Is it a dirt jumper? Err not exactly. A DJ would have 26” wheels, slightly different geometry, slotted dropouts, and a shorter, stiffer fork. To me, this is more versatile than a DJ-and with all the great parts!
@@PrototypeBMX people use them because carbon fiber is much lighter. They’re usually at least $100, if you get one cheaper than that prepare for it to break instantly. It’s not as strong as alloy but for those who want their bike as light as possible, carbon is the way to go.
@@apenguin84 i know its lighter but its also ridiculous only bikes that need carbon should be road bikes id rather risk getting a little tired than having a bar snap and go through my heart
@@PrototypeBMX I see your point. I’m an alloy type of guy as well but I understand that some people just want a lighter bike as long as they’re getting good quality carbon so it doesn’t snap like a twig like you said.
“You don’t have to worry about being in the right gear, because your NEVER in the right gear!” As a person who uses two primary bikes, one being a single speed, it’s SO true!
Same. That's ehat I love about my ss ex-roadie, overcoming the wrong gear is so rewarding. Also, having one gear that you use to take off and reach over 30mph is kinda badass, imo
yo, i love you, Seths, and Phils content. My Birthday was yesterday and i got a Breezer Squall. Im in middle school but im really tall so i had to get a 21 inch frame.
At 53 years old, I ride singlespeed almost exclusively...and with a team of 20 guys who also ride and race singlespeed exclusively. Bring that Murder Machine down to Atlanta and ride with us!
58 (almost 59) year old fuck here, Michigan, I have a Surly 26r 1×1 rigid SS, a One Bike 26r SS with 80mm sus fork, a Gary Fisher Rig 29r SS with 100mm sus fork, and a nashbar 29r cheapo rigid SS. Love them all over the rest of my stuff. I should Craigslist my garage and clean it out except for the above bikes,and my Lynskey road bike.
Just turned 50, rode bmx a lot growing up 44/16. And now want to convert my Giant to a single gear. I can still bunny hop and ride a wheelie pretty good... But I really want to learn to manual.!
The whole time watching this I could think about was my first single speed when I was a kid. I still have it and it might just be a big enough frame to build. Hard getting into the hobby again during a lockdown but you're channel has been guiding me through my journey again! Thank you so much and keep posting videos there great!
Single Speed! The way of The Single Speed is this; We are bikes that ride it all, not the fastest or most aggresive but we will teach you flow by showing you new lines on old trails. Endurance will come from varied cadence. Suspension will be found in you, as some sort of levitation holds your core as you relax your grip on the bars and dance on the pedals, hopping and spinning to the sheet music of the trail textures.
Dude, I watched this video when it came out and 8 months ago I converted to singlespeed on my 29" 2018 rockhopper, 36/14 is the gear. At first it takes a while to get used to and when I have wind against me it' horrible. But all the other aspects made it worth it. Almost no maintenance (only cleaning and lubing), no noise, and the best thing ever. ULTIMATE RELIABILITY. If the chain is tigth enough, the wheels are pumped up and you have at least one brake, you can absolutely ride wherever you want to go.
I just love this video. After 5 years off of MTB because of this video tomorow I m gonna buy one so I can enjoy riding mountain bikes again! Thanks Seth love this channel!
My absolute favorite video of yours. I am a 45 year old who grew up a BMX kid. I own roughly 20 bikes, and not one of them have gears. In fact, only one has suspension, on the front only. My Norco RYDE 26". NOBODY on TH-cam has the respect for ALL bikes like you do. I am a forever fan of your videos. Keep pedaling, and filming.........
I'm 45 years old as well and I completely related to your comment. It didn't occur to me how much I missed the feeling of riding a BMX until I bought an undersized Mixte bike, and from the first couple of pedals I felt a similar kind of magic. Now after seeing this video, I am going to convert an unfinished GT Aggressor 2.0 to a fixed speed mountain bike.
Why Singelspeeds are awesome? Simplicity and challenge! I once rode up a small mountain of roughly 500m (1500ft) on a single-speed road bike geared for 30 km/h (18,6 mph). I nearly puked and had to stop twice, BUT I DIDN'T HIKE... That was one of the most challenging and and rewarding things I've done on a bike so far. On top of that, that singlespeed was a stupid fast, easy to maintain and unbelievably cheap commuting bike. And it rides like a dream!
To me riding single speed feels more fun and purer in a way. You don't have to think about the right gear for the incline, you have next to no maintenance to worry about, and everything just feels more relaxed about it. You just get on your bike and you go with no care in the world, and to me that feels better than having my thighs all comfy on a steep uphill or going for high top speeds...or easy starts...or the ability to pedal on a downhill. It's objectively worse, but subjectively there's nothing like it.
advantages of a singlespeed: 1)no chain slap 2)no shifter bothering your hands 3)no derallieur to break 4)stiffer and stronger rear wheel with wider flanges 5)no cable and shifter to bother you while doing tricks 6)weight savings, less chain, derralieur, cable, shifter, and cassette!
and this is exactly why most of the lady bikes are single speed. you dont really need gears to drive around city and these bikes can get really fast thanks to their lightness and big wheels
@Robert Trageser dude i recently put together a fixed hardtail and i tell you its the most fun ive had clean cockpit, clipped in, you become one with the bike........only downside is bombing down a hill with noodle legs
@Robert Trageser You're insane, man. I ride a SS everywhere around town but hate fixies, I'd kill myself instantly riding a gravel trail in a fixie offroad for sure. My hat's off to you.
