First Singlespeed Commute

Gags said:

Well, I finally scored the brakes for my singlespeed project (Thanks
Hippy for the front ones) and today was my first commute to Southbank
along the Yarra Trail (23 km or so each way).

It was certainly different and made me work a lot harder on the
uphills to keep my cadence up to a reasonable level. I also found
that I was out of the seat for the steeper hills which I usually
change down and spin up (say goodbye to the chicken legs hopefully).

The only downside was that I found that I had to glide on downhills
where I would normally push it faster (running a 32T front chainring
and a 15T rear cog). I was also "maxing out" on the flats and
hitting a speed where I just couldn't pedal any faster. I think I
might try a 14T or 13T on the back sometime later this week.

Anyway, using an old bike frame, total cost was $80 (for V brakes,
rigid forks, brake cables) with the rest of the parts coming from the
bike or my parts bin.

I reckon that today was my first ride of a single speed in about 20
to 25 years or so when I traded in my Malvern Star for a Three Speed
Dragster (with T bar shift and huge sissy bar).

Ride on,

Gags

Ride on Gags.

I managed to include another little section of singletrack on my singlespeed commute tonight. Not a very long section, probably
less than 50m, but in the city I'll take all I can get.

Parbs

Gags said:

The only downside was that I found that I had to glide on downhills
where I would normally push it faster (running a 32T front chainring and
a 15T rear cog). I was also "maxing out" on the flats and hitting a
speed where I just couldn't pedal any faster. I think I might try a 14T
or 13T on the back sometime later this week.
Ride on,
Gags

Welcome to the club Gags!

I would strongly suggest that you move up to a bigger chainring then a
smaller rear cog especially if you're using some sort of tension device.
You're more likely to throw the chain yanking up those hills on a small
cog. If given a choice, always go with more teeth then less to achieve
your desired gearing.

Cheers Koon

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Quoted message said:

Originally posted by Gags Well, I finally scored the brakes for my
singlespeed project (Thanks Hippy for the front ones)

No wuckins! 😉

Quoted message said:

It was certainly different and made me work a lot harder on the uphills
to keep my cadence up to a reasonable level.

Yep.. feel the burn! I've got big legs though so do most hills seated
unless I'm trying to go really hard upwards..

Quoted message said:

The only downside was that I found that I had to glide on downhills
where I would normally push it faster (running a 32T front chainring
and a 15T rear cog). I was also "maxing out" on the flats and hitting a
speed where I just couldn't pedal any faster. I think I might try a 14T
or 13T on the back sometime later this week.

My problem exactly. I need to gear up. I would suggest to you though to
put a bigger chainring on rather than a smaller rear cog. More teeth =
better engagement and slower wearing parts. There's almost no teeth left
on my chainring so soon I'm going to fit a 34T or 36T and leave the 15T
on the rear or move up a little, depending on how it feels.

hippy

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hippy said:

Quoted message said:

My problem exactly. I need to gear up. I would suggest to you though to
put a bigger chainring on rather than a smaller rear cog. More teeth =
better engagement and slower wearing parts. There's almost no teeth left
on my chainring so soon I'm going to fit a 34T or 36T and leave the 15T
on the rear or move up a little, depending on how it feels.
hippy

Hey Hippy,

I reckon you've been ridding enough SS to go to at least a 42x16.

Go on ... you know you want to ...

Koon

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Koon Yong said:

Hey Hippy, I reckon you've been ridding enough SS to go to at least a
42x16. Go on ... you know you want to ...

The street fixie will be geared something like that. I think the
chainring in the groupset was 48 and the cog was 17 or 18?

As for the SS, it will depend on what chainrings I can find for it. I
didn't actually think about going that high but it's worth a try I
suppose. You've only got one set of knees.. better to use them to their
fullest potential early, right? 😉

hippy

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Gags said:

Anyway, using an old bike frame, total cost was $80 (for V brakes, rigid
forks, brake cables) with the rest of the parts coming from the bike or
my parts bin.
I reckon that today was my first ride of a single speed in about 20 to
25 years or so when I traded in my Malvern Star for a Three Speed
Dragster (with T bar shift and huge sissy bar).
Ride on,
Gags

Hi Everyone

have been lurking for sometime during my lunchbreaks ;-) and all this
talk of single speed projects is just too much for a gal to take!

I have an old repco supalight tucked away out the back of the house and
I keep thinking what am I going to do with that?? Now I know ;-) Thanks
for the inspiration!!!

Looking forward to hearing how you progress Gags.....

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hippy said:

The street fixie will be geared something like that. I think the
chainring in the groupset was 48 and the cog was 17 or 18?
As for the SS, it will depend on what chainrings I can find for it. I
didn't actually think about going that high but it's worth a try I
suppose. You've only got one set of knees.. better to use them to their
fullest potential early, right? 😉
hippy

Good Luck with those chain rings ... last year I wanted a 36 or 38T ring
for offroad use and my LBS guy recommended blackspire DH rings.

I waited 2 mths for that ring and the distributor kept spending one in
the wrong BCD. Finally, we said ?%&$ this, and that was the end of that.

