Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - ...and so it begins

I finally got my regualr road bike back from being fixed... now it is time to turn the old Beater Centurion into a single speeder...

last night I took the rear wheel off, and removed the cogset... and my first questions have arose...

1. It is an older freewheel style 6 speed hub... it uses a cog as it's lockring... will I need spacers, a new cog and a lockring ? or can I just get a thread-on cog (if they are out there in an 18T) and thread it on until it is tight ?

2. I took the derailleurs off, and have decided to use the 42T front chainring... the chainring bolts seem to be a little long since it was a double chainring setup... do I need to find shorter bolts, or can I just throw a washer in there for now ? I may heva shorter bolts off an old BMX chainring at my parents house.. I just have to drive over and get it...

I think that is all for now... I've decided to start with a single speed, and if I dig it.. I'll probably spend the cash and go full fixie down the road... I figured I would start the cheap way, and see how I like it

Any help would be great

Jeff

A BMX freewheel (about $15, and available in 16, 17, 18t, etc.) will thread right on, but you will need to correct the chainline. All the info you need is at http://sheldonbrown.com/ , check out the articles on fixed gear, single speed, chainline, etc..

Check this FAQ (http://www.mtbr.com/faq/ssfaq.shtml) out, should have everything you need and more.

I'm building my first fixie as well and have wrestled with the same issues.

Then, at a moving sale I found a set of Ambrosio 19 700C rims and have started building wheels. I built my first wheel ever this past week, not as hard as I thought.

Good luck.

PJ