The only thing you have to worry about when tubed, PUNCTURE I made my DJ frame into a DJ bike 24’ and ofc its singlespeed My full suspension trail bike is singlespeed Though the downhill bike im gonna get wont be singlespeed unless it also f’s up
totally AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I switched to single speed almost 20 years ago, its a more pure ride, more real... yes i still have geared bikes and i still ride them, but noting beats the simplicity of a single speed...
Ummm... you can save a lot of hassle and just shift in to the front and rear gears you want to use and just not shift anymore. Go figure... instant single speed.
I used to ride single speed exclusively started riding mtb on a single speed now I have 11 speed don’t have the fitness any more hopefully I will build another single speeder in the future though as a second bike your videos always inspire me to get out and ride keep doing what you do best get out have fun and make great content
I go on my bike everyday to my local park and I spend 2 hour a there and sometimes I go on a trail ride with my sister and we give people bikes to borrow and teach people. I have made a jump in my yard to get better at jumping. I love Seth's vid keep it up plz like
For about 5 months I stayed with my aunt in Ashville and I used to ride at food lion skatepark, it gives me nostalgia watching you ride the park even if it was only 6 months ago Edit: it's also very cool to see you ride on the same park that I rode on
rapbassboost I’m exactly the same, I have a conversion kit and tensioner arriving tomorrow, have spent way to much money buying hangars mechs and wearing out drivetrain
One gear is all ya need! There are two types of single speeders, those who walk and those who lie. Only change I would do is get a better gear quality gear as the high quality ones are thicker where the gear meets the free hub body. This will prevent you from galling your free hub body as it has more contact area with the free hub. I run a Niner cog but there are other good ones too. Yeah keep the dropper as dropper equals fun!
+1 single speed lover. People ride SS bikes for the same reason people ride steel bikes. It's a feel thing. Reminds you of when you were 10 years old and bikes we're simple. Great video!
I only ride in the street, commuting to every place I go by bike. She recently got a new crankset and when I was going back home the chain snapped. I wasn't giving it hell, but it was a year and a half old, so yeah. Since I didn't replace anything except the crankset up to that point I decided to follow your instructions, and I'm still waiting for the kit to arrive. Oh, and I was basically riding singlespeed already, because my gear cable also snapped and just shortened it and stuck it in place in one gear, so shedding all the weight from the cassette, putting a more resilient chain and repurposing my derraileur to a chain tensioner might be the best thing I could do, so thanks Seth!
As a Cat1 racer of singlespeed XC for the past three years, it does take a lot of "deep digging" to understand why singlespeeds are "fun"; one day I just built mine up and decided to try it in a race. I was hooked at how it felt, the simplicity of it all. Now I‘ve been trying to throw it at all of the regular trails I’d been riding on "normal" bikes before, and after a while (aside from the intense pain from prolonged 30%+ grade climbs, and it sucks pedaling 100RPM to attain 16MPH on flat level ground) I am convinced the bike is truly capable everywhere else.
I have an old k2 29inch “mountain bike” hardtail that I changed to a fixie. Totally changed the bike. Now it’s my go to when riding around town Edit: totally true about the feel of the bike. A fixie *feels* so pure you just pedal and ride, not worrying about the chain and gears. Feels like I can put my legs to the ground better too
What you say about the feel of a bike is absolutely true Seth. I don't often ride a single speed, but when I do, even just the lack of a chain and derailer buzzing about while I'm riding is quite settling. Single speeds feel so solid for that reason.
Many years ago, after an epic failed attempt at riding an Alfine 11 speed internally geared up on my trail bike, and before I simply converted that bike to a 1x9, I went about a month in the summer of '11 or '12 with my Maverick ML8 set up as a singlespeed with the same 2:1 gear ratio (but with large 26" tires). It was kind of fun. The back was so light, I could easily pop the back wheel up and over or on to anything on the trail. And surprisingly I rarely had to push the bike, I could make most things with that ratio. And it wasn't too terrible riding on the street with those gears either. I had to use a baby derailer style two wheeled tensioner to eat up all the chain slack since it was a full suspension. So all in all it was a very interesting, and not super terrible month. Single speed for general use is definitely not worth what you lose by having all the gears, in my opinion. But it was fun to try. I also have a dirt jumper I use in parks, it is a much smaller hardtail, also singlespeed, but with a much lower gear ratio. That bike is kind of awful on the trail. So harsh, so hard to pedal, just overall bad geometry. But it's real fun on ramps! Speaking of parks, the park in this video looks real nice! Better than any municipal skate parks I've ever ridden!
