Single speeding my enduro part.2

Updates on single speeding my 21 Commie meta….

Ok so first things first. No, I didn’t clean my bike. I was too excited and I’d just finished work so really couldn’t be arsed. The reality was I was taking the mech off so didn’t really need a full hose down to do it.

Install – super easy. Remove the old cassette, replace with spacers and new sprocket. Then Chain off, snip the gear cable, take the mech off and replace with the SS mech.

What I learnt:

1. Don’t tighten the lock ring all the way in before eyeing up the chain line, had to swap one of the smaller 2.5 spacers around to get the chain like dialled before cinching down fully.
2. The mech comes with a ton of spacers to ‘fine tune’ the jockey wheels line up to rear cog. As the upper jockey wheel sits close to the rear cog and there’s not a whole bunch of mech in the way this is easy to dial in.
3. The tension in the SD mech is SOLID. No where near as loose as the old mech with the clutch disengaged. I was worried that without an upper chain guide this would mean dropping chains but seems unlikely given the tension. Removed 8 links from the chain (unweighed but probs another 20/25 grams taken out the system) and it feels solid and tight.
4. The mech doesn’t have a stopper for the body of the cage so when cinching down (16nm) holding the mech body in place is important to get a good chain wrap whilst keeping the mech under tension

First thoughts:

1. It looks rad. The simplicity of the system with the tiny mech and no cassette looks cool. It accentuates the lines from the chainstay/seatstays more.
2.colour co-ordinating. I like to match my colourway on my bike. No this isn’t colour matched, this was the cheapest option and I couldn’t find the orange colour way for an HG driver. I’ll most likely dunk the spacers in oven cleaner to strip the anodising and run it raw.
3. I haven’t pulled the gear cable and shifter off yet, it seemed like too permanent a decision without getting a proper ride in, but I’ll most likely do that today as didn’t find any issues riding around the block. Should be another 100-130g or so weight saving from the system.

Parking lot ride thoughts:

1. The gearing at 13t is good. It’s usually my go to gear for laps so shouldn’t be an issue on the trail but might explore higher/lower gearing down the line but wanting to grab a fistful of gears is real on a big bike.
2. The bike definitely feels lighter, more responsive and not quite as burly, it doesn’t seem to require as much body to get it to move and change direction.
3. The suspension seems more supple and active to the point of perhaps taking a click or two rebound off to slow it down, but I’ll have to see what it’s like properly once I’m on the trail.
4. Noise – much quieter, vibrations seem reduced with less feedback from a lack of cassette and traditional mech vibrating though impacts, the chain being tighter also reduces chain slap.

Overall I’m pretty happy with the set up but I’ll report back once I’ve thrown it down some steeps.

by Low_Plum849