# Single Speed FAQ



## CHUM (Aug 30, 2004)

MTBR.com Single Speed Forum - Single Speed FAQ


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

Chum, why is there no mention of sliders or swingers in the FAQ?


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## Highlander1 (Jan 4, 2013)

Ride a single fixed and dont need brakes


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## LEARNTOTANGO (Jun 19, 2008)

Highlander1 said:


> Ride a single fixed and dont need brakes


Also great for slamming the **** out of your pedals and massive street (trail) cred...and epic skidding.:thumbsup:


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## Khoder (Jan 21, 2013)

Hey guys 
Just bought my new SS today after having a cannondale badboy ultra 09' it's hard at the moment but I'm sure I will get use to it, and I sure can feel those quads! Hahah


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## kleavers (Jan 29, 2013)

Hi! I am new to Mt. biking and this forum...so this may be in the wrong place...but it's worth a try...
I inherited a bianchi MUSS SS and would love to switch the rigid fork out for shocks...how do I select the shocks that will fit? I am a student on a budget, would looking for a used shock be a good idea?
thank you for your help!!!


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## [email protected] (Mar 14, 2013)

To new to start anew thread but I will try to ask here
I have the new XX1 11 speed set up and love it I want to change to SS again after race season and need a cog so I can keep my XX1 cranks. A 10 speed chain will work as some people are using it instead of the 11 speed detailer and cassette anyway the question is who makes a cog to work with the 11 speed chain or a 10 speed chain that works with the new HD rings?
Anyone?
Tanks in advance for any help


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## Obi (Oct 16, 2005)

CHUM said:


> MTBR.com Single Speed Forum - Single Speed FAQ


You can't make me read all that.


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## Slyham (Jun 24, 2015)

CHUM said:


> MTBR.com Single Speed Forum - Single Speed FAQ


The link appears to be broken.


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## 1x1_Speed_Craig (Jan 14, 2004)

Holy flashback. I wrote that SS FAQ page close to 15 years ago. I'm not sure who was maintaining it over the past decade and a half, but it's a bummer to see a dead link here.


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## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

Hmm, That link was still working a few months back. Something happened.


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## socal_jack (Dec 30, 2008)

Moderators or website devs wipe it out every now and then I PM'd them last time to get it restored. In fact they deleted this sticky too.


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## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

^ thanks!


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2018)

Is the link dead for everyone else? I'm new here.


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## 1x1_Speed_Craig (Jan 14, 2004)

NAU83 said:


> Is the link dead for everyone else? I'm new here.


Welcome! Yeah, the link is now dead, for some reason. I'm not sure who owns the page/site now.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

What I love most about this thread is that it was determined that the original link is dead, but this still gets sticky status, despite being functionally useless now. Maybe it's useful as a lesson to not bury helpful advice in external links. 

Sent from my LM-X212(G) using Tapatalk


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## 1x1_Speed_Craig (Jan 14, 2004)

NDD said:


> What I love most about this thread is that it was determined that the original link is dead, but this still gets sticky status, despite being functionally useless now. Maybe it's useful as a lesson to not bury helpful advice in external links.


 Hysterical (and true)!


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## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

I've tried to get this reactivated by contacting mods multiple times, never received a reply. 

It really was a great resource, I wish I just had access to it for one day so I could copy the info and share it. Really a bummer that it's gone.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

*OneSpeed* said:


> I've tried to get this reactivated by contacting mods multiple times, never received a reply.
> 
> It really was a great resource, I wish I just had access to it for one day so I could copy the info and share it. Really a bummer that it's gone.


I'm sure. I visited hoping for some info, since I'm new to single speed as far as mountain bikes go. I'm having a lot of fun on my 17 year old monocog, though I could see the desire to upgrade to a more modern bike creeping up on me in the next few years...hopefully I can abstain that long.


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## Klurejr (Oct 13, 2006)

Saw the report and opened up a thread in the mods section in hopes a site admin can check it out.


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## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

Klurejr said:


> Saw the report and opened up a thread in the mods section in hopes a site admin can check it out.


Sweeeet!! Thanks!


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## rockcrusher (Aug 28, 2003)

Here is the internet wayback machine version: https://web.archive.org/web/20160413045526/http://www.mtbr.com/ssfaqcrx.aspx

here is the actual non-shortened url:

```
http://www.mtbr.com/ssfaqcrx.aspx
```
if you want to search it out yourself and gather the data.


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## NDD (Jul 22, 2013)

rockcrusher said:


> Here is the internet wayback machine version: https://web.archive.org/web/20160413045526/http://www.mtbr.com/ssfaqcrx.aspx
> 
> here is the actual non-shortened url:
> 
> ...


Thanks! I've got some reading to do.

Sent from my LM-X212(G) using Tapatalk


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## Cayenne_Pepa (Dec 18, 2007)

I'm buying a SEVEN Verve 29er SS soon. I cannot wait, but at the same time I'm absolutely scared Shytless too...


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## 1x1_Speed_Craig (Jan 14, 2004)

Cayenne_Pepa said:


> I'm buying a SEVEN Verve 29er SS soon. I cannot wait, but at the same time I'm absolutely scared Shytless too...


