My Hardest Day Yet: 50 Miles (80km) on a Singlespeed Riding 'Round the Peaks Loop in Flagstaff AZ
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- čas přidán 29. 07. 2020
- The 'Round the Peaks Loop is a 50 mile (80KM) bike route that circumnavigates Flagstaff's three main peaks. In this episode, Cody and I tackle this trail, unsupported, on our singlespeed hardtails. I'm riding my RSD Middle Child Ti on this route, with Knight Composite wheels and my gearing is 34/22.
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Trails in order of appearance:
www.trailforks.com/trails/sch...
www.trailforks.com/trails/fr-...
www.trailforks.com/trails/wat...
www.trailforks.com/trails/inn...
www.trailforks.com/trails/fr-...
www.trailforks.com/trails/fr-...
www.trailforks.com/trails/azt...
www.trailforks.com/trails/azt...
www.trailforks.com/trails/low...
www.trailforks.com/trails/eas...
www.trailforks.com/trails/chi...
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#hardtail #titanium #utah - Sport
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Thanks Steve to providing links to the products you use. I value and respect your opinions on all products. I also refer my family and friends to your channel just for the links on your descriptions of your videos. I love your whole channel but keep the educational videos coming bc those are my favorite.
What is your gear ratio mate?
Rookie single speed at elevation for 50 miles. Mad respect sir.
I am a converted single speeder. Built a Waltly Titanium frame up in 2022 and worked my way to a 32x18 gear. Committed to doing the BT Epic here in Missouri in 2023, which is 50 miles with about 5,400 feet of climbing. Got it done in 5 hours, 19 minutes and enjoyed every minute of it! I am definitely stronger thanks to single speeding and it has changed how I think when I'm riding. I have to give you props for your setup, those big tires are definitely adding work for you! Cheers!
Carrying all the extra water will definitely help for training.
From one single speeder to another, this was a great ride! Thanks for sharing!
I only did 15 miles on single speed and I was literally dead after that. I can never imagine doing 50, respect man
You're calling your buddy a beast, but riding single speed with those big tires puts you in the beast realm as well.
Thanks for the kind words. I did a lot of stopping on this ride. I wasn't feeling very beastly. But we've all got to start somewhere.
I was amazed at how much I used my entire upper body riding single speed mtb. The workout for your arms, shoulders, back and core are just intense. Throw in legs and cardio, and SS MTB is one of the hardest workouts you can do.
That's one reason I love SS - for the full-body workout
Definitely an upper body work out. I'm glad to see Cody using bar ends. I get negative comments about how outdated and uncool bar ends are. Too many people watching GMBN telling me what my bike needs to look like have never rode SS mtb. I know what my arms need and it seems to work for Cody too.
Yup! Best workout on two wheels!
@@newttella1043 stubby bar ends for me too. Ergons. GMBN, while I like their content, never features SS bikes, and all their bikes are big full squishers that focus on riding jumps rather than riding trail.
Barends for long distances really help. I know that they are oldschool but works because of a different body position on the bike.
And much better climbing leverage when it gets steep.
Do you recognize bar ends on Cody's bike?
Awesome! Hey, thanks for puttin in the work required to post! Also, great that you included tracks. You're living the dream! Thanks sgain!!again!!! GO ride!👍
Thanks for taking the time to make these videos! I have a Redline Monocog 29er, which is so fun to ride. Glad to see some singlespeed representation!
Loving the singlespeed content - more please
More on the way
This is insane man. Major kudos!
Wow this trail is outstanding, so is your motivation. Keep going.
You crushed it Steve! Single speed beast !
What a ride! Well done on the SS. Cody is so smooth on those climbs. “Type 2 fun”. Love it
Well done Steve great effort and that was a fantastic route with some very beautiful scenery. 👏🏻👍🏻😁🚴🏻
Love the scenery man, mad respect for riding that climb and distance and showing that every1 needs to just chill and walk sometimes
Man, that was epic and inspiring. I'm doing a 100 kilometer ride next weekend and thus video just hit the spot. Great reminder that sometimes it's better to take a bit more water than being short on it. Thank you.