Anyway, I now run 44x16 with slicks (almost 1.5 years now)... it's a
very doable gearing and not as tough as you might think. Your legs will
adjust to the gearing and eventually your knees won't hurt anymore. On
most days, I feel more strain on my calfs then I do in my knees ... more
so because I don't warm up before my commute.

cheers Koon

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Gags said:

I reckon that today was my first ride of a single speed in about 20 to
25 years or so when I traded in my Malvern Star for a Three Speed
Dragster (with T bar shift and huge sissy bar). Ride on, Gags

Congrats! Don't believe my short commute 'round to the new place on a
BMX with flat tyres matches up to your achievement. But hurt though,
even attempting to stand the pedals just made the whole enterprise more
painful. :p

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Koon Yong said:

On most days, I feel more strain on my calfs then I do in my knees ...
more so because I don't warm up before my commute.
cheers Koon

You forgot to mention you live in a hill-less part of Melbourne 😄

I tried 42x16 on my project SS (the wheel is going great. tanx!) but
have gone back to a 38T and put some slicker tyres on. now i just need
some narrower rims than the Rhyno that was on it so I can go back to
using my Fatboys again

Heck, Im even thinkun of doing the 'Hippy-cum-courier' thang and getting
a FUX bag as rack pannier is a pain for so much out-of-saddle stuff

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Quoted message said:

Originally posted by Koon Yong I waited 2 mths for that ring and the
distributor kept spending >one in the wrong BCD. Finally, we said ?%&$
this, and that was >the end of that.

I've heard similar stories before.. so I guess it applies to Oz too.

Quoted message said:

Anyway, I now run 44x16 with slicks (almost 1.5 years now)... >it's a
very doable gearing and not as tough as you might think.

Are there many hills in Kuala Lumpur? I wanted to keep the GT on the low
side for improving my spin and because it does get used off-road a bit.

If Vegemite/UndieSoiler gets built soon enough I can leave the GT's
gearing alone and use the bigger gearing on the fixie..

hippy

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Quoted message said:

Originally posted by flyingdutch Heck, Im even thinkun of doing the 'Hippy-cum-
courier' thang and getting a FUX bag as rack pannier is a pain for so
much out-of-saddle stuff

Copycat from Ballarat! :P

Backpacks, etc. are heaps better than panniers, unless the load you need
to carry doesn't fit in a backpack.

hippy

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flyingdutch said:

You forgot to mention you live in a hill-less part of Melbourne 😄
I tried 42x16 on my project SS (the wheel is going great. tanx!) but
have gone back to a 38T and put some slicker tyres on. now i just need
some narrower rims than the Rhyno that was on it so I can go back to
using my Fatboys again
Heck, Im even thinkun of doing the 'Hippy-cum-courier' thang and getting
a FUX bag as rack pannier is a pain for so much out-of-saddle stuff

Yes Dutchy,

I do admit that my commute is rather hill-less ... but I have done more
"hilly" rides on the weekend and they've gone fine. It all boils down to
spinning. the faster you can spin, the less it hurts.

How big are the fatboys? I run a 1.7 on that same rim ... had a 1.6 once
too I believe.

Cheers Koon

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hippy said:

Quoted message said:

Originally posted by Koon Yong

Are there many hills in Kuala Lumpur? I wanted to keep the GT on the low
side for improving my spin and because it does get used off-road a bit.
If Vegemite/UndieSoiler gets built soon enough I can leave the GT's
gearing alone and use the bigger gearing on the fixie..
hippy

errr ... I don't live in KL ... I'm right here in Melbourne Australia.

But I have been to KL and there are some nice slopes in the country ...
but road conditions are pretty bad, so fatter tyres are a must IMO.

Cheers Koon

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Quoted message said:

Originally posted by Koon Yong errr ... I don't live in KL ... I'm
right here in Melbourne Australia.

My bad.. I confuzzed you with "EoinC" because he was talking about
fixies in KL the other day. Apologies. Now I have to re-read this thread
without thinking about foreign traffic and foreign hills.. 🙂

hippy

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In article <[email hidden]>,

Koon Yong said:

Your legs will
adjust to the gearing and eventually your knees won't hurt anymore. On
most days, I feel more strain on my calfs then I do in my knees ...

You guys really konw how to make this sound like fun...

--
Shane Stanley

Koon Yong said:

Yes Dutchy,
I do admit that my commute is rather hill-less ... but I have done more
"hilly" rides on the weekend and they've gone fine. It all boils down to
spinning. the faster you can spin, the less it hurts.
How big are the fatboys? I run a 1.7 on that same rim ... had a 1.6 once
too I believe.
Cheers Koon

a skinny 1inch. As Bald as an ALP candidate for Kingsford-Smith!

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Quoted message said:

Originally posted by Shane Stanley

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Koon Yong
<[email hidden]> wrote: Your legs will adjust to the
gearing and eventually your knees won't hurt anymore. On most days, I
feel more strain on my calfs then I do in my knees ...

You guys really konw how to make this sound like fun...

Who said anything about fun? This is all about PAIN!

Welcome to the M half of cycling's own S&M club.. ;-) (The S half is
getting your mates into it...)

hippy

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