Playful budget singlespeed frame?

[Wes Mantooth]

I've been curious about building up a reasonably cheap 29'er singlespeed recently just as a change of pace but don't really know what's going on with SS frames these days. I used to ride one exclusively but then got a full suspension trail bike and have only ridden that for the last 2.5 years. I still have a Vassago Jabberwocky that I rode for a long time but the geometry is so far off what I'm used to riding now that I just don't have much fun on it anymore (I know that's a me problem but it is what it is). I'm hoping to transfer some of those components over to a more modern frame that's a bit more slack and playful and update it with a bigger fork, wider bars, shorter stem, and dropper post to get the feel a little closer to the angles of my trail bike. I'd also love to be able to use my existing wheelset with it but it's not boost spacing so that might limit my options with a newer frame.

Curious to hear if there're any good frames out there that fit my description and are pretty cheap. Most of what I've come across are either bikes that seem pretty unchanged from 10+ years ago or specialty ti/carbon frames that are too pricey for what I'm looking for

[XXX-er]

You can set a Salsa Timberjack up any way you want including SS is one option cuz its got the dropouts

[chaka]

definitely check out the Santa Cruz Chameleon... these can be found pretty cheap and build up as a fun and capable ss.

[Fred Pabst]

Check out the RSD Sergeant Aluminum. It will go 27.5, 29er, or mullet style. Horizontal rear drop-outs for the win. You can buy just the frame or as a complete built bike, which is what I did. They come with a very capable build kit which is easily converted to ss. Sell the derailleur.

[HankScorpio]

Not cheap at $900 but Canfield Nimble 9 comes with sliding dropouts and has modern geo that's not cartoonishly long and slack. I have one built up with gears and its stupid fun. They have frames in stock and ready to ship too.

[Phall]

chameleon, nimble nine/yelli screamy, nukeproof scout, canfield rootdown, niner ROS9. you can get away with doing SS with a tensioner/singulator on a regular dropout if the bike doesn't have horizontal d/o's.

[Benneke10]

Another vote for the Chameleon, super fun bike, often available used for somewhat cheap. Also another vote for avoiding horizontal dropouts in favor of... anything else.

[Wes Mantooth]

Always heard good things about the chameleon it's been around for a long time. Looks like the most recent model is pretty slack and progressive geo too. I don't think their dropout kit will work for my wheels - seems like their 135mm QR SS adaptors are only for the previous models and not the newest one, but might be time to go with newer wheels anyway

I've always tried to avoid a singulator just since it's an extra thing on the bike, but also had my fair share of annoyances with horizontal dropouts if the tensioner bolts aren't designed well

[El Chupacabra]

You can set a Salsa Timberjack up any way you want including SS is one option cuz its got the dropouts

Kona Honzo ST (steel) also

[toast2266]

Esker Japhy is worth looking at. There's also a ti version if you want to throw a bit more money at it.

[Shredhead]

I rode a SS GF Rig exclusively for 3 years.
It fucked up my knees.

[XXX-er]

I made my old bar bike into an SS by leaving it in one gear

[VTskibum]

chameleon, nimble nine/yelli screamy, nukeproof scout, canfield rootdown, niner ROS9. you can get away with doing SS with a tensioner/singulator on a regular dropout if the bike doesn't have horizontal d/o's.

Add new Specialized Fuse to that list too. Some of the Kona Honzo’s might work too.

If you’re trying to run 135QR, you can relatively(?) easily find a non-boost 142mm frame and space your wheels. Also some frames that use the Paragon Sliders can be swapped between 142 thru and 135 qr just by swapping sliding drops.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[altasnob]

RSD Middle Child, Pipedream Moxie and Sirius all have horizontal sliders and would make good single speed.

Why don't people like horizontal drop outs?

If you want true budget, you should get a custom built steel frame from Marino in Peru

https://www.marinobike.com/

[tellybele]

RE: knees. Not my experience. It strengthened my knees, core and the stuff in between. I also learned a bit more technique and whatnot. Did it from 97 till now with it only from 2003 to 2011 or so. If yer patient and like to learn new techniques and styles of being, hit that shit. The silent partner is a helluva coach/trainer and a way to see things differently while yer trippin. IMO, the Canfield is the best 9r hardtail geo I have ridden.

[El Chupacabra]

Add new Specialized Fuse to that list too. Some of the Kona Honzo’s might work too.

If you’re trying to run 135QR, you can relatively(?) easily find a non-boost 142mm frame and space your wheels. Also some frames that use the Paragon Sliders can be swapped between 142 thru and 135 qr just by swapping sliding drops.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Look into Surly's dropout kits if trying to mix and match axle sizes. They may have something that could help.

Surly has a couple of frames that can be used as 29er SS, but not very modern geometry.

[toast2266]

Why don't people like horizontal drop outs?

Horizontal sliders /= horizontal drop outs. Well designed sliders are great. But horizontal drop outs just don't work well on mountain bikes.

[Wes Mantooth]

RE: knees. Not my experience. It strengthened my knees, core and the stuff in between. I also learned a bit more technique and whatnot. Did it from 97 till now with it only from 2003 to 2011 or so. If yer patient and like to learn new techniques and styles of being, hit that shit. The silent partner is a helluva coach/trainer and a way to see things differently while yer trippin. IMO, the Canfield is the best 9r hardtail geo I have ridden.

Fully agreed. I attribute most of my current riding skill to all the years I spent only riding a singlespeed, especially when it comes to technical climbing. The Canfield seems like an awesome bike. Do you run it with a 150 fork? That’d be more travel than my FS trail bike but seems like that’s what the geo is designed for

Toast pardon my idiocy but what’s the difference between horizontal drops vs sliders?

[toast2266]

Toast pardon my idiocy but what’s the difference between horizontal drops vs sliders?

Horizontal drops are the traditional single speed dropouts, that are basically just a horizontal slot that you slide the axle into from the rear. Keeping the axle from slipping can be a pain, and it means you have to re-align your disc caliper every time you move or remove the wheel. It also means that, if you decide to run a derailleur, your b-tension will be permanently wrong.

Sliders mean the dropout, derailleur hanger, and disc mounts are on a separate piece of metal that then bolts onto the main frame (and can slide, to tension the chain). There's a few different varieties of those (the paragon ones are pretty common though). Really the only issue with those is security; some are better than others at staying in place securely. As someone mentioned above, some of the sliders can also be swapped around to fit different hub standards.

[Wes Mantooth]

Gotcha didn’t know that was the name for them but I know what you’re talking about. Horizontal drops are definitely a little touchier but I’ve found them to be relatively easy if they have a smart tensioning screw system where the wheel can always return to the same place when you put it back on. But yeah can be a real pain at times