mcoine

This was actually the point I was attempting to make. I failed.

Robot is claiming to be 7lbs lighter because he has a rigid ss.. I think thats what he was claiming. But that isn't really the case, and it doesn't matter anyway.

I will take the 4lb weight penalty to have suspension and gears. I already spent most of the '90's on a rigid bike.. I don't want to go back.

ed 

Depends on the day for me. Some days, I'd rather take the 10lbs penalty and be on an 8" dually.

But most of the time...I have alot more fun on my 32lb Pike'd 18spd Komodo than I did on my 22lb rigid SS Komodo. The days that weren't as fun was b/c I was trying to keep up with B2B. Those days are efficient XC days fo sho. If the terrain were different though...say some climbing with fun techy DH's...I'd gut it out every time on an inefficient boinger just so I could enjoy the post vomit shredding.

4evrplan

You guys have definitely got me curious about SS. Hopefully I'll get to try it someday, and if I like it, who knows, I may even go that route eventually (though I see myself on a steel 1x9 when I have the coin). Ed and craig, you guys said you ride/rode 2:1. Does that mean 32:16, or is it adjusted for the size of the wheel? And too, I wonder if you would have had as much trouble with your knees if you were riding 32:20. Did you ever try it? If so, what did you think?

ed 

I started out doing 32/15...moved to 32/14...got tired and went to 32/18...settled on 32/16...felt perfect. That's for a somewhat up'n'down trail with punchy climbs and a few long gut-wrenchers.

For the more flowey rolley trails, I moved back to 32/14

superdex

because it's a bike, not a motorcycle missing an engine.

dminor 

That's what I like about gears . . . I can make those decisions in seconds without having to roll the bike into the shop and fiddle with cogs.

ed 

+1...though it's usually quicker than "second(s)"

4evrplan

I'm gonna have to remember to count the teeth on mine to see what kinda ratios I prefer. I use the 3rd from the smallest, gear 5 (7 speed rear), around town and the 2nd from the largest, gear 2, on the trail most of the time. I never shift out of the middle chain ring. Just curious how that compares to you SS riders' gear choices. We'll see...

ed 

On the Crapper...I'm usually somewhere around 32/11 for round town until I get to a hill. I may bump down to a 13-14.

On the trail...meh...who really knows. Just depends on what's ahead of me.

never

Remember, things take longer as you get older!

dminor 

^^ Hey I'm not "slow" . . . or "doddering" - - I'm "deliberate."

cryptid01

I think you're onto something. My moto has two fewer gears than my dh bike, and it I can definitely climb much faster on it. The best part of both bikes (unlike singlespeeds) is that I don't run out of gearing until I'm well beyond my comfort level.

Daspydyr 

The only real use for a SS is to deliver newspapers.

Daspydyr 

And sometimes thats good!

electrik

craigcraigcraig

I have had to walk a few hills but that's usually because I don't navigate well enough on the way.

So, why ride SS?
Because knees are replaceable and come out better anyways.

johnnytheboy

fuzzy john (one of the world's fastest single speeders) actually says it's common for him to kinda cyclocross dismount and run up hills he knows he'll have trouble with. keeps the legs fresh.

scrublover

ahem. yeah, sorry 'bout that. i may have over-reacted just a tad bit.

ed 

Yes...let's go mountain biking so we can run in crappy shoes.

mcoine

I got over it..

scrublover

Damn, and I thought you were going to shed large tears.

craigcraigcraig

does he have big eyes?

Al Slick

I want a single speed beater bike so I can save money on the crappy bike and not worry about adjusting cheap shifters and what not.

4evrplan

Slightly off topic here, but to follow up to post 83, most of my cruising is in 32/17, and I'm mostly in 32/24 on my climby local trail because it flip-flops between up and down too quickly to worry about shifting. Riding a less tempermental trail, my gear selection is all over the place, but I guess it's generally lower than I thought.

m4ximusprim3

This is one of the reasons I went single speed to start out MTB'ing. For $550, I got a solid frame and good wheels and tires, and I can go bomb around just about anywhere.

I did make sure I got a bike with a (replaceable) hanger and braze-ons, so I can go 1x9 in the future if I decide I want to spend some cash and I'll come out with a nice geared bike for still reasonably cheap.

So far though, I haven't found much need for the gears. 32x20 gets me up anything I need, and I'm not racing so I don't mind going slower on the flats.