My attempt to turn my ancient Beast of the East into a singlespeed seems to have gathered a lot of momentum this month and is probably not that far from being finished.

I’m using a really old Beast of the East frame that I inherited with some ’97 Z3 lights up front with Race Face bits. Wheels will be old school Bulbs on Mavic rims.

My first question is what sort of gear ratio would be best to start with – I am reasonably fit with this bike likely to be used at Cannock / local woods etc.

I am running a normal cassette hub on the rear – what are considered the best conversion kits? Ideally I’d like something that isn’t too much of a pain when taking rear wheels off etc.

Chains – single speed specific of just a chain with a half link to get the chain length right?

Thanks for any help.

I rode cannock on a 33/20 gearing with a 29er, I know you are using a 26″ but you should be able to calculate the inches and work it back to what parts you have.

2:1 is the accepted start ratio, 32:16 is the most common. I’ve always used 34:17 though as it provides more scope for change, particularly if you anticipate t2:1 not being big enough.

You can try and just ‘get the chain length right’ but it won’t last long, chains ‘stretch’ (which means wear out in reality) and it won;t be long before you need a tensioner.

Cheers chaps.

I was looking at the DMR conversion kit but the reviews on CRC seem to imply that it is a pain in the bum. The On On tensioner looks pretty easy to set up.

I’ll start off 16:32 and see how I get on from there.

One more question though – flats or SPD’s? I have flats on all of my other bikes (aside from the road bike) but was wondering of SPD’s would be better due to being able to pull up etc.

Samuri speaks the truth.
I currently ride a 34t wobbly front ring and 18 cog for the Peaks at the moment mainly due to the steep climbs, 32:16 is a good start and work from there.

I would go for a SS chain having used others and broken them, i’d also forget the halflink chains, they seem to be made from cheapo chocolate metal.

I ran and Answer tensioner on the full suss SS and that was expensive but faultless.

The rest of the kit is just a bunch of spacers and a cog from a cassette – you can get SS kit but why not keep it simple and cheap to start off.

If you can stretch to a wobbly ring from Goldtec they make a big difference clickety go 2 teeth higher than normal.
Also get yourself over to the FB group OneCog and join in – it’s an education. 😯

And in answer to you last question – if you can get on with clips then you can pull as well as push which is bloomin handy when it gets steep or your legs are knackered.

I run 32/16 on mine (relative beginner to SS too), with SPDs, more because of the type of riding I use it for (ie 0% Gnar) rather than any efficiency benefits.

Thanks again guys.

I’ll start with a 32t ring (the normal BETD ones are quite cheap at the mo) plus akit of some sorts. The Surly stuff looks nice but seems to be pretty expensive and the whole point of runing this singlesped was to save money on mechs and shifters. The DMR kit has lots of varied spacers so should be easier to get the right chainline.

My only concern is that the cog is quite skinny and I’m using as Hope rear hub.

Roger – I should be OK with clips. I use them on my road bike and used to ride off road with them many, many moons ago and have dabbled once or twice since.

Wide base cogs can be had fairly cheaply to avoid wear on the hope freehub – eg superstar.

If you end up doing a lot of ss riding, then get the best you can for each bit as it all matters when it comes to wear and replacement costs. Eg 3/32″ stainless chainrings and cogs. Good chains replaced regularly etc. So think Charlie the Bikemonger, Velosolo etc for this sort of stuff.

Cheers Yak – I’d forgotton about Superstar. Think I’ll go for one of their wide base rings to save my freehub.

The rest of their singlespeed stuff looks cheap and OK too, certainly good enough to get me going.

All I need to do now is find somewhere to build my wheels for not too much cash and I’ll be good to go.

Yep, go for the widebased cogs from superstar, I got one of the 16t kits from them last week and that came with the wide based one, not used one before and it is much nicer.

I have a new superstar tensioner going begging if it is of use to you.
£7 posted.

Go for 32-16 gearing using an old 9 speed chain and old front ring (amazing what you can get away with).

Flats or SPDs will work fine, I run flats and never ever have a problem no matter what anyone says. I can have the thing virtually stopped on a hill and still grunt the power round (never had a pedal slap on the shins either) but each to there own.

Cheers Curlie – which version of the tensioner is it? I could well be interested.

I’ll have to buy some new stuff because I tend to leave my chains until their properly dead so don’t save them. Having looked at Charlie the Bike Monger’s website the KMS chains are properly cheap. I’ve got to buy a chainring too because the cranks that I’ve bought for it are five bolt jobbies and all of my spares are for four bolt.

I have a spare pair of Azonic flat pedals so I’ll see how I get on with them before buy SPD shoes.

As luck would have it (for you not for me). I have found a crack in the frame I was building up and as I was building it up on the cheap, I have no money nor inclination for another so it can go whistle.
This means that I have a 32t front ring, chain and splitlink, tensioner and a 16t singlespeed kit (widebase cog, spacers and lockring.

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=58&products_id=268&osCsid=ndjhvv7ii048b8g59bmi4gfgp0

That is the tensioner, the jockeywheel type, trial fitted but not used.

Let me know if you are interested in the lot. £17 posted should do it

I used a stinger to tension my SS.

Looks neater, and doesn’t get in the way when removing the rear wheel.

I run 32:18 around the lakes. Might try something a little taller on my next SS.

Charlie the bike monger sells an SS conversion kit. It worked a treat for me, has everything you need

Curlie just dropped you an email.

Breadcrumb that’s a nice solution actually. If I get hacked off with a traditional tensioner I may swap to something like that.

Frame dropped off for powder coating this morning. It’s just the cost of wheel building that will slow things down a bit.