Canadian

All the stuff I can find either linked from the FAQ area here or online are about conversions. I'm probably going to build my SS from a frame (IRO Rob Roy, most likely).

Any recommendations for parts? Anything I can get from NORCO's distributed brands would be ideal but I'm open to all suggestions.

dervish

it all really depends on what type of riding you want to be doing...and your budget

Canadian

Commuting in the spring/summer/fall, ability to do some Ice Biking (Cyclocross) POSSIBLY. (In the Canadian winter, in case that wasn't clear.) I'm sort of one of those females that's always cold (even when I lived in Africa) and thus make a terrible winter-sporting chick because all I do is notice how cold I am and don't enjoy what I'm doing. But I'm hoping to layer well?

Budget = flexible. I'm a student, but a student with some savings as well as expecting to stick with cycling for a long while and willing to invest now.

bionnaki

why not just buy the complete and change/upgrade components when you know what you actually want?

Canadian

1. To Learn more quickly

2. I get discounts b/c a LBS hired a n00b roadie like myself due to a female shortage on staff, so it's not going to be nearly as pricey as it sounds (will get stuff at cost)

3. I want women's specific most-everything (narrower bars, shorter crank arms, etc. etc.)

bionnaki

that's fine and all, but if you're going to rely on internet strangers to tell you what components you should purchase, you'll need to provide more information than your aversion to cold weather (i.e. specific budget, type of terrain you'll be riding in, sizing, riding style, personal taste, etc.)

I'm not familiar with "women's specific" components other than saddles.

Canadian

I was only looking to see if there was some general SS parts; I've looked over Shimano and SRAM online and they don't have a subsection for it. So I was wondering if there was sort of a big name/general place to start looking that I wasn't yet aware of.

Like, do people just go handpicking this and that? Or is there a SS place to start looking? I can check my work's catalogues, but I dislike using it for personal things because we only have one atm and it's always being used to help a customer.

m4bandit

Unless you buy a complete, most parts are hand picked from the massive selection available. Shimano and SRAM are not places to start.

Go to benscycle.net and browse theyr track/single speed section and look at parts. This will give you a general idea of what you should be looking for. Companies like IRO for frames, Formula for hubs, Mavic for rims, etc. At this moment, you'll be hard pressed to find anything "women specific" in the SSFG market. Unless you're thinking of a high end track bike, your chances are slim. I currently don't know anything SSFG that's gender specific except for saddles.

Build your own

I can't say much for gender specific parts,but if you're looking for cranks under 165mm check out the Bulletproofs.They come in various length and are decent.Chainline is the same as sugino RDs(45mm with ring on outside+103BB)

jpdesjar

I picked up some bulletproof cranks for my concord singlespeed when the original cranks went and they hold up well, I commuted on that bike a lot last year and did a bunch of long rides as well. Decent crank for not much money. Got a cheap shimano BB for it and I was all set.