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Two-speed singlespeed...

3K views 29 replies 13 participants last post by  Slimpee 
#1 ·
By accident I maybe have come up with a decent idea for a "two-speed singlespeed" (although i'm sure it's not a novel idea).

What is this, you ask? While I unsuccessfully tried to figure out how to adjust the tension on my Nashbar chain tensioner I broke it. Frustrated, I put the old derailleur back on because I don't want to spend $50 on a singulator. I also didn't have any singlespeed chainring bolts so I simply kept the big ring (42t) on as a bashguard.

On my way over to Steefs last night I was wicked spinning on the road w/ a 32/16 combo which was fairly annoying. Steef and Beckel noticed I had quite a bit of chain w/ this setup so it occurred to me that perhaps I could kill two birds with one stone so tonight I pulled the chain onto the big ring and voila, it worked! It made a bit of noise compared to the straight chainline setup but in riding around the block it felt smooth and the chain didn't come off the cog. I can see this setup working nicely for riding on the road and switching when I get to the trail.

My question is: Is there any reason why I SHOULDN'T do this? Will it prematurely wear out my chain and cog w/ the slightly askew chainline when in the big gear?
 
#2 ·
The biggest prob with improper chainline is throwing the chain. If it's not doing that, and you can live with the noise, I'd say you're good. You've got way more range there than most dingle speed setups. See if a proper SS outer chainring doesn't help the noise.
 
#3 ·
  • not a new idea to use a rear der as a tensioner
  • not a new idea to have different ratios for riding on the road and the trail on the same ss bike
  • it won't prematurely wear out anything
  • prepare for a verbal pounding from the purist poons
 
#4 ·
monogod said:
  • not a new idea to use a rear der as a tensioner
  • not a new idea to have different ratios for riding on the road and the trail on the same ss bike
  • it won't prematurely wear out anything
  • prepare for a verbal pounding from the purist poons
Yep, i'm not claiming I came up with anything revolutionary but it's a setup that I think will work nicely until I buy a Singleator.

It's a cheaper alternative to a free/free flip/flop hub or something like that...

Doggity said:
The biggest prob with improper chainline is throwing the chain. If it's not doing that, and you can live with the noise, I'd say you're good. You've got way more range there than most dingle speed setups. See if a proper SS outer chainring doesn't help the noise.
It's really not terribly noisy. It sounds much like a geared bike although w/ the chain on the middle chainring it's silent.
 
#6 ·
Slimpee said:
Yep, i'm not claiming I came up with anything revolutionary but it's a setup that I think will work nicely until I buy a Singleator.

It's a cheaper alternative to a free/free flip/flop hub or something like that...
not knocking ya dude, no offense meant. actually very creative on your part. :thumbsup:

i was more responding to this "By accident I maybe have come up with a decent idea for a "two-speed singlespeed", that's all. ;)

oh, and to let you know not to take it personally if the purist poons start pounding you for posting that here. :p
 
#11 ·
NYrr496 said:
I was thinking about doing a singlespeeder with a Hammerschmidt. That way, you get two gears without having to use a tensioner.
When you add an extra gear to a singlespeed, regardless of how it is shifted/changed I'm pretty sure it's no longer a SINGLESPEED. I don't really care how people change or alter their bikes and I have nothing against gears or anything like that. But if it doesn't have one gear why call it a single speed? If you want more than one gear than just face the facts and call it a two speed. I mean "Two-speed singlespeed" is a bit of a oxymoron is it not? Just thought I'd add my two cents...
 
#13 ·
JDG1317 said:
When you add an extra gear to a singlespeed, regardless of how it is shifted/changed I'm pretty sure it's no longer a SINGLESPEED. I don't really care how people change or alter their bikes and I have nothing against gears or anything like that. But if it doesn't have one gear why call it a single speed? If you want more than one gear than just face the facts and call it a two speed. I mean "Two-speed singlespeed" is a bit of a oxymoron is it not? Just thought I'd add my two cents...
Ok, i'll jump in. I see what you're saying but I think as long as shifters aren't present it's still a SS because you can only run in one gear at a time. In order to "shift" you have to stop, get off, and physically shift the bike yourself (that said, I don't know how the Hammerschmidt cranks work). In my eyes it's like changing out the cog or chainring but it's already installed-you just have to move the chain. Nobody is going to say that you have to ride with the same ratio for the entire duration of bike ownership so w/ a setup like mine i'm just cutting out the step of removing the swapping out the cog/chainring...

Or it's like having a flip-flop hub w/ cogs of different tooth counts...
 
#14 ·
Slimpee said:
Ok, i'll jump in. I see what you're saying but I think as long as shifters aren't present it's still a SS because you can only run in one gear at a time. In order to "shift" you have to stop, get off, and physically shift the bike yourself (that said, I don't know how the Hammerschmidt cranks work). In my eyes it's like changing out the cog or chainring but it's already installed-you just have to move the chain. Nobody is going to say that you have to ride with the same ratio for the entire duration of bike ownership so w/ a setup like mine i'm just cutting out the step of removing the swapping out the cog/chainring...

Or it's like having a flip-flop hub w/ cogs of different tooth counts...
don't waste your time, bro. this argument has been played out ad nauseum on this forum.

that's why i gave you heads up on the purist poons. they don't care that one ratio is for road, and one for trail. they don't care that you can't shift while you are in motion.

to their narrow, feeble minds if the possibility exists to alter the ratio on the bike at all it is not a "true" singlespeed. some even claim a flip-flop hub is not a "true" ss. :rolleyes:

they're basically like the fixie hipsters of the dirt scene. they think riding a "pure" ss defines them in some fashion or form, and shun anyone from their little ss club who doesn't conform to a strict and narrow set of self imposed guidelines.

during one encounter one of the poons even said the rider of a dinglespeed (road/trail gearing on a single bike) is only an ss wannabe for not wanting to spin like a hamster on crack on the way to the trail. that having an alternate gear for commuting to and from the trails makes them a geared rider, not a "true" ss'er. they said one should just suck it up and spin.

trying to reason with the purist poons is the very definition of an exercise in futility. :crazy:
 
#15 ·
I just meant it as keeping it simple. The Hammerschmidt changes the ratio internally with a planetary. The chainline stays the same. I know it wouldn't be a single speeder anymore. That's just what I would do if I built one.

It would confuse the general public, anyway.
 
#18 ·
roxie said:
Actually if the purist were really pure they would call it a single gear since you can run different speeds with one gear ratio. So i say from this day forth purist refer to them as sg not ss.
sounds reasonable. after all one doesn't refer to a non-coasting bike as a fixed speed, but rather as a fixed gear.

thus, the purist poons should logically refer to coastie bikes with only a single gear as single gear bikes, rather than single speed bikes.

bravo sir! :thumbsup:
 
#26 ·
Ok, so Single speed, single gear, mono cog, or what ever = one chain ring and one cog.

If you start mitigating the compromise you have to make with a one gear bike, it aint single speeding anymore.

Yes, I hate when the trails / races have some road in them and I am running a 34 x 20. spinning out sucks, but that is the whole thing isnt it? 130 rpms aint cool.
 
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