Giant XTC 29er Singlespeed Project

The ridiculously crap weather this year has led to some upsettingly rapid drivechain wear. In addition, my move to Cambridge has meant I am riding offroad more but seeing very few hills meaning there was only 1 direction to go in… Buy a singlespeed! Since the beginning of 2012 I have been riding the excellent Giant XTC Composite 29er and have absolutely no desire to regress back to a 26 inch bike meaning this build would not just be a recycling project with all the old bits I have in the garage but an almost completely new start.

First off, I bought the Giant XTC aluxx 29er frame which at £400 is an absolute steal. It weighs less than my old S-works frame, and not far off the Composite XTC frame I have been riding this year. It also benefits from all of the fashionable upgrades with a tapered ‘overdrive’ strearer and pressfit ‘powercore’ bottom bracket shell, along with a fairly sizable oversized downtube in keeping with its carbon brethren.

The next step was to buy the forks. Since the bikes misson statement was to be cheap, fun and reliable, I didn’t want the hassle and expense of a suspension fork and the On-One monocoque carbon fork fit the bill perfectly, even if I did have to settle for a garish green which may or may not clash with the garish yellow on the frame. Fashion crimes aside, it is the perfect complement.

Step 3 was to scour the slightly dubious world of singlespeed bike parts shops and forums, trying to decide what drivetrain to go for. Fortunately I have a couple of slightly deranged contacts who practice this dark art who sent me in the direction. After a couple of emails and a bit of shopping around I went for a Surly 32 tooth steel ring, Superstar 16 tooth fat based sprocket and basic chain tensioner and a super heavy duty KMC chain.

The rest of the kit I had in the garage. A pair of very reliable and lightweight Hope Mono Mini Pro brakes, a KCNC scandium flat bar, Shimano XT chainset and my Stans Crest 29er wheels which I raced last season. After an evening in the garage greasing, screwing and lubing the beast was built, although it did take a trip into my local bike shop and a bit of abuse about my colour choice and spannering skills to get it fully functional.

I have been riding it for about a month now and I absolutely love it. The full build is stupidly light and with the steepish head angle it is very quick steering and flickable. The gear choice is spot on for the flat singletrack I am riding around here with my current fitness level and its great not having to worry about wearing out yet another expensive chainring. The carbon forks are surprisingly comfortable although I am not planning on taking it on a trip to the Peaks or Wales anytime soon! Because there is no suspension you really have to concentrate when riding. There is nothing to soften an unseen root or ditch but I find it means you have to concentrate on your technique more to keep up with the group.