Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Wich SS-bike for long distance touring?

Hi, I have today a Kona mountainbike that I have converted to a ss-bike. I love the feeling of ss but since I mostly ride on tarmac, I have starting to think about a more roadbike. Maybe a surly steamroller. Anyone who have experience of this bike as a ss setup? also other suggestions for a ss long distance touring bike is welcome.

Regards, gustav from sweden

For long distance touring, bike fit is critical. The Surly will be fine as a frame. Make sure you can run the size of tire you ne Ed for the total weight on the bike and the terrain you plan to ride.

Next is gearing. For touring you have luggage and hills. Gear appropriately or use a flip flop system where you can change gear ratios.

No experience with the Surly but I think the Redline 925 and the Bianchi San Jose will make great touring bikes.

Well, the Steamroller does not have rack and fender mounts

Really? I always thought they did..

Really? I always thought they did..

Nope, but other Surly frames do. Among those, the Cross-Check is suited to light touring, and the Long Haul Trucker is a proper touring frame. Both have front rack braze-ons and derailer hangers. If the OP is at all serious about loaded and/or extended touring down the line, I'd strongly suggest frames along these lines. Even if the touring turns out to be suited to singlespeed, the mounting eyelets/braze-ons and geometry are going to leave you with far fewer headaches and backaches.

Yes, I consider myself serious about this subject. Braze ons for luggagerack is not a big deal to mount rack on the bike, there are steelfittings from Tubus that make it easy to fit the racks on your bike, both front and rear, I have done it on my Kona explosif. However, I agree about the importense of the geometry. Is the geometry of the long haul trucker , better than the steamroller? I know gears are a help when there are hills, but riding SS gives me such harmoni and peace inside so I think I stick to that.
Thanks for the tips , I will read more about the bikes You suggest.

/Gustav

Schwinn Madison 2008

is the best candidate for the job.

I took my maddy for a ride last year from half moon bay-->Big Sur down the Pacific Coast Bike route, and it handled like a dream. It also has eyelits for fender and rack mounts. The Geometry of the frame makes it really comfortable yet very responsive.
I rode Fixed gear up and down the hills which made it easier then freewheeling it.
:thumb:

Schwinn Madison 2008...is the best candidate for the job...
The Geometry of the frame makes it really comfortable yet very responsive.
I rode Fixed gear up and down the hills which made it easier then freewheeling it.
Not trying to be a jerk, but have you ever ridden a touring bike for comparison? And I'm unclear how riding fixed on hills is easier than a freewheel.

If the OP is really serious about touring, he should seriously consider a touring frame. Yes, the geometry of the LHT is much more touring-friendly than the steamroller -- Surly has detailed geometry specs on their site if you'd like to compare. While I agree there are fender and rack solutions for frames without eyelets/braze-ons, that's no reason to ignore how much easier they make life.

But again, it's a question of how serious you are about touring. For long, loaded tours, you'll be kicking yourself for going with an aggressive frame. But if you want your bike to multi-task as a commuter, club rider, or whatever else, a touring frame may be too sluggish for your tastes. Keep in mind that almost any bike will perform alright for short tours without tons of gear, and a lot of randonneurs prefer "sport touring" bikes.

The above poster is correct. Listen to everything he said.

Also consider the IRO Phoenix. Geometry's slightly more aggressive than the LHT, but just enough to make it a reasonable compromise between urban commuting and touring. It's also got cable routing for an internal geared hub, if you're so inclined. I've been riding mine for about a month now, and it's been an absolute joy.

:bang:

if you want a bike for touring, get a touring frame! it ain't rocket science. they are DESIGNED for comfort over long distances and outfitted to mount all the things you need.

ANY frame can be a SS. let's not get caught up in the necessity of track ends for touring.

I would go with a Wabi because a 55cm weighs 18.4 pounds so I would want a bike on the light side for touring.

The Long Haul Trucker or Cross Check are good. LTH will require a chain tensioner and the Cross Check has horizontal drop outs. Or find a used touring frame or i dont know. Touring isn't the time to be macho with a track frame

I would go with a Wabi because a 55cm weighs 18.4 pounds so I would want a bike on the light side for touring.

You trollin'?

No, pointing out the advantage of a lighter bike, Wabi is one of the few that list the weight of their bikes.

No, pointing out the advantage of a lighter bike, Wabi is one of the few that list the weight of their bikes.

Who cares about how light the bike is when you've got 50+ lbs. strapped to it?

Not trying to be a jerk, but have you ever ridden a touring bike for comparison? And I'm unclear how riding fixed on hills is easier than a freewheel..

Yes I have ridden many touring bikes, the OP wanted to know if anyone had suggestions for SS long distance touring (Single Speed) he didn't ask about regular touring bikes.

Yes I have ridden many touring bikes, the OP wanted to know if anyone had suggestions for SS long distance touring (Single Speed) he didn't ask about regular touring bikes.