I assembled a single speed 28" bike to have something simple that I don't have a problem locking at the train station or supermarket. I was surprised how fun it is to ride it and it also definitely helped me with leg strength and endurance.
4:12 i ride singlespeed and i can ride with no chain at many dirt jump spots ;) singlespeed ist the best when you crash hard, you are not worry about your Gear shift is okay.
I like watching your videos brother. Just wanted to say good on ya for doin ur own thing and having fun. Its not all about what the rest of the world thinks for sure!
Badass video! I’m actually in the process of doing this on my Specialized fuse expert. I wanted something along the lines of a dirt jumper but with a twist. Glad I came across this video now I can’t wait to finish it!
Cool build... Makes me want to convert my gary fisher opie to single speed... (Been riding it as one on glacier ridge for the last few runs) Great channel. Very entertaining.
Man it is refreshing to see someone with a following breaking the "rules" a bit! Sometimes there is no "right answer" and all riders will be different, so if it rides well and you like it, why not? One of the only bad things about riding is the snobbery, and this video is the opposite of that. Looking awesome on the 360s too
if you've ever really ridden some something gnarly you'll know that having a single gear lessens your chances of a chain derailment significantly its also less maintenance and a bit less weight assuming you dont have a chain tensioner witch kind of ruins half the advantage since it can bounce around just as much as a shifter.
This is literally the perfect solution for taller guys wanting a dirt jump/ street bike! No wonder chain reaction gave me such an odd response when I asked about buying a nukeproof scout and running it single speed! Thanks for clearing this up man
I can’t imagine how tiring it is getting each and every shot because he’d have to stop, set the camera up, go back, hit the spot, go back, grab the camera and then carry on
Couldn’t agree more. Focus on fun and less tech can bring you many smiles. Besides, isn’t that the reason we got into this? Been watching your vids since early on and I gotta say you’re ripping. 🤙🏽 You MUST be having fun😁!! Keep that up, it works. Happy trails.
It seems like your followers were steering you wrong. Single speed and dropper post. I absolutely would have done that. You know what would make it more fun? A rigid SS. The best way I know whether you're riding with a SSer is if they're passing you on the climbs.
James Stoup fo ‘sho. Been riding my Kona Unit for 7 years now, alternating between 2.35 balloon slicks for the city and 2.45 knobbies for the trail. Unstoppable.
Single speed too w/full rigid. I usually opt for very fast rolling tires. Used to run Schwalbe 2.35 slicks on both ends, but that got me into trouble. Now running 2.6 Vittoria Mezcal up front with the Schwalbe G-One slick on the rear. Still very, very fast rolling but with more security up front. Perfect for the hard pack clay and roots/rocks at nearby tracks. Super fun!
When I was 15 I had a single speed DJ bike (a Diamondback actually) but I couldn't drive yet so I had to pedal it everywhere I wanted to go. I used to have a 450mm seat post and I used to pedal it everywhere - I just had to stop and move the post all the time. A dropper would have been a game changer!
James Stoup - Usually, it's the other way round. SS riders stomping their way up a climb is a sight to behold............. especially when they're passing gearies.
heck yeah :D I´m a BMX rider so technically I`ve been riding single speed for the last 15 years now. Its a lot of fun and you have a more direct feeling with a single speeder
Only problem with your setup is chain tension. I've been riding Kona Unit single speeds for 7 years and started racing it every weekend this past summer. My chain stretches after a few races and has to be adjusted or it will pop off and I'll smash my knee into the bar. This always happens on super steep, punchy climbs. The Kona Unit is really simple to adjust with its sliding dropouts. I'll always have a single speed. Sick bike, glad to see some SS videos!
Jim Wallace I also own a Unit a 2011 one, I upgraded my drivetrain to a narrow wide oval chainring from Absoluteblack and a Stainless steel cog who's brand I cannot remember. The cog has long teeth that extended past the chain and is designed to br used with single speed chains only. That cog + the NW ring allows me to ride with a very loose chain without dropping it. In fact i have never dropped a chain on the unit even with the stock drivetrain.
Rafael Malmegrin I had an older Unit, before they upgraded the frame, I would get the frame to twist and the chain would drop. now I'm paranoid with my new unit, once I can see the loose chain I tighten it up
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Is it a dirt jumper? Err not exactly. A DJ would have 26” wheels, slightly different geometry, slotted dropouts, and a shorter, stiffer fork. To me, this is more versatile than a DJ-and with all the great parts!
Seth's Bike Hacks Seth ‘s Bike Hacks what is the rear cog size and front chainring size?
Seth's Bike Hacks I agree that it is so much better than a dirt jumper
Seth's Bike Hacks nice bike, but i think that the fat ripper is the same as the murder machin ,
It doesn't matter what it is you're gonna jump it anyway
You Seth, just made me buy a DMR Single Speed conversion kit... Cant wait to try it on my fatbike !!!
You perfectly encapsulated the single speed mentality: "I don't care. It's fun."
