Single speeding is a completely different animal when it comes to mountain biking. The simplicity and riding style is unlike any other form of fat tire obsession. While many think they can just ‘not shift’ and get the same experience…they are wrong. The quiet tranquility and momentum keeping riding style of single speeding is unique to bikes with only one gear. Single speed nuts will tell you it is the only way to ride. Single speed fanatics will tell you that every quiver needs at least one. Those that haven’t thrown a leg over one…don’t get it until they do.

What Makes Single Speeding Different?

As I alluded to earlier, single speeding is not just ‘not shifting’. It is a simplicity on the mountain bike that can only truly be felt with the presence of only one gear. You get zero chain slap, zero noise and all focus is on the trail and your riding absent of any thoughts of shifting. Your riding style completely changes as you attack climbs to keep momentum and get out of the saddle to hammer. You don’t have a choice…there is no gearing down to make things easier on yourself. It is just you and the bike on the trail making it happen.

Single speeding also makes you a better geared mountain bike rider by forcing you to take a serious look on how you keep and built momentum on the trail. Since momentum is the only thing that actually helps you one the climbs and flats on the SS, you are able to transfer those same theories to the geared bike. The single speed mountain bike also strengthens your legs and forearms as you are spending more time in your riding on a harder gear and out of the saddle. I can actually tell when I have been off the single speed in awhile on my arms.

Single Speed Mountain Bike – What Do I Need?

There are two basic ways to get into single speed mountain biking.

1. Convert an old HT mountain bike to a single speed using parts you have laying around.
2. Buying a new dedicated rig just for single speeding

There is no right or wrong way…just what fits into your budget. The ‘taking the old and making it new’ is a great way to get into single speeding on the cheap and it is a route that a lot of single speeders still take.

Gear Ratios And Single Speeding

Since you only have one gear, choosing a gearing setup for your single speed is very important. Ideally, you want to be able to just clear the hardest climb in your area, but still have enough gear that you are not a hamster spinning in a wheel on the flats and downhills. It is this balance that makes the perfect gearing for your ride.

Around my area, this typically equates to the following gear setups.

• 26″ Wheels – 32 or 34 tooth front ring w/an 18 or 20 tooth rear cog
• 29″ Wheels – 32 tooth front ring w/an 18 – 22 tooth rear cog

For longer mountain rides, riders will typically throw on a larger rear cog to accommodate for the longer/steeper climbs, but…on average…that is what you will find on the majority of single speeds in our area regardless of riding ability. The 29ers get an easier gearing setup due to the larger rolling mass of the larger diameter wheels.

Single Speed Setup: Converting The Old Into New

One of the most popular ways to build up a single speed is grabbing that old hardtail in the garage that you never ride anymore and stripping it of the gears. There are going to be several different, cheap items you need to pick up at your local bike shop (sometimes hard to find single speed parts) or online to make this happen.

Cassette Spacers

Your rear wheel is setup to handle a full cassette setup. Because of this, you have to buy a spacer setup to take up the extra space and insure a straight chain line. The single speed spacer kit installs on your cassette body of your hub with multiple sized spacers.

The different sizes are included so you can line up your cog with the front ring as close as possible. A straight chainline equals less drag, less chain wear and a more efficient drivetrain. Try to get it as straight as possible.

Buy a SS Spacer Kit Here

Single Speed Chain Ring Bolts

Since you will be dropping the big ring on your crankset, you are going to need shorter chain ring bolts to tighten down the middle ring to the crank without the big ring present. This is accomplished through shorter chain ring bolts.

Buy Chain Ring Bolts Here

Single Speed Cog

Single speed cogs are cheap so you can try out several different options to see what fits you best with your trail conditions. Starting off with an 18T for 26″ wheels and a 20T for 29ers is a pretty good starting point. For riders that are in great fitness, jump up the front ring to a 34T on 26″ bikes and 18T on the rear cog for 29ers.

Note: While it is not required, companies like Blackspire also make single speed specific front rings that are built without ramps for shifting to make for a smoother single speed setup.

Buy a SS Cog Here

Single Speed Chain Tensioner

Unless you find that ‘magic gear’ on your hard tail frame that allows you to run the chain without any tensioning aid, you are going to need a chain tensioner to keep everything rolling smoothly. On single speed specific frames, there are mechanisms setup at the rear axle or bottom bracket to adjust for chain tension. On non-single speed specific frames, you have to have this extra part to take over those duties.