How is the LHT or Cross Check not a ss-compatible frame? The OP asked about ss, long distance touring bikes. I don't feel the Madison fits the bill for long distance touring, but I suppose that depends on one's definitions of long distance and touring.

:bang:

if you want a bike for touring, get a touring frame! it ain't rocket science. they are DESIGNED for comfort over long distances and outfitted to mount all the things you need.

ANY frame can be a SS. let's not get caught up in the necessity of track ends for touring.

+1

OP: you seem serious about this. Don't try to make a "fixie" into a touring bike (and really, that's what most of them are..)

Instead, take a serious touring bike and convert it to SS. The Surly is a good choice, also don't forget the Trek 520.

I have a Langster that I use like that. I think it works great. It is light and zippy when unloaded and works great with packs and long distance (as long as it is flat - I don't mind hills when the bike is at 18lbs, but wouldn't want to do it loaded). Its a road frame, so it does well long distance. The biggest problem is that you can't put on tires greater than 25mm (without some mods) and probably need to stick with 23mm if you want fenders. A dedicated touring bike its not; I'm sure you could do better with a dedicated touring bike, if that is what you are after.

Really, to give a decent answer to the question we would need to know what you mean by touring. Good luck.

My vote goes to the Cross-check, it's a good medium and has the appropriate drop-outs for SS.

Is the reason for wanting SS because of a machismo "let's see if I can do it" type of thing? I can't see doing any loaded touring on a SS without wanting to punish myself.

Hehe, thanks for all answers.... well, I have been making touring with gears many times. Its working. But in recent years my intrest for SS have grown bigger and bigger. Its not a macho thing, more a serch for simplicity, cleaness....I dont know, ..anyway, I converted my kona explosif to SS and it was just as magic as I was imagined. It makes me forget I am riding a bike, the bike becomes more of a stroll, a walk along the beach. I really like the feeling. I do understand that big hills will make my life hard but its allways a possibility to jump of the bike and walk upp the hill. I also try to carry as little luggage as possible - maximum 10 kg. (same pack as I use on my back when I am walking in the forrest. So, I will stick to SS , not to prove anything but to be moved back to my childhoods first bike, when everything was simple and easy.
But I do want a strong and really nice touringframe. Not to agressive, something in between speed and layed back. I want flat bar (like a mountainbike), I bit of a uprised position. I dont mind brazeons for racks but I dont care about them. Just looking for a really comfortable and durable frame. The Redline 925 look sweet but I dont know anything about it. The surlybikes looks nice to but I dont know what model to choose? I have red the Crosscheck is a bit to weak in the frame, dont know if its true. But I think I red its collapsable and I dont like that, I want the bike to be as clean as possible. I think I hear You saying the steamroller is more agressive than the LHT and not so comfortable,, is that correct? But surly state the steamroller is not a trackbike, more of a roadbike? Please give me more suggestions and explanations on the diffrent frames , pros and cons. For me, this is a very intresting subject. I am also looking at the Kona paddy wagon.....:P
About my luggage, I have a big saddlebag, 24 litres, a Carradice Camper Longflap. Under that one I have a rear luggagerack where I strap a big watertight sack with my tent and matress. On the stem is my camerabag. Thats all.

/Gustav

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Or just grab a touring bike and take the gears off.

Using a track bike would be murder for me after a day or two. I do like my Fantom Cross Uno for light touring..., but would go with what you have or touring frame before going with an aggressive geo frame.

Honestly? I would have gears on my bike for touring.

Have you toured before? Did you find that you stayed in one gear the whole time? Because if that is truly the case, then a SS would be fine for you. Otherwise, use gears.

/blasphemy :P

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wlV-54x2QKU/THFx5WKLsCI/AAAAAAAAAbA/joKKYATKBpg/s1600/long_time_no_see_postcard-p239738589187726208qibm_400.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wlV-54x2QKU/THFx5WKLsCI/AAAAAAAAAbA/joKKYATKBpg/s1600/long_time_no_see_postcard-p239738589187726208qibm_400.jpg
Danke!

School is out for the summer. I have more free time now. :P

The Cross-Check would count as a very strong frame in my book -- I don't know where you heard it's weak (?). There's a collapsible version (Traveler's Check) with couplers, but obviously you wouldn't need or want that.

As alluded to in a previous post, it sounds like you're trying to replace a current setup that you like pretty well, so why not just tweak the Kona? The Cross-check sounds like a good frame based on the type of riding and the load you describe, but if the Kona setup ain't (particularly) broken...

Crosscheck is sturdy tig welded steel. I regularly pack mine full of groceries and beer and never had a problem, though the handling sometimes gets a little squirrely. If you're going light, then it's a perfectly good frame, and the dropouts suit single speed. It's also not too aggressive geometry-wise, though it isn't as laid back as a touring bike. For what you're looking for, it might be a good idea to get an older steel touring frame and change the drivetrain. If I remember correctly, a fair amount of older touring bikes had horizontal dropouts. Even if you go pretty lightweight, I wouldn't want a super short wheelbase on a bike I was riding for long periods of time for several days. I'd get sick of the twitchy handling pretty quick.

