Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - SS mountain bike advice

I've got a Specialized Rockhopper rigid mountain bike that I'm looking to convert to single speed. The bike includes frame, fork, Mavic low grade wheels, Deore LX rear/ STX front hubs. Has a hyperglide 8 speed rear (cassette?) and triple rings in front. Steel frame with shallow horizontal dropouts.

How would you recommend I finish this build up in terms of drivetrain? I'd like a single chainring to replace the triple and a freewheel rear, not fixed. Price is open, would rather spend more and get sturdy parts.

If you help me I'll post pictures of the build...the frame is a sexy bright red

Cheers, Alan

Take off and disassemble the cassette. Use the cog you want + spacers to adjust chainline. Remove 2 of the 3 chainrings. Use an old derailer for chain tension.

Excellent food for thought polara, thank you...having never dissasembled cranks or cassettes, this is going to be an interesting project to say the least.

Invest in a single speed rear cog (unlike the cassette cogs it will be unramped) and a single speed chainring. Grab a new chain while you are at it and some BMX chainring bolts (made for a single ring). None of this is too expensive even if you go with higher end stuff. You want this so your chain doesn't want to drop constantly, bits made for shifting tend to do this.

Here's an old article (http://www.singlespeedoutlaw.com/issue1/features.shtml#HowTo) I wrote about converting a bike to single speed. It's not that hard, if you can use an allen wrench and a cassette tool (both cheap), you can do it.

ok more good advice...just ordered a ss rear cog and spacer kit and a small chainring for the front, going to keep the crankarms, bottom bracket, and get new spokes or at least true them. will post pictures in a week, it has a big weird black stem with cable routing through it from top to bottom of the "flute" part, very old school. it reminds me of my first mountain bike :) good times