Note: With some frames, you can try different front ring and cog combinations that result in proper chain tension without the aid of a chain tensioner. However, that gear ratio also has to work on the trail, so…in most cases…with the method of bringing your old mountain bike back to life…you end up with a chain tensioner.

Buy a SS Chain Tensioner Here

Converting The Old Into New

Single speeding is a great excuse to dust the cobwebs off that old hard tail. For a minimal amount of money, you can get the bike up and rolling again with a completely different riding style. I love to ride anything that pedals, so I have everything in my quiver from a SS Rigid to long travel DH. Don’t count out the single speed movement as you look for ways to expand your cycling obsession. It may surprise you how much you love getting out on simplicity at your local trail head. It is a different experience.

Next week I’ll get into the options that are available when you are ready to drop some coin on a SS specific frame.

There are two things I know when I grab my SS.

1. It is going to be painful – When you ride as many longer travel bikes as I do…grabbing the rigid, singlespeed insures that I am signing up for pain.
2. It is going to be nice and quiet – A rigid, ss makes zero noise.

We loaded up the truck and hit the road ready to conquer the dirt without gears. For those of you that haven’t ridden a singlespeed or are wondering why you can’t just ride your geared back without shifting…the singlespeed experience is a different form of mountain biking all together. Prior to riding a dedicated SS sled, there is a misconception among many that just riding your geared bike without shifting is comparable…but in reality…it is not even close.

Wolfhound Rigid SS 29er

When I get out on my SS, there is a different aura surrounding the ride. There is a calmness before the ride that is unlike any other geared mountain bike excursion. It is almost as if I am preparing my body for the increased power requirement but with a solitude of quiet calmness. The ride I am about to complete is going to require a much different approach. The rigid platform is going to be unforgiving to my mistakes…the steep pitches and climbs are going to have to be attacked without the aid of an increased gear range…the downhills are going to have to be navigated with a precise line…and all of this is going to be done with only hearing the rubber of my tires gripping the dirt and the wind on the leaves.

When you ride a dedicated SS, the entire ride is different and one of my favorite aspects is that you have to think…but in a different way. I am no longer worrying about gear selection as that is replaced by getting creative with ways to keep momentum. I am not looking for the nastiest line to plow through…I need the fastest, smoothest line from point a to point b (which is just as challenging in technical terrain).

By the end of the ride on Saturday…my ass was officially kicked. I really need to get out on that bike more often as it completely exposes how lazy and sloppy I have let suspension let me get. Every single one of my mistakes comes glaring in the face as the rigid bike takes no prisoners. You either ride the section right…or get a sharp reminder of what you are doing wrong. Riding my rigid, singlespeed keeps me honest.

Over the last six months, I’ve grown bored and annoyed at my modern full suspension mountain bike. The incessant chain slap. The complicated and vulnerable rear derailleur. The bobbing suspension. The lazy lines I was being allowed to pick. It no longer brought me joy.

I started to take note of the people riding better then me without these things. I was inspired. I began to research rigid single speed mountain bikes.

Going into this project, there where two main concerns. One, I felt reliant on my mountain bike’s large selection of gear ratios. Two, I used all four inches of travel that it offered in the front and the rear. How could I manage without these things? How could I climb mountains and ride all day with one gear ratio? How could I descend without suspension to soak up the rocks and roots? With these things in mind, I picked out the components of my build.

Vassago Jabberwocky – The Build

Frame – Vassago Jabberwocky, 20″

• Fork – Vassago ODIS
• Wheelset – Stan’s ZTR Flow 29er rims with Chris King hubs
• Tires – Panaracer Rampage, 2.35 (front and rear)
• Cranks – Truvativ Stylo 1.1G, 175 mm
• Front Chain Ring – 32 teeth
• Rear Cog – 20 teeth
• Chain – KMC Z Narrow
• Brakes – Avid BB7, 160 mm (front and rear)
• Brake Levers – Avid Speed Dial 7
• Headset – Chris King ‘NoThreadSet’
• Seatpost – Thomson 27.2 mm
• Stem – Thomson 100 mm, 5°, 25.4 mm clamp
• Bars – Salsa Pro Moto Flat Bar, 5° bend, 660 mm wide, 25.4 mm clamp
• Grips – Ergon GP1 Small
• Saddle – WTB Rocket
• Pedals – Crank Brothers Egg Beater C

Vassago Jabberwocky – Rational and Test Notes

I’ve had this bike built up for three weeks now. Have ridden it 12 times for a total of 140 miles. This includes a XC race and an “epic” ride up in the mountains. The rest of the time was spent cruising around on three different in-town trails.

