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Are you tired of scrounging and making do with sub-optimal components for your single-speed? Sick of filing and drilling down parts from other types of bikes, just to try and make something work with your rig? Then you're in luck, because SRAM and other companies are starting to turn out high-end parts for the single-speed crowd.

SRAM, which was founded in downtown Chicago, Illinois in 1987, makes nothing but bike components. The company started out as a shift-set maker, pioneering the innovative twist-shift design for mountain bikes. In 1987, it had only 6 employees and sold about 1,000 units.

From these humble beginnings, SRAM has grown exponentially through word-of-mouth among hobbyists as well as top riders. In order to compete in an industry dominated by the Japanese giant Shimano, SRAM had to sue. Shimano was unfairly using its market share to kill start-ups a la Microsoft, by giving substantial discounts to manufacturers who used nothing but Shimano components on their bikes. SRAM won an out-of-court settlement from Shimano in 1991, and the smaller company's sales shot through the roof.

Today, SRAM employs more than 1000 people world-wide, and manufactures brakes and cranksets in addition to shifters. SRAM also bought suspension fork and shock pioneer RockShox in 2002, brake designer Avid, drivetrain masters Truvativ, and the hub-gear production arm of ZF Sachs. With talent and manufacturing space to spare, the growing company now has turned its attention and engineering innovation to the needs of the underserved single-speed rider.

The Noir 1.1 Crankset ($438) is pared down to the essentials for single-speed use. It features a matching unidirectional carbon-fiber chainguard. The 32-tooth alloy chainring has no shift ramps to get in the way. The lightweight crank itself is made of carbon fibers wrapped around a spine of forged aluminum, for tensile strength and stiffness. The chainring features M 15 Self-Extractor featherweight alloy bolts. Noir 1.1 cranks come in 170 and 175 mm lengths, and are finished with uni-directional graphite high gloss paint.

Finally, a components maker has heard the despairing cries of single-speed riders the world over. "We want high-quality components that are actually made for our bikes!" Never fear, SRAM rides to the rescue with the Noir 1.1 Crankset designed just for you!

Learn more about this author, Kallie Szczepanski.
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