If you ride a single speed in the forest and no one is around to see it is it still cool?
Micah Looney ок
What do you mean. Single speeds are awesome, no rattling derailers or stuff and super light, more then anything it's cooler then those bikes
Yeah, I do it all the time on my dirt jumper
Im sure thats the first thought that comes to mind as they are walking their bike up a steep hill because they are toasted
Yes
Seth breaks handlebar that’s more expensive than my bike: “bummer”
Beats Gaming lol
how much are they and why not just run alloy? im running moto x bars they are about 4mm thick but only because i wanted the width not the strength
@@PrototypeBMX people use them because carbon fiber is much lighter. They’re usually at least $100, if you get one cheaper than that prepare for it to break instantly. It’s not as strong as alloy but for those who want their bike as light as possible, carbon is the way to go.
@@apenguin84 i know its lighter but its also ridiculous only bikes that need carbon should be road bikes id rather risk getting a little tired than having a bar snap and go through my heart
@@PrototypeBMX I see your point. I’m an alloy type of guy as well but I understand that some people just want a lighter bike as long as they’re getting good quality carbon so it doesn’t snap like a twig like you said.
“You don’t have to worry about being in the right gear, because your NEVER in the right gear!” As a person who uses two primary bikes, one being a single speed, it’s SO true!
Same. That's ehat I love about my ss ex-roadie, overcoming the wrong gear is so rewarding.
Also, having one gear that you use to take off and reach over 30mph is kinda badass, imo
MarchuxProductions just one of those things, like kick starting a motorcycle 😂
I just love when Seth pulls his old bmx tricks on his new mtb's.
"You never need to worry about being in the right gear because you're never in the right gear"
that's the same with a BMX lol
Turbo Sam no they don’t
I ride a Specialized Langster Road Single Speed, normally set up 48x16.
This way, your legs ARE the Deraileur...
@@Big2009Gee yes, i have watched this video maybe 10 times. why?
@@hellosunshine1090 42-18 here
I always said this three speeds to a single speed bike.
1. Sitting down
2. Standing up
3. Walking
Lots
Of walking...
Yard Sale Dale Geared too high. That's the problem with using a DJ as a trail bike.
Yard Sale Dale Incorrect. If its to low its no good for sprinting. No being "Fat" isnt anything to do with it. Try again troll.
Senorrobbie wich are your ss gear ratios 29er
Exactly
This is one of your best videos EVER! 🤘 That shot of you climbing up the last part of the mountain had me 😂😂😂
The Singletrack Sampler hey sup Alex
yo, i love you, Seths, and Phils content. My Birthday was yesterday and i got a Breezer Squall. Im in middle school but im really tall so i had to get a 21 inch frame.
I agree with Alex on this one.....literally makes me want to ride a single speed lol thanks for sharing dude!
The Singletrack Sampler seth syncr is ahead of the trends its so slack with that 150mm fork its now a downhill hardtail
Agreed! That had me laughing too. And the riding in the whole vid was super good too!
Dude you're like in your 40's and you're killing it at the park, i thought i was too old to do any of that! That's inspiring
Backhanded compliment hahaha
He's only like 34 😂😂
At 53 years old, I ride singlespeed almost exclusively...and with a team of 20 guys who also ride and race singlespeed exclusively. Bring that Murder Machine down to Atlanta and ride with us!
58 (almost 59) year old fuck here, Michigan, I have a Surly 26r 1×1 rigid SS, a One Bike 26r SS with 80mm sus fork, a Gary Fisher Rig 29r SS with 100mm sus fork, and a nashbar 29r cheapo rigid SS. Love them all over the rest of my stuff. I should Craigslist my garage and clean it out except for the above bikes,and my Lynskey road bike.
i'm 13 and fat
@Robert Trageser i'm so motivated right now
Just turned 50, rode bmx a lot growing up 44/16. And now want to convert my Giant to a single gear. I can still bunny hop and ride a wheelie pretty good... But I really want to learn to manual.!
I'm 25 and I own a bike witg wheels and brakes ans stuff
This video really shows how freakin skilled you are dude. Unreal haha
The whole time watching this I could think about was my first single speed when I was a kid. I still have it and it might just be a big enough frame to build. Hard getting into the hobby again during a lockdown but you're channel has been guiding me through my journey again! Thank you so much and keep posting videos there great!
I think we got a new bike name. Seth's Murder Machine seems acceptable right?
Diamondback Bicycles agree
I like it
The slogan could be: "For bad ideas"
I like it
Diamondback Bicycles how many likes for a free bike hehe
"It makes you feel like a kid again." That's why. Good job. Nice build.
The Murder Machine can legitimately murder you while going up hill.
👉😎👉
Thinking about the same thing
Single Speed! The way of The Single Speed is this; We are bikes that ride it all, not the fastest or most aggresive but we will teach you flow by showing you new lines on old trails. Endurance will come from varied cadence. Suspension will be found in you, as some sort of levitation holds your core as you relax your grip on the bars and dance on the pedals, hopping and spinning to the sheet music of the trail textures.
