First Impression: Gravity G29 singlespeed
Originally posted on March 21, 2012 at 15:41 pm
By Lee Klevens
The Gravity G29 is one of a slew of single speeds currently under review at Dirt Rag. Gravity is a small, price-conscious company that is trying to compete with the big players in the market. They figure that since the majority of bicycles sold in the world are produced by only a handful of factories in Asia, sourcing their bikes from the same factories and selling them direct to the consumer can save people a decent amount of cash.
The G29 is a pretty basic but trail worthy singlespeed bike. Gravity starts off with an Aluminum frame and adds a beefy chromoly straight-bladed fork. An internal 1 and 1/8-inch headset joins the two together. Horizontal drop-outs perform the duty of properly tensioning the chain. A splathering of WTB logos appear on the rims, tires, grips, and saddle. The frame and fork are disc brake only and have Tektro mechanical disc brakes mounted up to them. Like I stated, basic, but trail worthy.
I’ve been able to experience how the G29 reacts in a variety of situations so far. Getting back to the basics of a fully rigid ride is taking me a bit to get used to as I find my upper body is receiving quite more of a workout than when riding with plush suspension under me. I’ve changed the gearing from the stock 33/18 setup to a lower, more hill-friendly one that suits my style better, especially during the softer trail conditions which abound throughout the winter months. Slowly, I am becoming more comfortable on the G29 and becoming more confident with pushing it to see what it can do. So far it has not let me down.
Be sure to check out my detailed observations in the full review that appears in the current issue of Dirt Rag, #162.