I was given a cheapy hybrid bike thing that im gona singlespeed for commuting as the shifters and mech were all knacked. I went to remove the 8spd shimano cassette tonight but it doesnt use the standard lockring. It is smooth where you normally remove them and it looks like the lockring is around the outside (hard to explain) is this an old style and how do you remove them – special tool or just a hammer and screwdriver affair?

Is it a cassete hub or a screw on freewheel type? Sounds like it may be the latter, if so you’ll need a uniglide tool, similar to the Hyperglide one but with much shallower splines, no need for a chainwhip as the whole freewheel mechanism comes off with the sprockets attached.

pic?

Suntour did 8s cassettes with screw on 7&8 cogs. Shimano only did the std HG lockring type in 8s AFAIK

will take a pic later – it says shimano on the cassette in white writing on the largest ring. I imagine it is a cheapy part.

This is the one ^

Now there is a lock ring that goes over the smallest cog that I want to remove.

Also does this mean i wont have a standard hub that I can easilt convert to singlespeed?

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLqrymode.a4p?f_ProductID=9826&f_SupersetQRY=C194&f_SortOrderID=1&f_bct=c003154c003151c003218

got a park tool if you want one

You need a freewheel remover tool

just to clarify I have a freewheel remover tool if you want one, its actually shimano not park as i thought before same as THIS

cheers righty. I have one of them but i couldnt work out how to use it on that freewheel – does it fit into the middle?

well if the splines dont fit in the middle like a cassette then maaybe its and even older freewheel, I think the older ones have two kind of notches that you would need another tool for

carbon that is the correct tool for a shimano frewheel. You need to take the axle nut off.

Ok, think ive sussed it… I have a shimano TL-HG15 which works for normal cassettes. I think righty was right and i need a different tool TLFW30 as my hg15 doesnt fit into the middle of this freewheel cassette. Looks right but must be just off. I have removed the axle from this.

righty, how much do you want for that tool? – bearing in mind that i will only use it probably only once.

Once i get this off i pressume i cant use a standard type of cassette conversion kit – what kind of rear singlespeed sprocket will i need? something like this : http://www.velosolo.co.uk/dicfree.html

And by the look of it another tool to then tighten this on – this project is turning into a major pain in the arse.

Big thanks for the advice everyone. cheers.

Take the axle nut off the drive side first, then it should just slide over, I use a vice to drop the axle remover in and just watch how the spokes bend when you try and remove them!