Joseph Jackson that’s some rad zen
Lovely paragraph. :) Fixed wheel (fixed gear) even more so.
can i have a hit on that??
***** "dancing on the pedals"
I did not expect to find poetry in the comments section of this corner of youtube.👏
Awesome vid dude! Glad to see a return of the sync'r pro
Alex Evans agreed
Alex Evans GA USA new job and I will be a bit of a good time and the other day and
Seth: Everyone said that I should make my bike an eleven speed, so I went ahead and made a one-speed.
You were shredding that thing! That looks like a crazy fun bike.
Me: "casually riding down a hill"
Seth: "casually speeding down a mountain at literally 90 mph"
Seriously impressive speed and control.
That’s not literally you liar
Now do yourself a favour and go look up the definition of the word 'literally' in a dictionary. Even an online search will do.
Seth absolutley smeashed that trail
Agreed!
Seth can shred
think you playback speed was off
What was the cheat code for the speed boost? 🚴💨
Trail Features - Down, Right, Up, Left, Y, B 😉
Down, Right, Up, Left, Y, B 😉
B > B > < X A v
Formula of the pie then divide it in 48 and then multiply by two then divide again in 2 then add 0.5 x 100 and graph it
Dude, I watched this video when it came out and 8 months ago I converted to singlespeed on my 29" 2018 rockhopper, 36/14 is the gear.
At first it takes a while to get used to and when I have wind against me it' horrible. But all the other aspects made it worth it. Almost no maintenance (only cleaning and lubing), no noise, and the best thing ever.
ULTIMATE RELIABILITY. If the chain is tigth enough, the wheels are pumped up and you have at least one brake, you can absolutely ride wherever you want to go.
36/14 in a 29" wheel? You must have God-like leg powers.
all hail the Murder Machine!!!! this episode was awesome dude!
+Biking With Bobo Thanks dude!
Aaayyy!! Biking with bobo! Love your stuff hilarrrrious
word, thank you!
All hail this comment! It suits this episode...so well!
I was surprised how empty the skate park was... Then it got overrun!
Scooter kids
Those annoying scooter kids always ruining the fun ;)
they woke up from their nap
As someone who rides scooters on a pro level, and mtb's for fun id like to apologise for those kids
lol
I just love this video. After 5 years off of MTB because of this video tomorow I m gonna buy one so I can enjoy riding mountain bikes again! Thanks Seth love this channel!
My absolute favorite video of yours. I am a 45 year old who grew up a BMX kid. I own roughly 20 bikes, and not one of them have gears. In fact, only one has suspension, on the front only. My Norco RYDE 26". NOBODY on TH-cam has the respect for ALL bikes like you do. I am a forever fan of your videos. Keep pedaling, and filming.........
+Biggest Little Arcade thanks dude! With all your bikes I see the potential for a pretty sweet TH-cam channel or Instagram following
I'm 45 years old as well and I completely related to your comment. It didn't occur to me how much I missed the feeling of riding a BMX until I bought an undersized Mixte bike, and from the first couple of pedals I felt a similar kind of magic. Now after seeing this video, I am going to convert an unfinished GT Aggressor 2.0 to a fixed speed mountain bike.
@@16Mbvillain and here I am, 44, about to unbox some old Mongoose and Robinson BMX bikes to ride in the mornings. Been in storage too long!
Fantastic! I hope the experience is exhilarating!
I have a 2014 norco ryde 26" and a 2017 fitbikeco mac1 bmx
I actually like this more than the orginal bike
well u are supposed to
It's a jump bike now. :)
That’s funny that you did the single speed conversion, today I did one of my own on an old Gt Zasker, I even used the same conversion kit lol
shutchyo ugly ass up lmao
Luke Barbera I have a GT Avalanche that I want to do this to. Do you have any build links?
This is my favorite bike in your collection for sure. And you’re right, minus the chain tensioner/mech, it sure does look clean!
what bike is it?
Hands down one of your best videos ever, makes me want to start tearing down my old hardtail right now!
Damn dude, you were shredding harder than usual! keep it up
True
Greg Barling Hi!
Today I learned that Seth is pretty killer in the bike park. No wonder he has confidence on the trails
I know this is an old video but that bike looks clean
yup, the old seth bike hacks i used to love is back
Why Singelspeeds are awesome? Simplicity and challenge! I once rode up a small mountain of roughly 500m (1500ft) on a single-speed road bike geared for 30 km/h (18,6 mph). I nearly puked and had to stop twice, BUT I DIDN'T HIKE... That was one of the most challenging and and rewarding things I've done on a bike so far.
On top of that, that singlespeed was a stupid fast, easy to maintain and unbelievably cheap commuting bike. And it rides like a dream!
