Stock Bikes

[edd91]

for the people that do ride stock bikes or have, i was wondering is better to ride single speed or not and can you still enter competitions like that.

[BIGA1]

for the people that do ride stock bikes or have, i was wondering is better to ride single speed or not and can you still enter competitions like that.

cheeper to run single speed gears were out quicker.

[maxxis26]

i think you need 3 working gears for comps on a stock bike

no 100% check the rules

[Tommy d]

Singlespeed has two drawbacks that I can think of, that you can't get anywhere fast, and you can't enter most competitions. Maybe not all though, I'm not an exprt on that.

I still think it's worth it though, it's lighter, simpler, harder to break etc. Probably cheaper too if you're building from scratch.

[La Bourde]

As of now you can ride UCI competitions without dérailleur, but you need a 6 speeds hub...

In France, some competitions allow single speed with only one cog, but I advice you to contact the organisation to be sure.

My experience:

I ride single speed for about 1 year.

I can't ride fast, and it's boring sometimes ...

I use a 18-15 ratio, in order to ride a little faster, but it was harder at the beginning to do pedal kicks.

However, I'm sure my next bike will be single speed geared.

Lighter, simpler, cheaper, and you can use stronger piece, like BMX cog and chain.

In addition, with a good chain tensioner, you can trust your transmission.

It 's important to buy a good chain tensioner (Surly, Rohloff for example).

Cheaper are often not enough rigid. I think too, that a chain tensioner without spring is worst.

But if you ride street trial, I think a dérailleur is better, cause sometimes you will need more speed.

Edited November 1, 2006 by La Bourde

[RobinJI]

How I understand it anything up to nationals will alow you to run single speed, the nationals will let you enter, but you wount be ranked and cannot get any competition points, you can just do it for the fun. But to enter the nationals or anything bigger properly you need atleast 6 working gears.

[Wright Pads]

Singlespeed all the way.

Question is will you be rididng comps? If not then go single speed, if you are then will you be taking part in the comps to get points and ranked...

I've ran single speed for years and year 5+ love it

[edd91]

thanks for all coments, i think i might try it, ill just keep parts incase

[matt rushton]

You can ride most club trials with singlespeed it's just when you get to nationals. I think they are going to start checking your bike now because of the incident of andrei and ben savage at addigham they may even have done it at rest of british rounds. I think you are supposed to have 5 working gears on a 26" bike.

Matt Rushton

[Dr Dig]

i no its not what was asked but why do you have to have six gears for riding nationals??? something ive always wondered

[La Bourde]

UCI riding: 6 working gears are required.

It is written HERE :

7.4.07

Normal commercially available 26'' wheel mountain bikes with a minimum of working 6 gears of

different size shall be permitted.

(version on 05.12.05)

http://www.uci.ch/modello.asp?1stLevelID=H...amp;idnews=2676

But there is nothing about the chain tensioner, that's why I think you can ride with.

The 6 gears work, however you have to change manually the engaged gear.

On the UFOLEP (french competitions with BIU riding style) rules:

Obligatory freewheel with 6 gears at least in operating state.

(Not sure of the translation)

[matt rushton]

i no its not what was asked but why do you have to have six gears for riding nationals??? something ive always wondered

I think it's because thats what separates 20" and 26" thats the main reason. I think.

Matt Rushton