It's the bike I keep coming back to. The simplest and most elegant. The 'just pedal' ride that keeps your focus high.
Essays have been written about the purity of riding a singlespeed - I'll spare you and just say 'try it' with the caveat of make sure you have a VERY light / easy or you'll find yourself walking up steep pinches.
I aim for a 45" rollout - a 30:20. Ask Sheldon Brown what that is in chainrings and cogs based on your wheel size.
Singlespeed MTBs is what brought me back to trail riding after a long hiatus working around the world as a bike courier. A decade ago it was a Trek (Gary Fisher) Rig, then a custom Colossi steel frame, a titanium Curve 29+ and before this one a Surly Karate Monkey - which is listed as a 27.5 that is 29" capable.
The Surly Krampus geometry is tuned for 29" and though negligible in difference, IS noticeable.
The BIG tyres offer a suspension of sorts, and at low pressures (13-15PSI) give great grip. I'm a sucker for tan sidewalls and the Teravail OXBOWs fit the description perfectly.
The chromoly BMX cranks are a nod what for many was our first bike. They are heavy, they are tough, they look cool (ATMO)!
170mm Salt cranks, 19mm - 48 spline with a Profile Euro Outboard BB and chainwheel.
Of the few modern concessions I'll make on a stripped down ride - tubeless tyres and a dropper post is a must! Being able to micro-adjust saddle height on the fly, or plunge it for a steep technical descent is something I'm happy to live in the 90s.
Wolf Tooth Resolve droppers are pretty nifty, with adjustable travel options and a self bleeding cartridge. It also has the shortest stack height and insertion lengths going around which may be handy for particular builds.
The Wolf Tooth 360 remote has ruined all others for me, and has attracted a lot of interest out on the trails. Easy to use, looks great!
I chose an XD driver for down the road if I choose to put gears on - and the Wheels Manufacturing SOLO XD kit makes conversion a breeze!
Wheelz are HALO Vapour - alloy with an exceptionally pleasant freewheeling tune! I'm not a tech geek but the reviews online were solid enough to push go with them.
If you ride bikes to have fun - I highly recommend getting one.
Surly Bridge Club by Off Course Bike Shop
Genovese Bike Swap Meet - Melburn Roobaix Early Bird Event