Mountain Bike Racing - Racing SS Bike with a Rigid Fork

I'm planning to build a SS Racing Bike (Kona Cinder Cone). The bike has a rigid fork. Does someone have experience racing this kind of bike ?

If you are in shape and have the skills to negotiate the tech stuff you will be fine. That is all I used to race back in '89.

They have SS classes at some race events so you might want to look for those. I know of only a couple SS riders that can keep up woth or even beat a good rider with gearing.

Enjoy the punishment. :D

:beer:

All I ever ride is ridgid s/s,for every kind of riding I do.For hardcore offroad here in West-by-god-Virginia I do use a fatter tire in front and thick grips "Oury" and a nice wide bar with several degrees of sweep.S/s because you love it,,,not because it will give you an edge over gearies (it won't) except I guranedamntee
it'll whip you into shape faster,,,,JJ

I am setting up my 92 schwinn paramount SS right now. I was trying to have it ready for a race this Sunday but I don't see it happening now. What ratio are you going to run? I am going to start with a 32x17...

i raced this entire past season on my rigid SS MTB, in the sport SS class. lots of fun. call me old-fashioned but i just cant get used to those dang springer forks. i was geared at a 34-17. the top times in the SS class rivaled those of the gearies. one thing you have to watch out for is on the climbs...when you come up to a hill all you hear is ca-chunk ca-chunk of the chains dropping into the weeny..er granny gear. very frustrating for a SS'r who wants to sprint up the hill with some dude spinning a 22-34 going <0.5mph getting in the way. dont be afraid to yell 'rider up' is my advice.

I am running a Redline MonoCog stock, gearing 32/16. I am running a Rockshox Judy J4 w/ remote lockout. I am in love with the set-up. I love the response of the bike with a solid fork, but it is nice to have a shock for some of the small jumping on our local trails.

yep, doing it too, toughens you up, gives the upper body a decent workout too ! :) Very little maintenance on the SS bike, one of the big benefits of riding one, it's cheap !

Me too: I recently got a SS rigid (Bianchi PUSS), and I'm loving it on the trails. After two years of racing w/gears and a front shock, I have my first SS race this Sunday. We'll see how it goes.....

I have a rigid cinder cone, its not a SS, nor do i race with it, but its nice and light :D

Just a quick note:

at our annual 8 hour endurance race a fellow won this year on a rigid singlespeed! :eek: The guy was a machine. He would have likely been second behind the provincial Elite XC champ but he had problems with his drivetrain giving the uni-gear rider the win. How ironic.

are you going to post a race report kris?