# Single Chainring w/ Rear Der?



## lawndart (Oct 4, 2004)

Im thinking of making up a commuter bike for the colder more crappy months. I see alot of Fixed gear bikes (which i may resort to) and multi geared bikes on here. Do any of you run just a rear der and one chainring?
I live close to my work, right now about a 15min commute and will be moving soon but still close by.....may change to 25min. It's relatively flat with one short hill so i was thinking the gears may help. I'd like a singlespeed/fixed, but i dont want to set up a ratio that can get my up the hill with no problems but then start spinning out on the flats.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

*Test it.*

Try riding up and down the one hill, both sides, both directions, in one gear. See if there's a gear on your multi-gear bike that will both get you up the hill without pain or injury, and that you can spin down without feeling out of control.

If there is such a gear, you can go the fixie route. If it's a bit too steep for that, you can try a lower gear with a single-speed, so you can coast down the hill. If the hill isn't too long, you may be surprised what you can handle.

People do set up bikes with a single chainring and rear derailleur, but there's no particular advantage to that on a commute bike. The nice thing about fixed/SS for commute, especially in crappy weather, is ease of maintenance. There isn't much to get dirty, bent or out of adjustment. Just lube the chain and go. A rear derailleur setup gives up that advantage.

Try riding the route in a single gear. I ride fixies on my commute. I can grind up a couple of short hills.


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## bikeboy389 (May 4, 2004)

I agree with JCavilia--try out single speed and see if you can make it work--but will add one more thing: I had an MTB set up with a single front and 7 speed rear for a brief period when I was a messenger, and it was a pain. It was far too easy to throw the chain off the front ring--there were only a couple of gears in the back that had a chainline that wouldn't make it really easy to de-chain.

I finally went back to a double up front and a front der., which helped a whole lot.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

My Bike Friday is set up that way. I have chainring guards on either side of the ring and it works fine. Check out the Cyclocross forum for single ring set ups....It's done all the time


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

You're gonna need something to keep the chain from coming off on the front--either a front der or chain guards on each side. Might as well just have two chainrings and the der IMO.

Edit--also, two chainrings will be less rotating weight than one chainring and two bash/chain guards.


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## refund!? (Oct 16, 2006)

The "single chainring w/rear derailleur" set-up works fine. Simply ensure a decent chainline with the middle cog and there shouldn't be any chain drop problems. You might also consider a chainring guard (Salsa, Spot, etc).


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## lawndart (Oct 4, 2004)

JCavilia said:


> Try riding up and down the one hill, both sides, both directions, in one gear. See if there's a gear on your multi-gear bike that will both get you up the hill without pain or injury, and that you can spin down without feeling out of control.
> 
> If there is such a gear, you can go the fixie route. If it's a bit too steep for that, you can try a lower gear with a single-speed, so you can coast down the hill. If the hill isn't too long, you may be surprised what you can handle.
> 
> ...


ya know i never thought of testing out the hill on my regular bike in one gear.


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## lawndart (Oct 4, 2004)

Dave Hickey said:


> My Bike Friday is set up that way. I have chainring guards on either side of the ring and it works fine. Check out the Cyclocross forum for single ring set ups....It's done all the time


Dave,
I forgot alot of cyclocross bikes are set that way (chainguards in the front)

thanks
sean


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

lawndart said:


> Dave,
> I forgot alot of cyclocross bikes are set that way (chainguards in the front)
> 
> thanks
> sean


Here's a pic of my Bike Friday with a single ring set up


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## wooglin (Feb 22, 2002)

I commute on a 1x7. I just leave the front derailleur on and center it on the chainring with the limiting screws. Another option is a bashguard* on the outside and an n-gear jumpstop on the inside. 

* Bashguards are heavy. Salsa makes some that are designed to function as guides rather than bashguards that are probably way lighter.


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

Dave Hickey said:


> Here's a pic of my Bike Friday with a single ring set up


Nice!


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## bignose (Sep 15, 2005)

This is my ghetto super star I paid 42 cad for it, ripped off teh gears and just run a straight chain line.it' some old old old steel frame. I had the advantage of horizontal drop outs.

I work from home so don't need to commute, but i use this when i don't want to be paranoid of my nice bike walking away while i'm getting some bread and wine.


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## fishman473 (Aug 2, 2004)

I run 1x9 on my commuter. 1x7 would be more reliable and easier to maintain but with a bunch of nicer 9 speed bikes around here I have the spare parts for 9, why buy 7 or 8 speed stuff new for the commuter?

I replaced the big ring with a 'bashguard' I made by cutting up the top of a bucket. I left the small ring in place for snow riding and other extreme conditions (big loads, strong headwinds, etc). The chain drops to this small ring about once every week or two, no big deal. I think I'm running a 38 up front (with a 26 granny) and a 11x32 in back, it's just about right.

Eliminating the front deraileur, shifter and a chainring simplifies the bike, less to maintain and a bit more handlebar room. That and my pants don't get stuck in the chinring.


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## Reynolds531 (Nov 8, 2002)

*You'll get stronger*



JCavilia said:


> Try riding up and down the one hill, both sides, both directions, in one gear. See if there's a gear on your multi-gear bike that will both get you up the hill without pain or injury, and that you can spin down without feeling out of control.
> 
> If there is such a gear, you can go the fixie route. If it's a bit too steep for that, you can try a lower gear with a single-speed, so you can coast down the hill. If the hill isn't too long, you may be surprised what you can handle.
> 
> ...



This is great advice, but also remember that you will get a lot stronger at low cadence if you ride a single speed up that hill most days. I don't even notice the hills that used to make me strain on my SS. I tried fixed but I like freewheeling SS much more. I just didn't think it was right that I had to work to get down hills on the fixed gear. Coasting and soaring down the hills at 30 mph is much more fun.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

just built up a bike with 1x9. so far i like it. i need to get a smaller front ring as i am running a 50 right now and the 30mph headwinds made things rough on the mut yesterday.

i only have about 35 miles on the bike, but i have done pavement, crushed limestone, and some singletrack. no chainjump yet, even after some bunny hops and curb work. i do have a dogtooth i will be adding once i get my front gearing squared away.

i am running tiagra shifter, deore rd, nashbar "deluxe" cantis, and a canecreek src-5 front brake lever. for some reason all this shifts better than my 105/ultegra kit. if you do run with a single up front, i highly suggest the cane creek src-5. simple setup, excellent feel, sweet look. the lever had great action and the blade has a wonderful contour, like it was cast for my hand position. the platform looks chucky, but my hand rests in there, again, like it was cast for my hand.


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