hooked on SS, can I ever ride geared again?

[Zippo]

I've been on my SS 29er for over a year now, and went from sucking wind and thinking "I'm going to have to be careful where I ride this beast" to thinking that it's the only bike I'll ever need again other than my road bike & beach cruisers. My FS 26er has been out of the garage only 2 or 3 times in the last year. I won't go into the whole SS philosophy yadda yadda, and I know this is pretty common with singlespeed addicts...but what I'm thinking now is selling my Ventana El Fuego and buying another El Comandante but setting it up a bit beefier, like with nobbier tires than my current Stans The Crows, and with a remote lock-out suspension fork.

Anyone think I'm crazy to let go of my geared FS? Any similar stories?

[Code Blue]

Originally Posted by Zippo

I've been on my SS 29er for over a year now, and went from sucking wind and thinking "I'm going to have to be careful where I ride this beast" to thinking that it's the only bike I'll ever need again other than my road bike & beach cruisers. My FS 26er has been out of the garage only 2 or 3 times in the last year. I won't go into the whole SS philosophy yadda yadda, and I know this is pretty common with singlespeed addicts...but what I'm thinking now is selling my Ventana El Fuego and buying another El Comandante but setting it up a bit beefier, like with nobbier tires than my current Stans The Crows, and with a remote lock-out suspension fork.

Anyone think I'm crazy to let go of my geared FS? Any similar stories?

My very expensive FS bike sits in the garage and never gets ridden.

Right now I can only ride two days a week (kids sports etc..) so when I can ride it is the SS. If I had more time to ride the FS would get ridden more.

I say keep it and ride it when you can.


ps. It is also the big hoops you like better

[dstepper]

Been there done that. We get so little money back when we sell used bikes I would just hold on the the geared bike awhile longer. Much of it depends if you take road trips and do epic multi day rides. Lot more fun riding National on South Mountain with gears and suspension.

Dean

[Seat Sniffer]

I've been out on my ss twice since i built it. I had a blast both times. Mindless riding. I didn't realize how much attention i was giving to shifting until i didnt have to. I'm sore as heck too. I wouldnt say I'd ever get rid of my 5" FS, just because theres alot of stuff that i can bomb through on it that would suck on a hardtail. I'll get rid of the gears before the back squish

[KBL]

Originally Posted by dstepper

Been there done that. We get so little money back when we sell used bikes I would just hold on the the geared bike awhile longer. Much of it depends if you take road trips and do epic multi day rides. Lot more fun riding National on South Mountain with gears and suspension.

Dean

Between the two bikes you already have you've got most of the mountain biking world covered--at least the trail riding part.

Dean makes a great point: you won't get anywhere near your FS bike's worth if you try to sell it, so why not hang onto the FS for those times the SS won't cut it?

If your knees and back start to protest the SS you can appease them with the El Fuego.

[foofighter]

as some would say...why keep one when you have choices...i do appreciate having my FS because it's cool to see how much better you are on it after pounding around on your SS.

this past weekend i rode my geared fs and had to contend with grass and twigs stuck on my rear DR's pulley as we were zipping through knee high grass...never have to deal with that on the SS you just ride...and when you cant ride...you push LOL

[dstepper]

Besides there is no such thing as a true single speed they all have three speeds.

Standing
Sitting
Pushing

[Zippo]

Originally Posted by dstepper

Besides there is no such thing as a true single speed they all have three speeds.

Standing
Sitting
Pushing

Ha - isn't that true. Trying not to push much these days though...

Yep - I love the El Fuego too, it's taken me on some incredible rides. I just hate to see it hang neglected in the garage. Maybe I should start sleeping with it like I did with my Huffy back in '76.

[dstepper]

Two more reasons to keep the FS.

Backup Bike: Even thought SS are very reliable if you have a front suspension fork they are not. I have had bikes down because of fork problems more than all other problems combined.

Bro Bike: Talking your non biking friends into trying out the dirt. I have sold two of my old bikes to friends that went on rides, then asked if they could buy my bike.

Dean

[foofighter]

Originally Posted by dstepper

Two more reasons to keep the FS.

Backup Bike: Even thought SS are very reliable if you have a front suspension fork they are not. I have had bikes down because of fork problems more than all other problems combined.



Dean

guilty on that one

[Uncle Rico]

I ride both my FS and my rigid SS weekly. I love both bikes. Totally different ride and I enjoy different trails on each bike. Im not taking my 29er rigid off 5 ft drops. Everytime I ride the SS I think about how much I love that bike, then I take the Turner out and I feel the same way about that bike. I still think my FS has a higher fun factor.

[Au575]

Different horses for different courses. The HT SS makes the "newbie/novice" rides challenging; the FS gearie makes "advanced/expert" rides doable. I'm not about to do Noble on the SS ... but the SS makes LPQ a workout. Keep 'em both.

[el_d00der1n0]

it's like having a longboard and a shortboard.

[emfc]

I have the same issue, however I can't seem to bring myslef to sell my FS. I wan't to sell it and get another SS but just can't do it.

[1FG rider]

Originally Posted by Zippo

Anyone think I'm crazy to let go of my geared FS? Any similar stories?

All too familiar story. Most of us SSers had geared, squishy bikes before going to the dark side and like you debated whether or not to sell the FS.

I thought about getting rid of my Blur for a long time because it hung in my garage for months before I finally took it out on a long ride with a lot of climbing. Without the suspension and gears, it would have been a miserable, unforgiving ride.

You'll never know when you'll need a backup bike due to mechanical issues with the SS, get injured where you'll need to spin again while you recover, or ride terrain where gears and suspension will be advantageous and for the obvious fact that you probably won't get a decent return on the FS.

Hold on to both. The worst that'll happen is that it takes up space in the garage.

[Pain Freak]

Originally Posted by 1FG rider

All too familiar story. Most of us SSers had geared, squishy bikes before going to the dark side and like you debated whether or not to sell the FS.

I thought about getting rid of my Blur for a long time because it hung in my garage for months before I finally took it out on a long ride with a lot of climbing. Without the suspension and gears, it would have been a miserable, unforgiving ride.

You'll never know when you'll need a backup bike due to mechanical issues with the SS, get injured where you'll need to spin again while you recover, or ride terrain where gears and suspension will be advantageous and for the obvious fact that you probably won't get a decent return on the FS.

Hold on to both. The worst that'll happen is that it takes up space in the garage.

Mike going to a ss is not going to the darkside, it's finally seeing the light, so it's more of going to the light side.

[hoovermd]

I realized that I've been a SSer since 1977 or so.
Had a geared bike in HS but was too broke to replace some broken parts

I had a brief period where I rode a geared road bike and then a tandem for a few years.

Last year I got back on a bike and at the urging of my neighbor got into SS cyclocross. Last month I converted my MTB to a SS and I'm finding I like riding the 'Cross bike fixed.

I still look at that geared circa 1988 Centurion and wonder: "Would that make a nice fixie or what?"

What do you tell yourself when all you have left is a garage fulle of SS bikes and a boxes full of extra parts?

Now I'm even contemplating a fixed MTB. What the hell happened here?

[mtnbikej]

I went from HT to long travel FS back to HT then to SS and rode SS for the better part of last year....but then the knees started to give out so I hung up the SS and have gone back to gears. Still have not invested in a new FS rig.

[Jordansrealm]

I love my SS but its becoming a 1x9 because my knees didnt end up liking the SS thing too much and also its my only bike right now and I want gears for certain rides. I will say the 29er thing has completely hooked me on my SS bike and I am seriously considering my next FS rig to be a 29er as well. Just not sure what all is out there yet...