Southern California - first day on the SS

WOW........I didn't think it would be like that. I coverted my racing MTB to a SS 32:20 gearing for now ( I got 18t and 16t for options). The first ride was crazy. I felt like I was posessed attacking those hills like I HAD to. What a rush!!!! I rode at Daley Ranch (very hilly trail) since it's only a few miles from home. I had to bust out the light for the first nite ride of the year. The climbing was tough. I was out of the saddle grunting, making some weird faces to make it up some of the technical climbs. I had to walk one small section, I didn't feel too bad about it cuz 1/2 the time I have to walk it when i had gears. I did 4.4 mile loop in 28 minutes. My flatland speed was max 12-13mph with about 100-105 cadense. I started having saddle hop at that RPM.

Can't wait for our group ride tomorrow at Hodges. I'm converted and happy:D

Not bad! Good job with the single speed... expecially MTB!

WOW........I didn't think it would be like that. I coverted my racing MTB to a SS 32:20 gearing for now ( I got 18t and 16t for options). The first ride was crazy. I felt like I was posessed attacking those hills like I HAD to. What a rush!!!! I rode at Daley Ranch (very hilly trail) since it's only a few miles from home. I had to bust out the light for the first nite ride of the year. The climbing was tough. I was out of the saddle grunting, making some weird faces to make it up some of the technical climbs. I had to walk one small section, I didn't feel too bad about it cuz 1/2 the time I have to walk it when i had gears. I did 4.4 mile loop in 28 minutes. My flatland speed was max 12-13mph with about 100-105 cadense. I started having saddle hop at that RPM.

Can't wait for our group ride tomorrow at Hodges. I'm converted and happy:D


Congrats. SS is a ton of fun. I was hooked after my first ride too. I have always run 32x18. It seems to be the best all around gearing for Cal. terrain. As you learn to use your momentum more and more it gets easier. Also gets your legs much stronger, and improves technical climbing as you get comfortable ratchet pedaling throuogh stuff.

sheessh last night I was typing like a happy lil schoolboy that rode his first bike:D

the bike felt sorta naked, stripped of everything. My thumbs naturally was looking for the shifters on the steep inclines. What kind of flatland speed do you get out of the 32-18 setup? I'm not sure if I can climb the steep stuff with that gear yet, I'll work up to it though. Tonight's ride is going to be tough, there is a 1 mile hill that changes to about 500 ft elevation, lots of steep step ups.

Glad you're enjoying it jsigone! I've had about four rides on my new (converted) fixie, and also love it. I can see how people get hooked. Mine's 39 x 18, which feels too light until I hit any incline steeper than about 0.5%. Then it's perfect!

Fixer, I know what you're thinking. No, I'm NOT taking it on a century ride any time soon! Not even a "flat" one! For now, it's primarily for morning coffee rides of 15 miles or less. I'm working up to riding it to Melissa's work, which is 31 miles from our house. Then I throw it in the SUV and hitch a ride home.

sheessh last night I was typing like a happy lil schoolboy that rode his first bike:D

the bike felt sorta naked, stripped of everything. My thumbs naturally was looking for the shifters on the steep inclines. What kind of flatland speed do you get out of the 32-18 setup? I'm not sure if I can climb the steep stuff with that gear yet, I'll work up to it though. Tonight's ride is going to be tough, there is a 1 mile hill that changes to about 500 ft elevation, lots of steep step ups.


It wont take long, as you learn to torque by mashing the pedals and pulling on the bars, oh and of course finding the proper weight distrubution over the bike to keep the tire from spinning out as your really torque the cranks. You'll be suprised at the stuff yoou can climb once you find that rythem. I was doing a 4.2 mile climb that gained over 2000 feet, but it was taking a toll on my hips. Longer climbs you will want to do sitting and standing, shorter ones you can pretty much fly up just standing. I also run 28inch bars on both of my SS's.

I have an old GT Zaskar MTB frame, I have so many parts laying. What do you actually need? Do i use my old MTB wheels or my old Road wheels?

WOW........I didn't think it would be like that. I coverted my racing MTB to a SS 32:20 gearing for now ( I got 18t and 16t for options). The first ride was crazy. I felt like I was posessed attacking those hills like I HAD to. What a rush!!!! I rode at Daley Ranch (very hilly trail) since it's only a few miles from home. I had to bust out the light for the first nite ride of the year. The climbing was tough. I was out of the saddle grunting, making some weird faces to make it up some of the technical climbs. I had to walk one small section, I didn't feel too bad about it cuz 1/2 the time I have to walk it when i had gears. I did 4.4 mile loop in 28 minutes. My flatland speed was max 12-13mph with about 100-105 cadense. I started having saddle hop at that RPM.

Can't wait for our group ride tomorrow at Hodges. I'm converted and happy:D
How about a pic??

I have an old GT Zaskar MTB frame, I have so many parts laying. What do you actually need? Do i use my old MTB wheels or my old Road wheels?


It is easiest to buy the conversion kits on-line. Yes you can use your old mt bike wheels.

