# Inexpensive singlespeed 29er- best deal



## Ride_2_Fast (Jan 15, 2006)

Hi everyone,
looking for inexpensive singlespeed 29er to try it out... my first SS.
I have been riding quite a lot other bikes but no SS.
With winter coming I also want bike that will not require much maintenance for winter.

WANT: Cheap, safe for riding, decent geometry- not overly upright, do not care about the weight at this point and also realize for cheap I will not get light

I am finding this on Nashbar for $360; it seems like good match...

I THERE ANY BETTER DEAL FOR STARTER 29ER SS?

Nashbar Single Speed 29er Mountain Bike - Mountain Bikes


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## essinem4130 (Jun 20, 2011)




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## danraley41 (Oct 12, 2011)

Here is what I just got, I had an issue with a faulty front tire, but as you can see from my post I put up about it bikesdirect took care of me so far on it. I took into my LBS and they thought it was a pretty nice bike, especially for the price.

Save up to 60% off new Mountain Bikes - MTB - Gravity 29Point1 29er Mountain Bikes


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## Muxherdlr (Jul 9, 2011)

I bought the Nashbar about a month ago. I have over 100 miles on it now! I love it!


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## tims5377 (Oct 20, 2010)

Mountain Bikes - 29er SingleSpeed - Dawes Deadeye
Ive been on this exclusively all season. so far no issues.


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## Muxherdlr (Jul 9, 2011)

I got the Nashbar for $300,I was a 20% off promo for single speeds. Also,Nashbar charges tax. Need to add that cost to budget.


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## PoisonDartFrog (Jul 8, 2010)

I have ridden this exact bike for 2 years now. It's a great deal. I have made a lot of upgrades, but the frame, fork, BB and crankset are all still stock. The wheels are 2nd hand WTB Laserdisc 29 Trail off of someone's Moto Fantom Pro 29er. Kept the stock Alex rims and 16t cog with street tires and commuting. Best upgrade was a set of Avid BB7s with Jagwire pads and Jagwire Ripcord cables. For ~$150 these give great braking performance. 

This bike is my protest against bikes that cost thousands of dollars. It's bargain basement, cheap, strong, and it rides just fine for XC. 

BTW, frame and fork are an OEM 2008 SE Stout, in case you were not aware.


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## Brewtality (Jul 25, 2007)

I know a few guys that started out with the Nashbar SS. Its a cheap way to get into the SS world.:thumbsup:


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## HeyitsDave (Jul 20, 2009)

Nashbar 100%.:thumbsup: I've put a nice chain and xt hubbed mavic wheels I love this thing and I wouldn't ride anything else. I've put 2000 miles of xc on it.
When they were out of stock a while back I just had to have another to put gears on. I got the clif 29.1 from bikesdirect it is the same bike with wire bead tires and worse crankset otherwise, same bike.


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## Crack Monkey (Sep 25, 2006)

The Nashbar and BikeDirect will be the cheapest, or close to it. But, check with your local shop to see what they can do with left-over 2011s. I know Trek is blowing out their 2011 stock and imagine the other brands are as well. Still won't come close to matching the online/direct prices, but potentially a much nicer bike that you'll want to keep.


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## sayzawn (Jul 15, 2011)

I was just at the LBS and saw a complete Monocog for $469, so that's another option.


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## PoisonDartFrog (Jul 8, 2010)

Btw the FSA V-Drive Megaexo crankset on the Nashbar is about $125 by itself.


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## FOAM (Jun 8, 2011)

ccs1676 said:


> I was just at the LBS and saw a complete Monocog for $469, so that's another option.


That's a good price for a great SS!


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## elmoreman (Sep 23, 2009)

I got a Moncog 29er from my LBS this summer for $409. I have since put on a nice shock, clip ins, different seat I had laying around, and some BB7's. I loved the feel of the rigid, until I did some rocky, rooty trails around here. My 41 y.o. body didnt agree with it, nor did my healing rib from a fall earlier in the summer.

So now I have a hardtail SS. I love the monocog. Planning on going tubeless next year, but thats about the only change left. Its not light, but I'm faster uphill cause I cant wuss out. 

My HiFi sits gathering dust now, pulled out for long dirt road rides, but thats about it.


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## Bighec (Apr 1, 2009)

Dawes Bulleye on Bikesdirect looks sweet... $400


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## Mike_243us (Jan 14, 2008)

Don't know where you live but if you check Craigs list you can find some good buys.

