Single Speed love thread (1 F'n gear)

I've been a single speeder pretty much full time for the last 10 years - off road, on road and in between.  I just re-entered the multi geared world this past month as I put together a sweet Stanton Hardtail which I run as a 1x9.  (I've had a hard time remembering that I can shift!)

So anyways, I'm re-purposing my rigid 1991 Stumpjumper Team from a mountain bike singlespeed to become a "road" singlespeed.  That means lots of dirt roads of course, and I'll probably still venture onto mellow singletrack.  
Sort of a one speed cyclocross deal.

Here it is, as is today.  The only change will be the gearing, from off road 34-17, to a bit bigger 44-20.  Nice thing about the Stumpy is that it has semi horizontal dropouts.


I also changed from off road friendly 730mm riser bars to new-old school "mountain drops". (Soma Junebugs).  Nothing more fun and cooler than keeping an old friend.  

TD

Nicely done. Very cool-looking bike and should be fun to ride.

Love singlespeeds. So nice to have a bike without derailleurs to break, cassettes to clean, or forks to service. Great to be able to just grab it and go.

Mine is a mountain bike:





But I think a single speed cyclocross bike would be pretty awesome, too.

mattchuck2 wrote

Love singlespeeds. So nice to have a bike without derailleurs to break, cassettes to clean, or forks to service. Great to be able to just grab it and go.

Mine is a mountain bike

Nice.  Yes, the simple things are the best part of one speeding.  I love the fitness aspect.  Instant results.  Give 'er, or give up.

BTW, the only diff between my Stumpy being a one speed cross bike and a one speed mountain bike is the gearing ratio and the change from riser bars to drop bars, and changing the tires from 2.1 Maxxis Crossmarks to 1.75 Specialized Borough's.  Again, so, so simple.  Here's the same bike back in early April in MTB guise, and waiting to go for slushy, snowy road ride.

mattchuck2 wrote

But I think a single speed cyclocross bike would be pretty awesome, too.

This is apropos to the concept of cyclocross:

brett wrote

I just don’t see the appeal of pinning myself to within a whisker of a heart attack, on a bike that is sketchy enough just riding on a flat, smooth surface, on terrain that has no appealing features like corners, descents, roots or rocks, in the middle of winter while wearing a diaper filled with what equates to wet sandpaper.

More on the subject here.

Sick Bird Rider wrote

mattchuck2 wrote

But I think a single speed cyclocross bike would be pretty awesome, too.

This is apropos to the concept of cyclocross:

brett wrote

I just don’t see the appeal of pinning myself to within a whisker of a heart attack, on a bike that is sketchy enough just riding on a flat, smooth surface, on terrain that has no appealing features like corners, descents, roots or rocks, in the middle of winter while wearing a diaper filled with what equates to wet sandpaper.

More on the subject here.

Yes.  To all.  

On the other hand, I kinda just like going bike riding.  Just because there's races, doesn't  mean you have give a rats ass about racing.  You know the score....does being a backcountry skier mean you have to Rando-race??? Typical de-evolution of a fun pastime.  Go figure.  

It's pissing out, and downright cold.  Think I'll go for a ride.  Rule #5.  

Td

Edited to add:  great, thanks SBR, I just killed 1/2 hour wandering around Velominati.  Happens every time I visit that site.
   

Telemark Dave wrote

It's pissing out, and downright cold.  Think I'll go for a ride.  Rule #5.  

Td

Technically, that is Rule # 9. Though Rule # 5 does come into play in the application.

New ring and cog.  44-20.  No more spinning out on the road.
More important is the adherence to Rule #90.
(Not that I have a choice.)

And, well, if it hurts a bit more on the dirt, then like always...

Rule #5.

TD

If you're not riding a fixie, you're a wussy.  


(caveat:  I don't ride a single speed nor a fixie.  But I have a buddy that does have a ss fixie mt. bike!).  

Marcski wrote

If you're not riding a fixie, you're a wussy.  


(caveat:  I don't ride a single speed nor a fixie.  But I have a buddy that does have a ss fixie mt. bike!).

Guilty.  Total wuss.  

Pretty core to ride a mountain fixie!  (As opposed to all the fixie-hipster trendoids..)

I'll stick with my one speed.  I love coasting on the downs.  Just like winter.

Td