Southern California - SS in Sycamore Canyon (SD)

New pics for you all. Just a quick run down, over the past week I converted my bike from 24 gears to ONE gear. This is suppose to make me a better climber and challenge me more when on the hills. And I can assure you its working. Yesturday was the 3rd ride in this setup, 3 ride 3 different trails. So I wanted to make it a bit challenging. I rode Sycamore Canyon, starts in Poway and goes to Santee and spits out ride in front of WestBrook High on Mast. But I dont go that far cuz the end is kinda
boring miles. I just ride to the 2nd lake I see. Play the movie:D

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0012small.jpg
Nice warm up climb
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0014small.jpg
Unlike most trails, the Downhill starts NOW
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0015small.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0016small.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0017small.jpg
One of the steeper sections with the granite water breaks acting as a good launch pad
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0018small.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0019small.jpg

View from the top...which line to take, the fastest rocky line on the right or the slow craw line on the left???? Always go RIGHT!!!!
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0021small.jpg
Check out those water breaks!!! I usually do this section about 5 times before moving on. This bike isn't as plush as my other bike that will soak these things up but still way FUN
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0022small.jpg
Now the climb up
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0024small.jpg
Looking East over th 67 to Mt Laguna in the distance
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0025small.jpg
Looking down from the top of the climb
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0026small.jpg
Couple of steep rollers
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0029small.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0030small.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0032small.jpg
The top of the last hump, ready for some downhill, I got up to 44mph in this section then hit 2 fast hairpins before making it to the creekbed on the bottom. This is the reward for all that climbing.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0034small.jpg
One of the switchbacks full of babyhead (smooth rocks bout the size of baby's heads LOL)
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0037small.jpg

All packed up ready to go, the box getting a lil dirty
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jsigone/MTB/SS%20in%20Sycamore/2006_0930Sycamore0039small.jpg

Great pictures! I think I'd kill myself if I tried mountain biking! :eek:

Great shots! Nice color on that bike, too. And I'm with Brandy...I've TRIED mountain biking :eek: and that will be the one and only time...:o

Nice shots!
I've never ridden on a single speed. Are you running 2:1? I have an old hardtail rigid Kona frame which I can build up as a SS one of these days....I've got most parts laying around.

Great report and pics. Looks like a perfet ride for the SS. Sounds like you are enjoying it more every time out.;)

Nah not running 2:1 yet. Currently on 32T and 20T. I bought the 18t and 16t to upgrade later if I find climibng too easy with the 20t. And the climbing isn't easy yet, thats for sure. The plan is to ride this gear for a month, and that should be about 20 rides on the SS. By then I should be able to step up the gearing. For now, i want to ride every hill that I normally ride to find if it's doable and if stops are needed. I told myself I will not walk any, I will stop and rest. If I need to clear a techincal section I did on gears, I'll walk down to were I can start and get momentum for a 2nd try and 3rd if needed. I'm logging everything now so I can go back later and see if I've enough to step up the 18t.

Here's the parts I used
http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=12054&category=2622
http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=13158&category=1569

I used 1 1/4" PVC for the spacers and removed links from the 8spd chain I had on there. I also had to get some new brake levers since the ones I had were intergated to the shifters, I got these
http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=2157&category=349

Loving every minute SS!!!

great pics! that ride looks like a TON of fun (well.... ok.... maybe not that one view of the downhill!)

Great pictures! I think I'd kill myself if I tried mountain biking! :eek:


I'm sure I will... however, I could do the fire road stuff and the easy single track... I'll be working on it pretty soon!

ooops!...

Beautiful pics! Sounds like you are making lots of progress with that SS! Great Job!

t~

nice pics. nice car.

I've always want to try MTB. How much does a decent single speed MTB runs for?

Redline makes a good SS called the Monocog

http://www.redlinebicycles.com/adultbikes/monocog.html

Sells for around the low $400 and is availble in both 26" and 29" setup. Performance Bike shop sells these, so you can test ride it from there.

Great Pics!! Awesome!!
Mountain biking is fun!!

I've always want to try MTB. How much does a decent single speed MTB runs for?

forgot to mention, you can convert any MTB to SS for under $40, rather in spend hundreds to experiment and see if you like it.

forgot to mention, you can convert any MTB to SS for under $40, rather in spend hundreds to experiment and see if you like it.

That's what I was thinking. Rather than getting a fixie for my beater bike, it's rather convert/built and ss MTB.

click on those link about half way down, thats where I got all my parts from.

Looks 'bout ready to burn...lots of dry brush...man, we need some rain.

That SS looks really fun. I want one. I want yours, actually...

Looks 'bout ready to burn...lots of dry brush...man, we need some rain.

That SS looks really fun. I want one. I want yours, actually...


SS is a blast. Kinda back to basics, in an overgrown BMX kinda way. I have 2 and my full suspension ride rarely see's day light anymore. I like it so much I even built a 29er SS. The pics of the Niner are from the day it was completed, and my first spin.:D

Looks 'bout ready to burn...lots of dry brush...man, we need some rain.

That SS looks really fun. I want one. I want yours, actually...

Anytime you want to ride it, we can hit up Daley or something:D I can try and climb those hill with my full suspension. I plan on riding there tonight and tomorrow and Wednesday is a group ride at Hodges after work about 5:30.


Yah Syc is really dry right now. I remember riding there when there was still water in the creeks and everything was green.

I may or may not be getting hooked up with a Specialized S-Works Epic in the near future. If so, I may be inclined to show my face on the trail again.

I spent some time this past week refurbishing my 12 year old Cannondale, and proceeded to destroy the innards of my headshock going off a curb. Just bottomed out and is flopping up and down with no lockout. Pretty funny, actually...but it means I'm in the market and need a ride before I can ride. Sounds like the C'Dale might be a prime SS prospect, if I can get the fork issue solved.

throw a ridged fork on there. I'm not sure if you need an adaptor kit to go from Cdale head to a regular
1 1/8 fork. Maybe something like this

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=2219

This might help you too
http://sheldonbrown.com/cannondale-headshok/index.html

Or you can build the bike like mine for CHEAP. That magnesium frame was $130 shipped from ebay....sub
3lb frame (19") for that cheap. The build minus the fork was $450 then slapped the $550 REBA on there.

Excellent, jsigone.