please agree with me...or offer advice!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Craig Martin on May 8, 2011 at 14:19

Bottom line is that SS do not win races outright, gears are faster. It will take time to adjust to the gears, and rear suspension. Pretty rare you will be faster on a new bike straight away.

 

Bomb down something bumpy, and enjoy the duallie. Get that rear shock dialed for pedalling, it can take a while, and your technique is more crucial than on a hardtail.

 

But also, not all bikes are equal. I had an old stumpy that felt slow. I got an xc bike that felt really quick, but when I timed them, the sluggish feeling stumpy was signifigantly quicker, due to a superior suspension design. The quick nimble feeling xc suffered from brake jack, meaning you had to brake earlier into corners. Couple of minutes difference over 3k.

 

Permalink Reply by Milto on May 8, 2011 at 14:20

I think the gears are there to make your life easier and maybe not faster. In general on the SS you are in a gear that is too low on the flats and DH and a gear that is too hight on the ups. That leaves you the only way to get up a climb is to really grind it and push pretty hard at a low cadence. This will surely be faster but also tire you out quicker. It will also work ok on short climbs better as you can afford to go hard up them, when you really get to a big climb it will get pretty hard to go hard like that for long periods. Gears will make these climbs rideable as you can keep your effort under control and spin up.

 

I think you need more than one ride to get used to gears so give it some time. I know that when I ride my SS I often go for the shifter and that takes some time to stop this. I usually use the geared bike. IT will also take some time to understand the gears and when to shift down going up hill. Maybe as a predominately a SS rider you need to try to shift down a little later up a climb.

Permalink Reply by Erin on May 8, 2011 at 19:21

From the flip-side - I found that switching from gears to single-speed didn't really slow me down at all. I go faster uphills now, but I don't really go any slower downhill because it's not my ability to pedal that limits my downhill speed - it's me being a big sook. The only time I ever miss having gears is when sprinting on long flats.

 

As for the suspension - I don't actually have a dually, but I think most rear shocks these days have some kind of pro-pedal platform or some such. Perhaps it's just a matter of getting it dialled in right?

Permalink Reply by Steve K on May 8, 2011 at 20:32

I agree with Milto - I reckon you need several more rides before concluding that you are definitely slower on the DS gearie ;)  In some situations it'd be slower probably, but in others it's bound to be faster and as your rapport with the bike improves, then the fasterness bits will outnumber the slowerness bits more and more I expect.

 

(Good grammar courtesy of 6 hours sleep in the last 3 nights :) )

Permalink Reply by Paul on May 9, 2011 at 10:08

Blondie, I switch regularly between my SS 29'er hardtail (sub 10kg) and "The Tractor" a 9 speed 29'er dually, so here are my thoughts: HTFU.

 

The dually is heavier and walloier (I know there is no such word) sluggish up hills but you ride this when you want comfort or the trails are rougher - its a trade-off. Keep the hard tail for XC riding and races.

When I ride with gears I try not to change them too often - on the flat I still try to spin at my optimum RPM and change up or down if the load gets too heavy or I spin out. I still stand to climb and luckily "The Tractor" doesn't bob when you stand to pedal. If you have pro-pedal use it. The big thing is don't let the gear get you into bad habits of clicking down as you approach a hill - attack the hills - it's the SS way, be aggressive.

 

As for speed I can ride my local loop (D/W/C/P/L) 15min quicker with gears than on the SS and I make all that up on the flats.

 

Keep up the good work - your pretty fast so someone in the "Masters" category.

 

Permalink Reply by Tim on May 9, 2011 at 10:29

Blondie,

 

I ride a Jet 9 dually 9 speed and a Garry Fisher converted single speed. Here are my thoughts.

 

Their is no doubt that the SS excelerates faster. Its a hardtail, only 80mm of travel and much ligher (maybe 2.5kg). I think I climb faster on in too. As you cant just spin up hills.

 

Having said that the geared dually is faster on fire roads, decending and all technical trails (ups and downs). The other advantage is that i am no longer as sore after 50km-100km races or 24hr events. It does take time to get used to spinning. I still have a tendancy to grind out of the saddle, which I have been told is bad technique. I have a RP23 shock. I found runnining on the 2 setting for a while helped me get used to the bike. I have recently changed to running on the 1 setting.

 

I tend to ride the 2 bikes for differant applications:

I love the SS. I ride it at sparrow, bruce and kowen. Its just well suited to these trails. Its more fun to ride on the hard pack. I also think SS is more fun and it probably gets more use. Its my social bike.

I ride the gear dually at stromlo. I like the forgiveness it gives on the rocky sections. I also find I am far more confident on the decents. The rocky technical climbs are far easier with rear suspension as I find i can better maintain traction. I tend to race on this bike as I am not super fit and it offers more of a bail out when im tired or its 4am. The first time I did the scott on dually I was so excited by the lack of pain.

 

My advice is that you just need time to get used to the new bike. I am sure you will love it. I kept the SS as I couldn't get much for it and I have found that it gets used easily as much as the dually.

 

Permalink Reply by Snakehips on May 9, 2011 at 10:38

Blondie.

HTFU x 2.

 

Permalink Reply by blondie on May 9, 2011 at 11:22

LIsten Paul and Morgan...advice in the form of HTFU is not kind! And Paul...YOU are one of the reasons I thought I should have been faster yesterday!

 

Thank you everyone, I think I need to just get used to it and keep it for the techy rides (no scott on the ss for meee!)  - Erin, I ride similar to you from what you wrote and yes, I did have the pro peal off so I could stand up :)

 

I also learnt new words for my vocabulary from this thread!

Permalink Reply by matthew king on May 9, 2011 at 11:23

i would suggest to pump both the front and rear bouncy thingies  up to the point they only react to big hits while you get use to them and gears and work out what your ideal cadence is and concentrate on maintaining that whilst also trying to go as fast as you can which will mean you have to move up and down the gears.  prob a good idea to practice on a hilly road or firetrail so all you have to do is get use to gears and not have to worry about hitting things.

Dare i say this in a Mt Bike world but going out and training on the road is good for speed work      

Permalink Reply by blondie on May 9, 2011 at 15:57

wash your mouth out!!! 

 

yes, i said to one of the people I was riding with I think I need to go out on my own to get used to it - I can't believe how different it was, I suspect I am a bit dim to be so thrown over 9 freaking gears and rear suspension! I certainly never expected to ever feel more comfortable on the SS - i used to think SS people were seriously strange...

 

I will go alone on a hilly track which even has some road! lol