2011 Trek "Marlin" 17.5" SS 29er

BTW I ride a Mary SS 29'er bought the bike for 500 thn found a 2010 frame for 100 just for the addd stand over wnt to tubeless now it is about all I ride it is like a big bmx bike...


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## Glide the Clyde (Nov 12, 2009)

Cheap steel = BD Dawes Deadeye/Bullseye, Stout SE

Cheap alloy = BD Gravity, Nashbar

Step up steel = Redline Monocogs


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## Houndog45 (Oct 27, 2010)

How much does a 29" Monocog frame weigh?


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## mtnbiker72 (Jan 22, 2007)

Malibu412 said:


> Cheap steel = BD Dawes Deadeye/Bullseye, Stout SE
> 
> Cheap alloy = BD Gravity, Nashbar
> 
> Step up steel = Redline Monocogs


I know the Monocog Flite has stepped up steel, but I think the standard Monocog is strait gage 4130 just like the Dawes and (2009) SE Stout. Construction is probably better than the Dawes...those are some damn ugly welds


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## rbrandow (Oct 14, 2010)

There's no real good answer to the question really, but I'll try:

I asked the same thing myself last year, and ended up with a BikesDirect Dawes Deadeye. I paid a little less than it's currently going for. Cool bike, dug the paint job, it was a little heavy (~31lbs) but so what.

Got addicted to riding shortly thereafter and spent WAY more on upgrades than I would have if I'd spent even twice as much on initial investment. Maybe 3 times. After the dust settled this season, I blew a 12 month total of maybe $2000 into the bike, and ended up (after some screaming deals) a bike close to a $1600 GF Rig.

I liked the Bikes Direct bike real well, and I owe my new obsession to that bike. But I would've saved more if I'd spent more. Jumping into the Rig right off is too big a bite to swallow for a new rider. At the end of the day, there isn't much difference between the SE Stout, any of the BD 29ers, or the Redline Monocog. Very similar crop of components. Based on everything I've seen so far, the best deal is PROBABLY the Gary Fisher Marlin SS. The frame on the GF is real light, which makes it a more rewarding platform to upgrade, if the fancy takes you. The fork is junk, crap, garbage pogo-stick-in-a-steel-tube, but for trying out the sport that's not the worst offense ever. The disk brakes that come with it are more-or-less equal to BB5's, which are fine. The wheels are heavy, but sturdy.

Marlin SS gets my vote. A riding buddy of mine got one down under 25lbs without going to any crazy extremes, that's borderline impossible on a Dawes/Stout/Monocog.


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## jwood70 (Mar 22, 2011)

rbrandow said:


> There's no real good answer to the question really, but I'll try:
> 
> I asked the same thing myself last year, and ended up with a BikesDirect Dawes Deadeye. I paid a little less than it's currently going for. Cool bike, dug the paint job, it was a little heavy (~31lbs) but so what.
> 
> ...


I agree with what you said except for the last part. I have 21 inch frame Monocog 29er that with new wheels would be at or within half a pound of 25lbs. I have changed bar, stem, tires (wore out the stock WTBs), brakes (bb5 take offs from my hard tail) and saddle (from the parts bin). As it sits it weighs 28.1 lbs. My front wheel weighs 5 pounds its self. I imagine the rear wheel is half a pound heavier. Upgrading wheels would get the bike lighter, but I have had no problems with the stock wheels and haven't had to true them but 2 times in 4 years.


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## senttrox (Sep 16, 2006)

I think I'll go with on*one Inbred 29 not as cheap, but it's steel!


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## Glide the Clyde (Nov 12, 2009)

mtnbiker72 said:


> ...those are some damn ugly welds


For sure but they are plenty strong enough. :thumbsup:


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## jwood70 (Mar 22, 2011)

senttrox said:


> I think I'll go with on*one Inbred 29 not as cheap, but it's steel!


I can't seem to find a price for the on*one Inbred, but I am finding the SE Stout at around $440 (steel SS 29er) and the Redline Monocog 29er which I know is going for around the same price (also steel SS 29er). There are a few inexpensive Steel SS 29ers. Just saying that there are more out there than the on*one


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## dhalsey (Aug 10, 2010)

My se stout is my goto bike now. I haven't rode my trek remedy since I bought it.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk


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## fryed_1 (Nov 8, 2010)

I built up an '08 alum SE Stout at the end of last year. I just topped 1500 miles on it in 11 months. Including the carbon fork, I might have $600 invested in this bike and it's done me well. I'm only just now looking to get a custom frame made to replace the SE Stout and will likely rebuild it again for a spare.










