I know there's a few folk out there who own / ride singlespeeds, myself included. Do you consider your SS to be a viable bikepacking bike or do you save it for shorter / unloaded rides?

Last 2 WRT's were done on single speeds and they performed flawlessly. Get the gearing right for your style / ability give the chain a drop of oil each morning and it's good to go. The bike is lighter, quieter and smoother as a result.

I think it depends on the nature of the trip, rather than the terrain.

I really enjoyed doing this years WRT SS, but then we were looking to have a fun trip out rather than checkpoint gathering. I changed to 1x7 for my C2C because I needed to cover more ground per day. For me it isn't getting up or down the hills that's the problem, it's being able to comfortably push 15-20mph on the easier sections. Ive ridden SS for 15+years and I know that on identical terrain, over a day out, I'm faster with gears.

That said, I much prefer the SS as it reflects the stripped-bare kit that appeals to me.

I much prefer the SS as it reflects the stripped-bare kit that appeals to me.

I think this is why I find it appealing. If I was looking for an easier ride, gears would be the way to go.

Selecting the right ratio is crucial to avoid walking all the hills. After this years WRT, I think it also depends on daily distance too, as I was feeling the strain of 60+ welsh miles on the SS by the end of the day. That said, I also need to get fitter...

When I rode to last years SSUK I covered around 70 miles in the day. It was certainly tougher than it would have been if I'd had gears but there was a great sense of freedom whilst riding and some real satisfaction at the end.

As much as I love my SS i would be infuriated by it on a bikepacking trip unless it was somewhere truly epic, where breaking gears would be a high chance and hike-a-bike was a dead cert. I can certainly understand why guys like Eric from Revelate builds single speeds for their adventures in Alaska.

I've never ridden a singlespeed since I rode BMX probably 20 years ago

I guess I ought to try it one day with the Swift what would I need to convert it?

All that you'd require is a cog (18T would be usual on a 29er but 19 or 20 might be better) and a spacer kit. Shorten your chain, adjust tension on the ebb and away you go.

cheers Stu I may look into that once I have got some muscle back in my legs