Great big Singlespeed thread!

[velofrog]

Cheers Jamie!
Yeah I like it, very comfy with the plus tyres and the bamboo bars, needs a longer stem though.
Not 100% convinced on the gnotboost rear end, trying to be all things to all men…. but it rides really nice!
Prefer the rear wheel set back a little rather than slammed up against the seat tube too, I think if I could have the top tube length of an XL with the seat tube of a Large it would suit me more, but hoping a longer stem will help with that.

 

[Duggee]

Felt nine solo, quick parts bin build

 

[xtaffa]

Giving it a go - curious for a long while now, recent hours lost fannying around with 26 year old, mud caked rear mechs was the final straw!

Build thread, such as it is here:

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/year-2k-fisher-double-header.438096/

 

[hamster]

Have fun - I built my first one out of curiosity, expected to last 3 weeks as I get knee pain. 14 years later, still no knee pain EVER when riding singlespeed...only when crunching bigger gears on a geared bike.

The first 6 weeks are typically hard going but you get fitter faster, also my technique improved dramatically - I brake less and corner better. It's an ideal ride for a time-poor middle-aged man in my view.

 

[xtaffa]

Have fun - I built my first one out of curiosity, expected to last 3 weeks as I get knee pain. 14 years later, still no knee pain EVER when riding singlespeed...only when crunching bigger gears on a geared bike.

The first 6 weeks are typically hard going but you get fitter faster, also my technique improved dramatically - I brake less and corner better. It's an ideal ride for a time-poor middle-aged man in my view.

Bolded bit is my life by the spade-load. 1-2hr, usually night, rides tops. That, and my natural inclincation to quite binary (stopped:flat out, tongue out) and mashing riding habits, plus pretty tame hills hereabouts seem to be a good fit. At this stage, after only a handful of 45-1hr rides mind, I'm loving the switch.

Knee thing's interesting. I'm recovering from a MCL tear done back in January - still can't jog on it, but been able to bike on it for a while but with delayed pain penalty. Had a few comments re. SS being daft given that injury, but on this very small sample of rides, the pain one day after rides is not there with SS. Thought it was the sat down spinning/grinding out of climbs that might be doing it on geared, but your take on pushing harder gears also makes sense. On same line I'm coming back from rides spent (in a good way), but leg muscles seem less destroyed afterwards, perversely. Possibly because of the enforced rest/easy spinning rather than pushing an 11t on the flats and slight downs...

 

[hamster]

I think the extra spinning may well be part of the mix, plus there is a lot of coasting instead of (as you say) pushing on with the 11T. I think the main thing is to do lots of climbing out of the saddle. Keeping the gears low enough helps to stop mashing and any overload injury.

Enjoy! I liken it to riding with a Royal Marines PT sergeant shouting at me all the time.

 

[Bennyboy95]

Commuted on my SS soma sandworm for 2 years, had mudguards, hub dyno, framebag etc..! Used as a proper mtb since buying my ebike!

 

[Bennyboy95]

View attachment 614926
Giving it a go - curious for a long while now, recent hours lost fannying around with 26 year old, mud caked rear mechs was the final straw!

Build thread, such as it is here:

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/year-2k-fisher-double-header.438096/

That gives me ideas for an old scott frameset i have....!

 

[The Kilt]

My recent singlespeed build. Call it my "Jib Bike", use it for honing skills and jumping at local spots. Its geared quite low, so not great uphill, bit better for flat riding.

 

[MCsanandreas]

Genesis that I recently threw together.