New Absolute Black Single Speed Cog

Oooooh, 7mm thick!

… Just like every other high quality SS cog on the market. *yawwwwn*

And, seriously, why thick-thin on an SS cog? It doesn’t truly add any functionality, and you can’t have odd number gears or half links. This cog creates twice many problems as it supposedly solves.

There is pretty much no reason to do take the X-Sync philosophy on a single speed cog like this. How does it reduce wear? The bearing surfaces on the teeth are still the same thickness as on a normal cog. Chain retention on a single speed? How does it even fall off in the first place?

The downsides are major. You have to use a 10s/11s instead of a longer lasting 8s chain? Only even tooth counts? Can’t use half links?

I guess they look neat.

Marcin here at Absoluteblack.

I always love to read a comment section in here.

It’s normal that everyone speaks from their own shoes perspective, so we have so many different comments (which is great btw). But with a little bit of research you will be surprised how many people actually use 10/11speed chains in their singlespeeds. Moreover they are usually top end DLC ones or similar.

In general we have two types of singlespeed bikes.
1) build from what we have left in shed or our old bike convert to not to spend much cash on that. In the same time one usually do not care if it is heavy (surly cogs for eg) and rather thinks for low cost and good durability.

2) Bikes build on special purpose. Usually owner has 2-3 other geared bikes to ride. So this bike is usually really light, with high end components and 10spd chain.

We are fulfilling the needs of a second group. Like every product on the market it has its own reception group.

On 50km ride your chain can stretch enough (if it was already a bit loose when you started) to drop it while descending. Please also bear in mind that many excellent carbon frames do not have sliding dropouts, so such build will result in a need of a tensioner. If this one gets loose you will drop chain as well. If you have used such tensioner once i am sure you know what i mean.

thanks.

As a long time SSer… I run a 10 speed chain on a XX1 chainring/crankset. This would be a good complement to my setup. Full rigid, Specialized Carve SL – 17 lbs

absoluteblack You’ve hit the mark with me. I’m actually looking to make switching back and forth between 1×1 to 1×11 easy. Looks like the cog will be part of that hat trick. Right now I’m planning on switching the driver, but if someone came out with a SRAM XD Driver single speed adapter…….

My 1st thought: who in their right mind would trust a 10/11speed chain on a SS rig?
Its a chainsnap waiting to happen. Unless you are some kind of puny weakling.

On the positive side, you can probably get rich quick with some help from an ambulance chaser.

For those her who don’t ride single speed and so haven’t dropped a chain riding one, it is a bad experience! It can happen, especially as Absolute Black say, on long rides, I race SS in 60-70 km races and have had it happen. High quality SS chains and track chains (1/8″) reduce the chances of it happening. If you do lose your chain on a SS rig under a full power acceleration, it usually means a trip over the bars.

If you get chain drop issues from frame flex just fit a non-geared chain. Deeper plates and less flex. If it’s too heavy for you, have my pity : )

Nice…like it and will try one out when it hits the US market. Used Rennen’s for awhile, then Endless Cog’s for the last 5 yrs and really like the tall teeth and the ability to symmetrically flip them. Now I an running a Niner Ti cog to see how the life span is compared to aluminum. As others have said It is funny of all the experts in the world but it is this diversity that make it wonderful. I read, sometimes laugh and move on. I really appreciate the artisans that try hard to bring new and innovative ideas to the old school ride. this allows me to have a sweet light responsive rig to do my endurance races on. Been SS specific for years…..S-Works SS 18.5lb

@ Marcin-

two things come to mind reading your posts:

1) no, you can’t stretch a chain enough in 50k to cause it to drop. that’s plainly wrong.

2) care to elaborate on how you think you’re going to make odd number cogs for narrow-wide?

Jeff, 10 and 11 speed chains are often stronger and last longer than 8 speed chains, in my experience. The chain is narrower due to the width of the rollers not the plates? I also ride a 7.5kg (16.5lbs) carbon ss with chaintensioner and a lighter chain is great.
I am not sure the N/W is a good idea on ss , as I use this on my 1×11 and have found the N/W cogs to be the least durable part of that set-up ( even when flipped over). So chain retention ( which is pretty sorted on SS with tensioner) versus high cost replacement because of N/W, I would need to be more convinced of the benefits.
Great to see guys innovating though and it looks beautiful!

I first bought both the Surly steel cogs in 16t and 18t. I had chain slippage problems on my Chameleon SS with both cogs, especially the 16t. I ride in Austin, TX – where its moderately hilly, and you get a lot of limestock rocks and ledges that require sudden hammering on your pedals to punch through. Basically what would happen, is at the most inopportune time – the chain would just slip on the cog (not the chain ring at my pedals) with the Surly cogs. I figured they would be tougher, since they are steel – but i think its because they just aren’t that pricesly shaped. I didn’t matter how tight I got the chain – to the point of making my freehub sluggish – it would still have a slip now and then. With the amount of pressure you are putting down, and the kind of sharp crap underneath you – that’s just unsat.

I had also bought the 16t Absolute Black cog shown here. This guy is aluminum, but after I swapped it in, I have only had one chain slippage of this nature. I think these cogs are just made better – more precisely, and they are narrow-wide profile, like my chain ring, and unlike the Surlys. My main concern with them is the aluminum – i’ve bent aluminum chainrings before. And once aluminum bends – its basically done. No issue so far though. And I ride my SS 3-5 days per week.

Next up – I just bought Wolf Tooth SS cogs – they are steel. Will be interested to see how they do.