My first SS, a 29er MTB

robo7579
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My first SS, a 29er MTB

Postby robo7579 » Tue Aug 30, 2011 9:07 pm

Ok guys, after nearly a year and not too much trouble with my specialised hardrock 29er I've decided I'm going to drop the cassette off the rear end and go single speed. Trying to do it on the cheap and it is my main bike so it gets used to ride to work (only 5kms return), drag the daughter around in her trailer on weekends(anywhere from 10 to 20kms) and alittle bush work when i get time. It's pritty hilly here but can manage with 42:16 when by myself on the road but wanting something lower for the bush work and with the trailer on. Have heard of people running 2 crank rings and 2 sprokets down the back and changing the chain from one set to the other. Anyone out the done this and what parts do you guys use or recomend? Dont really want to change the rear wheel if possible as I would like to keep the disc brake. So, what do you all think? Any idea's or suggestions would be helpful.
if in doubt, pull it out.

BRLVR.v2
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Re: My first SS, a 29er MTB

Postby BRLVR.v2 » Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:28 pm

robo7579 wrote: It's pritty hilly here but can manage with 42:16 when by myself on the road but wanting something lower for the bush work and with the trailer on. Have heard of people running 2 crank rings and 2 sprokets down the back and changing the chain from one set to the other. . So, what do you all think? Any idea's or suggestions would be helpful.
What's the point??? harden up and go true S/S(ie one gear) or just keep the gears.

robo7579
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Location: Tumut, NSW

Re: My first SS, a 29er MTB

Postby robo7579 » Wed Aug 31, 2011 6:03 pm

What's the point??? harden up and go true S/S(ie one gear) or just keep the gears.
Fair enough, point taken.
if in doubt, pull it out.

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ldrcycles
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Re: My first SS, a 29er MTB

Postby ldrcycles » Wed Aug 31, 2011 7:50 pm

In terms of gearing i would suggest the same approach i used before building my first SS road bike, sticking my geared bike in one gear and doing the whole commute on it. If that gear wasn't a good compromise i'd just click it one either way until i found a good gear, then built the SS with that.
"I must be rather keen on cycling"- Sir Hubert Opperman.

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ldrcycles
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Re: My first SS, a 29er MTB

Postby ldrcycles » Wed Aug 31, 2011 7:53 pm

And i had no idea Paul's was still around, i thought they died out in the early 90s.
"I must be rather keen on cycling"- Sir Hubert Opperman.

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BRLVR.v2
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Re: My first SS, a 29er MTB

Postby BRLVR.v2 » Wed Aug 31, 2011 8:02 pm

Oxford wrote:I see no problem in having 2 different gearing setups for two different applications, it makes perfect sense. its why I have two SS bikes, one for MTBing, one for commuting. they have different gearing arrangements and different setups because its sensible to do so. if I only had one bike I would have two gearing arrangements on it to maintain the SS but I would use a Paul "Melvin" with a double chain ring up front and single sprocket at the back:

http://www.paulcomp.com/melvin.html
Image
But reaaly whats the point of calling it S/S when it's clearly not? It's bi speed, and very agricultural at that if you have to manually change stuff.
The whole point of Single speeding is uncluttered simplicity, not chain tensioners and multiple sprockets and chain rings.
Horizontal drop outs, 1 rear sprocket, and one chain ring is the essence of single speed, any thing more complex and you may as well stick with gears.
if you take one step further into S/s simplicity you will be fixed, and that will sort the men from the boys.

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ldrcycles
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Re: My first SS, a 29er MTB

Postby ldrcycles » Wed Aug 31, 2011 8:23 pm

There's a bloke around my local area who started off with a single speed and then put on Truvativ Hammerschmidt cranks to make the hills a little easier. It was a 'readers ride' in one of the mountain biking mags a couple of years ago, full carbon 4 spoke Xentis wheels and all. Personally i can't stand SS off road, there's just too much difference in the terrain for it to be practical (although i vividly remember being passed at a horrendously muddy race last year by a bloke on a SS who was flying past everyone else with their clogged gears).
"I must be rather keen on cycling"- Sir Hubert Opperman.

