Single Speed plus Granny - will it work?

[ChrisEyles]

@Nigelnightmare - fair point... it may eventually transpire that a proper SS set-up just doesn't work for my local riding, but it's something I've been curious to try out for ages now.

Having a separate road gear and off-road gear, however, should work really well from the test rides I've done so far, and there's something about riding single speed that I enjoy a lot... plus faffing around with bikes in the garage is always good fun.

As someone else pointed out in another current thread, this bike's a toy, it doesn't need to be sensible

 

[Nigelnightmare]

@Nigelnightmare... plus faffing around with bikes in the garage is always good fun.

+1 on that. It's even better in the kitchen!

 

[ChrisEyles]

^^ this only happens when Mrs Chris goes away for the weekend!

Went out for a spin yesterday along the river Exe bridleways. Quite a lot less climbing than my usual local routes, and the 42/23 (~= 32/17.5) gear was perfect the whole way. Mostly because there weren't any long brutal climbs, but also partly because I'm getting more used to sprinting and then grinding up the climbs. Lots of slippy roots and rocks, was great fun

Gives me some hope that a more conventional SS set-up may be feasible in the future.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Think you are misunderstanding what singlespeed means. Ditch the extra chainrings and sprockets.

 

[rogerzilla]

I was riding with a chap yesterday who was on a fixie with a Schlumpf Mountain Drive. 67" and 28" gears, and he needed the 28" to get up the hill out of Bath*. No reason that wouldn't also work on a SS.

*I ended up walking. My 34" was low enough but I kept getting wheelslip on the leaf slime - after I nearly fell off, I used the 24" gear that all bikes come with...

 

[Nigelnightmare]

I was riding with a chap yesterday who was on a fixie with a Schlumpf Mountain Drive. 67" and 28" gears, and he needed the 28" to get up the hill out of Bath*. No reason that wouldn't also work on a SS.

*I ended up walking. My 34" was low enough but I kept getting wheelslip on the leaf slime - after I nearly fell off, I used the 24" gear that all bikes come with...

Have you noticed that All youth hostels around Bath are either half way up or at the top of the steepest hills. Nice views in the morning though.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Bit of a thread resurrection here...

After a happy summer of pseudo single speeding in the Mendips (42/23 for general off road and a 32/23 granny for the long climbs), the Marin is now being somewhat repurposed for a hack bike around town while hopefully training some single track ability.

Motivation for this was we're moving to Bristol and I need a bike I'm not afraid to leave locked up in town! But would also be nice to be able to have a quick blast around Leigh woods with mates from time to time.

So off went the mud tyres and on went some semi slick tan wall jobbies... Off went the risers and in their place went a narrower flat bar... And the 23t sprocket has been replaced with a 17t one, giving a 42/17 road gear and 32/17 off road gear. Stuck a front mech and thumb shifter back on, so giving up all pretence of "proper" single speeding this time 😆

Also had to true the rear wheel up a bit, and ended up replacing two spokes where the nipples wouldn't turn and I snapped them off.... Nothing ever goes totally to plan after all!

Quite pleased with it so far. Noticeably quicker on the new tyres, still love how responsive it is climbing out of the saddle with the long bar ends, and the gearing seems good so far (debated going with an 18t sprocket, but glad I didn't). Experimented with flipping the stem for lower bars, which felt better when riding on the tops, but the current height feels good riding on the bar ends, and will be less risk of OTB when I get to the trails!

Here she is in her latest incarnation:

And here's the patented two speed drive train 🙂

Proper MTB duties are now shared between a more modern GT avalanche and an equally ancient Marin mount vision. We'll see how long this incarnation lasts, will keep the risers, 23t sprocket and mud tyres in reserve just in case!