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Tips for first SS build for Newbie?

2311 Views 21 Replies 15 Participants Last post by RatBikeRod, Jan 9, 2022

2sharp7

Discussion Starter · Jan 1, 2022

Just got my frame for a dedicated SS build! It’s a Pipedream Sirius S5 (thanks to Hardtail Party and Smith Creek Cycles!)
Just have frame so far, so I’m looking for advice on SS set up. Actually I do have a crankset with Wolftooth chainring I’ll be using. So what are the best or most compatible cogs to use? How about chains? I’m assuming if my chainring is narrow wide I need to run 10-11-12 sp chains? For gearing I was thinking of trying 32/20 to start. Thoughts on gearing? When I’m picking out wheel set will any Hg style rear hub work with ss? Besides chainring, chain, cog and spacer kit, are any other parts needed for ss?

Also, I have not yet decided between 29er, 27.5, 27.5+, or mullet, so I’d also welcome comments regarding wheel size as it relates to single speeding.

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1 - 20 of 22 Posts

mack_turtle

· #2 · Jan 1, 2022

32/20 is a great start.

for the rear hub, there's not a lot of advantage in getting a singlespeed-specific hub, so don't limit yourself that way. get something with a standard HG freehub, the design that's been around for decades. that gives you a ton of cog options. I've just been using Surly cogs for years and years. There are options for Microspline and XD hubs, but HG splined cogs are easier to source for sure.

I'd just use whatever 8, 9, 10 speed chain you can get cheap. shifting performance, of course, means nothing on your bike. I have not noticed a huge difference but some people will argue endlessly about the virtues of one or another chain.

Reactions: 2

North woods gal

· #3 · Jan 1, 2022 (Edited)

As above, hard to beat a standard HG free hub for selection and availability of cogs. I use Surly, Endless Bike, Wolf Tooth cogs, but there are others you can also use.

I've used 9 and 10 speed chains on my builds, but have even used the stock 11 speed chain on a couple of my 11 speed conversions to ss. They've all worked.

As for wheel size, I've done everything from old 26ers all the way up to 29+ and fat bike. My advice is to pick whatever works for you, same as you would on a fully geared bike. Just be aware that wheel size does affect gear inches when selecting gear ratios. A 29+ will have significantly higher gearing in g.i. than a 26er when both are using your 32-20 gearing.

Reactions: 1

BansheeRune

· #4 · Jan 1, 2022

2sharp7 said:
Just got my frame for a dedicated SS build! It’s a Pipedream Sirius S5 (thanks to Hardtail Party and Smith Creek Cycles!)
Just have frame so far, so I’m looking for advice on SS set up. Actually I do have a crankset with Wolftooth chainring I’ll be using. So what are the best or most compatible cogs to use? How about chains? I’m assuming if my chainring is narrow wide I need to run 10-11-12 sp chains? For gearing I was thinking of trying 32/20 to start. Thoughts on gearing? When I’m picking out wheel set will any Hg style rear hub work with ss? Besides chainring, chain, cog and spacer kit, are any other parts needed for ss?

Also, I have not yet decided between 29er, 27.5, 27.5+, or mullet, so I’d also welcome comments regarding wheel size as it relates to single speeding.

Gears... If you have a geared bike, set it in a gear and ride it. Do not shift, just pedal. Switch it up and give it some distance again. Find what feels good and then you have a number based on the real world. Down the line, you will change out gears as you get stronger or for specific rides.
Any HG will work and a pile of spacers to adjust chain line.
Chains... Hell, I'm running a KMC 710 on my Middlechild and my trials bike. The trials bike will destroy chains of low quality in minutes!
Middlechild is a 27.5+ that can do 29 but fatter is more in line with Jeepin' quality so that was part of the decision. The other part was trialsy is job one. 29 feels a little cumbersome for that element although, I can run 29 x 2.6 but that is too close to minus. It's all about playtime!

Guess I'll now ask... Do you have wheels? For experimentation, of course!

