Single Speed

Comment

Comment by Brad Carvey on October 19, 2009 at 5:03pm

I completely agree that it should not skip and makes no sense, but the first time I tried a chain tension, which I bought at performance for about $20, the chain skipped. I was told that I should take a few link off the chain, to increase the tension on the chain. I did and it has not skipped since then.
Pirate Race Productions, you should try it and let us know if it skips. To test skipping try to accelerate through some deep mud/sand or on a steep uphill. It will only happen when you apply a lot of pressure quickly. Accelerating on a dirt trail won't do it.

Comment by FallDownGoBoom on October 19, 2009 at 10:21am

For gearing, it obviously depends on your fitness and the course, but I run a 39x16 (just stepped up from a 17 in the back) which is in between a 42x17 and 42x18. Ride your geared bike around after making sure what cog you're on in the back, and you'll find out after a hot lap or two what your legs can turn over.

Here's a question I have, because I too have "heard" that the chain will skip without higher tension, but I have a hard time understanding why. It doesn't happen with my geared bike, so why would it happen when using a single cog and chainring with a "normal" rear der? I know that any slight alignment problems could throw the chain onto the spacers, resulting in a painful but funny to watch instant cadence increase from 80 to 200, but why would it skip? There are no extra forces than the identical geared bike (though I wish I'd magically get stronger on my SS), and if you set up a spare wheel with proper spacing and a cog without ramps, they usually have slightly higher teeth anyway, so again, why would it skip?

As to tinkering with your limit screws, don't bother. The screws are only long enough to reduce der travel a gear or two on either side, and you may regret any tinkering when you put a normal wheel back in. If you're using SRAM, as goofy as it sounds you can always zip tie the shift levers to the bars to prevent blurry eyed shifting attempts.

Comment by Brad Carvey on October 19, 2009 at 7:40am

Logically it seems like it would work without changing the chain and just changing the wheel. My experience with the ss tensioners, is that if the chain is not short enough, the tension will not be high enough, and the chain will slip on the rear cog, when you go hard. The chain does not come off, it just slips over a few teeth. So, even though it seems like the derailleur would work, it may not. I have never tried it and prefer not to use the tensioners. I will ask around and see if anyone I know has tried it.

Good luck

Comment by Pirate Race Productions on October 19, 2009 at 7:30am

Brad-
Thanks for the feedback. The NC races start SS after CX3, so I thought I'd try to go geared for the first race and ss for the second on one bike. There is already no front der and I'm running double fsa guards, so yes, the idea is to use the existing rear der as a chain tensioner. My thought was that by running the chain over, rather than under, the first flywheel and then direct to the crank that I'd get enough tension to hold it in place. I could always max both my limiters just in case I get dizzy and try shifting mid-race. I'm curious whether anyone tried this with any success and what cog size is most appropriate, considering that I'm a 3 with skinny legs, on my second race of the day, but the courses here are pretty flat.

Comment by Brad Carvey on October 18, 2009 at 8:33pm

Pirate Race Productions,
Not sure what you are trying to do,but it sounds like you are trying to use your rear derailleur as a chain tensioner, so you can switch wheels from geared to ss. I guess that would work, if you goal was to race ss races and geared races on the same bike on the same day.
I assume most of the SS'ers have removed there front and rear derailleurs and run a chain directly to your single rear cog. If you don't have horizontal dropouts, you have to get the chain and gear combinations right to have the correct tension. Some people use a chain tensioner, so it's quick and easy to change rear cogs. If you did use a derailleur and a single cog, that would work if you ran the chain the normal way. If you clicked your lever, the chain would come off.

Comment by Anthony Carlisi on October 18, 2009 at 10:56am

I have not raced yet, but i am planning on starting out in the cat.4 geared class on a SS!!! not sure why i feel more comfortable racing dudes with gears, i guess because it is cat.4!!! although out of everyone signed up for my race in cat.4 only 3 of us do not have some sort of sponsor!!!! READY FOR THE PAIN!!!

Comment by Pirate Race Productions on October 18, 2009 at 5:54am

Any advice on using one bike to race both SS and geared? I thought I'd just have a second wheel and chain ready to slap on between races. I am running a 42t single-ring setup now - whats my best bet for cog size and running the chain through the derailleur - go the wrong way over the first flywheel and skip the second?

Comment by FallDownGoBoom on October 13, 2009 at 11:12am

After several years of geared mayhem, I joined the SS fringe. LOVING IT! Now have 3 SS races under my belt, and looking forward to some sloppy conditions where the lack of complexity will be nice. Next year I may look into a custom SS, it's a lot cheaper than a ferrari for my mid-life crisis. If you have favorites (and photos) please send them my way

Comment by Beth Hamon on October 12, 2009 at 6:08pm

Since getting my feet wet at my first race a couple weekends ago, I am reconsidering my idea of eventually upgrading to singlespeed class next year. At the first Cross Crusade race this year, SS class consisted of four women and about two hundred men. Beginner women alone numbered 92 (though I counted perhaps only two or three other SS bikes in the mix). Masters Women 45+, my actual age group, numbered less than 25, and I've been told those numbers go down as the aseson gets colder and wetter. So that's more likely where I'll end up after my first season of 'cross. But still on a SS bike!

Comment by Booksy on October 12, 2009 at 6:00pm

SS!!! I still maintain the SS is worth riding against the geared guys. You definitely get fitter through the course of the season riding a SS every weekend. I placed mid-pack in the 1/2's race first weekend racing this season. Hope to win one before it's over. Nice thing about the SS is if you beat the geared guys you get props, if you lose to the geared guys they figure you were at a disadvantage. I'd like to see more SS riders mixing it up with the 1's, 2's and 3's.

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