You have got sooooo much more better through out your TH-cam career I love it 😀
To me riding single speed feels more fun and purer in a way. You don't have to think about the right gear for the incline, you have next to no maintenance to worry about, and everything just feels more relaxed about it. You just get on your bike and you go with no care in the world, and to me that feels better than having my thighs all comfy on a steep uphill or going for high top speeds...or easy starts...or the ability to pedal on a downhill. It's objectively worse, but subjectively there's nothing like it.
advantages of a singlespeed:
1)no chain slap
2)no shifter bothering your hands
3)no derallieur to break
4)stiffer and stronger rear wheel with wider flanges
5)no cable and shifter to bother you while doing tricks
6)weight savings, less chain, derralieur, cable, shifter, and cassette!
and this is exactly why most of the lady bikes are single speed. you dont really need gears to drive around city and these bikes can get really fast thanks to their lightness and big wheels
@Robert Trageser dude i recently put together a fixed hardtail and i tell you its the most fun ive had
clean cockpit, clipped in, you become one with the bike........only downside is bombing down a hill with noodle legs
@Robert Trageser You're insane, man. I ride a SS everywhere around town but hate fixies, I'd kill myself instantly riding a gravel trail in a fixie offroad for sure. My hat's off to you.
The only thing you have to worry about when tubed, PUNCTURE
I made my DJ frame into a DJ bike 24’ and ofc its singlespeed
My full suspension trail bike is singlespeed
Though the downhill bike im gonna get wont be singlespeed unless it also f’s up
totally AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I switched to single speed almost 20 years ago, its a more pure ride, more real... yes i still have geared bikes and i still ride them, but noting beats the simplicity of a single speed...
Well that makes sense why I didn’t see a chain tensioner on IG. Fun vid! I’ve been wanting to build a SS mtb for a few years.
Man, your videos are just outstanding. Your editing, content, narration...it's the gold standard. The end.
I used to ride a 24inch bmx cruiser single speed for mountain biking. Works great.
Sort of a throwback to the bmx days... oh yeah!
exactly this
This has got to be the BEST video you have ever made! I need to try a single speed!
They are so much fun
Yes you should, they are REALLY fun on street to do drops, wheelies and bunny hops!
I have one its unkillable
Ummm... you can save a lot of hassle and just shift in to the front and rear gears you want to use and just not shift anymore. Go figure... instant single speed.
I used to ride single speed exclusively started riding mtb on a single speed now I have 11 speed don’t have the fitness any more hopefully I will build another single speeder in the future though as a second bike your videos always inspire me to get out and ride keep doing what you do best get out have fun and make great content
I voted to keep the 11 speed, but you've opened my eyes. This thing looks great. Just glad you didn't go fixed.
Cobra Kyle I don’t think you can go fixed on a mtb unless you are trying to commit suicide
well... why not to try ? I'll be fun
Brian Mel This man likes to live dangerously!
Brian Mel, tie your cassette to your spokes and you'll understand why.
Lol if I ever do a fixed video it won't be on a mountain bike
Hey mate! Even worse idea, turn that single speed into a *fixed gear.*
Peyton Cox then it would really be "murder machine" :D
Yeah, good luck on the downhill.
Ha 😁 nice one
“Allow me to demonstrate” proceeds with Olympic level downhill run.
One of the best things about these videos are the narration
so true
I go on my bike everyday to my local park and I spend 2 hour a there and sometimes I go on a trail ride with my sister and we give people bikes to borrow and teach people. I have made a jump in my yard to get better at jumping. I love Seth's vid keep it up plz like
Im 50 to old for hills got an E bike does 65 clicks love it ! Havent ridden for 25yrs ! Now I cream them no sweat !
cream
Been waiting for this video for a while thank you Seth .keep up the amazing work
The only TH-cam channel which I turn post notification on
For about 5 months I stayed with my aunt in Ashville and I used to ride at food lion skatepark, it gives me nostalgia watching you ride the park even if it was only 6 months ago
Edit: it's also very cool to see you ride on the same park that I rode on
I ride single speed about 6 months now,beacause i was tired of broken deraileurs,and damn my feet became so strong
rapbassboost I’m exactly the same, I have a conversion kit and tensioner arriving tomorrow, have spent way to much money buying hangars mechs and wearing out drivetrain
Exactly, I’ve busted waaaaaaaaay too many rear mechs. I’m over it. I’m switching back to good ole SINGLE SPEED
One gear is all ya need! There are two types of single speeders, those who walk and those who lie. Only change I would do is get a better gear quality gear as the high quality ones are thicker where the gear meets the free hub body. This will prevent you from galling your free hub body as it has more contact area with the free hub. I run a Niner cog but there are other good ones too. Yeah keep the dropper as dropper equals fun!
+Chad Thomsen advice from a true single speeder!
+1 single speed lover. People ride SS bikes for the same reason people ride steel bikes. It's a feel thing. Reminds you of when you were 10 years old and bikes we're simple. Great video!
Wow that clip of you riding down that trail stunned me by how fast you are, I don't think the follow cam made it seem fast, but this did.
Alex Nourse ikr he was bombing it
Nah dude he was in his natural habitat,
As a missile
Love the murder machine! I also love seeing more skateboard park riding on the channel- keep up the great work Seth!