I certainly hope you like yours better than I did mine. I had both a Sola and a Teres 20 years ago, and wasn't particularly impressed with either of them. They were pretty, but the price didn't match the ride quality, IMHO. Lots of my money gone. I sold them and got my first Surly 1x1, and loved it much more than either of the Sevens.

Craig


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## Cayenne_Pepa (Dec 18, 2007)

1x1_Speed_Craig said:


> I certainly hope you like yours better than I did mine. I had both a Sola and a Teres 20 years ago, and wasn't particularly impressed with either of them. They were pretty, but the price didn't match the ride quality, IMHO. Lots of my money gone. I sold them and got my first Surly 1x1, and loved it much more than either of the Sevens.
> 
> Craig


What was the disappointing factors? I know SEVEN has come a long way in 20 years. I believe the Verve 29 is a 2009 model and I'm getting it cheap. Any insight helps here, because I know I'm in for a suffer-fest real soon.


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## 1x1_Speed_Craig (Jan 14, 2004)

Cayenne_Pepa said:


> What was the disappointing factors? I know SEVEN has come a long way in 20 years. I believe the Verve 29 is a 2009 model and I'm getting it cheap. Any insight helps here, because I know I'm in for a suffer-fest real soon.


I'm not familiar with the Verve, but see it's not in their current line-up. If you're getting it pretty cheap, I would say to give it a shot. They are beautiful bikes.

My issues with the Sola (hardtail that I owned the longest) is that the ride quality was much stiffer than I expected. The Surly 1x1 that replaced it actually rode much nicer at approximately 1/10 of the price (I bought both of my frames new).

The seatpost also regularly slipped in the carbon seat tube insert.

I bought into the marketing hype, when the reality (for me) was that I spent a ****-ton of money for pretty frames that didn't have the ride quality that the market said they would. I'm thankful, though, as it was my gateway into steel frames, which I have been riding exclusively since selling off the high-end titanium frames.

Craig


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## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

Cayenne_Pepa said:


> Any insight helps here, because *I know I'm in for a suffer-fest real soon.*


It's not as bad as people make it out to be, You'll be just fine. Will it push you a little outside your comfort zone? Yes. Will you likely enjoy and embrace the challenge after a few rides? Hell yes.

The only drawback IMO will be the dated geometry, but if there's one bike that it's kind of OK to have old geo on it's a hardtail/rigid SS.

Should be a pretty sweet ride. Post up some pics when you get it rolling.


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## Cayenne_Pepa (Dec 18, 2007)

I see a few Singlespeeders using drop bars and/or Mary/Jones/Groovy bars. Any benefit to those, over a wide flat or riser?


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## chazpat (Sep 23, 2006)

Cayenne_Pepa said:


> I see a few Singlespeeders using drop bars and/or Mary bars. Any benefit to those, over a wide flat or riser?


I haven't ever tried drop bars on an actual mtb but I sometimes ride my CX on singletrack. You don't get a lot of leverage with drop bars (some of the dirt drops would be better I'm sure), and braking on the hoods tires my hands out pretty quick, but I guess on a mtb you might not have to brake as much on the rough. I finally learned to descend in the drops, better braking and gets your COG lower. The drop bars are great on smoother sections but I wouldn't want them on a mtb on most trails.


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## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

Cayenne_Pepa said:


> I see a few Singlespeeders using drop bars and/or Mary bars. Any benefit to those, over a wide flat or riser?


Not if you plan on riding single track. Drops are great for gravel but not great in the woods.


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## rockcrusher (Aug 28, 2003)

Still located here: MTBR.com Single Speed Forum - Single Speed FAQ Still works amazingly.


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## 1x1_Speed_Craig (Jan 14, 2004)

rockcrusher said:


> Still located here: MTBR.com Single Speed Forum - Single Speed FAQ Still works amazingly.


That link wouldn't open for me, but I'm glad it's working for you, and still relevant after so many years! 

Craig


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## Ogre (Feb 17, 2005)

I know late to this, but the person you replied to posted a link to the web archive which had a cached version of the site. 

You are correct, the link in the top of this discussion is broken.


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## Krapper2 (Sep 11, 2020)

*OneSpeed* said:


> Not if you plan on riding single track. Drops are great for gravel but not great in the woods.


I have to agree. I built up a SS gravel bike last year, and ended up on some ST. Scared me. I felt like I was going to slip off the hoods when braking. In the drops my setup wasn't great either. I could make it work, but it was limting. Then I got a Ritchey venture max XL. Wider and flared with a shallow drop and I am much more confident. Haven't had it out on any ST yet, so we'll see.


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## coleam (Aug 8, 2009)

Krapper2 said:


> I have to agree. I built up a SS gravel bike last year, and ended up on some ST. Scared me. I felt like I was going to slip off the hoods when braking. In the drops my setup wasn't great either. I could make it work, but it was limting. Then I got a Ritchey venture max XL. Wider and flared with a shallow drop and I am much more confident. Haven't had it out on any ST yet, so we'll see.


I've done quite a bit of singletrack on my gravel bike, and it's perfectly manageable. Drops are definitely better than tops - better grip, and better leverage for braking. I wouldn't choose drop bars for a bike that I planned to ride on singletrack most of the time though.

FWIW, I run Salsa Cowchippers.


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