The frame. It’s a good place to start on a bicycle build since everything attaches to it. After a bit of research and some test riding, I purchased a Vassago Jabberwocky frame. Below I’m going to attempt to break down what I feel are the positive and the potentially negative aspects of this frame.

Vassago Jabberwocky Pros:

1. It’s a 29er frame. I wanted big wheels to help with climbing traction, maintaining momentum through the turns and rolling over bumps.
2. It’s steel. Steel frames are reputed to be more compliant. The average steel frame is supposed to soak up more chatter then the equivalent aluminum frame. It’s also less expensive then the equivalent titanium frame.
3. It’s very reasonably priced when compared to other steel 29er frames. More money for beer or other build components is always a plus.
4. I dig the geometry. The long wheel base seems to give me loads of traction while climbing. I can really stand up and hammer on it.
5. Rear wheel can be removed without loosening the rear disk brake.

Vassago Jabberwocky Cons:

1. It’s not custom geometry, nor should it be for the price.
2. It’s not made in the USA. Again, I wouldn’t expect it to be for the price.
3. Some people may not dig the horizontal dropouts when compared to other methods of keeping the chain tight on a single speed. I’ve read of reports of them sliding under hard breaking. I’ve not experienced this in my testing.
4. It’s not as light as equivalent aluminum or titanium frames. A medium (18″) Jabberwocky frame is advertised as weighting 4.9 lbs.

The Chris King and Notubes.com Flow Wheels

It’s the next most important part of the build, especially if your skipping out on gears, shifting and suspension. This is how we interface with the ground! I went with Stan’s ZTR Flow rims laced to Chris King hubs.

Let’s talk about the rims first. I went with ZTR rims from Notubes.com because I wanted to run them tubeless with their Stan’s NoTube sealant and they are reputed to have an excellent strength to weight ratio. However, Notubes.com bills the ZTR Flow 29er rim as being ideal for all mountain. So why did I pick it over the Arch, their cross country rim? For one, in my opinion, it’s not appreciably heaver. Two, I wanted the wider rim. A wider rim results in a wider tire. In theory, this should result in more traction and a more compliant ride.

As for hubs, I went with Chris King. They offered the right price, engagement, reliability and availability for this build. For more consideration of hubs, check out this article:

Industry Nine vs. Chris King | Mountain Biking by 198

And for last aspect of the wheel setup, I stuck big old Panaracer Rampage 2.35 tires on them and skipped the tubes. I’m currently running them 24 PSI in the front and 28 PSI in the back. They do a great job of soaking up the chatter, giving me traction in the north Georgia mountains and they roll reasonably fast. The only other 29er tire I’ve directly compared them to are the Kenda Nevegal 2.2. In comparison, the Rampage seems to give up a little traction and in return, feels like it rolls faster.

Handlebar And Grips

These are the main control interface for your bike. I’ve also done quite a bit of experimenting here, having tried four different handlebars and two different grips on this build.

First up, and this only lasted for a ride, was an Easton carbon handlebar I had laying around. Ended up being far too narrow. When pulling up on the handlebars while standing and climbing, I didn’t feel like I was getting enough torque. Next up, I tried a set of Mary bars. I liked where it put my hands. However, they where also slightly on the narrow side, heavy and made my cockpit too small. I didn’t feel like switching out to a longer stem to make them work.

My third set of handlebars, the first ones I really liked, where Salsa Pro Moto Flat Bars. Perfect width for me, reasonable weight and they worked with my fit on the bike. I liked them so much, I decided to buy the carbon version of the same bar from Salsa. I figured it would help dampen the chatter from the trail and save a few grams at the same time.

Unfortunately, in the course of the first few rides with my new carbon flat bars (non oversized clamp), two people informed me that they knew others who had broken these bars. This unnerved me a touch. Several rides later, I started to get some creaking from the stem region while climbing. I promptly swapped back to the aluminum version of the bar. No more creaking. Also, in terms of reducing chatter and making the ride more forgiving, I could not tell the difference between the two bars.

