^^^ If you ride SS a lot you don't even think about it. You just do it. The flow and the rhythm become pretty subconscious. And if you have to walk, then walk - I try not to but it doesn't bother me if I do, and then the next time out you'll clean that section and you're stoked. Gears play mind games with me - "no granny gear today, I can middle ring this, I bet I can big ring it too, maybe I'll just shift to the 22t, ok to the 24t." And take a trail you've ridden for a long time and tackle it on one gear and it's a whole new ride.
Actually that is a good reason to SS, to build your legs and lungs. I started with a 32/20, after the first week, it wasn't so bad. I learned to attack climbs by riding an SS. Its good for the mental side of riding too.
The main attraction to me is it is different. I suppose it is part of the progression if you ride many times a week for many years. Riding a singlespeed has taught me how to attack tech sections differently...out of the saddle. Showed me that spinning low gears is not always the way to get up a loose rocky sections with step-ups. If a bike has gears I will get lazy and use them. Dean
Harder. Big wheels = more gear inches. The simple conversion is about 2 teeth on the cog, maybe a little less. But 32:20 on a 26er is roughly close to 32:22 on a 29er. Not exactly but close enough. 32/20 x 26 = 41.6 vs. 32/20 x 29 = 46.4 32/22 x 29 = 42.2
I have never owned a full suspension full geared bike. All of them have been hardtail single speeds and the main reason is I am cheap. You can get a good SS and have fun for less than $1000 and that bike will last you a long time. I can not tell you any zen like experience other than I have fun and love clearing a climb that I have not in the past.
and--not only do you lose weight, but you lose rotational weight, which is like losing twice the weight. plus, i can only think of one thing at a time anyway, so it was a natural choice.
Sorry, he's a growing boy. Danny, Did you forget to take your testosterone again? You need to stop riding that Vagina-cycle DH rig and learn to climb ...Or a 34x17 on a 700C. Zack LOVES that gear.
I don't ride a SS, but I recently began riding with a SS Niner hardtail friend who will never go back to "little toy" bikes. He has inspired me to shift less and just mash off my saddle more often instead of just dropping gears whenever things get a little tough. This simple tip has started to transform my rides by building up my strength (what little there was to begin with) so that I enjoy both the climbs and the descents much more. In general, I depend more on myself - and not my equipment (or granny gear) - to tackle the terrain. It's an eye-opening experience. A 1x9 29er would make a killer second bike.
I started with 32/18 then went to 20 then 22. I have dropped down to a 21. I found I got stronger with the esier gear cuase I was peddaling more and walking less. The stronger I get I keep dropping one tooth at a time.
I think gearing is so subjective on a SS, I ride a 32-18 on my SS 29er because it is the best balance for me and the terrain i ride. I am one of those freaks that enjoys the up hill battle so I actually swapped out the 20 I had to the 18. I was huffing at first but now that i am used to it it feels natural. Keep in mind the total weight will influence the gearing as well. **It is always more fun to ride your SS then walk it, so pay no attention to what anyone else is riding, ride what works for you not what you think is "hardcore". As for why I like it: Similar to what other posters said in that 1. when you are done riding a SS you feel that you RODE a SS, no cheating, no granny, no way around it, great feeling of accomplishment. 2. bad weather, so easy to clean 3. easy to maintain 4. generally light weight 5. I do think there is a feeling of purity, more similar to the early days of trail riding.
Yes, it's true that a 29er has 11-1/2% more gain-ratio than a 26er. But there's also cranks. My 29SS has 175mm cranks which are almost 3% less gain-ratio than 170mm on my 26Geared. Do not confuse math with reality. Reality is how a bike feels. Math and physics are attempts to explain why that reality should be so. Especially when the reality is very weird (like the fact that SSing can be fun). 32:20 is a very hard gear uphill on my geared bike. It's a pretty good gear on the SS. Even though it should be 7-1/2% easier on the geary. So then we have to look at the suspension sucking up my power, and the psychology of "if I have gears, I'll use them." Forget it! Just ride! And if you haven't ridden a SS, you may want to give it a try. Or not. If you're happy with you current ride, just get out and enjoy it! EDIT: PS it's not a singlegear cause there are two: chainring and cog. And it's not a singlespeed cause there are two: sitting and standing.
I just started riding a SS 29er rigid, about a month ago. I totally love it-although I've puked twice on a trail I normally fly through. I will prob. end up putting a suspension fork on it though. The full rigid thing is a lot too get used to
I puke all the time it puts hair on your chest and makes you a man. Not that long ago I passed at 7 guys going up Mojeska Grade on the was to STT. Got to the top and watched every single one of them pass me back while i was off the side puking. I added suspension to mine about a year ago. I rode for a year rigid and with it being my only bike got tired of being beat up. Call me a wuss but that is my story and I am sticking to it.
If I wanted to puke, I'd drink tequilla. Can't you change your pre-ride meal or something? Or am I just a puke-less freak?
