Mountain Biking - Single Speed mountian bikers are insane...

lol!
Well I dropped my chain yesterday and it bent a link. No one could spare a power link, so I chopped the chain and put it back on... I couldnt shift above 4th gear, Because I was worried about my RD stretching way out.
in 3rd-2nd gear the chain got so tight it wouldn't shift at all I had to move it manually.
So I rode the whole trail in my 5th gear in the back and my 2nd ring up front
(dont know the exact tooth numbers, but its an 8 speed bike) and holy crap... it was a challenge going up them hills. But I never once stopped or walked! I still ran a 31.4 minute lap, which is considered fast, my normal times range between 27-30 mins.
But I'm conviced that single speeders must be
A: Mentally Insane
B: Freaking Ripped as heck
C: Both.

why not just drop the chain to the small ring up front?

why not just drop the chain to the small ring up front?

because he removed it...cause granny gears suck

Single speed riders are mad men.

because he removed it...cause granny gears suck

OK. gotcha.

granny gears suck but singlespeeding is crazy

... and single speeders are insane because Cheeto says so.

... and single speeders are insane because Cheeto says so.

I ride a 29er SS and weigh 270lbs...I am not ripped, just crazy

Single speed riders are mad men.

Plenty of gals out there riding SS MTB.

SS isn't crazy. It's pretty fun actually.

I ride a 29er SS and weigh 270lbs...I am not ripped, just crazy

Rigid or hardtail?

Hardtail = crazy
Rigid = insane in the membrane

I am racing SS next season. 29er seems like the way to go for me. Hopefully the misses let's me get a new bike before then... or I'll have to convert my 26er hardtail. Call me insane, but 29er rigid seems like fun.

SS riding is a lot of fun. I train on one up saddleback mtn. Its 13 miles of climbing to the summit than I ride through the main divide which hurts...

Rigid or hardtail?

Hardtail = crazy
Rigid = insane in the membrane

I am racing SS next season. 29er seems like the way to go for me. Hopefully the misses let's me get a new bike before then... or I'll have to convert my 26er hardtail. Call me insane, but 29er rigid seems like fun.

I am too heavy to do the rigid thing...I would kill a rigid fork. WB Magic 80 is on my front end....great fork and holds up to me very well

pssst. secret: you likely had it in a much harder gear than most SSers run. *most* trail riding ssers run lower than a 2:1 ratio.

32 x 20 here. what i ran in colorado too, and i rode my ss there on nearly all the same trails as my other bikes. not as bad as you think. it's all about how you pedal, not how hard. conservation of energy and momentum is key. when to coast/rest, when to pedal, and picking good lines are pretty key.

Yea, I probably did have it in harder gear, a lot of SS riders here have the granny gear up front.

pssst. secret: you likely had it in a much harder gear than most SSers run. *most* trail riding ssers run lower than a 2:1 ratio.

32 x 20 here. what i ran in colorado too, and i rode my ss there on nearly all the same trails as my other bikes. not as bad as you think. it's all about how you pedal, not how hard. conservation of energy and momentum is key. when to coast/rest, when to pedal, and picking good lines are pretty key.

True dat - 32x20 in these parts. My buddy rides 32x19, but he weighs less than I do. I find an aggressive rear tire works wonders as well - I have a 2.1 Velociraptor in back and a 2.3 Conti Vertical Pro in front. The bigger front tire takes the zing out of the rigid fork. I ran 1.95" F&R for one ride and couldn't do it a second time. Owwwww.

lol!
Well I dropped my chain yesterday and it bent a link. No one could spare a power link, so I chopped the chain and put it back on... I couldnt shift above 4th gear, Because I was worried about my RD stretching way out.
in 3rd-2nd gear the chain got so tight it wouldn't shift at all I had to move it manually.
So I rode the whole trail in my 5th gear in the back and my 2nd ring up front
(dont know the exact tooth numbers, but its an 8 speed bike) and holy crap... it was a challenge going up them hills. But I never once stopped or walked! I still ran a 31.4 minute lap, which is considered fast, my normal times range between 27-30 mins.
But I'm conviced that single speeders must be
A: Mentally Insane
B: Freaking Ripped as heck
C: Both.

how the hell do you have so many problems?? in the past, you could argue i never ride. not true this year. i raced all winter and spring and rode. you have had enough problems to last me a lifetime of racing!!

