SSMTBs

Whats the general consensus on gear ratios? My 26" single speed is currently too spinny for the road at 34/16. I've yet to venture to the trails on it but what I read online was that 32/16 would be the usual gearing which would make it even shorter geared.

Depends on your trails, fitness and bike. 34/16 would be fine for most "singlespeedeable" stuff in summer

I ran 32/18 for the Peak District. Offroad, you'll do better to concentrate on being smooth and pumping the trail for speed. Onroad, you'll just have to accept that you've got a stupidly spinny gear.

That’s you on a 29er isn’t it?

It's always me, Phil

Always

Thanks (and to you @leggy_blonde ). Think I just need to try it. The ride out to the trail head will have to be a warm up.

Any one got a fine ss MTB for sale? All steeds considered

200mm headtube!

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Why on earth would you do that?

Because the man's a giant and wants a bike that fits?

I am no structural engineer but that could be done with a single non-bend toptube of the right dimensions I reckon

Oh, yes, that is definitely overkill, and I don't really understand bent top tubes that result in less standover clearance either

I thought you were referring to the massive headtube, which seemed odd, as I thought you were a fan of those :-)

I am and it could but I guess that's why we need those quirky crazy architect types....

I guess that's why we need those quirky crazy architect types....

Please, don't start @HoKe designing bikes!

:)

Totally. Big bikes are beautiful ❤️

There so much tubing option out there that one could easily make a standard frame with big diameter tubing to increase stiffness.
The ssmtb frame I am currently drawing up has 170mm headtube and OD44.5mm down tube

What size are you looking for?

I've got a ss 29+ ti frame with 100mm fork that I'm thinking of selling

OD44.5mm down tube

Damn, that's fat! Who makes it?

Spindly little 38.1 on mine

It is a plain guage tandem tube I have knocking about :)

Columbus make a couple of 42mm down tubes including one from the 29'er tubeset in 750mm length (which is probably half as long as you'd need)

My DZB tube was only available up to around 750mm on the Talbot and barely made it. The Isen was able to use it as the Pinion plate extended the reach

You could go for Killer V style, just upside down. Downtube joined to the top tube with a support tube to the headtube

I'm far too old and slow smooth to require all this extra reinforcement ;-)

.

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What's this Orc mischief?