I gots blood blisters, but finally the commuter is rolling good
My chain fell off 5 times in the last two days. From just plain riding. I take very few sweet jumps on the way to work.
It is hard to splain why one would take 26 of their 27 gears off their bike, but being single speed rules.
So I got my bike back and it was set up as a single speed in a pretty easy gear. Commuting on my old full suspension bike let me adjust to a tougher gear pretty easily. I had tried a new system called a Rennen Rollenlager which worked well in some ways on my full suspension, but bad in others. I did not realize how much the rear suspension flexing affected chain tension. It just was not gonna work.
I figured the Rollenlager would rule on my hard tail commuter. And once again I had issues. They offer a 1/2 link to get the chain length within the adjustable range. This prob works most of the time. Problem was the rear triangle chain stays got in the way of the rollenlager working correctly. When it comes to rock solid chain tensioning I still recommend the rollenlager, but a Surly singlerator solved my issues.
I think the reason I disliked the singlerator was because I simply did not know how to adjust it. I have that down pretty darn good now. MWC had a larger front chain ring at the shop and it rocks now. Fuggles got a darn good ride out of it. I am so tired of her going faster than me.
“Single speed rules”? I guess — if you live on a friggin’ pool table!!! Out here in Washington State, we got hills, son. Hills that make me wish I had 27 MORE gears on my commuter!
Comment by Olden Bittermann — April 11, 2008 @ 2:50 pm
Lincoln nebraska is really flat. Our main singletrack, wilderness park, has very little elevation change or hills along its 8.5 miles.
And the 1.1 mile commute to work is a breeze. Quite the SS scene here in the biking community. My main ride is fully geared.
Omaha has some major hills though. I am betting WA does as well.
Comment by beerorkid — April 11, 2008 @ 3:06 pm