Grips I also did a little experimenting with. When I first built up the bike, I tossed on some small Ergons I had laying around. I’ve been using Ergon grips for almost a year now and I’ve been very happy with them. However, after a few rides, I started to feel they where ungainly and that they didn’t look good on my build. I tried ESI Chunky grips next. These sleek black silicon grips looked awesome on my new mountain bike. The honeymoon was soon over though and I began to miss the extra support the Ergon grips gave my hands. I also started to suspect that the ride felt rougher with them on. I switched back to the Ergon grips and rode the same trail I’d ridden the previous day with the ESI grips. Sure enough, the Ergon GP1s seemed to do a better job at reducing chatter. They felt like they made the ride smoother for me.

Vassago Jabberwocky – The Rest Of The Build

For brakes, I picked up some mechanical Avid BB7 disk brakes and a set of Avid Speed Dial 7 leavers to control them with. I had someone who knew what they where doing set them up for me. I think the modulation is more then acceptable, they don’t feel grabby to me. They where extremely inexpensive when compared to hydraulic brakes and do the job reliably. Can’t complain about that.

For all the other parts, I used components I had laying around or that I thought represented a reasonable price to quality ratio.

No clue what the entire build weighs, haven’t put it on a proper scale. The weight of my bike is not something I need to think about while I’m climbing. Though, it is less then my full suspension, aluminum framed, small wheel bike.

Conclusion on the Vassago Jabberwocky

I’m extremely happy with my Vassago Jabberwocky build. It meets all my objectives. It’s quite and reliable. I feel as one with the trail without being totally punished by it. And perhaps most importantly, I’m still able to do virtually everything with it that I was able to do on my full suspension, geared bike. It might not necessarily be as physically comfortable, but it certainly brings the joy of the ride back to me.

Guest Post by: Jason Milliron

From Curtlo.com:

From traditional steel mountain hardtails, to single speed, road, cyclo-cross, 29″, and whatever else you desire – we can build it! Our strength is the ability to build a frame exactly the way you want it. Disc tabs, full suspension, tandems, braze-ons, touring bikes, foldable bikes, you name it.

Each year we refine and tweak every element of our frames, from something as seemingly unimportant as drop-outs, to incorporating the newest brand of tubing. Most long-time riders who have ridden hand-made, custom steel frames know the truth. There is something that gets transferred from the builder, through the torch, right into each frame built. While it is probably easier to walk into your local shop and buy a “big brand name” bike off the showroom floor, what you are missing can mean the difference between pure enjoyment, and just a decent ride.

At Curtlo cycles, how a bike FEELS is everything, and the best way to get the ultimate feel is to have a bike that fits properly. Each frame we build is custom fit to the rider, plain and simple. And, you will be surprised when you see how much a custom hand made Curtlo frame costs compared to a bike that was probably made by a machine. When you figure in the unbelievable deal on a full bike parts kit, your total bike price can be actually CHEAPER than the alternative. Check out our site, and contact us to talk about how we can get you on your dream bike. You won’t get a sales person sitting in some fancy office, you will most likely get Doug Curtiss, the man with the torch.

You might have seen one of his creations on this site in previous readings. The “I Miss My Singlespeed” post featured a 26″ Curtlo 24hr SS with a Bushnell EBB that I rode for about a year. So far, it is the best 26″ hardtail that I have ever ridden. On my top five rides of all time list, one of them is a 30+ mile ride that Mudpie and I did at Tsali when I was on this bike. It was extremely responsive but also comfortable for the all day epics. At one point, I had it setup fully rigid at about 21 lbs. With the Reba up front, it weighed in at about 23 lbs.

Doug also has many custom options to choose from that you can find on his site. If you are looking for a full suspension steel frame, Doug builds his front triangles against Ventana’s laterally stiff rear ends.

The pictured below is my old 24hr SS. For more pictures of Doug’s custom creations, visit his gallery on Curtlo.com.

Trey is lucky enough to have his hands on number 241. If the frame looks anything like it does in these pictures, we should all be in for a real treat.

