I've got:
- carbon frame with vertical drop outs, but the rear hanger area is a bit floppy after some damage
- bars / stem / spacers / headset / bunger
- BB7s & cabling still in
- Shimano deore shadow rear mech**
To convert it to a single speed I'd need:
- brake calipers £15
- cheap disc wheels ££??
- single speed chainset & square taper BB £20? (may have an old BB laying around)
- Conversion kit for cassette to single cog & chain tensioner £25? **
All my riding is on the road, I have a racing bike and a new commuter/long distance bike.
The question is, do I need a single speed pub bike in my life? ❓
How floppy is floppy. Dropout still gotta keep that chain tensioned.
Is it worth £200 for a pub bike. Assuming you ever ride to pub on it.
But, yes, is obviously the answer!
Any old cassettes? Those can be mutilated into singlespeed spacers and even cogs. If the hanger is really buggered you could try a ghost gear. Try a local bike recycling place for bits.
Also you could search for a magic ratio calculator online. Might not need a tensioner, ok for a pub bike but can be temperamental if off roading.
A few old cassettes yeah, but don't mind spending £10 for a "proper" job.
The hanger is okay actually it was just never silky smooth at changing, it just needs adjustment after replacing the wheel and I wasn't able to pedal backwards as it would whip the chain off from the bottom of the chainset.
Biggest expense would be a set of wheels...
Use your existing mech as a tensioner - use an old spoke to hold it laterally across the freehub by bolting/bending it through the normal cable route. Can put up pics of what I mean if you need!
To answer your OP question.
Yes.
Now get on with it.
😉
I read this as you need a new bike. No one needs a single speed when you can have gears.
When I'm in charge it'll be an imprisonable offence not to have a singlespeed.
So yeah, I'd get cracking on one now.
PS That was not a subliminal message to buy an On One. Or a subliminal message about On Ones cracking.
Yeah just do it, don't spend a fortune on it though.
Rear Mech to tension the chain, adjust the high/low screws to get decent chainline.
Singlespeeds are meant to be simple 😀
A rear mech isn't simple, it's? just cheap if you have one spare 😉
Okay I'm doing it 😆
Not sure about using the shadow mech or just buying a kit for £25 with the rear sprocket in it too..
First things first, I need a cheap disc wheelset...
A neater solution for a chain tensioner is a Blackspire Stinger style chain guide.
Shimano DX SS sprockets are cheap and work fine too.
First things first, I need a cheap disc wheelset...
Thought about building one up? It's really enjoyable and rewarding
Single speeds are great every one should have one.
But you should have a mtb one and use it off road.
For road use build a fixed.
What kind of frame is it? Ie what size wheels do you need?
It's a CX frame - 700c/ or 29ers with 100/135mm axles.
I've thought about building my own wheels but I'm not sure I have the patience 😆
The main characteristic of a pub/shopping bike is its undesirability. So you don't have to worry about it being nicked when it's locked to the lamppost.
Mine is an old thing that I bought from a recycling place for £25. Sliding dropouts and a flip flop hub meant it cost about £6 to convert to fixed.
Mudguards and a panier mean I use it all the time.
SS is so much nicer with a horizontal/slotty (or posher alternative) dropout
SImilarly, it'll allow fixed-wheel too
Dump your existing frame and find an decentish old mtb frame with SSable back end (seriously, your local tip mught even have one for a tenner). That'll take 700c wheels (IME anyway), won't look stealable and you could even ride it off-road with a spare set of wheels
But it won't be shiny carbon 😆
It's a really nice frame it'd be a shame not to use it. It'll still be locked up using a big d-lock etc.
Okay so I've got everything now apart from wheels & chainset.
Chainset wise;
1) http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/fsa-metropolis-alloy-crankset/rp-prod151716
2) https://www.merlincycles.com/truvativ-luftalarm-crank-arms-61446.html
Any others I should look at? 😆
Decided on this crankset: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MIC-46-48T-Single-Speed-Fixed-gear-Fixie-Track-Bike-Crankset-in-gift-box-/322082998171?var=&hash=item4afda4879b:m:mZrxKLatqVFwvJFzifNOOkA
I've got a 16T rear cog.
Should I go for the 48 or 46 front?
Depends on what it is like where you live. I have a fairly low gear ratio on my commuter (67 inches) because I live in London so about 90% of my time is spent pulling away from traffic lights (plus the bike gets pretty lardy when loaded!) Most people seem happy with 75-77 inches, which is what I have on my track bike and that seems fine for when I ride it thru London to the velodrome, but I guess it's also much (much!) lighter.
I'd go 46. When I've had a road singlespeed it's been 42:16 and I'd happily go a bit lower for a pub bike.
Cheers guys!
46 @ 76.20 inches looks good 🙂
46:16 seems massive to me - comes to ~20.5mph at 90rpm.
That's gonna be some speedy rides to the pub!
42:16 is standard for off the peg bikes. A bit too low for flat faster rides. I ride 42:14 (3:1) for club rides, having graduated from 42:15. I don't like SS either; fixed or gears, but it may be harder to achieve without an eccentric BB/hub. I'd go with 46:16. Miche crankset is a good buy. But anything you have lying around is also fine. 165 mm by choice.
I guess il find out now!
Final piece is the wheelset, watching a few to try and get a sub £50 bargain (here's a hoping!!)
Done!
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Well almost, I tried finishing it off today with a large hangover/lack of sleep and I've cut the chain too short for a 16t, but a 13t fits 😆
But the concept works, I've just taken it out for a quick spin and the chain didn't fall off. It is heavier than when it had gears though 😆
New chain on order so I'll get the 16t back on and the chain tighter than the above...and lower the brake levers when I need new tape.
Have you gone for a magic gear ratio? Chain looks a little slack, but if it works then no worries!
It's actually a lovely looking bike! You must be v happy!