# Top 5 upgrades for a stock single speed.



## DPeper (Jan 24, 2013)

Have a single speed and looking to upgrade a little at a time. Without breaking the bank. If I we're upgrading a $100 at a shot, where should it go to be best used. I may do four or five different upgrades over time.
1.If you know where a good deal is please post the link someone including me night need it.
2.No Chinese carbon, cuz I ride rough trails and weigh 195. I'd be freaking out thinking it's going to break. 
3.Post a pic of the upgrade because in the end...fashion counts


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## padrefan1982 (Mar 2, 2005)

Not what you want to hear, but from my point of view, outside of contact points (saddle, grips, etc) and gearing / tires for your location/riding style fitness level, theres not a lot to upgrade on a singlespeed until things wear out.

Not as fun, but I'd save my money up for either a sweet wheel set or a just spend my 100 bucks on regular road trips to ride in new/different places.

My 2 cents.


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## stremf (Dec 7, 2012)

1. Hubs
2. Rims
3. Spokes
4. Tires
5. Beverages


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## cbrock450 (Apr 18, 2008)

If you are only looking to spend a $100 each time you are pretty limited. I would go with wider bars.


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## Lic-Niner (Feb 15, 2009)

$100 can get you a pair of tires that are lighter or more suited to your terrain, or a tubeless conversion if you haven't done those yet. Those will make more difference than any other cheap mod. But change your bars/grips/seat/stem or whatever else to adjust fitment to keep you comfortable longer.


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## arphaxhad (Apr 17, 2008)

cbrock450 said:


> If you are only looking to spend a $100 each time you are pretty limited. I would go with wider bars.


+1... or maybe a bomb-proof bottom bracket


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## hrv013 (Jul 10, 2013)

What single speed? If it uses a freewheel, a white industries freewheel is a nice upgrade.


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## rob1035 (Apr 20, 2007)

1. Ride more
2. Ride with people that are faster than you
3. Ride longer with faster people
4. Ride more long rides with faster people
5. Ride harder trails for longer with faster people
6. A premium wheelset (I9, King, Hope, etc)


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## AlexCuse (Nov 27, 2011)

Do you have mechanical disc brakes? Or v brakes even? Good cables and compressionless housing make a huge difference if so. Should be able to get that and a nice saddle for around 100 I think, but I'm a cheap date.


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## sdwhitey (Apr 3, 2010)

1) As padrefan mentioned above, my first priority would be to get a suitable gear ratio. Many stock bikes seem to come with 32/18 or 33/18 gearing. I've found that 32/20 is ideal for my local terrain/fitness/leg strength. So my first upgrade was a 20t surly cog.
2) Upgrade to a short stem and wide bar if that fits your riding style. Since you're into fashion a bright anodized bar might add some bling to your rig. 
3) Tires - but not until I wore out the stock ones that came with the bike


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## JeffL (Jan 25, 2009)

A BBG bash guard is the cheapest way to save some weight and add bling. The BBG guard is the best-valued part on this entire build.
www.bbgbashguard.com/Mountainbike.html


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

I think I'd save the $100 until it became ~$800 and then have some real fun.


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## Cotharyus (Jun 21, 2012)

Stevob said:


> I think I'd save the $100 until it became ~$800 and then have some real fun.


Yep. That. Because a good wheelset is worth it's weight in gold. That said, one change I really liked on my bike was changing over to a carbon seat post. It's not "chinese" carbon, don't feel limited to that, because in my head, I've already thrown your $100 budget out the window. I weigh more than you, and ride plenty of rough trails, and going to a 27.2 carbon post from the aluminum that came on my bike let me be a lot more comfortable spinning on coasting on flats with a little texture to them. It's more flexible and doesn't try to shove the saddle through the top of your head every time you hit a bump. Carbon bars, and a carbon fork are also nice touches, a little lighter, and they soften the ride up a little without disconnecting you from the trail the way suspension does.


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## HitmenOnlyInc (Jul 20, 2012)

I am for saving up for primo wheels, but I also know how the upgrade bug bites. If you shop you can find some carbon bits fairly inexpensively. You won't beat $35 bucks for a name brand carbon seat post.

Easton EC70 Zero 400mm 30.9 White Logo Seatpost | Easton | Brand | www.PricePoint.com

I picked up one of these a few weeks ago, very nice!


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## DPeper (Jan 24, 2013)

Like all the ideas but the wheels keep coming up in almost all the posts. What is considered a light weight wheel? I can always build them one at a time. 

