Surly basic or Surly extreme?

[KySingleSpeed]

OK, my pals and I think there are two schools of thought. You either by a cheap ride to see if you like it, then if you do you upgrade by buying a new and better bike. The second school of thought is you go top of the line to start.

For example, I hadn't ridden off road for six years but had been riding 3,000 miles a year on the road. When I bought a MTB, I bought a good (Columbus tubing) frame but cut costs on parts (Deore and LX) to save money. I ended up replacing the wheels, crank, bars, brakes, etc. It would have been cheaper to just buy top o the line to start.

Now I feel I must jump into single speeds. I'm converting an old Trek 850 to see if I'll like it. I think I know enough about myself now that I know I will (I've been riding my favorite single track in a single gear for awhile now on my 27-speed).

What do you recommend? Should I buy a Surly with basic proven (Ritchey, Titec, Avid Arch Rivals, etc.) components (since that's part of the single speed philosophy) or should I just bite the bullet and build a 20-pound Sycip Diesel with Race Face and discs?

Know that I won't race, but commute to work on this bike and hit local singletrack frequently with my mutt in tow.

[Mauriceman]

Ride the trek one speed for a while, then ride the surly for a while. If you're still at it in a few years then go for the Sycip

[hairygrump]

I've been riding a 22-24lb (depending on the tires) 1x1 for a year and a half. I love my bike and I think you should buy one just like it.

The best thing about a Surly, I think, is that you get a high-quality frame for a price that won't have you sweating about your bike every time you lock it for a couple hours to get a beer or ten. If you part it out nice you come out with a pretty light bike.

Of course, it doesn't sound from your post like you're too worried about how much money you spend. If you've got the scratch, why not spend it on a fly-ass boutique frame and killer wheelset? I got into singlespeeding because I could build a reliable and enjoyable bike with quality parts and still do it on the cheap, but if you care more about the ride and have the money to spend you should definitely rock out. Some say that building a light unicog goes against some kind of SS moral imperative, but if you want a light bike then by God you should have one.

[Browne]

School of thought?

ALWAYS start out with the cheap version.

There's a reason I still have a basic VOX amp.
And a six year-old snowboard.
And used climbing equipment.

ANyway, you might find that you really dig the Surly. Problem is, if you haven't ridden a lot of bikes, you might find out when you buy the really trick ride that there's something missing. 4130 chromoly might have some ride characteristics that you really dig, and when you drop 2 lbs. by going to some Reynolds or Ritchey tubing, you might be trading off something you really like. Personally, I've found that bikes under 25 lbs. start to feel weird. I dunno... tough decision... but if you're not worried about the cash, start out with the Surly. Ride it for a year. Maybe even put a front disc on it.
And if you decide you have to have the high zoot Sycip, KEEP THE SURLY! What better way to get a friend into riding than to give him/her a sweet bike to ride for awhile (notice I said awhile... you have to share the love!)

Good luck!

-Michael

[Goride]

My vote is to buy the Surly. Why that over the Sycip? The same reasons many others have stated already, The ride of the 1x1 is just perfect in my opinion. While the geometry is not the greatest for ultra technical riding, its seems to be well suited for everything else, and it definitley works in the technical stuff also. I just love the geometry of my 1x1. With a Manitou Black 100mm fork on it the Surly feels awesome to me. Just love it. Being that I'm in the position to buy whatever bike I want, I've though of "upgrading" my singlespeed. But I just can't figure out why, other than prestige. While the chi-chi brands may be "cooler" to have, I just love the ride of my Surl and can find no faults in it. In fact, I like it so much, that I also have a singlespeed Surly Cross Check which I use as a commuter/city bike.

Surlys are cheap, spend the extra cash on other amenities in life...but thats just this mans opinion.

-brad

[Mauriceman]

...is a 1989 Team Stumpjumper, my 2nd mountain bike. Ted Wojcik welded horizontal drops onto it, and painted it with whatever he had lying around at the time. While ugly, there is no bike that rides better. It's done 24 Hours of canaan, The One Speed World's and many other killer rides. It's fully rigid, and named "Stuttering Prick".

[Subscription Guy]

... and riding is priceless.

You gotta ride to decide.

It may help to get the opinion of others, but: Try it before you buy it.

And don't trust a specific bike recommendation unless the other person has ridden what they recommend.

Having said that, I'm riding a Santa Cruz Chameleon SS: Snappy handling, stiff (way stiff), flickable, horizontal drops (but convertable to multigear with bolt on derailleur hanger). It tracks well with a White Bros XC3 fork, but I found the frame too stiff to run with rigid Kinesis aluminum alloy fork. Of course I'm old, pale and scrawney.