Love to see you always challenging yourself. You will continually amaze yourself with the things you can do when you step up to these new challenges. You’re always doing something a little more than last time and I often hear you say you never have done this or that but you’re getting after it! Keep it up and keep the great content coming!
Thanks for the encouragement taylor!
omg you are crazy!!! this terrain is so nuts here, I am constantly shifting and dropping/raising... and you just did it on a single speed, that's really awesome
Good job Steve! 👍
great job man! keep up the good work
that looked so fun/brutal! lol. great job steve!
I'm having my SS shipped to me now that I'm living in Tuscon, I can't wait to struggle!
Tucson is the PERFECT place to ride SS. Enjoy.
Love the intro! Subscribed
You, sir, are not afraid of cycling outside your comfort zone. Keep challenging youself! You're an inspiration.
I appreciate it. Yes, I'm always trying to learn more and try new things.
Beast status to both of you! Nice job! 👍👍
Going so hard you taste blood. Been there. That aspen forest was amazing. Good job pushing yourself Steve. That's why you love single speed --- the challenge. It's our internal drive to be better.
Steve...epic!!! Your a beast!
I have a steel frame single speed Mongoose and Polaris fat tire bikes, and I have used 18T, 24T and 26T rear cogs, and I have never done a spin out at my top speed. I enjoy bike riding and I also enjoy the workout that comes with riding a single speed fat tire bike.
2:49 Following Cody is super inspiring, I love following him!
Next shot he's nowhere in sight ;-)
I agree under the down tube is the best place to have a large bottle and I had a similar set up on my first bike packing trip. Half way through that trip I did make one change though. Instead of having the straps go through the slots in the Blackburn cage have them go all the way around the downtube and bottle. That way they not only hold the bottle on but also help hold the cage in place and it gets rid of most of the slack left in the straps to tie up.
Great idea!
Oh mang Steve be lovin the torture great footage and hats off for such an ambitious goal 👏👏💪💪💪
I was initially searching that Pickup Sticks trail to see how gnarly it was and got excited to see a Hardtail Party video of the whole loop! I'm planning on bikepacking this loop this weekend with the snow storm on the way and can't wait! Probably gonna have to leave the trail dog at home as the lows are around 10*F haha. Something about waking up to a snow covered bike and mountain peaks sounds like the dream... and good training for my AZT attempt next year! =D
Great video as always bud! Cheers!
I love my SS Spot Rocker. Looks like an awesome trail!
SS is cool! Period! Massive respect, been running SS on my 80's road bike for many months now...now converted my Specialized Epic MTB to SS, it's so much fun! Nice video 👍
Yay!! My local trails. Good video!! Definitely need to train the lungs for the elevation up here.
In our younger days we all rode single speed 50 miles a day NO sweat on bmx. But to climb to
almost 10,000 ft. is epic under 8
hrs. Bravo for your will power &
determination Steve. You have life
all figured out. Good friend ( Cody )
for encouragement, milestone crossed off, wife at home who enjoys the same passion & hobby
& the soon to be princess peddler too !!! Life's good keep the cranks a moving, tires a turning & smiles a grinning !!!
A few months ago I decided to try this “single speed thing” on my experiment bike and it’s going good. I still can’t figure out why I like it so much. I think it’s that sense of accomplishment each time you get up something that you think “there is no way”. Thanks for the inspiration. I’m still running pretty deep gearing- 32/20 on 26”. I may try 34/20 soon.
Mad props. Good job. Impressive. I’d love to try that ride on Cody’s tail: seems like he’s the single speed OG.
You'll get that long distance fitness fast. I'm knocking on 50 and don't think twice about tackling 25+ miles on my SS. Great job with that combined mileage and elevation!