Light weight wheels weigh what? 1900 grams for the set. KEEP IN MIND BUDGET. 

Thinking Surley New Ultra Hubs
WTB rims
Straight spokes


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## cbrock450 (Apr 18, 2008)

The world surly automatically rules out lightweight. I really like their stuff but they are never on the light side of things. Light and Budget....you only get to pick one of those. Sad truth. 

Light is a relatively loose term too. I would like to hear your weight and how you ride before anyone suggests wheelsets. 1700 grams seems reasonably light where others would say that is super heavy


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## BushwackerinPA (Aug 10, 2006)

spend 6 weeks pay at one time and get these.

ZTR Crest 29er Stock Single Speed Wheelset

or get them with FLow Ex if you ride more aggresive like wider tires.


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## HitmenOnlyInc (Jul 20, 2012)

BushwackerinPA said:


> spend 6 weeks pay at one time and get these.
> 
> ZTR Crest 29er Stock Single Speed Wheelset
> 
> or get them with FLow Ex if you ride more aggresive like wider tires.


He's a buck 95 so Crest might not be the best choice, he could go with Flow at 1962 gm for $600 or because he's on a tight budget he could go with these: Mavic Crossone 29" Wheelset 2014 > Components > Wheel Goods > Mountain Bike Wheels | Jenson USA Online Bike Shop albeit not the same but at 2100 gm, close in weight and less than half the price.


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## rushman3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Carbon bars: wider 730-780
ESI chunky grips
Carbon seatpost
WTB seat
2.4 tires+ tubeless


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## Raleighguy29 (Jan 7, 2014)

I9 ss wheel set with ztr arch rims. Thomson carbon bar ,stem and masterpiece post. And a bomb proof bbc. And good crank set. I have the i9s on my ss I'm 195-200 and ride very aggressive and have no problems. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

Not knowing what you already have and what you find week on the bike but just off the original >$100 per upgrade post. 

Pedals - Most bikes come with **** for pedals and good ones can be bought under $100
Locking grips - I will never not put locking grips on any bike I own ever again. 
Salsa quick release seat post clamp - yes, it is worth it if you ever adjust your seat. 
Medal valve stem caps - cheap and worth it
Good seat if the bike didn't come with one. 
If you have a suspension fork without a remote lock out, it is worth getting a remote lockout.


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## HitmenOnlyInc (Jul 20, 2012)

Raleighguy29 said:


> I9 ss wheel set with ztr arch rims. Thomson carbon bar ,stem and masterpiece post. And a bomb proof bbc. And good crank set. I have the i9s on my ss I'm 195-200 and ride very aggressive and have no problems.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


With your suggestions it would take him six months just to get hubs. This guy is on a budget not a wish list.


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## Raleighguy29 (Jan 7, 2014)

My bad. I did pick up my post and wheels set used. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## sdwhitey (Apr 3, 2010)

DPeper said:


> Like all the ideas but the wheels keep coming up in almost all the posts. What is considered a light weight wheel? I can always build them one at a time.
> 
> Light weight wheels weigh what? 1900 grams for the set. KEEP IN MIND BUDGET.


It's hard to help with wheels unless we know alot more about the bike, the rider, and your intended use for the wheelset. Since I don't have this info I'll just throw a few things out there.

I'm gonna go ahead and assume we're talking about a 29er but scrolling back through the thread Im not sure if we even know that.

When you say "light weight wheel" I think of the Stan's Crest 29er factory wheel. It's ~1,600 g and $500ish. It is not recommended for riders over 190 lbs so it wouldn't work for you. If you're riding style is "roadie on dirt" and/or you weigh 135 lbs then this wheelset might be a great value and a worthwhile investment.

Your stock wheelset is probably very heavy but light weight might not be the primary objective of a wheel upgrade. If you are someone who constantly scans the trail for features to jump, pump, drop and huck then you might want to look for a strong wheelset. If your stock wheels have less than 32 spokes and feel flexy then your priority might be a stronger, stiffer wheel.

If you are a beginner and still developing your mtb skills (ie attack position, cornering, manual, bunny hop) then I would advise holding off on a wheel upgrade until you get a little more experience.

On the other hand, if you've started racing and caught the competitive bug then a wheelset is arguably the best place to put your money.