It wont take long, as you learn to torque by mashing the pedals and pulling on the bars, oh and of course finding the proper weight distrubution over the bike to keep the tire from spinning out as your really torque the cranks. You'll be suprised at the stuff yoou can climb once you find that rythem. I was doing a 4.2 mile climb that gained over 2000 feet, but it was taking a toll on my hips. Longer climbs you will want to do sitting and standing, shorter ones you can pretty much fly up just standing. I also run 28inch bars on both of my SS's.


dang I wish i had a hill like that around here. The trail I ride at, Daley has a night 10% grade getting to the parking lot. If I rode up that and to the highest peak of the trail, it's about 1400ft climbing in about 4-5 miles. But it's a HARD beginning and hard ending to get to the peak. I'm sure I'll find the climbing technique pretty quick. I'm running only 23" bars, it was creaking a bit, I need to tighten them up.

Sorry no pics, it was a night ride and they didn't come out good. I'll take some tonight since we're starting around 5:30.

dang I wish i had a hill like that around here. The trail I ride at, Daley has a night 10% grade getting to the parking lot. If I rode up that and to the highest peak of the trail, it's about 1400ft climbing in about 4-5 miles. But it's a HARD beginning and hard ending to get to the peak. I'm sure I'll find the climbing technique pretty quick. I'm running only 23" bars, it was creaking a bit, I need to tighten them up.

Sorry no pics, it was a night ride and they didn't come out good. I'll take some tonight since we're starting around 5:30.

Wider bars will make a huge difference, thats really narrow for SS.

it's gonna have to do til the 15th on next month. I don't want to take the bars off my FS bike. Those are 26-27" wide, not sure, I never cut them down.

jsigone.......I'm glad you had a blast on the SS! Are you running a freecog on a SS hub or did you convert a freehub?

just converted the 8spd hub over, used some new steel cogs and PVC for spacers.

$4.75 10ft of PVC
$5 per cog x 3 cogs
$20 Gusset chain tensioner
$13 Avid Brake levers



Think CF bars like the Easton Monkey lights will flex too much for the TQ needed for SS?

just converted the 8spd hub over, used some new steel cogs and PVC for spacers.

$4.75 10ft of PVC
$5 per cog x 3 cogs
$20 Gusset chain tensioner
$13 Avid Brake levers



Think CF bars like the Easton Monkey lights will flex too much for the TQ needed for SS?


Ive always used the Easton and Answer Downhill bars. They are a bit wider and very stiff. I have carbon bars on my all-mountian bike, but Im leary because of all the pulling on the SS.

I have some Answer DH bars on my FS, very stiff and wide. I'd like to get some light but stiff bars if I have to go wider. The DH bars were kinda heavy.

tonight ride was good. The max speed on the flats is 12-13mph. It's a lil different not able to pedal on the DH sesctions. The "hill" today was good, its about 1 mile long, single track riding along the hillside up toa view point about 500-550 off the deck. I hit the base at max speed and used the MO to take me up most of the first steep stepup. I caught a loose section 10ft from the top of this step and had to dismount.....ARGGGGGG The next few step ups were hard, I managed to make it up the top stopping only 3 times, the last time I had no choice, two rider coming down the hill while I was going up me to get off the line and dismount. This trail is only about 18" wide and the hill on right and drop off on the left. I'm sure the riders didn't have enough braking room anyways cuz we saw them coming one of the many blind corners.

My legs were BURNING at some of the step up, I would have never attempted to climb that hill in the gear I was in, I was really surprised I made it up, though I had to stop a few times. I had tightened up the bolts holding on the handlebars and there was no creaking this time around. My riding buddy who is faster then I was impressed I took off on the hill like that and was able to climb in that gear. I had to pass him after our first stop cuz his MO was slower then what i NEEDED to get up that climb.

All good times!

tonight ride was good. The max speed on the flats is 12-13mph. It's a lil different not able to pedal on the DH sesctions. The "hill" today was good, its about 1 mile long, single track riding along the hillside up toa view point about 500-550 off the deck. I hit the base at max speed and used the MO to take me up most of the first steep stepup. I caught a loose section 10ft from the top of this step and had to dismount.....ARGGGGGG The next few step ups were hard, I managed to make it up the top stopping only 3 times, the last time I had no choice, two rider coming down the hill while I was going up me to get off the line and dismount. This trail is only about 18" wide and the hill on right and drop off on the left. I'm sure the riders didn't have enough braking room anyways cuz we saw them coming one of the many blind corners.

My legs were BURNING at some of the step up, I would have never attempted to climb that hill in the gear I was in, I was really surprised I made it up, though I had to stop a few times. I had tightened up the bolts holding on the handlebars and there was no creaking this time around. My riding buddy who is faster then I was impressed I took off on the hill like that and was able to climb in that gear. I had to pass him after our first stop cuz his MO was slower then what i NEEDED to get up that climb.

All good times!

Good job, keep riding that SS and all these climbs you are doing now will become easy.

Great job with last night's ride! :) Sounds like you're really enjoying your new SS setup.

Thanks!!!!! i'm loving the SS!!! The flatland speed is a cruz but I was doing spin intervals up to 130rpms to make things interesting, LOL. My friends were laughing at how fast my legs were going, then they saw the setup and said I was crazy:D