Thinking about getting a single speed mountain bike

[skiing-in-jackson]

Thinking about getting a single speed bike...

I can get a Redline Flight Monocog for pretty cheap through work- I would like to hear from riders who have made the conversion to single speed. With ski season approaching quickly (yippie), I've got to conserve bread and don't want a bike hanging around that I won't use much.


I'm hoping, thinking, wondering if a 1x1 can really be a daily rider, or is just a novelity??

Thoughts on shocks???- people keep telling me, and I've read on the net, the virtuous won't use a shock...

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[Greydon Clark]

If I were you, I’d buy the MonoCog 29er, $450 retail, and ride the shit out of it. By September you’ll know if you need a shock.

P.S. I’m a fan of single speed bikes, but my experience is really limited to fixed-gear city riding and borrowing BC Flow’s 1x1 for commuting.

[marshalolson]

SS is fun. it makes you strong. i rode on everyday for several years. not a novelty if you make the commitment, but its hard work. you've gotta be fit. i'd throw a front shock on there though. rigid is cool and makes you a better rider, but pounds you. rigid is for the hardcore mtb'er. suspension is for the hardcore skier that mtb's in the summer.

edit- see tyrone shoelaces thread from last week for the sick deal on a bianchi SS as well.

[robokill1981]

What's a cheap Monocog? Like $300? No reason not to do it at that price.

I started riding a SS a little over a month ago and already feel much stronger because of it. A 32x16 ratio might be a bit much though, I'd get at least an 18 tooth cog. I ride with a shock and don't consider myself a serious enough mountain biker to go fully rigid, but if the Redline comes rigid then I'd start that way and see how it feels to you.

[Squatch]

get the 29er version

[kidwoo]

rigid is for the hardcore mtb'er. suspension is for the hardcore skier that mtb's in the summer.

Damn I thought I was a mountain biker.

I sure do pass a lot of hardcore mtb'ers all the time, up and down. Must be because I'm such a hardcore skier.

[marshalolson]

Damn I thought I was a mountain biker.

I sure do pass a lot of hardcore mtb'ers all the time, up and down. Must be because I'm such a hardcore skier.

you of all people know exactly what i mean

[Blatant]

i'd do it, i love it. If you're in very hilly area's make sure you get your rear properly....toothed, since you're new. Or you'll be fcked.


or just ride your norml geared bike and don't switch gears.

[cowdog]

The advantage to a SS is that you are always in the wrong gear.

I like SS bikes for townie riding and those evening rides on close to town trails. There is also an appeal to their simplicity. I've ridden a SS for a long time as one bike in a quiver, and if I were to buy another I would definately look at a 29er. www.ninerbikes.com looks to have some very nice rides. I also looked at and liked a Kona Unit 2-9, which will come in a complete bike for a reasonable price.

There is definately a novelty factor with SS bikes. Some whacko aerobic, legzilla mutants can do some amazing things on a SS, but for most mortals and real trail riding, there is a lot of uphill walking, among other things. But for building skills and having fun, they can be a hoot.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I just picked up a Bianchi SASS SS about a week and a half ago. It's my first singlespeed and I've taken it out on a grand total of 2 rides thus far. One just a quickie 6 miler to feel 'er out, and the second on about a 15 miler.

My first impression: Whoa! Shit! This is fun! My very first mtb back in '97 was a steel hardtail, and this kind of took me back to the swoopy carvy feeling that got my hooked on mtb-ing int he first place. It's awesome to have nothing else to think about when riding except pointing it and pedaling. No need to worry about being in the right gear to get over certain obstacles, because you're already in the right gear! I found it funny that on my second ride I cleaned a section that always gave me fits on my Superlight. With the SS, you definitely are trying to keep your momentum up as much as possible, and I'm finding it's more of a full-on "charge it" mentality. No slacking. Pedal. Pedal. Pedal. Don't brake or slow down 'cause it's gonna hurt up that next little roller if you do....just go. Charge. Pedal. Keep your speed up. I really like that.

I can easily see my SS being my primary ride on my local trails. But here in the lower foothills, most of the trails are smooth, rolly, singletrack and not loose, rocky, etc or with many obstacles. When I go to Tahoe or Downieville the SS will be staying home and I'll be taking my Superlight or Bullet.

I originally wanted to throw suspension on the front, but I think I'm going to keep 'er rigid for awhile and see how that goes. I'm digging it so far....but the others are right, fully rigid beats you up. It's definitely as much of an upper body workout as a leg workout 'cause I'm finding that your standing so much and your arms are doing all of the shock absorption plus yanking and pulling a ton on the handlebars as you sprint up hills, negotiate through rock gardens, etc. It's such an awesome feeling though when you clean something w/o suspension, or keep your momentum up all the way up that hill, or pass a bunch of riders at the top of a climb keep going and hear one of them say behind you, "Hey is that dude on a singlespeed?"

2 rides in and I'm hooked. I'm so stoked on it and asking myself why I didn't get one sooner.

[onehotchili]

i ride a Independant Fabs SS exclusively when i am on dirt. it's the only mtb i own...

it is super fun and definitely forces you to be in shape. i've ridden it all over tahoe and can pretty much ride most everything, except the MOST technical stuff... but i am also a crappy technical rider. bestest SS trail is Hole-in-the-Ground...

[skiing-in-jackson]

the 29er is not available right now on pro form...

Still thinking about the Flight Monocog.