Reactions: 2

BrianU

· #5 · Jan 1, 2022

Congrats on the new frame! That Pipedream Sirius looks real sweet and I sure wish someone local to me, and about my size, would build one up so that I could try it out.

Lots of great advice already posted. As far as gearing, ask five different people, even if they are all riding the same trails, and you could get five different answers. So many variables, personal preferences and skills come into play, and none of them are necessarily wrong. The trails I tend to ride most often have short, punchy climbs combined with flat sections and lots of in-betweens. I know riders that regularly swap gears to suit the trail, especially the race crowd, but that is not me. One of the things I like about a rigid SS is the other than normal maintenance items, i.e. chain lubed, tire sealant and brakes, pretty much check the tires and go ride. My do-it-all gear use to be 34/20 and I ran this for years. I can clean 99% of the climbs on the trails I ride most often and still hold my own on the flats when riding with others. That changed about six months ago for a reason that North woods gal mentioned in her post. I used to run a 29 X 2.35 rear tire mainly because that is what fit and it worked fine on frames I owned. My current SS has the room to fit a 29 X 2.5, but I had a couple extra 2.6 tires around since that is what I typically run for a front tire, and decided to see how one would fit. The tire was just a little too close to the chainstay brace, but tons of room everywhere else.

Using this tool, which I highly recommend checking out......

https://eehouse.org/fixin/formfmu?display=png&maxRing=32&minRing=32&maxCog=20&minCog=20&isMetric=1&stayLen=42.7&wheelDiam=26.16&useHalfLink=0&stretch=0.0&axleAdjust=vert&generate=Generate&sortKey=STAYLEN&sort=stayLen&direction=asc

I found that by swapping the 34 for a 32, I moved my rear tire moved back about 5mm in the dropouts, and this still kept my chainstay length relatively short like I like it. I really thought I would be spinning much faster than I am used to, but was curious to see how it felt on the climbs. I was surprised that to find that I could barely notice any difference between 34/20 with a 29x2.35 tire and 32/20 with a 29x2.6 tire. Really digging the 29x2.6 Bontrager XR4s, so think that is my new standard for now.

I think what BansheeRune suggested is an excellent idea. Pick a gear on your current bike and use this to get an idea of what you might like. You can also ask locals, I know I have been asked several times, but keep in mind their experience and priorities could be quite different than yours.

Also highly recommend the Surly cogs. Relatively cheap, good quality, last forever and a big thing now....still readily available.

As far as tire size, I prefer 29", but that issue has been debated and discussed multiple time on MTBR. Do a search and read what different people have to say.

I run an 8-speed KMC X8 silver chain. Easy to find, another big thing right now, and price is not bad. Don't know if it was just a fluke or something, but the all silver version has tended to not stretch as much as the cheaper silver/grey version.

Anyway, welcome to the dark side and enjoy that Pipedream!

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Reactions: 2

BansheeRune

· #6 · Jan 1, 2022 (Edited)

Gear inch/cm tends to confuse my melon since ratio is the factor that is something I can identify with.
Ratio Calculator
This allows a similar function with plugging in your chainring and cog sizes for an answer. It also gives a range of ratios for sizes either taller or shorter in ratio. Kinda kewl stuff!

Speed at cadence is another interesting calculator on the same site. It does take into account wheel and tire size.

Peruse the site and have a little insight into what your one speed automatic will do.
Fun stuff to ponder and apply.

Reactions: 2

OneSpeed

· #7 · Jan 1, 2022

Get your chainline right. No excuses.

Reactions: 3

Grinchy8

· #8 · Jan 2, 2022

I also built my first SS last quarter. I solved the gear ratio question by getting a six bolt (brake rotor type) HG carrier. The cogs for this are $15 or so, so I could get a 20 and 22 to experiment with. Also already had a 30 and 32t chainring. Right now I'm in easy mode (30x22), but there are a couple more ratios on hand I can easily switch to when I get stronger, or need a bit more speed. Last time I was at the jump track I was lacking a tiny bit of speed, so I may go up to the next easy ratio (30x20), which won't require me to adjust chain length, just bump out the chain stay sliders a little.

