# stache as a singlespeed



## max-a-mill (Apr 14, 2004)

who here has tried it? did it work? 

i love my stache and it is perfect for the riding i do BUT since i bought one to replace the old singlespeed i have fallen for the gears on that bike. but there were also times and rides that i wished i could go back to the simple ways of one gear. SO i just bought a second one to make a permanent singlespeed. 

so who's got one? anyone have any tips (i guess i am gonna have to figure out a decently portable wrench for the straglehold dropouts)? 

or does anyone want to tell me i just wasted 1200 bucks on something that will never make a good singlespeed? I have heard some of those reports also plenty who say it works fine (enough for me to justify the gamble anyway). what do you say?


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## Driverfound337 (Sep 1, 2008)

mixed results I hear from Carbon frames due to flex, hopefully you got aluminum  I got a Superfly with the same dropouts for SS and they work fantastic!


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

http://forums.mtbr.com/singlespeed/help-converting-stache-7-singlespeed-please-924308.html

http://forums.mtbr.com/singlespeed/ss-trek-stache-7-a-932426.html

http://forums.mtbr.com/singlespeed/trek-stache-ss-general-thoughts-stranglehold-1048489.html


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## nitrousjunky (May 12, 2006)

Yeah the flex issues are with AL and Carbon frames. 

max-a-mill how much do you weight?


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## max-a-mill (Apr 14, 2004)

225lbs... but it's not like i am 5'6" or something.

I am 6'3" so my mass is at least distributed over some length. 

as i said i have been riding this frame already, but with gears, for over a year now with no problems.

the funny thing is i read lots about folks saying they are not singlespeed-able and ther are tons of others who say they have no problems. I seem to have less problems than some around here with stuff so i am hoping it can work for me...



mack_turtle said:


> http://forums.mtbr.com/singlespeed/help-converting-stache-7-singlespeed-please-924308.html
> 
> http://forums.mtbr.com/singlespeed/ss-trek-stache-7-a-932426.html
> 
> http://forums.mtbr.com/singlespeed/trek-stache-ss-general-thoughts-stranglehold-1048489.html


so the first two links are the older stache... then the third link you posted has about 1/2 the folks who say no and 1/2 who say no problem... too much "opinion" from folks without personal experience... none of that helps much. i was hoping now that many more of the newer style plus sized staches are out in the world we might have more first hand knowledge.


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## nitrousjunky (May 12, 2006)

From what I've gathered from multiple Stache owners is this, over 200lbs you run a good risk of having flex induced chain skip/pop issues. I know a couple people that switched to Carbon frames hoping it would help and it didn't. Most have figured out that if you run a narrow/wide chain ring and cog, combined with a tighter chain than you can reduce the frequency of the issue. 

I spent a good bit of time on a demo Stache 9 and had planned to swap over to a Stache SS for my only steed, however decided to stay clear with the flex issues.


Since you already have the second Stache, I say build it up and give it a go. You just might be fine.


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## max-a-mill (Apr 14, 2004)

yeah for the price i got it; i can always sell the frame and hopefully move the components over to something else if it doesn't work without much lost... i just want it to work... i love my current stache's ride and i love the idea of having two pretty similar bikes; a rigid singlespeed for the local quick rides and an "all mountain" stache with gears and suspension i can take out when the rides get longer and rougher while riding in surrounding areas. plus two of the same bikes allows for lots of backup parts so a broken this or that shouldn't ever make me miss a ride.

as you can see i spent lots of time thinking how awesome this can be if it does work... so much that i decided to take a chance. 

where are the SS stache owners out there? where are the folks that it didn't work for? i'd love to hear your thoughts!


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## Captain_America1976 (Mar 15, 2005)

max-a-mill said:


> where are the SS stache owners out there? where are the folks that it didn't work for? i'd love to hear your thoughts!


I am about your size, and I ultimately ended up selling my frame due to the flex issue. Another friend of mine who is similar size is running his with a tensioner because of the flex. I tried lots of different gearing options, chianrings, cogs etc, and nothing eliminated the chainpop. Under heavy load the frame flexes, and the chain goes slack. When the frame straightens out the chain will miss the teeth on the cog then snap back in place. I was most worried about snapping a chain when this happens. I have broken chains like that before that have resulted in my smashing my knee into my stem resulting in months of pain. I opted to give up the frame. On the flip side of this I still regret it because it was the best riding 29+ frame I have owned minus this issue.