Amazing places and wonderful colours, great man !!! I like a lot single speed biking but I never tried single speed MTB, at 60 yo I will try ASAP. Have fun !!!
Enjoying your SS progression!
A little late to the hard tail party but that was inspiring! I only ride SS and know exactly what you went through. You are a BEAST because even though Cody was in a harder gear, he’s riding a Rekon/Ikon combo, way easier rolling compared to those 3” meats you’re using.
Big kudos man ! Peace ✌️
Nice ride
What an amazing accomplishment, and super double kudos doing it so new to single speeding! Last year I did Tour of the White Mountains, 50 mile race on my single speed and it was the longest ride I'd done on mine, definitely a test of not just physical but mental toughness. I did it with my boyfriend, and I agree, it helps to have someone to endure the sufferfest with, haha! Thanks for sharing this video..now I want to go tackle that loop on mine :)
I'd love to rid out in the White Mountains, that sounds incredible!
I rode a singlespeed El Mariachi for years and did some bikepacking with it. Multiday trips of 50-65 miles with up to 6000 ft of climbing. It was a bit 😊 hard at times but the simplicity and being able to pull it off was great. Type 2 fun. Keep going. Singlespeed has some definite advantages. I run gears on the El Mar now and it makes me lazy.
Steve you're a beast!!!
Thanks for saying so. I didn't feel like a beast on this one. It kicked my butt.
Good job Steve! Pretty soon you will be like us full time SSers and hooked! And not touch a gear bike in months!
Love the Single Speed content Steve!! Something you could experiment with is put a carbon fork on that 🚲 bike. It would make the front end a little lighter for those fire road climbs and save energy on the fork compressing when standing and putting the power down!! Great job 👍👍👍💪💪💪🙌🙌
I have a rigid fork on my bikepacking bike. I may swap it onto here to give it a shot someday. But the second half of this ride would have destroyed me with a rigid fork. I don't mind a little extra weight to gain a bit of comfort.
Totally agree. I use a carbon rigid fork on my steel SS and love the quick handling. A little slower on rocky downhills but overall more fun.
Came to watch Cody ride
Cody probably had like half a bottle of water the whole ride.
I thought inner basin trail above lockett meadow was wilderness. So awesome that you can ride it. Maybe my favorite bit of singletrack in AZ.
Great video, as always. Can't wait to see your PCT ride.
We just rode the jeep road up to the station.
Great job on the ride! Long distance on SS is grueling.
But where are your bar ends?
i just did 50miles of single speed backpacking in 2 days. it was super tireing, i can't imagine doing this in one day. (it was a dartmoor primal 27.5 with 32/15 ratio)
That's a stiff gear ratio, I'll bet you were beat!
hardtail party yeah, that was super stiff. It was my first day on my hardtail and on my singlespeed😅 i wasn’t ready for that.
More SS content! so good. What was the end result with that carbon chameleon SS build? Keep it up man. Come ride Umpqua River Trail here in Oregon with us.
3 liters would have been plenty for me on a cool day. Nice work, man.
That's a gorgeous loop. Looooong climbs and descents. Plus, sick Miata! I use my Miata to carry my bike! People giving me weird looks all over town haha.
Sweet 🤘
steve, i'll be doing this soon on my new Spot Ryve 115 (that you talked me in to buying).
PERFECT bike for that trip. Enjoy.
We have done 90% of this loop. In segments. On geared bikes. Haha. Amazing job!!!!
What are the trails that make up the full loop?
I think Cody has one of those bikes with the hidden electric motor:) BTW way to go nice ride!!
He's a beast. I think he was at about 20% effort on this ride.
Vassago Mooseknuckle 😍
Not sure I understand single speed. Haven't reached enlightenment I guess, but this is hardcore, mad respect
It's not for everyone, it doesn't make sense on all trails, and you have to be a strong rider with good bike handling skills to enjoy it, but I highly recommend giving it a shot one day. I reach for my singlespeed 90% of the time now.
