Basic single speed CX bike to ride the shit out of?

General CX/MTB
1

Hi guys :slight_smile:
Currently I have a ~5 year old aluminium roadie with 23c tyres and so on which really isn’t that comfortable for anything other than roads/bike paths so I’m thinking of getting a CX bike for getting around on, riding dirt around Canberra, a bit of bike-camping and basically just having fun.

I want something that is reasonably cheap, really barebones and can take a beating.
Probably looking at steel, and most likely will go with a complete bike because $$$.
So basically I don’t need discs, gears, carbon or any of that kind of nonsense.

In terms of budget, around $400-500 would be the sweet spot, happy to go more but it would mean I need to sell some stuff.

Cheers

2

Ss and bike camping won’t be too fun unless it is flat as you will be lugging a lot of weight,
May be better off with a rigid or ht 29 for that money?

Check out on one stuff on Planetx.com may be better off to buy a geared cx frame and brakes then swap all your road parts over?

3

Yeah that’s fair enough, though camping won’t be the main use and I’m thinking mainly overnighters every now and then with a couple kilo backpack so I could probably just run a spinny gear ratio for those. Can you run a flip-flop with two freewheels?

Thanks for the site, there’s some cool stuff on there. Looking through at the moment.
I was thinking of keeping my roadie for longer/faster road rides and honestly the parts aren’t that flash, just has sentimental value, haha. Also there’s the whole ‘zen’ and simplicity of single speed which I probably don’t need to explain on a forum about fixies.

I don’t want to have to worry about any shifter/derailleur/cabling/chain issues, I just want it to be my trusty steed.

4

Yep you definitely want gears. There’s no dirt around Canberra that isn’t hilly, and spinning like crazy on flats gets really irritating after a while

5

Set it up properly in the first place and you’ll be a lot less likely to have issues

6

How hilly are we talking? (I haven’t been here long…)
I’m all for the prospect of destroying myself on climbs on a single speed, but if it’s just not feasible then I’ll look at gears.
Single speeds just have a certain appeal to them, but I’m not going to object to going geared, just means more money :frowning:

7

geers r 4 quears LOL

8

ye bro aha my granny needs geers not me lol

9

I shift 9 speeds friction bar ends with an old xt rd and it’s great. I’m sure you could go pretty cheap with some old friction shifters coupled with a suntour gt rd or something and I’d imagine you would get pretty decent releiability.

10

For any kind of touring I would not recommend SS unless you intend touring in the Netherlands.

11

Yes. I’ve also seen a SSCX bike set up with two SS sprockets on a cassette hub (spaced appropriately) running a double crankset as well.

EDIT: here it is Beautiful Bicycle: Rob’s All City Nature Boy - PROLLY IS NOT PROBABLY

12

Another one, this time a single chainring with two speed at the back.

Beautiful Bicycle: Fulton Brewery Racing Team All City Nature Boy Cross - PROLLY IS NOT PROBABLY

13

And one more… Beautiful Bicycle: Jeff’s All City Nature Boy Zona - PROLLY IS NOT PROBABLY

14

also a 3 spd hub could be an option, but the range may not be enough depending on the hills you are talking about

15

Benny bikepack 1.jpgBenny bikepack 2.jpgBenny bikepack 3.jpg

Mate been riding a singlespeed pretty much exclusivly since 2007. Ride one everywhere and for everything. Singlespeed touring, yep you can do it. Singlespeed bikepacking, also totally achieveable. Hills, geared right and packed light, not too much of a problem. Use mountain bike shoes and be prepared to walk the steepeset or most sustained of climbs. Gearing? 56 inches for dirt, 64 inches for road (gravel or black top).

Bikes? I use an old Kona Paddywagon with 32s on the dirt and 28s on blacktop. Just in the process of replacing my GT Peace 9R with a Singular Kite for off road fun and camping duties. I like the look of the Masi ss cx bikes, shop in Hobart stocked them last season and they looked sweet!

16

Without telling you how to live your life, buy one of these:

All City Nature Boy
Singular Kite
MASH SSCX
Traitor somethingsomething?

Can always run a horizontal derailleur hanger and just use a 3/32 chainring normally, and ghetto up a bar end shifter when you need gears, but that isnt really ideal.

I want a geared CX, and own a Nature Boy SSCX, but I would want to keep both as they both have their uses.

17

I’d go a nature boy but afaik they’re hard to get in Australia at the moment.

18

TBH I would, in retrospect go a Kite. No foofy potential drop out breakages.

19

I’m curious about that all city drop out thing. Lotsa people talk about it but few seem to have experienced it. The golden saddle dudez seem to thrash all city bikes without breakage

20

This.