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## max-a-mill (Apr 14, 2004)

captain - you ever try a large cog like a 21 or 22 in the back? i have found larger cogs wrap the chain a lot better... maybe a very large rear cog would help with the chain getting up off the cog which leads to the popping? could you see if the chain was coming off in the front of the back?

anyone remember those funky discs on both sides of the rear cog they used to give you with the trek 69er singlespeed? 







those should work if the chain comes off in back...


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## wjphillips (Oct 13, 2008)

^ this will work really well. Sandwich the cog with two larger discs to keep the chain on.

If your hub is large enough, you can make a similar configuration with some old cog off an old cassette (I've done this with an an old road bike cassette). Just need two cogs larger than the main cog.


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## Captain_America1976 (Mar 15, 2005)

max-a-mill said:


> captain - you ever try a large cog like a 21 or 22 in the back? i have found larger cogs wrap the chain a lot better... maybe a very large rear cog would help with the chain getting up off the cog which leads to the popping? could you see if the chain was coming off in the front of the back?
> 
> anyone remember those funky discs on both sides of the rear cog they used to give you with the trek 69er singlespeed?
> View attachment 1151488
> ...


Largest I went was 20. Honestly I got tired of dumping money into it. Between cogs, rings, and chains etc. it ads up quickly. I would have been totally spun out on anything larger than 20 in the back with a 32 up front. I didn't want to spend another $100 on ring and cog (34 x 22) to find out it didn't help. I may revisit it at some point, but for now I have moved on.


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## rwitte (Apr 6, 2004)

I'm on my second SS Stache...first a 2017 Stache 7 and now a 2018 9.7. Admittedly only one ride so far on the 9.7, but so far flawless. I recall one time on my aluminum Stache where I got a bit of a pop on a really hard steep little climb. I'm 190+ kitted up, and put a good bit of power down. I have read of the problems, and I don't doubt those folks had those problems, but I have had nothing but good results. As discussed, set-up does seem to be pretty vital, and maybe I just hit the nail on the head from the get-go with that. I run a pretty low gear...32 x 21 for the climbs, though I do spin out too easily on gravel roads and flat trail sections. It's SS though right...if you're always in the wrong gear then you know you have the right gear. I also made sure chainline is as perfect as I can get visually, and I do keep chain tension higher than I have on past SS's. More specifically, I use a Wolfstooth 32T oval ring, and a Niner 21T cog. Given your current situation you have only one course of action...build that bad boy up, taking special care with your set-up, and go have fun!


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## solo-x (Feb 16, 2010)

I have no direct experience with this frame, but I do have experience with the internet's opinions about frame flex. I've seen "experts" pontificate about how stiff my frame is. So stiff to the point of being harsh. Then I've seen other "experts" declare the bb area to be so floppy one could think it was overcooked pasta, but that this made it very smooth to ride. My conclusion? If they're on the internet and sharing their "wisdom" for free, it's at best a 100% chance they're at least 50% wrong. That would seem to align with your unofficial poll as well.


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## Manicmtbr (Jan 26, 2004)

Did you stop riding your Waltworks Max-A-Mill?


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## SHowley2003 (Feb 21, 2008)

I've been riding my SStache solely as an SS setup for about 4 months now. I also have a Superfly SS. Both are AL frames w/ the stranglehold and AB oval rings/Endless cogs. Comparing the two chainline on the Stache is much more crucial and sensitive. I am about 200-205 w/ gear. I was having some popping but tightened the chain which helped. I still get an occasional chain pop on a steep punchy climb that requires max power. I'm finding I'm more likely to get the popping if my form is off. Either I picked a bad line and need to try to over correct or I'm tires and didn't carry enough momentum. Off-camber mashing results in more popping than smooth pedals strokes. Overall I climb and punch through rock gardens with minimal concerns. Maybe once a week or two I get a pop. I love the bike as a SS so much that I'm willing to deal with it. Raced 21 miles today through a tough, rooty, punchy course with zero issues.


