# SS or no SS...that is the question



## 907hucker (Jun 26, 2006)

I have a 06 p3 and am considering going single speed....what are the pros and cons of both SS and mutipul speed bikes .....im a park and urban rider if that helps...what do you guys think????


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## fiddy_ryder (Jun 15, 2005)

park meaning ramps, bowls and rails? SS all the way.. urban SS all the way unless you got a stupid climb up city streets to get to your spot..


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## zaefod (Apr 8, 2005)

Yeah, SS is nice and simple but ya gots no gears man. If you are tired of dealing with a shifter and think you can pick a ratio and stick with it then go for it. Personally I like to have gears.


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## Epschoenly (Jan 25, 2006)

OK, I have ridden all differnet ways, First my bike was 24 speeds, which is stupid for the mostly street riding I do, next we went down to just 8 speeds, abou the same as having 24, I really just didn't feel liek having the rig up an SS for cheap so I rode like that for a good while. Until, one day at the skatepark land a jump a little sideways and pof there goes a derailer hanger, I got it replace and left the derailer, but turns out that in the course of the derailer riding through my spokes it made it all floppy, and it happened again just riding, so well it was spend 40 for a 'railer, or an SS setup, and I was just thought **** it and went SS. Man am I happier now, no stupid chain floping around, smaking ****, just riding and not thinking about gears or nothing.I'd definately recomend going SS!


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## standard235 (Jul 23, 2005)

Sometimes I like gears. Sometimes I like to stand and spin the hell out of my singlespeed. Soon, I'll have a 6" Stab with gears, and my P.1, with gears.


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## jake2119 (Feb 27, 2006)

When I ride park and street I was always I never shifter except when I first started my ride and the rear rings I switched between where next to each other. So it made sense to go SS with all the benefits other mentioned.


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## skatetokil (Apr 27, 2004)

i go on urban rides on my STP (gears) with mostly ss'rs and they are just as fast as me. maybe thats because we just end up sprinting the whole time, i dont know.


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## todd_freeride (Aug 9, 2005)

I would go SS. gears do help (me atleast) a hell of a lot. mostly for street and trials moves only though. for park you're going to love SS. its just a little harder to do more tialsy/street moves with out gears I think.


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## 907hucker (Jun 26, 2006)

well...what do i need to get to convert my p. to ss....and abbout how much do u thik it will cost..?


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

SS is the way to go. Less parts to break, less weight, less money in the long run.

Think about 30 bucks for a SS specific cog and some nice cassette spacers. Another 20 if you decide to go with a super bling Shadow Conspiracy Interloc v2 half-link chain. And of course you can always get the SS specific rear hub.


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## 56Bulldogs (May 1, 2006)

I paid $20 for a new 32T Blackspire front ring, $20 for a Gusset SS kit, and $25 for a half link chain. I also bought an e.13 bash because I broke my other one. I spent around $110 total. 

Totally worth it in my opinion. I don't miss the gears and love the quietness - no more chain slapping around everywhere.


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## ihatemybike (Nov 27, 2005)

Unless you really need gears to get up some hills near you, go single speed.


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## 907hucker (Jun 26, 2006)

what ratio do you guys recomend?


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## ihatemybike (Nov 27, 2005)

That will depend on where you live. I live near Chicago and are hills aren't that big.

I use 36/16 with 26" wheels

Normal for 26" would be 36/17 or equivilant, 24" would be 36/16 or equivilant.


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## fiddy_ryder (Jun 15, 2005)

most guys run 2:1 for 26" wheels.. 32-16 is most common.


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## 907hucker (Jun 26, 2006)

thanks


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## aznsap (Jul 7, 2006)

if i have only one bike, it's probably best to keep my gears huh? i'm in chicago, and true, it's not that hilly as ihatemybike said, but i use my bike for everything, including biking to work/class.


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## standard235 (Jul 23, 2005)

Sometimes gears are nice. Like that huge hill in front of you to go down, and you're late to work. This SS is nice to work on, but that 11t cog would get me down a LOT faster, and hell, have some fun too.


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## 907hucker (Jun 26, 2006)

whats a 11t cog?


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## borry (Nov 7, 2005)

907hucker said:


> whats a 11t cog?


A cog that has 11 Teeth(t).

The less amount of teeth, the higher the gear ratio (i think?). So with less teeth on the rear cog you can go faster (more top speed), but not have as good acceleration as... say a 16-17t cog.

Personal preference.

BTW, someone correct me if I am wrong... :thumbsup:


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## ihatemybike (Nov 27, 2005)

aznsap said:


> if i have only one bike, it's probably best to keep my gears huh? i'm in chicago, and true, it's not that hilly as ihatemybike said, but i use my bike for everything, including biking to work/class.


How far is work/class? Anything less than four mile, go single speed. I ride my 36/16 around Chicago with no problems. Been known to start in the Loop and finish at Wilson Skatepark. I've also rode from Ohare to Elgin to get home one night due to Metra not allowing bikes on during Taste of Chicago. (doh!) If you keep gears check out a North Shore Billet Hanger Banger to protect your derailer from getting dropped on.


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## standard235 (Jul 23, 2005)

You're correct. 11t is the common 9th cog on 9 spd.


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## chris27 (Apr 24, 2006)

Go for it! I was thinking about it for ages but eventually did it and i wont go back unless i have to travel alot more than i do already (i usually travel about 8-10 miles a day to college/town)


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## 907hucker (Jun 26, 2006)

really? thats pretty far .......how is it up hills?


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## fiddy_ryder (Jun 15, 2005)

8-10 miles/day is cake...


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

I do around 2k miles a summer.


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## Raghavan (Aug 14, 2005)

I have 32:15 right now on my bike. It's awesome, except when the tensioner keeps banging the frame and skips the chain a lot.


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## sandyP1 (Jun 20, 2006)

you mean a singulator???it hangs like a derailler. if you already have ss, just take it off and pull your wheel back for tension. thats if you have horizontal drop outs. if you have vertical, idk what to tell ya.


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## BikeSATORI (Mar 20, 2004)

Raghavan said:


> I have 32:15 right now on my bike. It's awesome, except when the tensioner keeps banging the frame and skips the chain a lot.


this would be caused by a cheap spring tensioner. you want a stationary solid tensioner, such as a Rennen, a Gusset Bachelor, and DMR might have one now I think. it is held in place by a screw that goes in where the derailleur was and the tensioner itself goes on the axle. That is if you have an SS that is converted with vertical dropouts.


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## Aaron D (Dec 14, 2005)

singe speed is the best

gears are for queers


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