spin better.   

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[selbig]

I think you just confirmed for me the reason I should continue using a geared bike.

[Bin]

I do consider going 1x9 from time to time but I love not thinking about shifting, not adjusting derailleurs, not dropping my chain, and not worrying about smashing a derailleur on a rock or stump.  If I'm not climbing, I feel like I'm more likely to be using the brakes than pedaling anyway so spinning out really isn't that big of an issue.  It happens on some of the CR connectors, getting into QR, and on the straightaway where the much discussed new TTF is at QR.  Other than that it's basically a non-issue.  I see the advantages of both but for now I like the challenge and simplicity of single speed.

[DaveHill]

I took a couple years off the single speed train, but find myself with one again.  At QR I'm geared 34x22.  If Im hammering the pedals I will spin out in the short flat, but when Im doing 6-7 laps, the gear is just right for me.  2 years ago I was strictly single speed out there, but found that my lower back was taking all the abuse from mashing the pedals while seated.  A lot of that sandy climb/ambulance climb requires you to be seated so the rear wheel doesn't spin out = all the force going to the lower back.  34x22 won't work well at CR and especially the Kettles, to many flat areas that would get you dropped by everyone else.  I know Blackbike likes a real tall gear at QR but his fancy rig weighs about 8 pounds built up.  My rig is a steel tank!

[Nate Woolever]

Unless I'm racing my SS, it's 34x22 all the time, everywhere.  29er.

[Tom Holaday]

I ride my dirt jumper ss so I can roll backwards and I don't break things as often when I crash... does that belong in this discussion?

[collinhagen]

33x20, unless I'm at Blue Mounds then 33x22

[Bin]

Dave and Collin, is it correct to assume you are both on 29ers?

[Nate Woolever]

Dave and Collin are both on 29ers...

[blackbike]

I'm generally 34-19 on a 29er SS.  I find the QR climb tough but cleanable 90% of the time but too many loops at that ratio is tough on the knees and the lower back.   I'm not sure I could get up it at 34-18 but there'd be no point to going higher for me.

If I'm going to ride QR a bunch in a week or I want to do a lot of laps (like 8 or more)  out there in one session, I'll go 34-20.

By the way I find cam rock just perfect for a singlespeed - it's the one place I never take a geared bike (though I used both in Pitchblack).

[DaveHill]

the setup

[Dave]

I have been rocking a SS for almost three years now starting with a Kona Unit, then a GF Rig, and now a belt drive Raleigh XXIX; all 29ers. I generally run a 34x18 ratio on my rides but still tend to spin out on the flats which is crazy annoying but I know going to something of a 34x17 would be a bit much on the hills. Unlike Dave I do run at least front suspension with a Rockshox Reba Race with poplok which makes the sucker climb like a damn billy goat.

Overall I don't see myself getting back into a geared mountain bike anytime soon. I gave SS a whirl for cyclocross and road and the cadence is just too high and hills are a lesson in futility so I run gears on those. All in all it takes some time to know to ride a SS as well. On down hills are at the base of climbs you don't just coast it out, you're hard into the pedal spin and use the momentum for all it is. I also tend to put the longest handlebar I can reasonably manage on it with it feeling like I'm driving a hand truck, makes for very nice torquing with the upper body on the climbs and sprints.

Lastly the belt drive is awesome but also has its issues, most of those fixed with version 2 of the gates belt drive system. I may end up back to chain and gears next year for the simple fact that its cheaper and proven time and time again. If aint broke don't fix it; the belt drive novelty has generally worn off for me. I hope this helps anyone thinking of riding SS this year.

[Rich]

I've spent a fair bit of time on shifting impaired bikes and I've grown to be somewhat of a curmudgeon about gear ratios, to the point that I couldn't tell you what's on the bike I've been riding quite a bit the last month.  Usually I'll grab the bike and figure that if it was good enough for the last ride it will be good enough for this ride. The exception is with races, then I can't stop fretting about getting the gearing right and it eats away at me until wheels start rolling; it always works out just fine though.

 

[Bin]

I hear you there Rich.  I didn't know what my gearing was until I looked at it this morning.  I'm surprised this many people knew what their gearing was (assuming most of you are at work right now).

It sounds like I'm on the higher geared end of folks around here (roughly even with blackbike when you account for the different wheel size) so getting a smaller chainring seems like a good move.  32x18 looks like it would get me in the midrange of what others are riding here and I can always swap my 17t cog back on if that turns out to be too low.

Dave, you must be a pedal mashing beast if you can climb all the local hills with 34x18 on a 29er.

[Tim Barber]

Because I like my knees and would rather spin than mash, I tend to use 32-19 or 32-20.  I have found that even though I sometimes spin out on flats, that being smarter with my momentum/line picking/not braking allows me to go just as fast.  Also,most trails around here, acceleration is more important than flat out speed.