@@hardtailparty I ride a big honzo around my out-the-door trails, nothing techy, but I might try giving that a single speed setup! I ride that bike most of the time because it's so convenient.
@@Theriver56 The big honzo would be a fantastic singlespeed candidate. For about $40 in parts (surly steel cog and an 8 or 9speed chain) you can experiment with it. It can add a whole new level of excitement to otherwise normal/boring trails. I recommend making sure you go with the right gearing, which will depend on where you live. I'd call a few shops and see if any of them know what gearing the locals run on their singlespeeds.
Dumping the water reminded me of that scene in Spaceballs where they ditch the industrial strength hair dryer from the luggage.
Haha, that's one of my favorite parts.
Hope you're still trying the SS. Once you know how to attack and rest it becomes second nature and overall not really any different than riding any other bike. When I'd race 12hr event against the guys in the open div it was always crazy to see how different we'd attack the climbs with me hitting 95% HR each time but then the lack of gears forces you to recover everywhere else. You think slow and steady wins the race but somehow all those 30-60 second max HR surges didn't kill my endurance later on because of the forced rest. I'm pretty sure I've raced with Cody in the past at some of the 50 or 100 national races years ago, glad to see he's still the same old chill SSer as always.
yup, I'm still enjoying SS
Super impressive! That isn't just a long ride. There's some soul crushing climbs on that route. I couldn't fathom doing that single speed.. Btw, your exact parking spot is where I locked my keys in my car today after my ride, and had to have a locksmith come out to free me, haha!
Aw man, that's a huge fear of mine. I'm so forgetful, it's only a matter of time before I lock my keys inside.
My Jeep likes to play dirty tricks on me. It ghost locks all the time. It's supposed to have a feature that won't allow you to lock it if the key fob is inside, but so much for that, haha. I forgot to take the fob out of my pack, closed the liftgate, and it locked itself as I was walking around to the front, totally on it's own.. 🤷♂️
That was indeed an awesome ride. If you do it or similar again you might try riding without the suspension fork. IME there's a sweet spot where a lightweight (for a mtb) rigid ss shines, and it's trails that look like these.
I don't think it'll work well for the past 10 miles of this route, but the other 40 would be great.
Did Cody even stop for a sip of water? Jeez!
That guy hardly drinks. I think he did the whole ride with a single water bottle.
So cool man, just discovered your channel and finding a lot of cool vids. I started SS’ ing some months ago, voodoo Djab titan, 30-19.
You dont also own a fatbike by chance do you?
Keep it up!!
I've been fatbiking, but I haven't found a fatbike that's fun enough yet.
Mine’s a 2015 surly ICT, 120 bluto, box two prime nine conversion on a 30t crank. Playfull bike, steel, kinda heavy but fun as hell ( on the right track/trail), its a beast of a bike. Fatbikes definately require a different riding/decending style and maybe even a re-definition of “fun”
Greetings from Belgium!
You are making me wondering about whether SS full suspension bike would be a fun experiment.
I remember spot made one back in the day. The tricky part is the chain growth that most full suspension bikes experience when they cycle through their travel. Without a derailleur/tensioner, it would be tricky. Not impossible, but tricky. Don't be afraid to try a plus hardtail singlespeed, it's a beautifully simple machine.
Way to go, that was quite a loop! Can you let me know which stubby bar ends your awesome riding buddy Cody is using?
I think they're old ergon bar ends he got with a set of grips? Not an ideal setup, but they work.
@@hardtailparty Thanks, I thought those looked like converted Ergons. I'm old school & still appreciate bar ends when climbing in particular on the kind of seemingly endless climbs you were up against on that 50mile loop. Love your videos & approach to biking and am stoked to have found your channel!
50 miles is no joke
Awesome ride ! I’m glad you shared it on your channel. What frame is your buddy Cody riding? And what is the purpose of the double top tube?
