Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Fixed Trail Riding?

Does anyone around here ride trails fixed? I know that it happens, but I've never spoken to anyone who does it. I ask because I'm thinking of building up a fixed or single-speed cross bike to use some trails around my area, but I've got no clue about gearing or suitable components. Well, pretty much I've got no clue about off-road fixed, so any sort of comments would be helpful.

I'm scared I'd be on a rutted trail and pedal strike would kill me.

I have just gotten in to it on my San Jose. There aren't much as far as climbs so I run 42x16. It's my commuter as well but if it was strictly a trail bike I would go smaller. It's a lot of fun. Sometimes you get ahead of yourself as far as crank position when you come up to any kind of obstacle such as a woodbridge with a little bit of a rise in it, or a stump or something. It's a lot of fun once you get used to it. I'm a novice on the trails and I've only ate it a few time due to my own dumb mistakes like trying to ride down stairs clipped in.

Sound excellent! How do you like the San Jose in that application? That's one of the frames I was looking at.

I do it on my Pista with 25c tires on 60 pounds.

I've raced my mountain bike fixed on a couple occasions, one of which was a 24hr race with other forum poster riderx. It can be done, is hard but not nearly as hard as people make it out to be, and is great fun.

I've raced my mountain bike fixed on a couple occasions, one of which was a 24hr race with other forum poster riderx. It can be done, is hard but not nearly as hard as people make it out to be, and is great fun.

It's not hard at all. If you can skid fixed, then you should have enough bike competency to ride light trails fixed as well.

I do it on my Pista with 25c tires on 60 pounds.

By 25c, do you mean 700c x 25?

Correct. Mind you, it's just light singletracks, nothing gnarly. I'd run bigger on my bike but I have a cross bike for that kind of stuff.

If I my ask, what sorta tire are you running on there? At that width, I could just through some knobby tires on my road bike and be done with it.

I have climbed and bombed the easier trails up Burnaby Mountain (300 m vertical gain) on my 700*25, 69" geared roadfix. It's a very sub optimal setup and that's what makes it totally fun. on the way up there are lots of runups, and the way down is a steep sketchfest compounded by my lack of a rear brake. the only other cyclists around up there are camelbak wearing mtbers and they always get a kick out of seeing a ss bonafide road bike on the trail. To do it righter than i did you'd want a gear in the low 60s or lower, plus a rear brake.

If I my ask, what sorta tire are you running on there? At that width, I could just through some knobby tires on my road bike and be done with it.

Most road bikes won't accomodate anything >28c. 28c barely fits on my Pista. The tires are cheapo Vittoria Zaffiros.

I've raced my mountain bike fixed on a couple occasions, one of which was a 24hr race with other forum poster riderx. It can be done, is hard but not nearly as hard as people make it out to be, and is great fun.

24hr races are gnarly. I did one on my ss mtb when I was racing, it was tight. I also rode light, easy single track trails on my first fixed conversion. I had it set up with knobby cyclocross tires. I ended up breaking that frame though at the bb shell.
I'd rather mash trails on a ss thatn fixed but it's still hellsa fun fixed and for sure do-able if you know how to ride your bike.

i've turned my old beater into a fixed cyclocross. I have a 42c up front and a 38c in the back, im currently running 48x17 and it thrashed me today on the trails, I have a 20t but haven't gotten a chain yet to put it on. Also running no brakes at the moment, HELLA FUN!

I've got my IRO Angus set up with knobby tires and a 49x20 for some off-road action. Fun as hell, go for it!

Does anyone around here ride trails fixed? I know that it happens, but I've never spoken to anyone who does it. I ask because I'm thinking of building up a fixed or single-speed cross bike to use some trails around my area, but I've got no clue about gearing or suitable components. Well, pretty much I've got no clue about off-road fixed, so any sort of comments would be helpful.

http://www.63xc.com/

strap on your brain bucket.

i tried riding my mtb fixed once on singletrack, and it's fine until you get to a log or large rock and have to worry about pedal strike. however on the trail i was on that was enough to keep me from doing it again! plus a good ration for hilly single track is 2x1 which means you can't get much speed on the decent.

riding fixed on the trails has brought up a pretty serious problem, the tendency is to end up skidding on many of the decents, but skidding is one of the worst things you can do for a trail, so be careful

was about to add the same thing as wearyourtruths comment. there was a lengthy discussion about trail maintenance and skidding down them on here earlier, search for it. i dont ride mtb trails, but from what i understand, skidding destroys them sooner.

i'm waiting on the tires and 19 tooth cog to convert my ex-hybrid, now fixie, soon to be mountain bike. i'll run 41x19 on 2.1" 29ers.

http://www.63xc.com/

strap on your brain bucket.

That is one excellent site. Thank you.

Great way to do the fix thing off road here:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=373566&highlight=disc+fix


http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l219/teamdicky/Wilsons002.jpg

it's fun and not terribly hard, although logs will take some practice.

p.s. please try not to skid on trails, it causes erosion and there's already enough tension between mountain bikers and other trail users.

