I want to build/buy a single speed but don't want to spend a whole lot of $'s. Just wanted to get some thoughts on what manufactures are making reasonably priced quality single speeds.
Thanks
My advice would be this very simply put.....
If you have a hardtail which you rarely use right now that's your singlespeed and first figure out if your gonna dig it ... That's what I did about 10 years ago... How do you do it ?? Very simple !!
1. Go get yourself a Surly Singeator
http://www.surlybikes.com/parts/singleator_pop.html
2. Strip all that Fancy Fancy Geared Stuff off your bike (derailers, chain rings, cables... you name it)
3. Put that 34 tooth chain ring on your cranks.
4. Find yourself a Cassette in decent shape and pick out your rear gear.... (2 to 1 is a good place to start .... 34 x 17 is usually standard) and now comes the part where you have to line up your front and rear cog
5. Go out and get yourself some spacers.... Steering Tube spacers do the trick... try to get the wider ones as the really thin ones may over lap one another). Use the spacers to line the cog to the front and rear by putting the on the HUB..
6. Match your chain length to the gearing and then apply the singleator to your chain...
7. Go RIDE !!!
The beautiful thing about this is if you like being a SSer then you can make the jump and take your time and buy a bike you'll really dig, and then you can sell off the old bike just slap all that gearing crap back on it !!
I have a 2001 Bianchi CUSS (that's my only MTB bike now too)
and love it !! I've had it since 2001 and have not had do much repairing to it in 7 years ....... But I have put my fork and my Chris King wheels on it !!