Originally Posted by
HTupolev
Hardly advice that's useful everywhere. I mean, here's a ride I did recently on my gravel bike:
Multiple stretches of .5-1 mile averaging 11%+. Also lengthy spans of flat and shallow downhill. I can't imagine any single-speed configuration on which this ride wouldn't
suck.
It would be pretty difficult to concoct a gravel ride in this area on which a single-speed wouldn't be massively annoying for large stretches, unless riding back and forth on unpaved MUPs is your jam.
I could imagine having fun with SSCX in SSCX races, but that's about it around here.
I wasn’t trying to provide advice that is useful everywhere, and I’m not suggesting that a SSCX should be one’s only bike. I can find dozens of routes from my front door that have >100ft/mi of climbing, but that doesn’t mean that I have to ride my SS there. I am fortunate to live where I have the choice to ride where the hills are short and 5% or less or I can go trash myself on 10%+ long climbs. I choose the bike that maximizes my enjoyment.
I’m sorry that you cannot avoid 2,000’ sustained climbs where you live; single speeds are great fun in the right terrain.