As I looked at all the ice and snow outside today I began to dream of Spring and riding the trails…so (since I can’t make Spring come here quickly) I thought I could at least have my Homegrown ready for the trails when the weather does warm up a bit. One thing I have kicked around for a while is switching the gears out for a single speed.
1. Anyone here switched to SS? If so, do you miss all the other gears when you approach a steep incline?
2. What is a good company to buy a SS kit from? Any recommendations for proper gear ratio..I have a 19″ bike.
3. If I switch to SS does it have to be fixed-gear with no allowance for coasting…or can SS allow for coasting downhill?
4. Any good websites for doing the switch? I found a ton of sites but none that answered all my questions.
I see that your question was never answered. If you’re still interested in converting to SS, let me know. I ride SS almost exclusively and have converted my HG to SS.
Converting to an SS is very straight forward. You’ll either need to use a tensioner (I use a Soulcraft Convert), find that magic gear combination that gets you perfect chain tension, or use a half link for your chain of choice.