I only ride in the street, commuting to every place I go by bike. She recently got a new crankset and when I was going back home the chain snapped. I wasn't giving it hell, but it was a year and a half old, so yeah. Since I didn't replace anything except the crankset up to that point I decided to follow your instructions, and I'm still waiting for the kit to arrive.
Oh, and I was basically riding singlespeed already, because my gear cable also snapped and just shortened it and stuck it in place in one gear, so shedding all the weight from the cassette, putting a more resilient chain and repurposing my derraileur to a chain tensioner might be the best thing I could do, so thanks Seth!
As a Cat1 racer of singlespeed XC for the past three years, it does take a lot of "deep digging" to understand why singlespeeds are "fun"; one day I just built mine up and decided to try it in a race. I was hooked at how it felt, the simplicity of it all. Now I‘ve been trying to throw it at all of the regular trails I’d been riding on "normal" bikes before, and after a while (aside from the intense pain from prolonged 30%+ grade climbs, and it sucks pedaling 100RPM to attain 16MPH on flat level ground) I am convinced the bike is truly capable everywhere else.
A lighter bike also means that it's that much easier to throw it up hills you can't pedal through yet.
it's very important to be able to throw a single speed up hills
You threw that bike around like a true champ. Nice work on the conversion. I'm surprised more of us haven't done this.
Watch at 11x speed for maximum climbing enjoyment :D
😂😂😂
I Just Love How you Ride so Smooth!
Simplicity at its finest my friend now that’s what I call fun
I have an old k2 29inch “mountain bike” hardtail that I changed to a fixie. Totally changed the bike. Now it’s my go to when riding around town
Edit: totally true about the feel of the bike. A fixie *feels* so pure you just pedal and ride, not worrying about the chain and gears. Feels like I can put my legs to the ground better too
It’s for when I’m trying bad ideas, we will be seeing a lot more of it!
That bit made me crack up so much! Keep up the good work Seth!
What you say about the feel of a bike is absolutely true Seth. I don't often ride a single speed, but when I do, even just the lack of a chain and derailer buzzing about while I'm riding is quite settling. Single speeds feel so solid for that reason.
I did the same on my old MTB and I totally agree with you
Wow! You sure have improved your riding over the last few years! Good on you, mate!!
Many years ago, after an epic failed attempt at riding an Alfine 11 speed internally geared up on my trail bike, and before I simply converted that bike to a 1x9, I went about a month in the summer of '11 or '12 with my Maverick ML8 set up as a singlespeed with the same 2:1 gear ratio (but with large 26" tires).
It was kind of fun. The back was so light, I could easily pop the back wheel up and over or on to anything on the trail. And surprisingly I rarely had to push the bike, I could make most things with that ratio. And it wasn't too terrible riding on the street with those gears either. I had to use a baby derailer style two wheeled tensioner to eat up all the chain slack since it was a full suspension.
So all in all it was a very interesting, and not super terrible month. Single speed for general use is definitely not worth what you lose by having all the gears, in my opinion. But it was fun to try.
I also have a dirt jumper I use in parks, it is a much smaller hardtail, also singlespeed, but with a much lower gear ratio. That bike is kind of awful on the trail. So harsh, so hard to pedal, just overall bad geometry. But it's real fun on ramps!
Speaking of parks, the park in this video looks real nice! Better than any municipal skate parks I've ever ridden!
There's bikes that have more than one gear?
TheUselessTrials Yep, mine has 10 gears for a total of 21 "speed's".
7 gears on the rear drive wheel, and 3 on the petal drive.
Awesome
Are you a BMXer who doesn't really know about other bikes or are you joking? No hate just asking
HONDA RULES I was just joking. "Trials" is in my channel name, so... ;)
TheUselessTrials haha
2:28 You didn’t get the tension right in-TENSION-ally. 😂😂😂😂😂
Wow single speed perfect
I assembled a single speed 28" bike to have something simple that I don't have a problem locking at the train station or supermarket. I was surprised how fun it is to ride it and it also definitely helped me with leg strength and endurance.
Awesome vid man! Welcome to the 2%!
4:12 i ride singlespeed and i can ride with no chain at many dirt jump spots ;)
singlespeed ist the best when you crash hard, you are not worry about your
Gear shift is okay.
your dramatic re-enactment of climbing on a single speed was quite well done
I like watching your videos brother. Just wanted to say good on ya for doin ur own thing and having fun. Its not all about what the rest of the world thinks for sure!
I was at foodlion skatepark today it’s so cool to be somewhere all day then see one of your favorite TH-camrs make a video at the spot
Badass video! I’m actually in the process of doing this on my Specialized fuse expert. I wanted something along the lines of a dirt jumper but with a twist. Glad I came across this video now I can’t wait to finish it!
Cool build...
Makes me want to convert my gary fisher opie to single speed...
(Been riding it as one on glacier ridge for the last few runs)
Great channel.
Very entertaining.
“WHAAAAT?!?!?!?”