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## max-a-mill (Apr 14, 2004)

Manicmtbr said:


> Did you stop riding your Waltworks Max-A-Mill?


yes it finally had to be retired after one too many years of neglect and hard use by me... I loved that bike (loved it to death actually). If i didn't have three kids eating up every bit of my bike budget i'd be in with walt for another but i gotta find cheaper fun these days.

that said the stache 5 i got as my daily driver last winter is FUN!!!! that tight geometry combined with the big wheels really lends itself well to some of the twisty/techy spots i love to ride around here. so fun in fact that i wanted a singlespeed version; when a great deal popped up for #2 i couldn't resist.

Couple years of riding gears almost exclusively has left me soft... I look forward to kicking my ass again with no bail out options.

the bike should be here today BUT i gotta do a scram vs shimano drivetrain test before i decide which to keep for the geared bike.

since i posted i have spoken to a local mechanic who assured me they have set up multiple staches as singlespeeds just fine. I am hopeful but i don't discount the others folks' problems. especially since i am pretty large compared to most of these racing whippets i ride with round here... ;-)

once i get it sorted i'll be sure to blab about my experience here. I definitely am no stranger to the singlespeed drivetrain so maybe i can figure out what the hell is going on for some but not for others...

i do know that dropout system is gonna need more than a peanut butter wrench if you need to mess with it trailside..


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

6+ months on a Stache as a SS. Not one problem, nor even a hint of one. I'm ~190#. 

Sportiest geometry of any stock bike today. Can't recommend it highly enough.


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## HEMIjer (Jul 17, 2008)

DUPE can be removed


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## HEMIjer (Jul 17, 2008)

I have a 2016 Stache I run geared but that bike just begs you to stand up and hammer or grind out the low cadence running up a short steep incline. I think it would be amazing SS.

I am curious as why originally with 2016 runs they actually advertised SS capabale, not sure if something with frame stiffness has changed. Anyway I think your correct give it a go with larger rear cog and NW and I bet you will be fine. 

Also I have seen a lot of people (me included once or twice) set a bike with sliders up wrong and cause issues even if that is not the cause of all the approximately half who it is not working for throws the stats off in all likelihood.

Mainly replied to hear the results and other replies.


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## SHowley2003 (Feb 21, 2008)

I just saw a new training video from Trek regarding the Stranglehold dropouts. They explicitly state that they recommend a tensioner when running the carbon Stache frame as a SS. Throughout the video they talk about seamless SS conversion in Stranglehold equipped bikes as a selling feature. Then at the end they slip in the car in Stache disclaimer.


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## The STIG (May 20, 2011)

We've got 2 riders that have the carbon frames. 1 guy is 175, the other 210 or so. Both have fought the better part of a year trying to get the popping to quit. They've tried every combination of chainring/cog/chains possible. The only thing that worked was running a tensioner. Sucks because both guys absolutely love the bike. Gears are back on one and the other is getting to be a parts donor to a different ss frame.

Riding behind them on the trail you can see it flex a good bit. Maybe trek can fix the issue with version 2. Being a guinea pig sucks


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## max-a-mill (Apr 14, 2004)

well my experiment is on hold as some ebay shyster decided to try to pass off a large as an XL and sent me the wrong sized bike. handling it through ebay; but for now at least i have no second stache to singlespeed.

if anyone wants to sell an XL aluminum stache frame (preferably the 2016 stache 5 with a matching rigid fork) PM me.


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## mcd (Jan 12, 2004)

i did a year on the og stache 5 ss....i'm 200 with gear and a masher.... 30/18 and no slippage... got a carbon one this year and guys behind me are like "whoa your bike flexes" but i spent a bit of time dialing in my chainline and if it pops twice in one ride i give my tensioner a half turn and i've found that keeping my chain a bit tighter than usual and i dont' have any pops... knock on wood, even when it popped i never dropped the chain... also, been using a 9 or 10spd chain instead of ss....


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## nanobiker (Sep 9, 2008)

Used mine for about 6 months with no issues at all.


