So I am going to go single speed and need a few pointers even though I have just cashed in on chain guides and the lot. Im getting fed with the clutter of gears etc, I prefer simplicity and I ride on the smaller cogs 90% of the time anyways.

I have a 34 tooth chain ring up front and am not sure whether to get 16 18 or 20? I ride downhill trails and have started dirt jumping.

Also recommendations for conversion kits? I have heard this ones pretty decent http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=2300

thanks all

A 2:1 ratio is usually a good palce to start. I.e. 34:17. If you are mainly planning on riding downhill, you might want to go with something a little stiffer. Maybe start 34:16 and go from there?

The DMR set up looks fine to me. Velosolo do some nice coloured spacers if you want to be fancy, or I think superstar do a similar pack, probably for a little less money.

Depending on what kind of drop outs you have, you might also need to think about how you will be tensioning your chain?

Visit Charlie the bike mongers website for products, all in one kits and advice.

Very helpful.

The superstar kit is better IMO as you have alot of thin spaces so can get the chain line spot on to quieten things down and prevent the chain skipping off. And it’s cheaper.

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=58&products_id=265

If you have a alu. free hub body, then use a wide base sprocket to prevent/reduce the sprocket cutting into the free hub

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=58&products_id=267

Also, assuming you are using the frame you have gears on at the moment so it has normal vertical dropouts, you will need some means of maintaining chain tension. You can bodge it with a rear mech with the limit screw adjusted to suit, or with a bit of gear cable clamped through the mech.

Or a quicker easier way is to use a tensioner, this works great for me

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=58&products_id=268

EDIT – if you don’t already have just one chainring installed, you will need some short chainring bolts

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/id/single-chain-ring-bolts-ec006126

captain, now you have mentioned fancy spacers im only going to want an buy gold ones!

If im honest im not sure what kind of drop outs I have! how do i check that? I have always had gears so never looked into. I have a specialized p1

Isn’t the P1 singlespeed anyway?

Charliey helped me out when I went SS…. in his eagerness to get the stuff to me he forgot the small chainring bolts…. one quick email to remind him and they were with me the very next day – tip top service and always good advice!

Ah, if you have the P1 AM then it has gears. And vertical drop outs – you will need a chain tensioner.

I have a 2010 P1 which has horizontal but some years have vertical ones

I recently went singlespeed and got a kit off Charlie. Really pleased with the end result. I’m running 36 x 18 but will switch to 36 x 20 for bikepacking.

I have p1 yes, and they were manufactured as single speed, but i converted it, and now is pissed me off! only bit of the bike which grinds my gears…..

CP – I am not sure what you mean by the free hub section. So are you saying that if the free hub is aluminium its soft and I will need the second link you posted?

My P1 came with own brand hubs that have a steel body but most come with alu. Be warned if it is like mine then you’ll not fit a wide base sprocket on there… But if that was the case, you’d have not got gears on there either