[sscott]

I started MTbiking about a 1.5 years ago. Started out with a Ventana and then bought a Turner Burner. A lot of the guys I bike with ride SS so I though I would build one up just to ride durring the winter. HA! yea right. Now I find myself only wanting to ride the SS. I've sold the Ventana to a friend. After being off my Turner for a few months I decided to take it out for a spin. It was nice but the whole time I'm think "I wish I was on my SS"! Now I'm contemplating selling my Turner. Crazy thing is my SS cost me about 1/4 of the cost of my FS but it's 10 times as fun! Anyone else sold their other bikes after riding SS?

 

[Cranman]

Uhh yep basically same thing you just said goes for me too. But my buddies don't ride SS and don't really get it. Oh well, their loss.

 

[shiggy]

Your first mtb was a Ventana?

 

[sscott]

Your first mtb was a Ventana?

Well kinda. About 2+ years ago I rode a mtb bike I bought off someone for about $100 dollars. Rode it about 3 times before I broke it. I quit riding for about 8 months or so. Got a new job and a pay raise and was "steered" to by a Ventana.

 

[SMOKEY]

That sounds all too familiar! Honestly though, I feel that if I had never bought my turner 5 spot I would have never built the courage to try the gnar-gnar stuff on a fully rigid SS. My first mtb was a gary fisher hardtail and it was not all that great. I kept it for a very short while then I bought my 5-spot. The turner allowed me to hang with the trails that where out of my skill level. Now I take pride in knowing that most of the work and accomplishment on the trail is done by me and not my bike. I too would like to sell my turner and build up a nice SS bike to last me a long time, a one of a kind, built for me and only me. gears and suspension are pretty good at making up for my lack of fitness, skill and courage. I guess it all depends on what kind of trails you ride. around here its either up or down, there are no flats. SSing makes it punishing.

 

[BelaySlave]

What size is your Five Spot?

Nick

Oh...and I really like my SS, but wouldn't mind a 5" travel bike for the times I will barely use it around here.

 

[SMOKEY]

My spot is a large. I'm still not sure If I want to sell it.

 

[PinsNeedles]

Happened to me

I got a good deal on a Surly 1x1 last year, stopped riding my Heckler and sold it...
The next step was buying a 29er SS Vulture...
Now what ? fixed cross bike or unicycle

 

[KgB]

I went the other direction

Now I'm contemplating selling my Turner. Crazy thing is my SS cost me about 1/4 of the cost of my FS but it's 10 times as fun! Anyone else sold their other bikes after riding SS?

I have been kind of bored SS only.
last year I bought a full suspension Edge Cycle and rode it maybe 20% of the time and this year I bought a Turner Flux which will cut into my SS time a bit also.
I still feel SS is where it's at,especially on Solo rides.I rarely ride SS with gearies these days,it's more fun to be on a similiar bike than to crush them on a SS
I think a SS/Turner is a perfect Duo.

 

[WadePatton]

Me too

I have a Turner collecting dust. I've reduced it to a seven speed in order to make it more interesting. Think I'll make it a 5 or 6 speed and keep it for extra long or steep rides.

Also have a geared roadie being neglected after getting a fixed gear roadie.

Now I want a fixed cross with those cute little cross knobbies.

 

[Mattman]

Ditto the Turner / SS trend

I have a real nice Turner Burner and a real nice new Waltworks SS 29r. I recenly had the chance to sell my Liquid and upgrade to the Turner for almost no out of pocket $. I jumped at the chance even though I had the new SS 29r in the works. I will definately ride the SS more, but I don't see myself giving up the Turner. There is a ride, a place, or a group for each.

If Turner ever makes a 29r, then I may have to give up my Burner........or perhaps a Lenz will dislodge it as my FS bike.

 

[dstepper]

I ride my SS more than my 5-spot. But on long rides that have prolonged climbs 10-15% grades that go on for miles, I usualy leaving the SS home.

I am not strong enough to do them on a single speed...yet.

 

[SMOKEY]

Went for a ride earlier today on my turner 5 spot for the first time in over a month. First thoughts where not to good. I began to realize how much a pain in the a$$ it is having 27 gears. I did clean all the climbs and I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to climb technical stuff with gears and a great suspension design, all while sitting down. It felt weird but I am not sure if I would give it up. down hills where faster but I noticed I did not really like not feeling the trail under me. It don't make sense. I further proved to myself how much I hate pedal bob.

 

[2farfwd]

down hills where faster but I noticed I did not really like not feeling the trail under me. It don't make sense. I further proved to myself how much I hate pedal bob.

This sums it up perfect for me too. I have ridden steel hardtails for years and began SSing in 2002. I just built up my first FS bike last year (Ventana El Chamuco) and during my first ride I was horrified because I could not feel the trail under me. For me, on a hardtail or rigid SS the trail dictates how I ride and how fast I go, etc. On the FS bike, I feel like I do not have as much control or input into what the bike is doing. Almost like the suspension has a mind of it's own and it doesn't need me or any of my developed technical riding skill. It just goes.

 

[bikeanddrum]

I am one of those guys who has never been happy w/ my bike. My first bike was a trek 4900, a year later got a trek fuel, year later got a fisher sugar, year later got a jamis eureka, then I went and built a cheap trek 830 into a singlespeed. Loved it!! then I sold the Jamis Eureka and the Sugar(still had those) and just dove into singlespeeding. Later after getting punished on an extremely tech trail in January I built up a Surly Instigator 1x9 freeride bult, 2.5's and all!! Bike just was not fun to me, so after falling in love w/ the steel ride, Built up my favorite bike and have had it w/ no regrets and no worries and honestly love it so much!!! No aprehensions like earlier bikes nothing but love and that is my Black Surly Karate Monkey SS!! fully rigid w/ H-Bars. There is no other bike that calls my name to go for the ride like this one. Those tech trails are a blast and I am honestly just gonna sell my Instigator!! maybe even my Surly crosscheck as well. I just don't want to ride anything else anymore.....SO long story short. I totally feel ya man!! singlespeeding has honestly gave me a new outlook on riding and it is so cool to see everyone's face when you clean a tech part of the trail w/ no suspension and 1 gear!!!!! later, Jus

 

[AOK]

similar experience here

but I noticed I did not really like not feeling the trail under me.

The first time I rode my El Saltamontes after riding SS for a while, I felt like I was riding a hovercraft down the trail.

One of the things I have liked about going full rigid is "feeling" the trail more... even if that "feel" is sometimes delivered like a jackhammer.

Still, I would agree with those who find their FS trailbikes as a compliment to a SSer. I have not really wanted to sell my Ventana, I just don't ride it nearly as much as I used to.