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## Mcl2u2 (Nov 30, 2016)

Ok. I'm probably 175 kitted up and have been riding a 2016 Stache 5 SS for over a year. I run Absolute Black oval 32 up front and Absolutely Black 18 rear. Both are wide narrow. I also run a KMC 11 speed diamond chain on the loose side with no pops or chain drops. For me running it tight only caused everything to pop and grind. Only problem I have is running it full rigid causes the front end tends to bounce of the trail in corners every so often, but it's still a blast to ride.









Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk


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## RatBikeRod (Jun 27, 2019)

So, I am going to use my substantial skills as a long dead thread necromancer to resurrect this thread. 

Oh, long dead thread - REVIVE! 

Ok, now that that is done, I was curious a few years later if there was any more input on this. I am heavily considering switching my 2019 Stache 7 into a Single Speed. However, I am 6’6” and typically weigh between 235 and 250. I plan on using Wolftooth and Surly steel components to make this switch but, reading this thread, am a bit worried about having issues with chain pop. 

Now, I am not an aggressive rider but just switching over will mean a lot more stress on components. 

Any additional thoughts on this being a good or bad idea for someone my size?

I love the Stache, but need to do something as I am not so enamored with the Sram NX components.


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

RatBikeRod said:


> So, I am going to use my substantial skills as a long dead thread necromancer to resurrect this thread.
> 
> Oh, long dead thread - REVIVE!
> 
> ...


Seems this could be an opportunity to experiment. Starting with shorter gearing is not going to be too hard on the bike however, it will take some miles to gain strength and also learn technique or the art of singlespeeding and become efficient. As you mentioned, you are larger individual but also a mild rider rather than aggressive rider. 

Chain pop can happen from several sources. 

1. Chain tension.
2. Chainstay flex under hard acceleration.
3. Chain line alignment.

You can give it a test or experiment by setting your bike in a gear and keeping it there through a ride and see how it performs. Really, no need to change a thing! No removal of any parts... Just set in a mid range gear and have a ride like you typically would. 

I say, give it a try and learn what your bike does. This can also help you determine if a one speed automatic is your cup o rosie before you start spending and swapping parts.


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## RatBikeRod (Jun 27, 2019)

BansheeRune said:


> Seems this could be an opportunity to experiment. Starting with shorter gearing is not going to be too hard on the bike however, it will take some miles to gain strength and also learn technique or the art of singlespeeding and become efficient. As you mentioned, you are larger individual but also a mild rider rather than aggressive rider.
> 
> Chain pop can happen from several sources.
> 
> ...


Very good points, and a good idea to test it on this bike. 

I should have mentioned that I do already have a single speed. I have an old Trek Rig I recently revived and turned into a pseudo-drop bar gravel bike with a Surly Corner Bar. It is one reason I am considering doing this with the Stache. I realized just how much I missed riding SS. I have been enjoying the Rig once again. 

My thoughts, if I like running the Stache without gear changes for a while would be to build up another rear wheel that would be dedicated to SS as opposed to doing a conversion on my existing wheel. Then, maybe, getting the alignment spot on would be easier. I am trying to avoid a tensioner if I can. I think the Stache's sliding drop outs would allow this, but that could be cause, as noted in this thread, for more chain pop. 

I feel like this bike is so suited to a SS setup that it would be a blast to ride like that. Plus, I would love the ease of maintenance.


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

RatBikeRod said:


> Very good points, and a good idea to test it on this bike.
> 
> I should have mentioned that I do already have a single speed. I have an old Trek Rig I recently revived and turned into a pseudo-drop bar gravel bike with a Surly Corner Bar. It is one reason I am considering doing this with the Stache. I realized just how much I missed riding SS. I have been enjoying the Rig once again.
> 
> ...


Sliders supercede tensioners! Some tensioners are prone to chain pop and/or skip!

On another note, I made spacers for my Surly cog to reside on an HG spline of Carlon 1 1/4" PVC that have been a no drama solution however, I need to source some aluminum or better yet, here comes, Ti to make a two piece set of spacers cause Sunspot is worthy of groovy stuff! 

Items on the shelf...

Cogs of various sizes.
Chains tailored to the 30T front and appropriate cog. 

Those items make a gear changeover a few minutes of pissing Sunspot off before a ride. Sunspot cools off as soon as a ride commences so no argument between rider and bike to be resolved by the terrain! 😁


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