Head Badge History

Our Head badge design is in honor of Kent’s Dad, Leif. Leif passed away as we were starting up this new venture. Wanting to memorialize his Dad we used his Surname for the company. We also are able to symbolically represent Leif and Kent’s heritage in our head badge design. Researching the history of the explorer Leif Eriksen we found many interesting leads on potential designs. What we came up with is a conglomerate of the various sail designs found on Viking ships.

These ships were used to sail into battle over heavy seas. Sails were colored with red stripes to symbolize blood, intimidating the enemy upon approach. The bird in our design is a rendition of the bird also found on many of Viking sails. We have modernized this bird to give it life, flight and movement. The bird species we have created is yet to be classified. Around the shop we refer to it as a “crow-magpie”.

#241 of the bikes Kent’s built since leaving Moots.

For those of you that don’t know the story, I sold the Curtlo for an engagement ring. Trust me…it was the right move, but since then, my bike big dreams have gotten the best of my head and now my only ride is a 36 lbs rocket that is blogged below. Even if I still had a singlespeed, it would still be the bike that I would ride most of the time. I just have too much fun on that bike to leave it at home.

Where I really miss the singlespeed is on days like today. I really only have time to get in a quick ride at Blankets Creek, and I would love to be able to throw on a simple, light hardtail and just blast around the local trail for a lap or two without having to worry about gears or suspension. There is something really great about the simplicity of a singlespeed. Your mind just kind of wonders off to another place. It is very similar to the way I feel on a great downhill run where all you are thinking about is the trail ahead of you and how to make the best run at it. You aren’t thinking about what gear to be in, where to set the suspension or even how to ride that section…you are just riding as pure as you know how.

It doesn’t have to be a 29er, 26er, rigid, hardtail, steel, aluminum, etc…just a singlespeed with the ability to go fast and carve the corners. Who knows…I just might have one the the near future, but in the meantime…I still really enjoy my heavy ride.

Another incredible ss 29er. This Independent Fab belongs to Jason up in Asheville, NC. The component list ranges from Phil Wood, Eno, Fox, Brooks and Chris King. Independent Fabrication makes some of the best steel hardtails on the market and this one is no exception. The midnight blue against the white of the Fox F29 is a perfect mix.

After a post 3hr Bent Creek ride, he said this is the one he should have bought originally, which is saying a lot. The new Racing Ralph’s from Schwalbe also show some serious promise.

With all of these great riding 29′ers around, it looks like I might need to jump on the bandwagon sometime soon.

First the spec list:
Wheels: Industry Nine’s on Stan’s Flow rims – Custom black and orange spokes alternating every two
Fork: Custom Marz 20mm rigid
Brakes: Avid Juicy 7′s (these will change) w/custom black powder coated Formula rotors
Cranks: Custom black powder coated Shimano XT’s
Post and Stem: Thomson
Bars: Salsa (I think…they weren’t labeled)
Tires: Prototype WTB Stouts

What a ride! Fred Cuthbert makes a killer ride. By far the best 29er I have ever been on. The geometry is a close resemblance of what you see out of Jeff Jone’s stable. It seems to put you in the perfect stand and hammer climbing position that you are often forced into with rigid single speeding. The bike almost felt like it had suspension with the large volume tires and compliant rear end. Nothing quite beats the feeling of a custom steel ride.

If I had the change…this would be the 29er I would buy. I am still not convinced that a 29er is the best idea for suspension bikes…but this thing rails for a rigid. Even the gully runs in the freeride area of our local trail were a breeze.

His interrupted seat tube design allows you to run 16.5″ chain stays on a 29er and still be able to put your seat all the way down. From what he says..and I agree after riding it…it also stiffens up the bottom bracket. The shorter chain stays allow the bike to have the nimble feeling of a 26″ ride with all of the benefits of 29″ tires. It also makes the front end easier to loft with slacker geometry that up until now, seems to be a foreign idea in the 29er market. The bottom bracket has Phil Wood external BB bearings pressed into it which is another really cool feature.

Internal rear brake line routing
Marz 20mm TA rigid fork w/built in post mounts
Built in posts mounts for rear brake

The list just goes on and on. I’d rather have one of these than a Jone’s any day of the week. And the complete design of the bike looks incredible in person. Fred puts an extreme amount of pride and craftsmanship into every frame that he builds and this can be easily seen in his design.

For the finishing touch…Keith Anderson does the paint work that can only be described as flawless. Traffic stops when this bike is racked on the back of my truck.

Related – Industry Nine Post