I've since done away with the flatbars, gone with a setback seatpost, 70mm stem and wider riser bars and tossed on some XT hydros (180 rotors front and rear).


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## pecsokak (Sep 23, 2010)

I found a barely used 2011 Monocog 29er on CL for 400 a few months ago. the guy had put BB7s and some big apple slicks on it, and it looked like he had never used the bike. The slicks were on it when I bought it, so presumably he was just cruising the streets on it.

There are good deals out there if you can afford to be patient. Otherwise i would have gone with one of the bikes direct one. I had my eye on the dawes deadeye, but I got a monocog with bb7s for just a bit more.


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## Spinnyspinspin (Aug 11, 2011)

Monocogs are awesome! And as far as weight is concerned, my 2010 only weighs 28 pounds. Everything is stock except for the pedals (Shimano M520s). I've also added a horn, a Tomicog, two Frog lights, and a Cateye headlight, so there are plenty of places to shave weight off a stock 'Cog.


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## PoisonDartFrog (Jul 8, 2010)

I tend to disagree with the upgrade argument, especially for newbie bike owners. There is nothing wrong (IMO) with buying an affordable but solid bike and making upgrades, especially if you do them yourself and learn to work on your own bike.

Sure, in the end you will probably end up spending more in total than if you had bought a fancier off-the-rack bike, but you also get to research and learn about components, installation, etc. And in the end, those skills will save you a LOT of money. Plus, tinkering on your bike is a fun pastime. So when you figure that into the added cost, it's not that bad.


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## jwood70 (Mar 22, 2011)

PoisonDartFrog said:


> I tend to disagree with the upgrade argument, especially for newbie bike owners. There is nothing wrong (IMO) with buying an affordable but solid bike and making upgrades, especially if you do them yourself and learn to work on your own bike.
> 
> Sure, in the end you will probably end up spending more in total than if you had bought a fancier off-the-rack bike, but you also get to research and learn about components, installation, etc. And in the end, those skills will save you a LOT of money. Plus, tinkering on your bike is a fun pastime. So when you figure that into the added cost, it's not that bad.


Another point is the fact that you can make the bike yours. You have the final say in how you want to upgrade it. With a off the rack bike, you get the manufacturers spec list. Most people end up upgrading higher end bikes when they get them depending on what they want their bike to be.


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## Ride_2_Fast (Jan 15, 2006)

PoisonDartFrog said:


> I tend to disagree with the upgrade argument, especially for newbie bike owners.


There is upgrade that makes sense but upgrading $360 dollar bike does not. $360 bike is good just for goofing around and not for serious sport (like races, longer endurance rides). It is just a starter bike and that is what I was inquiring about...

Couple people talked about newbie... I may have not owned a singlespeed bike but by no means am I newbie.
I have build many bikes from ground up and own several with investment I wish was lower. Short story- I basically want to try out singlespeed and do not want to spend much money or time building one at this point.... Maybe in the future if I like it....

So, this topic was opened for sole purpose of soliciting the best deals on entry level 29er singlespeeds, which I think it did... but if you have other suggestions please chip in...

Thanks everyone for their input


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## PoisonDartFrog (Jul 8, 2010)

jwood70 said:


> Another point is the fact that you can make the bike yours. You have the final say in how you want to upgrade it. With a off the rack bike, you get the manufacturers spec list. Most people end up upgrading higher end bikes when they get them depending on what they want their bike to be.


Yep and that's probably why I won't buy another off the rack bike. Every one I look at might have some components I like and a bunch more I don't. Might as well build it a bit at a time with what I want as I catch deals.

Plus, the ever-rising cost of bikes just pisses me off lately. I may be unreasonable, but when you can easily pay $2-3k for a bike with only mid-range components, well, what's the point?

The really ironic part is that it seems the more I can afford the pricier bikes, the less willing I am to spend that much money on them. Besides, the "cheap" bikes today are better than the high-end expensive bikes of 10 or 15 years ago.

My first MTB was a 1991 GT Karakoram. My Nashbar/SE Stout SS 29er with discs is a better all-around bike (gears notwithstanding) than the GT, it's lighter, it rides better, and it's still cheaper 20 years later.


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