I ride my beater on trails quite a bit (42x17), even taken the track bike on some singletrack (have a problem of seeing new trails and taking them no matter what I am riding)... the only problem I've encountered is too high of gearing for some small stretches.

We lived in Colorado for several years. The "Mountain Bike Trails" up there tend to be associated with mountains, with long uphill climbs. For something like that, the more gearing you have, the better.

But now we're down here in Texas. Most of the "Mountain Bike Trails" are 98% flat level, with occasional dips and rises on them. Just about anything that didn't fall apart while bouncing over roots would work here. You could even walk a bike past the occasional dip and rise or log, for that matter, with minimal loss of time.

p.s. please try not to skid on trails, it causes erosion and there's already enough tension between mountain bikers and other trail users.
WORD. Put a brake (or two if you can cut it) on.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l219/teamdicky/Wilsons002.jpg

That photo right there has made me decide I need a 29er.

i rigged an old giant mtb, 36 x 18. worked fine on the mountain trails here, but the frame was not true, i guess it had taken one beating too many in its previous incarnation. now i am looking for a siutable frame to build myself a 29er fixed gear mtb. any sugestions for frames? i am looking for something used, preffereably.....
although if i had 900 bucks, id probably get this (although it is a 26er...):
http://www.bianchiusa.com/05_sass.html

I'd hate to say it (as if it's a crutch), but I do have any easier time getting over obstacles on my 29" wheels. Might be a placebo effect, but as long as I don't end up with a mouth full of dirt who cares.

I'd hate to say it (as if it's a crutch), but I do have any easier time getting over obstacles on my 29" wheels. Might be a placebo effect, but as long as I don't end up with a mouth full of dirt who cares.

sorry, i didn't get it. you DO or you DONT have an easier time with 29" wheels???

The Bianchi Sass?

hahahahaha, sexiest name ever.

i was with my friend for his first fixed off-road voyage this weekend. he is a very skilled rider and rides fixed road a ton but i was impressed at how fast and fluid he rode.

i expected to catch him on every downhill... NEVER... he cleaend the whole f@ckin skills trail (middle run, de for those who know), REEEE-DICULOUS. i can't ride that **** on my bike.

if you can ride, you can ride trails fixed. i just don't know that i can ride (like that)....

i believe he was running 34x18 on 29" wheels (slightly higher than his usual raio). as soon as it pointed up he was gone. :eek:

on more technical track it might not be so ideal, but in smooth singletrack with lots of rollers it appears to work just fine!

oh and i never saw him lock up the rear tire once (front disk).

Fixed off road is a blast! I run a full rigid, 32/18 with front and rear brakes. 170mm cranks and a highish bottom bracket make pedal plants not much of a problem for me. I can clear 8 to 12" logs most of the time. The occasional pedal strike happens. Its no big deal.

NO SKIDDING!

I've done a few cross races fixed as well.

If you can skid fixed, then you should have enough bike competency to ride light trails fixed as well.Light trails? Why put that limit on it...

Fixed. Fixed. Fixed.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2132/2087121564_44848c3270.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/singlespeedoutlaw/2087121564/)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1155/1447458608_734173590e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/singlespeedoutlaw/1447458608/)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2029/2124193767_5369cfc87a.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/singlespeedoutlaw/2124193767/)

Nice photos. But the limit comes from the gearing constraint of track bikes and conversions vs your low gear ratio.

At any rate, nice bike. Nice photos. What gearing are your running?

Nice photos. But the limit comes from the gearing constraint of track bikes and conversions vs your low gear ratio.

At any rate, nice bike. Nice photos. What gearing are your running?
First picture: 36x20 on 29" wheels
Second picture: 42x17 on 700x35
Third: 34x19 on 29" wheels

The 29ers are geared same as a 2:1 26" mtb, the other bike is a Surly crosscheck conversion.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2263/2152327929_245ca13711.jpg?v=0

I've ridden some moderate trails with it. It got a little sketchy in areas with rocks and roots, my paranoia was that I'd fall (I did, often) and snap an ankle (I didn't) because of being clipped in.

I think in the future I'd rather ride on platform type pedals, maybe some Grip Kings.

sorry, i didn't get it. you DO or you DONT have an easier time with 29" wheels???


Sorry, I DO have an easier time on a 29'er.

Nice photos. But the limit comes from the gearing constraint of track bikes and conversions vs your low gear ratio.

At any rate, nice bike. Nice photos. What gearing are your running?

My bike is set up with a 32X17 on a 29" wheel.
I have piddled with my track bike in the woods at 48X18, but that was just an attempt to pinch flat some tubes. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exgeCh6rwxs

that video is awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exgeCh6rwxs

Note the Kanye West song.

My bike is set up with a 32X17 on a 29" wheel.
I have piddled with my track bike in the woods at 48X18, but that was just an attempt to pinch flat some tubes. :)

Wait, what the ****? Go back to mtbr ... you're getting me all out of sorts. Next MC will be selling Deep V wheelsets here or something.

You caught me.
I piddle here from time to time.
Go try ridemonkey if you wanna get away from me. :)