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robo7579
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Location: Tumut, NSW

Re: My first SS, a 29er MTB

Postby robo7579 » Thu Sep 01, 2011 7:04 pm

Thanks for your input guys, think I'll order a 16t kit for the rear, move my 42t ring into the middle and leave my nanny gear there just in case, will proberly just reduce the chain length so it's close on the big ring but leave the derailleur on so I can move the chain down to the nanny and still have tension. Cant hurt to try I guess.
if in doubt, pull it out.

BRLVR.v2
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Re: My first SS, a 29er MTB

Postby BRLVR.v2 » Thu Sep 01, 2011 10:37 pm

Oxford wrote:but to be honest for me it would be choose a gear and ride it. maybe we can offer real solutions (as I have done).

.
There, cut out all that superfluous drivel and edited it down to the crux of your post!

robo7579
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Re: My first SS, a 29er MTB

Postby robo7579 » Fri Sep 02, 2011 10:03 pm

Thanks for everyones ideas, opinions etc, if i was in a position to have 10 different bikes I would but at the moment I'm not so I have to get by with just one. To get around my local single track on street gearing I would have to have legs like Mal Meninga which I havent so hence a 2 speed it is. Thanks oxford for your tips, and you were right, the 42 wont fit where the middle sproket used to. Am going to get a 12t for the rear and keep the 32 on the front for normal use and flick the chain down to the 22 when I cant go any further, seems the most realistic choice for me at the moment. Maybe I'm greedy and want to much from 1 bike but I'm really liking the hardtail mtb and have finally got comfortable on it. I am thanfully for all the idea's that has been put across, although sometimes HTFU doesnt help much. Cheers.
if in doubt, pull it out.

BRLVR.v2
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Re: My first SS, a 29er MTB

Postby BRLVR.v2 » Fri Sep 02, 2011 10:15 pm

robo7579 wrote:, although sometimes HTFU doesnt help much. Cheers.
Good point , in light of that, you may find this interesting if you havn't already seen it
http://sheldonbrown.org/hercules.html

Sheldon is always worth a search on any cycling issue.

robo7579
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2011 7:05 pm
Location: Tumut, NSW

Re: My first SS, a 29er MTB

Postby robo7579 » Fri Sep 02, 2011 10:30 pm

Thanks BRLVR.v2, what I was thinking but not quite so many options, just one gear for the road, and drop down to the little ring for the bush or up the big climb home with the trailer and daughter on board. Was intersted in old mates split gear crank and belt setup but I'm trying to do this on a minimum budget.
if in doubt, pull it out.

robo7579
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2011 7:05 pm
Location: Tumut, NSW

Re: My first SS, a 29er MTB

Postby robo7579 » Wed Sep 14, 2011 11:06 pm

Righto then, its been done for near a week now and its great. Not realy single speed but almost. running a 32 and 22 front and got a 17 on the back. only use the small crank in the bush, change it by hand. Cant believe I waited so long to go with one cog at the back. Its funny how every 2nd bloke comes into work and ask's where is the rest of the gears, when you tell em they still dont get it, this is usually when I say that's why you have gears. Think I will be putting a 20T cog on the back soon and have more fun in the scrub. Its strange but once you go single you dont seam to care about speed as much but more about the ride and the pedalling, a lot more enjoyable I reckon. Thanks everyone for the advice.
if in doubt, pull it out.

BRLVR.v2
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Re: My first SS, a 29er MTB

Postby BRLVR.v2 » Thu Sep 15, 2011 5:41 am

Cool, well done. Got any pics of the setup to share?

robo7579
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Location: Tumut, NSW

Re: My first SS, a 29er MTB

Postby robo7579 » Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:33 pm

Would post some photos but I cant work out how to paste them.
if in doubt, pull it out.

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Re: My first SS, a 29er MTB

Postby Mulger bill » Fri Sep 16, 2011 12:39 am

robo7579 wrote:Would post some photos but I cant work out how to paste them.
Instructions HERE.
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