Seth was so stoked with that chain tension!😹😹😹
Man it is refreshing to see someone with a following breaking the "rules" a bit! Sometimes there is no "right answer" and all riders will be different, so if it rides well and you like it, why not? One of the only bad things about riding is the snobbery, and this video is the opposite of that. Looking awesome on the 360s too
if you've ever really ridden some something gnarly you'll know that having a single gear lessens your chances of a chain derailment significantly its also less maintenance and a bit less weight assuming you dont have a chain tensioner witch kind of ruins half the advantage since it can bounce around just as much as a shifter.
4:46 when she says she's home alone
Facts
how many cameras does he have set up?!
Michael Brubaker after each shot he stops and replaces the camera
... When you are simp who is afraid of her daddy.
Why is that so funny to me lmao
Got a rigid SS 29er. Absolutely love it.
Wow, that was a major boost for me who is a single speed user.
That is rad! I love simple dirt jumpers!
This is literally the perfect solution for taller guys wanting a dirt jump/ street bike! No wonder chain reaction gave me such an odd response when I asked about buying a nukeproof scout and running it single speed! Thanks for clearing this up man
I can’t imagine how tiring it is getting each and every shot because he’d have to
stop, set the camera up, go back, hit the spot, go back, grab the camera and then carry on
He has several cameras
@@iwafflecheeseitcrazypickle3439 and? he still has to hike around and set it up lots...
@@bananasstuff3344 he isnt alone there messing with the cameras
11th!
Skills With Phil sweet
Skills With Phil Phil I’m trying to crank flip and I’m getting a lot better
Second reply on Phil's comment, which was eleventh, woot! 😜
4th reply on 11th so I'm 15th😆
32t-11t ratio
Couldn’t agree more. Focus on fun and less tech can bring you many smiles. Besides, isn’t that the reason we got into this?
Been watching your vids since early on and I gotta say you’re ripping. 🤙🏽 You MUST be having fun😁!! Keep that up, it works. Happy trails.
05:31 That's what I'm talking about!!!!! Seth's got a huge pop. Wtf!
seth is a beast at hopping in general
Marco Epifani
Yeah, he makes hopping seem so easy, like nothing. It brought me up the Trek 4900 era.
yeah,I also like the fact that he had a trek 4900 as his main bike,and now he has a 150mm pike and a carbon wheel set just laying around
It seems like your followers were steering you wrong. Single speed and dropper post. I absolutely would have done that. You know what would make it more fun? A rigid SS.
The best way I know whether you're riding with a SSer is if they're passing you on the climbs.
James Stoup fo ‘sho. Been riding my Kona Unit for 7 years now, alternating between 2.35 balloon slicks for the city and 2.45 knobbies for the trail. Unstoppable.
Single speed too w/full rigid. I usually opt for very fast rolling tires. Used to run Schwalbe 2.35 slicks on both ends, but that got me into trouble. Now running 2.6 Vittoria Mezcal up front with the Schwalbe G-One slick on the rear. Still very, very fast rolling but with more security up front. Perfect for the hard pack clay and roots/rocks at nearby tracks. Super fun!
When I was 15 I had a single speed DJ bike (a Diamondback actually) but I couldn't drive yet so I had to pedal it everywhere I wanted to go. I used to have a 450mm seat post and I used to pedal it everywhere - I just had to stop and move the post all the time. A dropper would have been a game changer!
No, the way to know if someone is a SSer is to ask for their opinion on jews
James Stoup - Usually, it's the other way round. SS riders stomping their way up a climb is a sight to behold............. especially when they're passing gearies.
Box!! Box! Box!
Face it we getting old Man.. Thanks for the post keep up the great channel..
"That confirmed that this was in fact a terrible idea- So I proceeded"-Seth bike hacks 2017
Looks so sick!!!🤘
heck yeah :D I´m a BMX rider so technically I`ve been riding single speed for the last 15 years now. Its a lot of fun and you have a more direct feeling with a single speeder
Only problem with your setup is chain tension. I've been riding Kona Unit single speeds for 7 years and started racing it every weekend this past summer. My chain stretches after a few races and has to be adjusted or it will pop off and I'll smash my knee into the bar. This always happens on super steep, punchy climbs. The Kona Unit is really simple to adjust with its sliding dropouts. I'll always have a single speed.
Sick bike, glad to see some SS videos!
Jim Wallace I also own a Unit a 2011 one, I upgraded my drivetrain to a narrow wide oval chainring from Absoluteblack and a Stainless steel cog who's brand I cannot remember. The cog has long teeth that extended past the chain and is designed to br used with single speed chains only. That cog + the NW ring allows me to ride with a very loose chain without dropping it. In fact i have never dropped a chain on the unit even with the stock drivetrain.
Rafael Malmegrin I had an older Unit, before they upgraded the frame, I would get the frame to twist and the chain would drop. now I'm paranoid with my new unit, once I can see the loose chain I tighten it up
Jim Wallace look on ebay for J.B.C single speed cog. It's an amazing bit of kit.
@@MAGAIVER thank you for info.