Vassago Mooseknuckle and to look cool. 😀
Scott Rath LOL! Thanks for the reply. I’ll look it up now.
Epic ss journey...those tires for as long of a trail must be power zapping...yr the man for completing 47mi. Quick ? I'm riding a spot brand rocker 29er ss I got it setup w/ a carbon fork I was thinking of trying out those one up bars but I have no clue if that would be a good idea or not... having a ridgid fork. What are your thoughts on the one up bars so far and if you would think it would be a bad idea for me to sport on a suspenion corrected carbon fork w/ alloy steerer tube? And what frame is Cody sporting? Thx yr awesome
Cody is on a versago mooseknuckle. The one up bars are fine. I don't feel like they're incredibly compliant like they're advertised for, but they're not overly stiff.
Bar ends would really help with the climbs - better leverage through the shoulders and back.
They're on the list of things to try. I used 'em in the 90s, then i ditched 'em. I never thought I'd go back.
@@sethnicholls7861 no
Bar ends are a must on SS (IMO) get the serfas ones.
I use both wide bars and bar ends. 800mm bars with Ergon GP2 grips. The leverage is awesome.
What shorts is Cody using?
How is he not cold?
Those 3.0 Purgatorys, are they 27.5 or 29? What pressure did you find was optimal?
Right at 17:56 that's a great area of trail
agreed!
But late I guess but can I ask what bars you are using. Thanks
looks like you have the route on your wahoo. dont they have an elevation chart? might be usefull to help with ss
when your route is 50 miles long, you can't zoom in enough to see an elevation chart that's very useful.
Steve, do you think you fit 29+ on the Banshee Paradox? Have you tried? I'm looking for info on this, figured I'd ask you. I bought my Paradox b/c of your reviews.
Doesn't fit. Not even 29x2.6 fits.
What's with the hoodie?
🙌 👍💪
High elevation air is demoralizing.
Like the saying about single speed. There is three speeds. Fast slow,and walking.
Haha, yeah. I always heard it was sitting, standing and walking.
I want to ride that loop. Any chance you can provide a link on your route you guys used
see the video description for links to the trails I used.
I wish I had trails like that where I live, unfortunately the forestry industry has destroyed a lot
What kind of water bottle cage do you use on your down tube?
bit.ly/349OKJZ
Can’t even get crank a 21 speed (old school) for 50miles rides. Single speed, how you do that in the deep trail.
Pure stubbornness. And I've been putting in 50-80 mile weeks, so that helps. All those sessioning attempts up Bottom Up actually helped me get into shape for this.
@@hardtailparty share some clinics and technics. love your video as always! hi do you use Trailforks Apps you can download your info trail, where is this place in flagstaff?
What camera are you using for recording?
Gopro hero 7 black
What's Cody riding? Is that a custom Vassago?
it's a vassago mooseknuckle
For Some reason I can't see your reply? Is it a Vassago Mooseknuckle? thanks
15 miles or 2 hours at a time on my singlespeed
Do you use Strava?
No, but Cody does.
I'm newer to the channel, why do you wear a hoodie when you ride?
czcams.com/video/2hZAyZacrR8/video.html
👍😀🚴♀️
The farthest I have ever ridden on a Mountain bike is 65 miles. It was a mix of trail, gravel, and paved roads....Plus I was on a geared bike and half my age (53 now), it was very tiring. Can't imagine doing something like this on a SS
Anyone can ride a geared bike. It takes a dedicated athlete to ride a single speed.
Dedicated... or stubborn. ;) In hooked on singlespeed for trails under 15 mi. I need to get in shape for these longer rides.
Stable Genius {Jihad} I ride my SS up technical, sanctioned XC race courses every day.
Stable Genius {Jihad} thanks. Means a lot.
WHY?!? Single speed for city bike? I get it. But single speed for MTB in hills/mountains? If you want to make it hard, try to do it blind folded, or one handed.
Try it before you knock it. Singlespeed is extremely fun and rewarding.