The benefits of SS vs. gears

[Steel]

My dad just recently aquired a single speed full rigid and I rode it and it rides I think better than my current bike. So then started the debate of getting a SS full rigid or just sticking with mine or have both. Let me know what you guys think about it.

p.s. I also have a 26er fork fs on the buy sale trade section it a good fork but not as big of an upgrade as what I was wanting

[chuckdlou]

yeah, i had the same question for the guys at the car dealership when i got my car...oh wait...they don't make cars without suspension or gears...wonder why?

[Bentcrank]

Now don't be a hater.

It is all personal choice as to what kind of bike you want to ride. It makes a difference on how much money you have to spend and how much work/upkeep you have to do.

I know people that ride just about all version of bikes and are very happy with their choice.

To be honest, most of the time I am on my SS there is a time that I wished I had another gear. Also, most of the time on my geared bike there is a time that I wished I had my SS.

There are pros and cons to both kinds of bikes

[gt ss]

IMO SS is more; fun, challenging, of a workout, bad ass, inclined to make you see the trail better. It's just plain different.
Fully rigid just amplifies all of the above.

Benefit of SS over geared? Less; noise, thinking about equipment/gear you're in, maintenance.

I rode geared when I started back in the early nineties and went to FS geared in the mid 2000's. I decided to give SS a try due to sloppy gears and slappy chains about 5 years ago. I converted an old 26er steel frame and rear wheel and rode it as a HT for about 4 years. Last spring I decided to try a 29er and bought a Redline Monocog Flight and kept the rigid fork. I raced it to a first place finish @ the Planet Adventure SS Night race and a second place finish @ the Planet Adventure 24 hr race (vs gearies) in the fall and rarely thought about not having the right gear.

All that being said, I have bought a 2x10 bike to race the DINO series this year because I have a feeling I might want the ability to go faster at times.

It will remain to be seen but this is what I'm thinking will happen; If I'm riding with friends I will ride my SS. If I'm training or racing I will ride my gearie.

IMO

[RF]

I just got a full rigid redline monocog and its a blast to ride and rides very smooth.  But I also have a jamis komodo long travel hardtail that 2x9 I just like having both .

[Steel]

Yeah I rode the full rigid SS my dad got and I loved it then I was like that would be great to have to use as a pavement pounder and if I was brave enough the trails and just enjoy the hell out of it

[David Kuehnen]

I have a rigid 1X9 and it is fun and all, but I'd prefer to carry the weight penalty of a suspension fork for rides over 2 hours. cause a rigid will definitely beat you a bit.

[Syt]

One thing I have noticed is SS rigid riders have an overwhelmingly superior taste in beer and women. OK women are subjective, but the beer, that's quantifiable. Somehow.

[Fett]

I prefer to have suspension on the trails. I do have a rigid 2x9 for Death March/Gravel Grovel/Iceman/winter training on people trails type of riding.  SS'ing is a great change of pace when you are riding. I don't like to do it all of the time. SS'ing is also great on snowy rides when derailleurs tend to ice over and freeze up at times.
 
Riding rigid on rough trails tends to make you take inferior lines as you pick the least rough route rather than the fastest route. You tend to weave all over the trail rather than through things.

[David Kuehnen]

Riding rigid on rough trails tends to make you take inferior lines as you pick the least rough route rather than the fastest route. You tend to weave all over the trail rather than through things.

It is a different style  of riding, that is for sure.  But in the old days, that was the only game in town.  I ride rigid nowadays because it retro and it forces you to interact with the trail more.

[pigfarm]

I might have a different angle on it.  For me, It comes down to how much time I have to ride.  When I get to hit the trails, it's in short 2-3 hour sessions.  For me, there is no way to squeeze more grins into a 2 hour window than to go out and mash on a rigid SS.  It's hard on my wrists, back, butt, etc.  I have poor pedaling effeciency, I stand up too much, I swing the bike around like an idiot, and I take bad lines.  I also couldn't be having more fun.
I'd love to travel to ride bigger terrain.  Someday i'll be able to take epic, multi-day rides.  I'll ride the whole DINO series one of these days.  When I can do that stuff, I'll get a full suspension geared bike (again). 
There really isn't a wrong answer.

[edf]

I have a Redline Monocog 29er and a geared bike (3x9) and I seem to go through phases. Sometimes I will be riding the geared for several rides in a row, sometimes the Monocog. Both are fun to ride, but I do enjoy the simplicity of the Monocog, especially during the winter as it collects a lot less ice and snow in the important areas of the bike. In fact, that is all I have been riding during the past month.
In terms of benefits, I’d like to think riding my single speed equates to me being a faster and stronger rider geared, but I have no evidence of that. I do think it has helped my cornering as I make an effort to carry as much momentum as possible into turns with the SS. I have seen this translate to the geared.
Also, I went on one ride with the Monocog 29er as a rigid and immediately switched the fork to a RS Tora. I just wasn’t enjoying the rigidity up front. I might lose some style points for that…

[Hocky]

I did about 100 miles on a single speed last year and enjoyed it. After I got back onto my geared bike, though, I felt lazy and not wanting to shift around to ride harder for quite a while.

[RiverBankRider]

I ran a SS GT Peace 26er last year during the DINO series and had a complete blast.  The biggest ss triumph of last season was cranking up the first paved hill at Brown County in a gear that was way too large for my own good.  So much pain was a true gain though and an important lesson learned.  If I had gears, I would have been grinding along at a granny ratio and losing more ground than necessary. 
I was rigid in the first half of the series, and suspended through the final portion of the series.  I definately prefer suspended at this point, because riding rigid beat me up too much.  Riding rigid while recovering from 2 big falls with a separated AC joint and thumb sprains was not pleasant.  Riding suspended was a godsend.

[Steel]

I thank you to all who have replied I think I'm definitely think I'm going to do a full rigid SS just for the fact that I'm going to use it as a pavement pounder (yes I know it sucks riding pavement but sometimes you have to) and also take it on the trail too. This is my next question do you suggest converting a geared bike to SS or buying a SS