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Single Speeds Lame?

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View Poll Results: Do you think Single Speeds are Lame?
yes
4
11.43%
no
31
88.57%
Voters: 35. You may not vote on this poll

Single Speeds Lame?

Old 02-19-06, 02:46 PM
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Single Speeds Lame?

Do you think single speeds are lame?
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Old 02-19-06, 02:48 PM
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I dont think many people or gonna vote yes.
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Old 02-19-06, 02:52 PM
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I don't understand why you would pose such an ignorant sounding question. You obviously asked this question with at least some bias. What about them do you think is lame? Keep in mind that although I ride a singlespeed, I am not offended. I'm just wondering if I should even post this reply as it appears that I will purely be "feeding the troll".
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Old 02-19-06, 02:53 PM
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Single speed is the way to go for street.
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Old 02-19-06, 02:58 PM
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i dont know... i'm just annoyed with single speeders. it makes sense to have one in nyc if your a bike messenger and dont want parts to get stolen off it, but for mountain biking it seems to be taking a step in the wrong direction. plus all the single speeders around me are this hybrid punk/emo hipster combination, that annoys me too.

its just a poll...
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Old 02-19-06, 02:59 PM
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No I don't. Single speeds are not lame, some of the retro grouch emo attitude is lame. Just because one is semi related to the other doesnt make an entire group of people or riders lame.

I ride a SS Wrong direction, I guess it depends on your perspective.
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Old 02-19-06, 03:04 PM
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I think that most MOUNTAIN sinlgespeeders are less the "hipster" croud and more the real riders. Track bikes/fixies/road singlespeeds/etc seem to me to be completely different from mountain singlespeeds.

As far as "a step in the wrong direction" I feel that it is a step in a different direction. I ride a 20speed road bike and love it, but for something I can thrash off road and not worry about, it seems that a single speed is less fragile, much cheaper, and a whole lot of fun.
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Old 02-19-06, 03:07 PM
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one thing I do like about single speeds is the big fat chains you can get for them... I prefer gears though
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Old 02-19-06, 03:07 PM
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No chain slap, much less weight, and far less to break if I eat it!

(I know...I've posted this pic before, but it is the only pic I have of me on the bike and its a new shot, so I want to share it)
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Old 02-19-06, 03:08 PM
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Originally Posted by ndelaude
No chain slap, much less weight, and far less to break if I eat it!

(I know...I've posted this pic before, but it is the only pic I have of me on the bike and its a new shot, so I want to share it)
cool jump... what gear ratio do you run? looks like a 22 and 11
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Old 02-19-06, 03:11 PM
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Did some hipsters laugh at your 2000 dollar shifters or something?
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Old 02-19-06, 03:14 PM
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hipsters are usually too busy fashioning their hair to notice anybody... so no
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Old 02-19-06, 03:15 PM
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Jus checkin.
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Old 02-19-06, 03:16 PM
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Originally Posted by The Selector
cool jump... what gear ratio do you run? looks like a 22 and 11
Thanks. I run 34:16
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Old 02-19-06, 03:59 PM
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I think SS is a nice setup for street, since you only need one gear really.
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Old 02-19-06, 04:00 PM
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Man, I was hoping I wouldn't have to read about hipsters in the mtb forum...

Considering all my bikes are steel single speeds, I think I like them. So much less to worry about, to spend money on. It really just lets me have more fun. It used to be I'd have to make sure my derailleurs were adjusted and my hangar straight and my cables clean, not it's just chainline and tension.
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Old 02-19-06, 04:01 PM
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Originally Posted by The Selector
i dont know... i'm just annoyed with single speeders. it makes sense to have one in nyc if your a bike messenger and dont want parts to get stolen off it, but for mountain biking it seems to be taking a step in the wrong direction. plus all the single speeders around me are this hybrid punk/emo hipster combination, that annoys me too.

its just a poll...
What a stupid question. It's all your personal preference. If you mtn bike in a relativly flat area, SS might be the way to go. Much less weight, less chance of things breaking on trail, simplicity, and that clean look. Some people might look at you and wonder why you have that slab of gears on the back.
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Old 02-19-06, 04:13 PM
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Nope.
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Old 02-19-06, 04:22 PM
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for what I ride (which is normally falling off my bike) i think a singlespeed is probably better, seeing as i have recently broken the NEW derailiuer (how do you spell that?) after 2 days or so... singlespeeds are not lame..
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Old 02-19-06, 04:26 PM
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I think cyclists should own bikes that they are going to ride. I would probably ride full XTR if I was a hard-core racer and can afford it (or if I was a pro and it was given to me).

Of my five mtn bikes, three are SS (one of those is fixed) and the two geared ones are for touring and commuting and never go off the pavement. But that is MY riding style and reflects the area which I ride the most. Your riding preferences and needs are probably different than mine.

I don't understand why a SS mtn bike would be lame.

Edit: Is that one yes vote yours, Selector?
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Old 02-19-06, 04:32 PM
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nope. don't ride one now, but did for a few years. rode the same trails on it that i ride with gears. yes, riding most everything i can on the geared rides. did one 50 mile race with 6,000+ feet of climbing on a SS.
SS rocks for ugly weather/muc/snow.

got nothing against them at all. someone out riding a bike offroad? cool. i actually htink it's quite a bit more lame to b#tch and moan about someone elses bike choice. i've met @sshole SSers, just as i've met them from every other facet of the cycling community.
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Old 02-19-06, 04:35 PM
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I think I've just seen way too many hipsters on single speeds... its kinda ruined the whole thing for me
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Old 02-19-06, 04:54 PM
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can you use a single speed on a full suspension?
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Old 02-19-06, 04:59 PM
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Originally Posted by The Selector
can you use a single speed on a full suspension?

yes, but...... you'll have to run a rear mech or dual pully tensioner on most, since the chain movement in most cases prevents it working otherwise. most sussy designs have some form of chain growh/shrinkage that would prevent SS setup working otherwise. there are a few suspension designs out there that will work without, but not most.
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Old 02-19-06, 05:01 PM
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I used to ride my bmx on trails 20 years ago.. so its nothing new. I wouldn't mind having one as a second bike. The Selector has a bad attitude I think.
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