Reactions: 1

2sharp7

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 2, 2022

BansheeRune said:
Guess I'll now ask... Do you have wheels? For experimentation, of course!

Not yet!

834905

· #10 · Jan 2, 2022

OP what are your local trails like? That would help us with giving recommendations on wheel and tire size.

I will also echo what Mack said about SS specific rear hubs. I’ve made that mistake in the past and regretted it when I wanted to swap that wheel set onto one of my geared bikes.

As for cog choice, you can’t go wrong with Surly. Lately I’ve been running an Endless Kick Ass cog and it’s been great also. Most cogs will work well as long as they have either a thick body or a carrier. The cheap really thin stamped ones don’t last long and will dig into your free hub.

2sharp7

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jan 2, 2022

SingleSpeedSteven said:
OP what are your local trails like? That would help us with giving recommendations on wheel and tire size.

I will also echo what Mack said about SS specific rear hubs. I’ve made that mistake in the past and regretted it when I wanted to swap that wheel set onto one of my geared bikes.

As for cog choice, you can’t go wrong with Surly. Lately I’ve been running an Endless Kick Ass cog and it’s been great also. Most cogs will work well as long as they have either a thick body or a carrier. The cheap really thin stamped ones don’t last long and will dig into your free hub.

Prescott, AZ. Most of what I ride is natural single track, blue trails mostly with a little tech here and there. Typical ride is 9-12 mi and 1k -1200ft climbing. Occasional venture into “the Dells”, or trip to Sedona or so Utah. I envision having multiple cog / chain ring combos but probably will settle on a favorite. And I just decided to post my geared hard tail for sale, so I will plan on having a geared set up for this bike as well.

Reactions: 2

834905

· #12 · Jan 2, 2022

2sharp7 said:
Prescott, AZ. Most of what I ride is natural single track, blue trails mostly with a little tech here and there. Typical ride is 9-12 mi and 1k -1200ft climbing. Occasional venture into “the Dells”, or trip to Sedona or so Utah. I envision having multiple cog / chain ring combos but probably will settle on a favorite. And I just decided to post my geared hard tail for sale, so I will plan on having a geared set up for this bike as well.

I’m in Phoenix so I’m pretty familiar with what you’re riding. I’d go with a fast 29 tire in the 2.4 range for Spence Basin and places like that if you do most of your riding on those fast non-chunky trails. The Dells would be fun on a plus tire, but if you don’t ride them that often then I’d probably not bother.

When I drive up to ride Prescott I bring my hardtail that has 29x2.6 and it’s perfect. Great tire size and a nice happy medium. I’d recommend 29 with an i30-35 rim and a nice set of 2.6s.

If you find yourself in Phoenix before your build takes off shoot me a message. I have a cog carrier and a couple cogs like someone mentioned above. I have cogs coming out of my ears over here so you can have them.

Reactions: 3

azjonboy

· #13 · Jan 2, 2022

I’ve ridden a lot of the Prescott trails on a 29+ SS. I like the 32x20 combo for Prescott as its good on rolling terrain and some steeper stuff. Also very good for techy climbing.

The 8 speed SRAM chain was my go to chain for SS for about 15 years. Works great and is very inexpensive. These days I run the KMC SS specific chain as its also bullet proof and more durable mileage wise.

Reactions: 1

BansheeRune

· #14 · Jan 2, 2022

2sharp7 said:
Prescott, AZ. Most of what I ride is natural single track, blue trails mostly with a little tech here and there. Typical ride is 9-12 mi and 1k -1200ft climbing. Occasional venture into “the Dells”, or trip to Sedona or so Utah. I envision having multiple cog / chain ring combos but probably will settle on a favorite. And I just decided to post my geared hard tail for sale, so I will plan on having a geared set up for this bike as well.

