http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Single speed mountain biking en Wed, 13 May 2026 05:09:29 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11809#post-136006 Sat, 07 Dec 2013 16:11:28 +0000 allebong 136006@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I made a <a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10775">very concise and sensible</a> post a while back about my most recent singlespeed 'experience' on my mtb. </p> <p>A good few years ago I did loads of dirt jumping. The bike I had was essentially a large BMX complete with singlespeed drivetrain and single rear brake. Not really suitable for classic trail mtbing but being young and overconfident I figured I'd do it anyway. I also had an <a href="http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1717728/">unconventional</a> view on colour schemes too (warning: eyes may bleed upon viewing).</p> <p>There are times on a singlespeed mtb when you finally get what singlespeed aficionados are talking about. The feeling of a simple, sturdy and efficient drivetrain linking you seamlessly to the bike, the way you can laugh in the face of rocks that would derail or destroy a geared setup, the simplicity of not having the bike cluttered with cables and shifters.</p> <p>Then there are the other times you curse yourself for ever thinking it was a good idea. When you're going up you wish for a lower ratio, when going down you wish for a higher, when having to push (which is going to be a lot) you hate the people spinning effortlessly by you with their granny rings. Then when you finish a run with your legs absolutely destroyed from pushing too hard you realise your chain is still covered in filth every bit as much as normal and all that talk of 'ease of maintenance' seems a bit silly.</p> <p>Nowadays even the lowest end mtb mechs are very resilient - there's been a big improvement in controlling the movement of the cage and body in the past few years. They're not indestructible but I can live with very occasionally trashing a mech if it means the rest of the time I can actually pedal properly.</p> <p>Course I am considered a n+1 town singlespeed when spring comes round. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11809#post-135990 Sat, 07 Dec 2013 14:39:00 +0000 Uberuce 135990@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My Dad's best man's daughter was told by my Dad's best man that he loved the fact she was a mad keen mountain biker, but she was getting into the singlespeed flavour whether she liked it or not, on the grounds that he wasn't going to pay for gears.</p> <p>Turns put she does like it, and is competitive at the national level. Her husband is too, and the honour guard at their wedding was two lines of upturned gnarly devices bearing one gear. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11809#post-135989 Sat, 07 Dec 2013 14:36:45 +0000 kaputnik 135989@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>in many ways it makes sense - less chance of a derailleur getting knocked off by track-side projections, less to clean.</p> <p>You just have to have the gearing carefully chosen for what sort of activity you want to do. </p> <p>Or get off and push. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11809#post-135987 Sat, 07 Dec 2013 14:16:00 +0000 SRD 135987@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Did everyone else know this was a thing? </p> <p>A friend just posted his SS conversion on Fb and I was baffled to see suspension and off-road tyres. </p> <p>Guess I'm just out of touch (never really paid much attention to mountain biking). </p>