:thumb:

mx

because I dont have quality parts on my bike, and I'm not afraid to thrash and bash. I ride rough if I have to.
I never got my Jump guard from the LBS and my chain... jumped.

Plenty of gals out there riding SS MTB.

Thought the crazy was implied there. :D

Geared mountain bikers are insane. I know because I am one. And I am insane. I have a collection of baby doll heads in my kitchen sink to prove it. yaerhfevm.

Yes, SS are intense, and they are my favorite for XCing, but riding a FS in the same ratio as a SS is somewhat different. First off, you have a lot of extra weight which normally isnt on a SS, and its also a firmer and more responsive pedal action.

Also a true SS is usually meant for pure XC which means it should have better geometry for climbing than even your XC FS which is meant to handle some type of downhills or at least a more laid back headtube to assist in root riding.

Single speed lacrosse players are p*ssies.

^ :thumb:

Single speed lacrosse players are p*ssies.

Do you know one? I said SS on XC was my favorite, I have borrowed one on a few rides from a friend, I dont actually even own a SS.

Yes, SS are intense, and they are my favorite for XCing, but riding a FS in the same ratio as a SS is somewhat different. First off, you have a lot of extra weight which normally isnt on a SS, and its also a firmer and more responsive pedal action.

Also a true SS is usually meant for pure XC which means it should have better geometry for climbing than even your XC FS which is meant to handle some type of downhills or at least a more laid back headtube to assist in root riding.



Yep. Your SS bike will explode if you take it down too steep of a slope, or too large a jump or drop. :rolleyes:

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/scrublover/June%2008/IMG_5808.jpg
Here I am, courting disaster. This bike is only slightly less slack geometry than my other bikes, but still waaaaay slacker than the stereotypical XC bike geometry.

So, all of this just begs the question: what is a "true" singlespeed?

Singlespeedin' rocks. I'm not faster than most folks, but I seem to smile more. :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v178/nismo96/DSC_0424.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v178/nismo96/Iro/image002sm.jpg

Here's an action shot.

http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/2/rc0003un5.jpg

Also, I don't think that I'm insane.

Singlespeedin' rocks. I'm not faster than most folks, but I seem to smile more. :D



Nice Redline - those seem to offer some very good bang/buck ratio. If I didn't have a SS and wanted to get into a complete on the cheap, that'd be the one.

They definitely are a great value any are built tough.

because I dont have quality parts on my bike, and I'm not afraid to thrash and bash. I ride rough if I have to.

Another sig worthy post by Cheeto :lol:

yes it is isn't it.
I take pride in that line,
=)

Do you know one? I said SS on XC was my favorite, I have borrowed one on a few rides from a friend, I dont actually even own a SS.

Do I own a lacrosse player? No. I wouldn't be caught dead with a lacrosse player.

Lacrosse........

because Chadwick Scott the 3rd needs something to occupy his leisure time until he is old enough to join the country club.

wow... lacrosse haters. I guess I can understand, but I try hard not to be "that lacrosse guy"

I don't think anyone here really 'hates', just teasing elf

wow... lacrosse haters. I guess I can understand, but I try hard not to be "that lacrosse guy"

If you even consider playing lacross then you are "that lacross guy".

32/18t here, doesn't seem too 'crazy' to me.

http://251.org/shared/bike/M2schaeffer.jpg

I don't think anyone here really 'hates', just teasing elf

Lacrosse players suck.

I can't argue with that logic though.

32/18t here, doesn't seem too 'crazy' to me.

I like your setup there! Here's my franken-single-speed-stumpy, hills never have been more difficult.

http://www.benpotter.org/singlespeed.jpg

Elisdad, is that rock cut state park or what?

Yes, that pic was taken a few months ago when I went out to Rockford for a ride after work. Man that place is fun.

I used to live in Rockford for many years and exclusively ride there (of course as there are few other places). I'm visiting again in a week so hopefully I can find a bike shop that will rent/demo me a bike and ride The Cut!

Make sure to hit the RCTC site (http://www.rctrailcrew.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1). Those guys are uber-friendly and they love to show folks around or just meet for group rides. I'm sure that they can point you out to where you can find a bike to use while you're out here.

I can't argue with that logic though.

The logicality is intense.

News in - a local BMXr got fastest time in practice sesh, at last years DH event near here - he wasn't allowed to race tho! Got a lot of people wondering why we spend so much cash on suspenders.