SS now means SEVEN speed!

[Craig Nicholson]

cheers guys...

I tend to use nothing more than the middle ring at the front for most of my local stuff - just the top ring when getting the pace up. Rarely if ever need the front granny for the local stuff. That's why I'm sure I'll be ok with that - dropping to 7 from nine at the back is going to be interesting.

I think I'l defo try just one gear for a few rides Andy - it can't hurt to try!

Bob - thanks for that mate - found the thread with them in it but it seems one was quite a bit bigger clamp - will post a wanted ad I think and see if I can get a seat and post while I am there...

 

[haggis]

what like are DCD's? i noticed someone had one for sale on here a while ago but don't they stretch the rear mech unneccesarily?

 

[W W Biffta]

i realised a couple of years ago i just wasnt using the front mechs anymore, so i got rid. never miss the smaller gears, but can run out of big ones going down hill. using a 11-28 cassette and 40t ss front with a bash ring
im thinking about maybe using a road cassette and a double up front, maybe 28/30 granny, 46/48 middle and a bash ring, but not sure.
other option as somone mentioned is a geared hub, not rolhoff tho, so pricy and proprietry. looking at a sram p5, which weigh about double a cassette/mech setup but you get the same spread as a 11-28 or 12-30 and i reckon 5 gears is about as many as need. while i'm there might as well make it a drum brake

 

[drystonepaul]

I use an eight speed set up on my retro hack bike (Marin). 34tooth Surly stainless steel ring up front and 11-28 out back with a Deore thumbie.
I'm on the edge of the Peak District and this gearing still works pretty well for most of the time. I only really start to struggle on the 1 in 7 and steeper climbs, but the training on the singlespeed helps for this.

Until I tried riding SS I hadn't really realised how much you can ride with just one gear. Without that knowledge I probably wouldn't have seriously considered ditching the front derailleur.
SS riding really does help enormously with your strength and fitness though and still I use my DMR set up as a bombproof SS. Also helps with your downhilling skills too, because you have to stay off the brakes and ride smooth all the time to keep momentum.
But for longer rides single speeding does leave you feeling like you've taken a battering in a street fight, so gears are sometimes a good idea.

I'm rebuilding my Zaskar up soon as an 8 speed for summer evening blasts in the forest, and I've got a 7 speed in the pipeline too.
For short rides and commutes a single chainring is fine, but for the really big rides I'd always choose at least 21 gears.
Depends on your local terrain of course.

 

[Andy R]

Until I tried riding SS I hadn't really realised how much you can ride with just one gear. Without that knowledge I probably wouldn't have seriously considered ditching the front derailleur.
SS riding really does help enormously with your strength and fitness though and still I use my DMR set up as a bombproof SS. Also helps with your downhilling skills too, because you have to stay off the brakes and ride smooth all the time to keep momentum.

I'm in absolute total agreement with all of the above - I love the silence and smoothness too, that there's no mech to catch branches and heather and also the way you can build a very light bike without it costing you an arm and a leg .
The main reason that I still have the front mech and granny on my RM Blizzard is that otherwise I'd need a chain guide of some sort anyway and, living somewhere with very similar terrain to you I imagine, there are always very rare occasions when only "crawl" gears will do. For me, these aren't necessarily the steepest climbs but more likely winching my way out of some boggy, tussocky valley on some greasy little sheep track, when you need to climb and feel for traction at the same time and the climb is just too long to attack out of the saddle.

 

[nobby the sheep]

ss

when we were out on sunday craig you were muttering something about a pannier and strimmer engine on them climbs .see you friday night for youre regular beasting round pennie flash

 

[Craig Nicholson]

No Neil, I muttered something about next time not taking the bike and being a walker instead as that's what I did most of the time! At least I won't have the weight of the bike to push around then! Ha ha ha!

Give me 6 months on the new beastie and watch me fly baby lol!

Oh and Friday isn't pennington mate, it's the road ride our Kenny did - the longer one.

 

[BigBadgers2001]

Well I made the decision today that I've just not got knees that are upto Single speed and after thinking long and hard, the lavadome is going to go seven speed!

Rear mech saves getting a tensioner, crankset can go 36/38t Single ring and maybe bash ring.

What's your thoughts? It is something that the hardcore ss guys might frown upon but I think it's the best I can do to go ss without eliminating the ability to walk! It'll be used mainly on road and light offroad (old railway lines and round the local flash etc)

Opinions please?

Sounds cool Craig but it is pointless if you don't bother to do the training rides with team "Help the fatty three times a week". Why do you keep ducking out when you are no way as spasticated or hurting as much as me? Ride to Live!!! (Live to XBox, lol).

 

[Craig Nicholson]

I haven't ridden since whinlatter as A: My knee was fu*ked after it and B: I have had a cold from hell.

I ride to have fun, get fit and loose weight in that order. Not to kill myself.

Oh and learn to quote!

 

[Craig Nicholson]

see...

Well I made the decision today that I've just not got knees that are upto Single speed and after thinking long and hard, the lavadome is going to go seven speed!

Rear mech saves getting a tensioner, crankset can go 36/38t Single ring and maybe bash ring.

What's your thoughts? It is something that the hardcore ss guys might frown upon but I think it's the best I can do to go ss without eliminating the ability to walk! It'll be used mainly on road and light offroad (old railway lines and round the local flash etc)

Opinions please?

Sounds cool Craig but it is pointless if you don't bother to do the training rides with team "Help the fatty three times a week". Why do you keep ducking out when you are no way as spasticated or hurting as much as me? Ride to Live!!! (Live to XBox, lol).