[KySingleSpeed]

Now the plot thickens. The LBS made an "error" and ordered the wrong chain ring. Now I have to decide whether to upgrade and replace the crank on the old bike (taking the conversion total to $400) or keep looking and trying to find a single-speed chainring that will fit a 1995 Shimano Alivio crank. But, the crank I want is the Race Face DH (I weigh 190 and believe it or not can feel the flex in crappier cranks). With the Race Face, I'll need a different ring (four-bolt), and a new BB. At this point, should I scrap the conversion, take most of the stuff I've bought for it (brakes, pedals, chain) and just build up a Surly?

[scout]

Can someone explain the fascination of single speed to me? I understand the use of a fixie for training purposes and I can see the logic of a messenger using a single speed for simplicities sake, but off-road? Most of what I read about them concerns the simplicity of the gear and the more esthetic riding style inherent to riding with one gear. But now these bikes are becoming more and more complex with disc brakes and suspension forks. Next we will see a dually single speed. So if you are in fact trying to get back to a more pure form of cycling, and eschewing all the technology of multi-gears, why embrace other forms of modern technology that makes riding easier and take less skill and input from the rider.

[KySingleSpeed]

I just like it. I can't explain it, but I'll try. No shifting to worry about, no gears hopping or ghost-shifting (like I had today with my XTR-Marin), less weight because you don't have shifter pods, derailleurs, crank rings, cassettes, etc.

I think anyone should put what they want on their bike, but you won't find a shock or discs on my single speed. I ordered a plethora of components from different Dirt Rag advertisers today. I chose parts based on dependability and strength (such as Avid Arch Rival brakes), not sexiness (although there's nothing wrong with that if that's what you like).

I commute, as well as ride off-road. While preparing to convert one bike to a single speed, I've been trying to ride my favorite 2-mile singletrack loop in a single gear. I've found my riding has gotten better and more fluid as a result. That convinced me to make the plunge.


You said:
Can someone explain the fascination of single speed to me? I understand the use of a fixie for training purposes and I can see the logic of a messenger using a single speed for simplicities sake, but off-road? Most of what I read about them concerns the simplicity of the gear and the more esthetic riding style inherent to riding with one gear. But now these bikes are becoming more and more complex with disc brakes and suspension forks. Next we will see a dually single speed. So if you are in fact trying to get back to a more pure form of cycling, and eschewing all the technology of multi-gears, why embrace other forms of modern technology that makes riding easier and take less skill and input from the rider.

[Blatz]

Here`s my thoughts on single speed. As someone who is considering joining the single speed ranks. I see it as going back to basics. Much like the beginning of Punk Rock in the 80s which came about as a return to what Rock and Roll is suposed to be from the overendulgent 70s rock. Here`s how I believe the true spirt of single speed is. Convert as much of your old stuff as possible. If you need to buy a frame, go cheap and strong. I think Harris Cycle in West Newton Mass. web page is a great place for info on convertion.Keep it simple.cheap,fun, and recycle. I`m afraid that the Single Speed world is already falling victom to consumerism. In my opinion if your single speed cost over a Grand, it`s defeating the spirt of Single Speed.

[ctg]

Originally posted by scout
Next we will see a dually single speed.

Coming soon...

http://www.konaworld.uk.com/bin/2K3_A.html

Chris

[rockyrider]

Been there, seen that...

[S. cerevisiae]

'Dja ever wonder where their decision took them? I wrestled with this very conundrum when finally getting the Redline. For the same money I coulda got me one o' them front squishy Spesh-machines.

Went 9er, upgrades have followed.

[longhaultruker2]

1)Can someone explain the fascination of single speed to me?

2)...but off-road?

3)Most of what I read about them concerns the simplicity of the gear and the more esthetic riding style inherent to riding with one gear. But now these bikes are becoming more and more complex with disc brakes and suspension forks.

4)Next we will see a dually single speed.

5)So if you are in fact trying to get back to a more pure form of cycling, and eschewing all the technology of multi-gears, why embrace other forms of modern technology that makes riding easier and take less skill and input from the rider.

1)fun and challenge:D

2)hell yeah!:cool:

3)yeah,so?:p one only installs what they want to,right?

4)they're called dinglespeeds,and if you'd researched any decent SS forum,you wouldn't be surprized to have heard about em:)

5)don't pre-judge peoples reasons...while my 29er is rigid,my SS which is a 26er is fox'ed...wuzn't tryin to modernaize it,but having suffered a broken neck onthejob a few years ago,it makes it possible for me to still enjoy passing gearies:D (uh...less neck pain=more riding;))