As someone with a BUDGET mindset I would suggest that you carefully consider the value of an upgrade that seems like a great "deal". For example, lets assume your stock wheelset is 2,400 g. Well, nashbar has a $425 sun ringle wheelset on sale for $250. The sun wheelset weighs a little over 2,100 g.

If you buy this wheelset it would be an "upgrade" but the incremental benefits over your stock wheelset are relatively small. In this scenario I would recommend keeping the $250 and waiting and saving up until you can afford the $500ish stan's wheelset (arch or flow, whichever fits your riding style). The $500ish wheelset will be a very significant upgrade over your stock wheels where, again IMO, the $250 wheelset will only be a small incremental upgrade.

If you are fixated on the wheelset upgrade maybe start with high quality tires and a tubeless setup while save for a good wheelset.


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## 4nbstd (Apr 12, 2012)

$100 at a time
- handlebar/seatpost/saddle upgrade - either to lighter aluminum (7000 series if yours are 6000 aluminums) or reputable carbon parts on sale (I would trust Raceface DH carbon parts for your weight)

- brake, if bb5, then to bb7, if bb7, then jagwire, if both, then Shimano XT brakes, one at a time given your budget (I've seen XT brakes for around $100 a pop on on-one website and others), although I find bb7 with jagwire ripcord is good enough for me.

- tires, you can get a decent set for under $100 (I got panaracer rampage, decent tires for $), or one at a time if you want fancier tires or just front tire.

Save a bit, then $200-$300 at a time
- crankset, bb, headset, etc.

Save a bit more, turn some trick, $500 and up at a time
- wheels, wheels, wheels. A lot of websites have huge sale at the end of the season, I think a lot of ppl here got Stans with Hope from Wiggle.co.uk for around $350 including shipping last year and the year before that.


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## bikeny (Feb 26, 2004)

sdwhitey said:


> It's hard to help with wheels unless we know alot more about the bike, the rider, and your intended use for the wheelset. Since I don't have this info I'll just throw a few things out there.
> 
> I'm gonna go ahead and assume we're talking about a 29er but scrolling back through the thread Im not sure if we even know that.
> 
> ...


I agree with all of the advice to save up for new wheels.

EXCELLENT advice above! A wheel upgrade will usually be lighter than a stock wheelset, but more importantly, it will match your riding style, terrain, weight, etc. better. BUT, the right wheelset will depend on a lot of variables which you have not provided. If you post up your weight, riding style, terrain, experience level, current setup, etc., you will get some good advice on what to look for. Otherwise people are just guessing. Also, If you are not on tubeless right now I would highly suggest your new wheelset be tubeless! Big performance gain right there. I am also a fan of wider rims, so I would suggest Arch EX or even Flow EX, depending on your weight.


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## dustyduke22 (Aug 22, 2006)

As many others have said, upgrading your wheels will give you the most noticeable increase in performance. 

For my SS, I did the top 5 following things:

White Freewheel
Wider Bars
Shorter Stem
King Headset - I was amazed how a nice headset changes handling
New Wheelset (White ENO/Phil Wood combo)

Each upgrade made the bike just that much better. The biggest noticeable differences was the wheels and the shorter stem/wider bar combo.


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## SS Hack (Jan 20, 2012)

Wheels and wide bars are all you need.


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## kloeshuman (Apr 29, 2014)

White Industries Freewheel would be my first, imo you can have the best wheel set out there but if your drive train sucks (free wheel/crankset)then your nice wheels just sit there


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## cbrock450 (Apr 18, 2008)

This is just hilarious!



kloeshuman said:


> White Industries Freewheel would be my first, imo you can have the best wheel set out there but if your drive train sucks (free wheel/crankset)then your nice wheels just sit there


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## JUNGLEKID5 (May 1, 2006)

Wheels man wheels


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## DPeper (Jan 24, 2013)

ok I have upgraded the wheels and went with the surly ultra new hubs, WI trials freewheel, 2.0 wheelsmith spokes, WTB KOM hoops. I realize that these are not the lightest build, but the roll and durability seem awesome. I built them one at a time and went over budget a bit They ride fast. 
The forum has helped with great ideas for $100 upgrades. 
What is a light wheel? What type of spokes are the norm for single speeding? Is everyone running budded spokes, alloy nips and crests? That wheel doesn't sound fun to ride at 195# geared up.


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## dustyduke22 (Aug 22, 2006)

DPeper said:


> What type of spokes are the norm for single speeding? Is everyone running budded spokes, alloy nips and crests? That wheel doesn't sound fun to ride at 195# geared up.