Crosscheck is sturdy tig welded steel. I regularly pack mine full of groceries and beer and never had a problem, though the handling sometimes gets a little squirrely. If you're going light, then it's a perfectly good frame, and the dropouts suit single speed. It's also not too aggressive geometry-wise, though it isn't as laid back as a touring bike. For what you're looking for, it might be a good idea to get an older steel touring frame and change the drivetrain. If I remember correctly, a fair amount of older touring bikes had horizontal dropouts. Even if you go pretty lightweight, I wouldn't want a super short wheelbase on a bike I was riding for long periods of time for several days. I'd get sick of the twitchy handling pretty quick.

The vertical dropouts are the one thing I don't like about the LHT, though I was practically burned alive in the touring forum for suggesting horizontal dropouts would be more versatile. Regardless, that's why I went with an old touring bike (well, that and the $100 complete price tag on the used bike). Haven't regretted it a bit, and arguably ended up with a better frame (tripple-butted Miyata). Unfortunately, old touring bikes are highly sought-after and hard to come by affordably, at least around here.

I'll point out that Bikes Direct has a really nicely spec'd and very well priced touring bike, the Gran Turismo, that happens to have horizontal dropouts. You could easily flip the geared components if you're sure you don't want them. Unfortunately, they're currently sold out of standard sizes.

I was practically burned alive in the touring forum for suggesting horizontal dropouts would be more versatile.

Let me guess: some misinformed people said that horizontal dropouts aren't safe to use with quick release?

I wish all my bikes had horizontal dropouts. The only thing they don't really work with is a rear disc brake.

Let me guess: some misinformed people said that horizontal dropouts aren't safe to use with quick release?

That was one major complaint. I believe the horrible consequences involve wheels pulling out of the dropouts. Lucky for me, my bikes only have a chain on one side and so will jam the wheel against the chainstay rather than pull it out of the dropout. Assuming I have no inkling of how to tighten my skewer. My other favorite is the difficulty of aligning wheels in horizontal dropouts. I mean, really?

The only valid complaint I've seen is that tightly mounted fenders make wheel removal difficult. Ever since I started using a long mounting bolt and a spring (okay, I ripped off the Velo Orange "spring thing" for the idea), this has been a non-issue.

The vertical dropouts are the one thing I don't like about the LHT, though I was practically burned alive in the touring forum for suggesting horizontal dropouts would be more versatile. Regardless, that's why I went with an old touring bike (well, that and the $100 complete price tag on the used bike). Haven't regretted it a bit, and arguably ended up with a better frame (tripple-butted Miyata). Unfortunately, old touring bikes are highly sought-after and hard to come by affordably, at least around here.

A 1980s mountain bike has a lot of geometry in common w/ the 26" wheel LHTs, plus w/ horizontal dropouts, (and minus the premium on trek 720 style vintage tourers). Brazeons can be worked around.

Pake C'mute, dirt cheap, has eyelets galore (plus mid fork braze ons). Similar to Cross Check

I understand the draw to SS (have you tried fixed??).

However yesterday was quite windy - with packs on it cut my speed by about 30%. PITA pushing into that wind with a loaded bike and no gears. It is not just hills that cause a problem.

Gears can be your friend when traveling.

If you are not concerned too much about price then a Bob Jackson touring frame could be built into an excellent single speed/fixed gear touring bike http://www.worldclasscycles.com/JACKSON-TOUR-FRAME.htm. Similar geometry (custom for no additional charge) and features as a Long Haul Trucker, but has semi-horizontal dropouts. My wife has a road frame from them and it has an excellent ride. Sometimes the waiting time can be a bit long. This might be my next bike. But, not for a while.

thanks for answers. First, yes I have done some touring and actually, last touring I did (Sicilly), I was allready in to the idea of touring SS and therefor, even thou I had a geared bike, I tried to use as few gears as possible. It ended up me using 2 gears. So I think its possible to go touring with 1 gear if You are willing to walk with Your bike on several occasions ( hills, wind etc) and also not in a hurry. What I want to achive is to move myself into a special state of mind that I believe can be found when slowly following italys coast with just one gear.
Yes my kona is fine, maybe I should just stick to that one but I allways have more bikeproject in the back of my mind.
I am pretty sure I red a review that sad the Crosscheck was a bit weak in the frame but I will look up that again, maybe I was wrong. But the bikes I´m considering today, after all You fine answers, are:
Redline 925, Bianchi San Jose, LHT and maybe the Crosscheck. Other bikes could be the Kona Unit that now have bigger rearwheel than my kona.
Thanks for all answers.
/Gustav