It's about simplicity, getting back to the roots of cycling, before all the complexity of derailleurs and shifters. You don't have to worry about bending a derailleur hanger, sending the derailleur into the spokes or wearing out a shifter. The chain doesn't have to have some funky design that helps it shift better, and the chainrings don't need those silly little ramps. Single speeds are simple machines that let you enjoy the trails quietly. Just lube the chain, check the tire pressure, and GO! When you get into the single speed world you can get away from all the techie BS. It's not about getting 6 inches of travel or dialing in the suspension for the wet or dry, this course or that course.

It's about being different. The same old trails become new again now that you can't whip it in the granny for that hellacious climb, or use the big meat to pass your friends on that downhill.

It's about honing your skills. Riding with only one gear helps your fundamental skills. You learn to maintain momentum through turns and how to position your body to keep traction on the climbs.

It's about saving weight (for some). Take off your shifters, derailleurs, and cassette, and you're bound to shave a few grams, ounces, or pounds.

It's about saving some dough (or at least it can be). No need to upgrade to next years 37 speed drivetrain or spend beaucoup bucks on a new titanium cassette every year.

Most of all, it's about FUN! It's about being a kid again. Footloose (Kevin Bacon Rocks!) and fancy free (whatever the hell that means). It's about the joy of pedaling, and the smile that it puts on your face. Single speeds are a blast to ride, you'll be huffing and puffing at the top of the climbs and grinning ear to ear in the fast single track. Remember how much fun riding your bike was when you were a kid? What are you waiting for?

Getting Started
There are two ways to get started in the world of single speed. You can get yourself a super cool single speed specific frame, or you can convert your geared bike into a one-speed machine.

Single speed specific frames have horizontal dropouts, which allow you to adjust the chain tension by pulling back on the wheel. There are a ton of great single speed frame builders out there, our favorites include Spot, Surly, Soulcraft, On-one, Sycip, Mrazek, and the super cool, bad-ass, BMX style Firemans Texas Cruzer. We can also build any of these up for you with your choice of single speed specific parts.

Converting a geared bike into a single speed is a lot easier on the pocket book. All you really need to do get rid of your shifters and derailleurs,get a chain tensioner (such as a Paul Components Melvin or Surly Singleator), and set up the rear wheel. Setting up the rear wheel is probably the trickiest part. If you have a standard cassette hub, you can slap a single cog on the freehub and use spacers to get the right chainline. You can also build up a new wheel with a single speed hub. Spot, Paul Components, and Surly are just a few of the companies that make single speed hubs. These hubs allow for the use of a standard freewheel.

For gearing, most single speeders choose a 2:1 ratio, which means the chainring has twice as many teeth as the freewheel. So if you have a 34T chainring, get a 17T cog, 32T chainring, get a 16T cog, etc., etc. If you need to climb a whole helluva lot, think about increasing the cog 1 or 2 teeth. If it's totally flat where you live, or you have quads the size of MeanTodd, drop a tooth or 2. Go ahead - BE A MAN! (actually, don't do this just cuz you don't want to be a sissy mary - it could really screw up your knees).

Other considerations for your conversion include getting a really wide riser bar, beefy tires, and long cranks. Since you can't shift into a granny, you're going to need a lot more torque to get up the hills, and a wide riser bar will help you get that torque. Beefy tires will not only give you more traction, but it will also smooth out the ride a little more, especially if you are riding completely rigid. Getting a longer crank (175 or 180mm) will also help give you a little more help when it comes to grinding that gear.

That's all you really need - now go out there and ride the damn thing!

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