There are many terrain differences and having shorter and taller gears at our disposal is paramount. I have tailored sets at the ready in those plastic Sram issue chain boxes. Sometimes, short gears are the day's need for the rock crawler experience. There are the speed run days that call for the taller set to be in use.

Mom n Pop have ride in, ride out property on the outskirts of Tucson. The end of the street is one of the many trailheads for the Cat Mountain rec area. A mecca of singletrack... City and county are in partnership with that area. A lovely ride opportunity.

BansheeRune

· #15 · Jan 2, 2022

*OneSpeed* said:
Get your chainline right. No excuses.

This part was left out intentionally... Kinda like that blank page!

Ain't singlespeed grand?

gonzo

· #16 · Jan 3, 2022

2sharp7 said:
Just got my frame for a dedicated SS build! It’s a Pipedream Sirius S5 (thanks to Hardtail Party and Smith Creek Cycles!)
Just have frame so far, so I’m looking for advice on SS set up. Actually I do have a crankset with Wolftooth chainring I’ll be using. So what are the best or most compatible cogs to use? How about chains? I’m assuming if my chainring is narrow wide I need to run 10-11-12 sp chains? For gearing I was thinking of trying 32/20 to start. Thoughts on gearing? When I’m picking out wheel set will any Hg style rear hub work with ss? Besides chainring, chain, cog and spacer kit, are any other parts needed for ss?

Also, I have not yet decided between 29er, 27.5, 27.5+, or mullet, so I’d also welcome comments regarding wheel size as it relates to single speeding.

Get a

carbon front fork
29er for sure! it absorbs so much more especially with a rigid fork.
wide front rim 30mm to 40mm internal width
3.0 front tire, rear- what ever works for you. I use 1.9 to 2.4 in rear.
Use the largest rings possible, your 32/20 ratio = 34/21=36/22=38/23 - they last forever
get a chain checker- you will need to toss chains as they wear so your chainrings last forever
get the best deal on wheelset. Just put spacers if not single speed hub. I run both with no issues
wide handle bars for leverage

Eric F

· #17 · Jan 3, 2022

Whatever gear ratio you decide on, live with it for a little while and learn how to use it. I'm on an old 26er running a 32x17 combo (probably similar to a 29er 32x20). At first, it was a real beast on some of my local long climbs. As my body adapted to the type of effort required, it became more comfortable, and I learned how to pace myself correctly.

jct

· #18 · Jan 6, 2022

gonzo said:
Get a

carbon front fork

29er for sure! it absorbs so much more especially with a rigid fork.

wide front rim 30mm to 40mm internal width

3.0 front tire, rear- what ever works for you. I use 1.9 to 2.4 in rear.

Use the largest rings possible, your 32/20 ratio = 34/21=36/22=38/23 - they last forever

get a chain checker- you will need to toss chains as they wear so your chainrings last forever

get the best deal on wheelset. Just put spacers if not single speed hub. I run both with no issues

wide handle bars for leverage

use big gears, but make sure you'll have chain stay clearance for your chain ring.

vikb

· #19 · Jan 7, 2022

I've got a Pipedream Sirius setup SS: Am I Sirius about SS or is it just a Pipedream?

I ended up with a 32T oval x 21T. My trails are fairly climby so that lets me stay on the bike most of the time without spinning out too soon. I am also able to run my tensioners close to the shortest CS length which I like. I am using a cheap SRAM 8 or 9 speed chain.

Great bike. One of my favourites. Have fun with the build and riding it SS. 👌

RatBikeRod

· #20 · Jan 8, 2022

Not to hijack your thread, but I too am setting up a SS on my Trek Stache 7. I have been running 43/16 on my old Rig with 2.3 29’ers, but it is relatively flat where I live and it is more of a gravel setup. The rig is running 28x2.8

I was thinking of going with 34/18 as I will use this bike on trails more than gravel that requires a little more climbing. That is a 54.78 gear inch.

Would the 32/20 provide a tougher setup? I am a relatively large guy (6’6” around 240lbs). This would be a 46.40 gear inch setup. Might be a bit spinnie I am afraid….

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