[locobaylor]

Hey all,
Thinking of selling some bikes that I don't ride that much and SS'ing a pugsley out for a winter/mtn cruiser set up. If I end up pulling the trigger and getting one, should I just get the whole bike and then get a SS kit after removing all the gears and gearing, or would it be financially smart to build it up?
I've worked at bike shops in the past, and I know that building a bike up from frame-up is more expensive, plus this is a whole new region of bikes that I've never explored before.
Thanks for any advice/tips.

 

[sevenpedaler]

SS in snow is next to impossible. I'd gear it if you plan on snow biking.

 

[mtnbykr©™]

not next to impossible. just miserable enough that you'll hate to ride it. go gears[1x?, 2x?] and enjoy it.

 

[Borgschulze]

I run 33t chainring up front, and an 11-34 cassette, and regularly have to use every gear except the 11.

 

[pursuiter]

I rode my Pugs SS for a week waiting for parts to install an Alfine. There's not enough traction in the snow/ice to get out of the saddle and stomp up hills. It was not really optimal. I ride a 29'er HT SS in the summer.

 

[locobaylor]

I rode my Pugs SS for a week waiting for parts to install an Alfine. There's not enough traction in the snow/ice to get out of the saddle and stomp up hills. It was not really optimal. I ride a 29'er HT SS in the summer.

So do you not ride your pugsley when the conditions aren't snowy? Do people really not use them in the summer?

 

[Drew Diller]

Sure, I ride mine all year, it's fun any time. And you can SS it on dry conditions. I did for a few months and it was cool.

They're right though, just don't touch snow with just one single gear.

 

[~martini~]

Winter = gears. Summer = SS. That's how I ran my Pug. The SS works very well in summer on it.

 

[Elderberry]

Yeah, get the complete, put a SS cog on the "front" hub. Try SS if you wanna, then you've still got the derailleurs, cassette, etc if and when you want them.

 

[7daysaweek]

How much snow? Really deep snow probably won't be easy.

I have a SS pugsley and have ridden it in the snow some. The deepest I've seen with it was about 8 inches but it did fine as long as you keep momentum up. Great workout but I'd at least build one of the wheels with a geared hub incase you change your mind.

 

[flashes]

Mine is SS. We only had a piddly ammount of snow, but it was brill. Overtaking cars on sheet ice was "interesting"

 

[sean salach]

SS in snow is next to impossible. I'd gear it if you plan on snow biking.

not next to impossible. just miserable enough that you'll hate to ride it. go gears[1x?, 2x?] and enjoy it.

Nowhere near impossible, and not even remotely miserable. I love riding ss in the snow, a lot. It works fine. People have happily ridden ss bikes on snow for as long as we've ridden ss bikes on dirt. Hell, Pat Irwin won the 350 mile Ultrasport on a ss bike TWICE, and it gets ridden happily on ss bikes nearly every year.

 

[CLONG]

Nowhere near impossible, and not even remotely miserable. I love riding ss in the snow, a lot. It works fine. People have happily ridden ss bikes on snow for as long as we've ridden ss bikes on dirt. Hell, Pat Irwin won the 350 mile Ultrasport on a ss bike TWICE, and it gets ridden happily on ss bikes nearly every year.

Ha ha, I was wondering when we'd hear a dissenting opinion. SS is always a good option. The issues with SS on snow are the same as dirt: gear appropriately and give 'er.

 

[headhunterracing]

I have a SS Pug. I do not ride it in the snow I have Fatbacks for that. The SS pug is a blast on summer trails and I really enjoy it for me its like a really big BMX bike. I am not sure of the gearing but its close to one to one. I bought it as is.

 

[Drew Diller]

its like a really big BMX bike

Yeah! Seconded. I have swept back bars on mine, felt like an XL toy bike when I had it in SS mode.

 

[masterofnone]

I got tired of derailleurs and cables freezing up with ice and snow, went SS a couple winters ago and will not go back to gears. Yeah it's difficult in some types and depths of snow, but it's far from "impossible". It keeps the legs and lungs strong in the "off season", it's a nice change from gears for a while, and the freedom from said annoying drivetrain hiccups allows a nirvana-like purity to the ride.

 

[sslos]

Nowhere near impossible, and not even remotely miserable. I love riding ss in the snow, a lot. It works fine. People have happily ridden ss bikes on snow for as long as we've ridden ss bikes on dirt. Hell, Pat Irwin won the 350 mile Ultrasport on a ss bike TWICE, and it gets ridden happily on ss bikes nearly every year.

Indeed! I hear all the time that some trails are "impossible" on a one speed. It's a matter of gearing, and getting used to riding in a manner that's appropriate to the conditions.

Los

 

[johnni1968]

I ran my Pug SS this winter and sure it was hard going at times, but it wasn't impossible. I did cheat however and ran 32-36 up front and 22-18 at back. This gave me 32x22 for hills and deep snow and 36x18 for the 'easier' farm-tracks or forestry commission roads!

 

[Velobike]

I experimented with my Pug in the snow. Each ride I would select 1 gear on the Alfine and stick in it for the entire ride.

I came to the conclusion that for any riding with any reasonable depth of snow (ie not a packed trail) I needed 22/22 to have any chance of riding up the hills. So I built up a SS wheel for it and tried it out.

That's ok for when there's snow, but I don't fancy riding distance on any other surface with that low a gear, so I've pulled the SS off the bike and refitted the Alfine.

 

[Saddle Up]

I got tired of derailleurs and cables freezing up with ice and snow, went SS a couple winters ago and will not go back to gears. Yeah it's difficult in some types and depths of snow, but it's far from "impossible". It keeps the legs and lungs strong in the "off season", it's a nice change from gears for a while, and the freedom from said annoying drivetrain hiccups allows a zen-like purity to the ride.

fixed it