Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Ghetto singlespeed.

Today I was riding and I saw a guy riding an old ten speed with both deraillers removed.
He just looped the chain over the existing 5-speed freewheel and just prayed for a good chainline I guess.
I dunno, is this something people have seen before I've missed out on?
It seems like a no cost conversion method, but I'm not sure how effective it is compared to an actual singlespeed freewheel.

k.

u should take a class on story telling

when did bikes have 2 derailleurs?

Front and rear.
Unless the front one has another name I'm not familiar with.

There are at least 3 people at work who are rocking that exact setup. It appears to work really well for them and their rusty 10-speeds.

You need to get out more, enough said.

can you change the title. there is no need to use the word ghetto.

Today I was riding and I saw a guy riding an old ten speed with both deraillers removed.
He just looped the chain over the existing 5-speed freewheel and just prayed for a good chainline I guess.
I dunno, is this something people have seen before I've missed out on?
It seems like a no cost conversion method, but I'm not sure how effective it is compared to an actual singlespeed freewheel.

I wish that somebody...ANYBODY...would manufacture a bike that wouldn't need to be converted..........

http://www.brokenfixedsouthsound.com/

when did bikes have 2 derailleurs?

lulz, r u serious?

I wish that somebody...ANYBODY...would manufacture a bike that wouldn't need to be converted..........

http://www.brokenfixedsouthsound.com/

Just so you know, your link does not work.

I ran one for a while, until I bent the axle and folded the crank:
Shame I don't have any better photos:

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg201/jacktaylor-timmy/Mini%20Bike/IMG_0876-1.jpg

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg201/jacktaylor-timmy/Mini%20Bike/DSC00038-1.jpg

Folded Crank:http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg201/jacktaylor-timmy/Mini%20Bike/DSC00124-1.jpg


edit: I had to run the chain super-tight so it didnt change grars and slip while I was riding, cheap serrated nuts didnt help either, and that's how I guess I broke the crank and axle:o

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/diff_lock_cr-v_awd/IMGP4412.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/diff_lock_cr-v_awd/IMGP4410.jpg

Used that till the freewheel fell apart. The rear wheel was so out of true; brakes didn't work.

You need to get out more. . .

does the OP have a closed head injury ?

I've seen this a few dozen times for sure - very common in Philadelphia. In fact, I set up my ex-gfs bike exactly the same way. It's not ideal, but if you don't want to muck around with old-ass shifters, it's a good way to get a retired bike working again.

i did it to my old mountain bike for fun. had to carry a spanner with me everywhere just incase the chain jumped up a gear and got jammed.

i did it to my old mountain bike for fun. had to carry a spanner with me everywhere just incase the chain jumped up a gear and got jammed.

exactly what happened with mine, except I always forgot wrench :o

I did it as my 'friend' bike, it holds up well when people come over.

I did it on a mountain bike i got for free so i didn' thave to spend any money making it into a SS

its as efficient as a ss freewheel, just free and you have the option of changing gears between rides if you have clearance in the drop outs

It's also a valid fix on hardtail MTBs to limp home when you total your rear derailleur, provided you have a chain tool.

I think I ran a bike like that for two years and almost 1000 miles.

my boss just did this to a kids bike the other day at the bike shop i work at. funny thing is he had no idea what a single speed bike was he just couldnt afford to fix it right. hahaa (hes so money he dosent even know hes money)

may have something what size wheel 27 700 26 ? and a exact lenght of the steer tube 5$ plus shiping

I've been running an old beater someone left at my friends house when they moved out, as my bad weather bike for over a year. It's great and if you get stuck on hills, mud or anything... out comes the shifter and you can swap cogs or chainrings. Keep the chain a bit tight and it won't jump. It gives you a big range of gear inches and it gets a laugh when you pull up next to some guy at the lights on a bling, SS MTB.

i did this on a 10 speed bike i got for free on craigs list.

this was almost a year ago and i didn't even know the difference between a fixed gear and a single speed.

i just followed the directions that are on this web site: http://www.instructables.com/id/Single-Speed-on-the-Cheap/

i had a strait chain line and the gearing worked out also. i was runing 40t chainring and a 15 tooth cog (about 72 gear inches) which is what i currently have on that bike now (it has been converted to a fixed gear)

I have to do that on my old raleigh because its a realllllly old Casette that I can't take apart/take off the wheel, and I don't want to buy new wheels for it.

Works awesome.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2386/2475179175_fc135b1a8f.jpg

I have to do that on my old raleigh because its a realllllly old Casette that I can't take apart/take off the wheel, and I don't want to buy new wheels for it.

Works awesome.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2386/2475179175_fc135b1a8f.jpg

You can get those old cassettes off with an old chain, hammer, screwdriver and a shop vise ;)

I saw somebody today who had done this to her nice Surly Cross-Check. She also had fancy shants and and some kind of fancy jersey on. More dollars than sense, I suppose.

Front and rear.
Unless the front one has another name I'm not familiar with.

It does. It used widely known as a "prerailleur". It dates back to the early days of cycling when it was used mainly as an static anti-deraillment device. Once the rear derailleur became popular, some genius realized that the anti-derailment device could be used to drop or "de-rail" the chain from one cog to another, since this takes place on the drive side of the chain before it meets the chainring, the prefix "pre" was added to distinguish from the "derailleur", resulting in the term "prerailleur".





















j/k ;)

This is also pretty common on polo bikes.

ii just followed the directions that are on this web site: http://www.instructables.com/id/Single-Speed-on-the-Cheap/

This is what i followed too. :thumb:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2105/2419305040_b37e7c4091.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2332/2419304142_4bc6389a59.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2231/2523866771_7f21fe82be.jpg

Just need to chop down my flats. Running it like this until I figure out what wheels I want and gearing I want to run. I have 42/19 right now :notamused: Probably going to run 42/flipflop 16(SS) and 15(fixed)

Ive got one of my bikes set up that way. It is efficent. Gives you the option of other gearing- if it lines up. And Im bad ass-...not ghetto

heres my ghetto winter bike rig not the optional 3 speed rear end..... i grinded off the two large rings in the rear for tremendous weight savings, as well as the front big ring! its amazing it feels like a feather now! by the way it is right side drivepicture got flipped some how..