For 195 pounds, the Crest is not a good option. I think you are on the right track with the KOM's. I would recommend butted spokes. They are lighter and stronger. If you want to go with alloy nipples, go with the new Sapim Polyax nips. I have had great success with them.


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## register (Jun 25, 2011)

1. Gear ratio. I run 32:21 or 22
2. Save your cash and ride. In about another 6-12 months assess what you really need/want.


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

Put the cash toward a King rear hub.

For now, Oury grips.


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## DPeper (Jan 24, 2013)

I'm running a Salsa bend bar 23 degree and it rides really nicely. Sure the alloy isn't as light or cool but it has been a nice change.


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## Raleighguy29 (Jan 7, 2014)

Screw the Chris kings and save up and get a i9 wheel set. I have a set on my ss and they are awesome!! 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## alhounos (Apr 19, 2014)

Switching from heavy rims with tubes to light tubeless rims (Stan's) made all the difference in the world. No other upgrade comes close.

Don't forget, if you don't mind spending giving up an entire weekend, you can build your own wheels and potentially save hundreds of dollars! 
I just built my first set and the sense of accomplishment is its own great reward, even before you set tire to trail.


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

Raleighguy29 said:


> Screw the Chris kings and save up and get a i9 wheel set. I have a set on my ss and they are awesome!!
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


My 10 year old King SS hub is on its 3rd wheel. Still runs like new even on our wet NE, rocky, techie trails.

Let us know when you can say the same about your hub.


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## bigdaddybiker (Mar 28, 2005)

*Free upgrade*

There really seems to be a lot of well intended advise here and that is cool. That said if take that advise and buy this stuff because someone that you don't know said that you need it to enhance your riding experience then you are cheating yourself out of the most important lesson to be learned from riding a single speed. And if you want to know what I'm talking about get on your bike and ride it. Ride it on familiar trails , try climbing the most technical challenging hill that you've ever finished on a geared bike . Try to clear an Obstacle that you've never cleared. Observe and have fun.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

Raleighguy29 said:


> Screw the Chris kings and save up and get a i9 wheel set. I have a set on my ss and they are awesome!!


mine were awesome too, when i wasn't breaking spokes. which wasn't very often.

they're high tension so breaking one can sometimes mean walking out due to a warped wheel. i9 could never fix the problem so i finally gave up on them and went back to king. they're pretty, but king>i9 any day of the week.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

the best bang for the buck to spend on a singlespeed is wheels. the lighter the better.

a good wheelset to consider is the enve. we just got an all mountain set in for a guy and they weighed in at 1400 and 1600 per wheel ready to roll. (i.e. wheels, tyres, stems, sealant, etc.) that's crazy light for a 30mm wide all mountain wheelset with beefy tyres.

the stan's valor wheelset is another nice ss option at only 1300 grams for the wheelset.


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## Gonzo 1971 (Apr 9, 2013)

I just upgraded wheels myself. Unbelievable how much better the whole bike feels. I did Sun/Ringle Charger expert wheels ($289 CRC a steal in my book) with Ikon 2.35 front and a 2.2 rear set up tubeless. 36x20 gearing. Dial gearing where you ride. I did upgrade to XT brakes. Great bang for the buck and feel so good. Even with the stock cheap Avid rotors. No squeals, never ever. Not much else I need. I will do a carbon seatpost and bar in the future for comfort. Just keep everything tight lubed and squeak free and you will have a dreamy ride for years to come. When everyone says wheels they know from experience.


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## henrymiller1 (Apr 25, 2008)

I have been in same boat with a few WW builds. Under $100 is tough, but: get some light ass tires racing Ralph, ect, next get pedals eggbeaters are very light, get a real light seat from nashbar 200 grams. Foam grips are super light and cheap as hell. Go with a rigid fork up front. Don't be afraid of buying used stuff. That's all $100 upgrades. After those you gotta get wheels. I have Easton XC Ones on my 26 and 29. They where about $200-$250. It was the best $$$ I every spent. I also have old XTR crank 850 series. They are old but still nice and pretty light. My best was an old Salsa (26" wheels )bandito, 18 1/2 lbs. current is a Kona kula 2-9 at just over 21. Current ride and build Is a Santa Cruz chameleon 650B at 24, yes it's a pig, I'm just waiting to drop the front fork for a rigid ( Mosso on E-bay). And waiting on a steal on wheels.


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