mr,grumpy 

I'm "in training" to be able to do my first cross race next year. Since I got "into" bikes a year or so ago I see all kinds of talk about ss/fg and kinda get it. What I do not get though is what advantage having a ss cross bike would be. AFAICT there is no separate class for them (if there was I would be all over it! Giant BMXers tearing through the woods, learning how to cross without worrying about shifting and things getting gummed up and all that). What advantage do these bikes have over a regular geared Cross bike?

Saddle Up

"Giant BMXers tearing through the woods, learning how to cross without worrying about shifting and things getting gummed up and all that"

Scott_CX

It's largely a personal choice. From my experience, it's mostly course dependent, but you spend a lot of a cross race in a very low gear. If you have a good selection of gears you may shift a lot, but I found I don't shift a lot during races excluding the straights. On courses with a lot of straight sections you may want that big ring, but I found myself using my big chain ring very rarely. So the clear disadvantage of singlespeed is you have to be able to spin on the straights. You also have to pick a gear ratio that you can climb on, sprint on and achieve a relatively quick speed on the straights.

The issue of things getting gummed is only a worry of muddy courses. One great thing about singlespeed is no dropped chains. If you're a beginner you may find yourself getting sloppy over the barriers and on run ups and dropping chain. Another thing to think about is if you fall on the "money side of the bike" there's nothing to break.

Overall the weight savings and amount of money you save by running singlespeed isn't much imo.

knucklesandwich

I ran SS this year because my cross bike and my commuter are one and the same, and I only need one gear to get to work. Since I race 10x a year and ride to work about 200, the commuter needs win out.

That said, I like it a lot- pick a gear and go. Run when you run out of leg strength, no derailleurs to blow up (tho I acknowledge that busted R/D's are not rampant, rather a threat.) The only drawback I see is I lose a LOT of ground at the start, but since my focus this year was skill-building, I don't mind that much.

pacificaslim

FYI, lots of cross races do indeed have separate divisions for single speed bikes. So go for it dude!

fietsbob

Cheap way to keep a bike light .. and shouldering it and running up the steeper slopes ,
then dropping it on the ground again and jumping back on ,
you can be reassured the chain has not fallen off the chainring ..

M_S

Cus it hurts so good.

NormanF

One speed rules! Fans of the Bianchi San Jose can tell you why its a good value CX bike.

lolitsJeff

Is that picture of you? What gear ratio is that? Was there much ground to build speed before this hill, seems pretty steep..? (sorry I've never raced before)

lolitsJeff

What freewheel and chainring for your commuter/cross? Is your commute hilly or flat?

Cynikal 

SS CX is both really hard and really fun. I mostly race geared but I train and play on my SS. I may just race SS next year due to the simplicity of the gear and for cost reasons.

lunacycle

Interesting reading if you have an inkling to try SS CX: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/singlecross.html

knucklesandwich

2 wheelsets: 20T freewheel for cross, and 16T for commuting.
Same chainring for both: 42T.

I could probably go to a 44T front for both types of riding, but I don’t mind spinning a bit.

M_S

Yes it is. 39 x 17. Ye there was but it was still tough to make it up, and the ground was frozen so pretty bumpy. I got it just barely every lap except the first when there was a pileup in front of me.

No worries. Nothing wrong with having questions.

What I like about the picture is my front tire. I'm constantly surprised I don't pinch flat more. I really want tubies, or at least some rims I can get to work tubeless!

thirdgenbird

will a 42x18 setup kill me for light cross riding?

puppypilgrim

42 x 18 is about 62 gear inches. Should be fine trying. Any lower and you lose too much speed on the flats. Only way to know is to try.

M_S

I think 62 gear inches is about as low as I would want to go for an all around gear, assuming there's a fair amount of road or flats mixed int here. If you're talking mostly trails, maybe go lower. I don't mind mashing up steep hills and I'm not too much of a spinner. From what I've read I tend to prefer slightly higher gears than others, at least off road.

DRietz

FWIW, I race single speed mountain bike and CX as well. I like the challenge. It's a rewarding style.

jfmckenna

IMO there is no advantage at all with SS in a cross race on a properly designed cross course. In fact you are at quite a disadvantage. But it looks like fun and most of the races I do have an SS class so at least that levels the playing field.

jdeane4

I race cross on a SS in both the 4's and the SS class. I've had great results all season and plan on moving up to the 3's. I practice with a lot of the guys who race in the 3's and I have no problems hanging with them. There is also a local guy who races in the 1's and SS class and has no problem winning races. During a race, I'm not thinking about what gear I'm in or when to shift, I just get to race. I also don't have to worry about mechanical problems as much. Yeah, I don't have a wide range of gears to choose from when I'm racing but if you have a good selection of cogs, you can properly gear your bike for the course you're riding. One tip is to either learn to mash or spin. I prefer to mash a harder gear since a lot of the courses in my area are of moderate terrain.

DinoShepherd

Why?

Because C-X is all about suffering. SS bring a higher degree of suffering to a sport that is already a sufferfest.

If there was a category for riding with broken glass in your shorts, people would happily sign up for that.

-Z

Andy_K 

Why?



That's why.

jdeane4

Sometimes you just got to say to yourself, "HTFU and ride!"

jfmckenna

I'd still wager a bet that the winners of the race were on a geared bike. SS is fun no doubt but to answer the OP's question in regards to a mixed field especially the Pro/1/2 field where everyone is a strong and or talented rider then the geared bike will have a greater advantage. I see people on SS bikes do well in the lower cats but that is just because they are a Pro/1 rider working through the ranks.

flargle

The point of singlespeed isn't to have a performance advantage over geared bikes. But on certain courses and under certain conditions, a singlespeed actually might be the whip of choice, particularly for amateurs who don't have the luxury of a spare bike and mechanic.