New development: I washed the @$#$%%^$# cell phone this morning- like in the washing machine- and now I have to pony up about 150 bones for a new phone. Service isn't even that good here in Jackson

I need a new bike- now I have by a new phone as well

[Spats]

29er is the way to go for rigid SS unless you're really short. I have one and it rules. There is an engaging simplicity about it which Shoe nailed. You will find yourself walking a few very steep hills that you could make with gears.

The Redline is suspension-corrected, so if you decide that you really need a fork, you can add one later.

If you later decide that you really need a few gears, you have a few options:
1) You can fit 3-4 cassette gears on the rear hub (just pull apart a cheap cassette). Add a cheap 7-speed claw-type derailleur ($10 at Nashbar) and you're set. You may need a front derailleur to keep the chain on.
2) Start with an SE Racing BM Flyer instead, which is a geared frame with vertical drops that comes as an SS with a chain tensioner.

[Spats]

New development: I washed the @$#$%%^$# cell phone this morning- like in the washing machine- and now I have to pony up about 150 bones for a new phone. Service isn't even that good here in Jackson

Open it up, take it apart, and let it dry a couple days. Hair dryers help. Put it back together. Often they work after this. Mine survived a hot tub.

[Daywalker]

Seconding the hair dryer idea. If you're like me and don't own a hair drier, put it in front of a floor/wall vent. Blowing through the electrical inputs (charger and whatnot) is the way to go.

Mine survived a full cycle in the washing machine after an 'interesting' St. Patrick's day.

[DerJaeger]

Open it up, take it apart, and let it dry a couple days. Hair dryers help. Put it back together. Often they work after this. Mine survived a hot tub.

What Spats said. In addition -- take the battery out immediately if you didn't already. Also, flush everything thoroughly with distilled water before letting it dry out, to remove any salts and soap residue.

[MarsB]

Can you get the steel 26" Monocog? That would be my choice (after the 29er, that is) if you are going rigid.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

bestest SS trail is Hole-in-the-Ground...

Nice...

I've been wondering how those switchbacks on the way up would feel on an SS! Are you running your Indy rigid or with a shock?

Good luck in the DR tomorrow!

[m1e448]

DO IT. You won't be dissapointed. The 29er will be awesome, but it will be harder to find a fork for it if you decide on some suspension, though you will have less need for a fork on a 29er. Aluminum is a little harsher than steel, which most poeple are running fully rigid, so you may want a some supension.

[El Chupacabra]

Aluminum is a little harsher than steel, which most poeple are running fully rigid, so you may want a some supension.

X2. My singlespeed mtb is a converted Cannondale hardtail, fully rigid... and I mean rigid. Really brutally stiff.

I stuck a larger (2.35") front tire on it last night, after taking it on a trail that I really shouldn't have taken it on (too steep/ too many rocks), and getting thrashed uphill and down. Hopefully this will add a little cush to the ride.

I can see a SS being usable as an everyday mtb on smooth trails, like coastal CA trails, but I think a geared bike works better on rocky stuff like Tahoe. I only have a SS because I built it out of a scrap bike.

[onehotchili]

Nice...

I've been wondering how those switchbacks on the way up would feel on an SS! Are you running your Indy rigid or with a shock?

Good luck in the DR tomorrow!

i am running 34/19 gearing and it seems to be the sweet spot for most of the Tahoe rides for me. sometimes i'll switch up to a 34/18 or 34/17 for flatter rides. i am running a Marzocchi Bomber fork on my steel IF SS which i've been riding since 2001. anytime you're in N. Tahoe... i am up for playing, especially since i won't have to pretend i am a roadie anymore...

re: DR. decided to ride it solo as Mrs. OHC and i decided to skip the tandem thing since we'd both be figuring it out. prolly not the most prudent thing to be doing with the ascents/descents of the DR. anyhoo, should be fun... i now have the green light to go for all 5 passes, so we'll see how things go.

[El Chupacabra]

i am running 34/19 gearing and it seems to be the sweet spot for most of the Tahoe rides for me. sometimes i'll switch up to a 34/18 or 34/17 for flatter rides.

What are you using for a 19T cog? (where'd you find one?) I'm using a 34/18, where the 18T cog came out of a cassette I took apart.

[onehotchili]

What are you using for a 19T cog? (where'd you find one?) I'm using a 34/18, where the 18T cog came out of a cassette I took apart.

White Industries.... bomber freewheels in all sizes and flavors (http://www.whiteind.com/ENO_Products/freewheel.html)

[El Chupacabra]

Thanks OHC.

Anyone know if a SS freewheel like the White ENO will thread onto an old mtn bike freewheel? Same thread pitch? Chainline might be a problem with this method though.

I still have my first good mtn bike ('93 Stumpjumper M2), which has a Ringle freewheel rear hub (thread-on Sachs freewheel). I built that bike up from the parts, including the wheels, so I'm kinda attached to it even though I don't ride it much any more. I might convert it to a SS, and ditch the fully rigid Cannondale....

[Shredgar]

Timely thread, I'm going SS too. My Bianchi cyclocross/commuter bike has been a favorite for a long time. Caught a stick in the wrong place Wednesday, destroying the derailleur & derailleur hanger. Will be putting on a single cog + spacers to get the chainline right.

The frame has horizontal dropouts. I'd planned to use it as a SS some day, the stick just accelerated the schedule. Long term I'll be looking to build up a wheel w/a flip-flop hub so I can run SS on one side & a fixed gear on the other.

The small chainring is a 38. I'll be riding the hills on the SLC east bench, any gearing suggestions?