Mountain Bikes

These single speed bikes - I take it they don't have freewheel? That'd scare the poo out of me!

 

Yes, they do have freewheel. You can do them without freewheel also (a "fixie") but that's not what I want.

To begin with, I'm just using an old wheel with 8speed freehub with a conversion spacer. In time, when I rebuild the wheels I'll switch to a singlespeed hub with a freewheel cog. Unless, of course, I find that I don't like singlespeeding...

 

Why the choice of no rear brake? If it's a weight/simplicity issue, a lightweight V brake on the back wouldn't be the end of the world?

Having been forced to stop in quite a hurry by motorists in the past when commuting, I'd not be too confident only having the front brake for my stopping, even when it does do the majority by itself. Sliding towards a hard object on a slippery road with a locked front wheel isn't the best feeling in the world!

 

Isaac, are you seriously going to commute on a bike with no more than a front brake?
Only yesterday, a motorist took a right turn inches from my front wheel (we drive on the right side here, as opposed to the wrong side ) on a downhill steet. No doubt I would be writing this from the hospital if I had had a single front brake, and worse still my beautiful carbon friend would be in god knows what state. Granted, this is Paris and French drivers are notoriously careless. But still ...

 

Yes. I really don't have a need for the rear brake... I weigh so little that there's nothing keeping the rear wheel planted. I barely use it on my other bike as it is, and I'm very confident with the front brake (years of practicing rolling endos). If its slippery enough for the front to lock into a slide then what possible good can a rear brake do you?

At the end of one of my regular off-road loops as I ride back through my village, there's a downhill section at the bottom of which I turn right. I find it very hard to signal and slow down because the rear brake offers so little slowing. I would far rather have access from either hand to the front brake. This is easy enough to do by running a line from left-hand master cylinder to the bleed bolt on the right-hand master cylinder (or vice-versa), and then as normal from the right hand master cylinder to the first slave cylinder and then to the second slave. This leaves no lever for the irrelevant back brake anyway, plus then there's a significant weight saving.

 

Are you sure mate?

I wouldn't even get on a bike with just one brake..

 

I wouldn't either - I recall when I was helping at my mams shop and I left around 5pm (a bit shattered too as I'm been moving stock around) and I was going down a bank when a car came out of a junction and ploughed straight into me...

I only suffered a cut elbow tho - the bike was ok but the car passenger side door was all caved....the driver then wanted my address details...!! I could have sued him I guess but i was in a lot of shock and I just wanted to get away so I gave him false details... sigh..

 

Well if were waving willys

2002 Ellsworth Isis SL
Marzocchi Z1 freeride forks
Hope open 2 brakes
Wheels by Roger Musson (Wheelpro) Hope Bulbs, Sapim spokes Mavic 521 rims, XT skewers
Race Face Bars and Stem
Thomson Elite Post
Cane Creek Headset
XT Bottom Bracket
Middleburn RS7 Cranks
Middleburn Chainwheels
XTR short cage rear mech
XTR front mech
WTB saddle
Specialzed enduro tyres


It's the most expensive ornament I've got, that's what having 2 kids does to your mountain biking!!

 

Very nice.... I'd ideally like an Epiphany with Magura Laurin forks, but don't have £1500 for a bike frame.

 

Frankly I may as well sell it. I've ridden it for about 50 hours in the last year, down from at least 3 X 4 hour rides a week and 2 Alpine jaunts a year.. I do miss it...

 

I'm the same - but I've just become plain lazy...I could blame the weather (always windy where I live) and the fact that every journey would involve a jaunt up some big hills to get back home etc...

 

Jools - I'd be interested but for having my heart set on an ICT design rather than Atlas

I've given up mud slogging. I find fair weather riding more rewarding, but we'll see how the commuting goes...

 

I must say it's a heavy beast it's one thing riding down the slopes at Les Arcs in high summer, quite another to be riding up Pitch hill in the ****ing rain when it's 3 degrees outside!

Still though I need to get motivated!

 

jools,
i have a kid and manage to get out most days so that's no excuse

if we're willy waving...
thorn raven enduro frame.
fox vanilla rlc forx.
hope mini mono brakes.
front wheel - hope hub, mavic xc717 rims ?? spokes.
rear wheel - Rohloff speedhub, mavix xc717 rims, ?? spokes
race face deus xc seatpost, specialized avatar saddle.
hope stem, easton ea 50 low rise bars, spesh bg grips, cane creeg ergo bar ends (so shoot me).
fsa xl headseat
shimano deore bb (yeuch)
thorn cranks and chainring (mneh)
sram chain.
panaracer fire xc pro / mythos xc tyres.
about 50 tonnes of mud and crap cos i've not cleaned it in months.

none of that derailleur crap to go wrong, wonky, clog with mud or fall off.
cheers


julian.

 

Nice bike! Yes I know kids are no excuse but just seems all my riding buddies and I want to spend Sunday in bed!

 

ta,
sundays my day of rest too - that's why i ride on saturdays .

to change the subject slightly.

does anyone know of any decent routes or trails within an hour and a half of milton keynes? the ones we've been doing (thetford, chicksands, woburn, rutland, graffham, grand union canal) are getting a bit stale now. anyone tried follow the dog on cannock chase? anything closer?
cheers


julian

 

Probably time to start arranging the bike-off then?

Lots of great riding around here

 

Chilterns. We'll organise something soon Julian.

 

Does your wife know about your change of heart?

 

The poor woman doesn't know which way to turn!