[Closed] Singlespeed conversion - for idiots?

If there's no eccentric bottom bracket or horizontal/slotted dropouts, you will need a tensioner.
You'll need SS spacers for the hub (and an SS cog of course).
Any old chainset will do, as long as it is 104 BCD (as most third party chainrings are 104 BCD) chainring does not need to be narrow/wide.

The important thing is to get the chainline set up right, making sure it is as straight from chainring to cog as possible.

Singlespeed [s]conversion[/s] - for idiots[s]?[/s]

FTFY

You don't need a N/W ring, i think someone linked to cheap On-One SS rings recently.
A sprocket and spacer kit for the hub.

You might get lucky with a magic gear where the ring, sprocket and chainstay length work perfectly for the chain length, but most of the time you will need a tensioner. Better to push up on the chain to increase sprocket wrap rather than down and avoid the sprung ones.

If you go with an external BB you can use a Blackspire Stinger or similar for a tensioner. Get a ISCG to BB adaptor and then have the stinger tucked up behind the chainring.

I converted my rockhopper to singlespeed using on one kit (the steel chainring, spacers and doofer tensioner) pretty cheap convetsion but works well. Needed a bit of fettling to get chain line right but if I can do it, then most should. I think the doofer is a pull down tensioner. That maybe accounts for the odd occasion where the chain feels Like it is slightly slipping under power. Makes getting rear wheel on and off easy though. (PS put an exotic carbon fork out from for a nice light winter ride).

You can use a regular chainring, can even leave the outer ring on if needed, but to run just a middle you'll need shorter chainring bolts, or some kind of washer/spacer to pack out the space where the big ring used to sit. A dedicated singlespeed ring is ideal. the On-One stainless One is good.

At the rear you'll obviously need a single cog, & spacers. You can use plastic plumbing pipe, but needs cutting squarely. You'll need an old cassette lock ring too. A proper kit will come with all this. For 26" wheels a 16t is a good starting point, with a 32t up front.

Tensioner wise, the advice above is spot on.

Charliethebikemonger has a video, on his website I think.

Recommending what you have but - My old Kona is probably the most similar of my singlespeed bikes (to the conversion you seek), so:

I have an older MTB triple (it's a mid-90's Sugino 110BCD) on a ST BB, with a Surly chainring on the outside. Spa Cycles [url= http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s109p2003 ]look to have a pretty similar crank available[/url] for almost no money. A XT 9sp rear hub with a Surly SS cog and some of the coloured spacers from a [url= http://velosolo.co.uk/shopsingle.html ]VeloSolo spacer kit[/url] to give me a decent chainline (you get a range of different widths in the pack). I've had no problems with Gebhardt rings on the front either. Don't forget you'll need shorter chainring bolts.

I now run a half-link chain, but have also used an old 8/9spd chain with a half-link with no problems in the past. I dunno if you can still get them, but I've found the DMR branded tensioners work reliably. I've got a stinger on a different bike, and that seems fine too.

I'm using 32 x 18 (given the short-steep hills hereabouts).

This photo is about the least-worst I have of the current transmission (even tho' it's a crap picture).

[img] [/img]

This bike gets ridden ~10x more than anything else I own, which is kinda ridiculous given what else is available, but the fun comes from heading out of the door for an hour or so knocking about on a bike with absolutely no fannying about whatsoever (remember that!). 😛

DMR kit with tensioner and 16T sprocket.

[url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/dmr-simple-tension-seeker-single-speed-kit/rp-prod10009 ]CRC[/url]