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You are either already converted, in which case get out and ride or get a picture mailed off and I'll get it in the gallery, or you think I'm mad.
Lets get it straight, I'm not a mountain bike journalist, I'm not a rep for a bike company, I just enjoy riding mountain bikes, I have been known to enjoy a bit of beer now and then and there's no way I could live on a strict diet so basically I do it for fun.
I've got sick of replacing chains, cassettes, chain rings, mechs and rims which all wear out far to quick so the easy option is to run one gear. No more wondering if I should buy the latest lightest mechs or whether to run 8 or 9 speed cassettes - if you ask anybody in Yorkshire they will tell you 9 speed is a waste of time unless you strip the bike down after ever ride - Shima-NO
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Get hold of a spacer kit which replaces your cassette, fit a single 16 tooth sprocket, run the chain through the rear mech as normal. Get a short length of gear cable, put the barrel end in the adjuster and clamp the cable on the mech, try and get the chain to run in a straight line with the middle ring, us the barrel adjuster to get the line right.
GET OUT & RIDE
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NOW YOU'RE HOOKED!
The next step is to either convert an old steel frame or buy a single speed chain tensioning device.
Either way you get to dump about 5 lbs of crap, shifters, front & rear mechs, heavy rear freehub and slim down the chain rings to one.
Find a 36 hole BMX hub and build a nice light rear wheel or even better a 32 hole DMR or Hope single speed specific hub.
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WISH LIST
Now its time to fall in love with all the excellent frame builders that are slowly dying off. Go find a local builder and begin to appreciate a craftsman's skill or check out the On-One site they will deliver a frame to your door.
Kona is one of the few companies that do a complete single speed bike but that takes all the fun out of it.
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YOU NEED ONE!
If this hasn't convinced you how does less maintenance, cheaper to run, improved riding style, no more chain suck however muddy it is, making all you usual routes a new challenge and above all, having more fun sound to you.
Go on, get out on ONE!
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email: gil@thecycleshed.co.uk
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