Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - PLEASE help this poor lost soul with a single speed conversion.

I know you see this question too much, and I'm sorry, I have searched, read Sheldon Browne, etc. and (I never thought I would admit this) but I'm still a confused, clueless bastard. Anyway, I have my older Trek 820, all ready for single, and I have two rear wheels. One had a thread on freewheel (real cheapy) that I was able to remove with my only freewheel remover tool. The second one has a Shimano Hyperglide. Is this the thingy with the freewheel in the hub, or thread on? What can I do with these?!?!? (by the way, I don't see those three rivets or bolts or whatever...)

I'm really sorry for a repetitive question.....

Thank you in advance,
Jessica

spent $15 on a new cog and be done with it...

randy

I believe that is still a thread on freewheel, if you don't have a remover for that one, the lbs will remove it for a a small fee, re-dish the wheel and thread the ss cog on.

And above all have fun with it!!!!

Greg

former T town resident... go hens

Apparently the easiest way to tell if it's thread on or not is to look at the spacers between the cogs. If they're all the same size it's a cassette, if they get smaller it's a freewheel.

Anyway, as for going fixed, you can either get a fixed cog, an old BB lockring (your LBS should have one) and some blue Loctite and use your freehweel wheel; or, splash out on a proper track hub with a reverse-threaded lockring; or, if it is a cassette hub, use a Surly Fixxer, which replaces the splined part and freewheel mechanism with a fixed section, threaded for normal cogs and lockrings (or if you don't want fixed, just put one cog and a load of spacers on it for a nice SS conversion).

Go to Reggies bike shop over in the Trilby area. A few of those guys should be able to help you out. If you do go over there and you see a big goofy guy with a lot of tattoos by the name of Jim, tell him that Hammye told you to come by.

picture 011 is a cassette hub, freewheel in hub. The threaded hub (real cheapy)will work with a single type freewheel/cog. The hyperglide cassette hub can be spaced for SS but not fixed. I've seen the kit to convert cassette hub just can't remember where.

Go to Reggies bike shop over in the Trilby area. A few of those guys should be able to help you out. If you do go over there and you see a big goofy guy with a lot of tattoos by the name of Jim, tell him that Hammye told you to come by.


Hammye, how the hell do you know Jim? Him and I are good friends...I was trying to do this myself, because I bother them so much (they are the only one's I go to).....Hmmm, please explain, I'm curious! If you stop by, tell him I sent you ;)

Do you know Wilson? He built the rear wheel in my avatar.

Thanks guys for your input...

Randy, I don't know how to take that off and what kind of cog to use or whatever (I know alot about bikes, but not this cassette/freehub business)

Greg, I should just do that, but I already bother them so much, I was hoping to figure it out on my own.

Jonny and John, I do know you can bust it apart and use the spacers, the thing is, I don't have the slightest clue how to take this "thing" apart. I don't even know if the freewheel is built into it or the hub, but you think it is, greg thinks it isn't, Oh boy! Seriously though, if it's a cassette, how do I get it off of there?!?!? John, I would like to go fixed, but was just talking about single for right now, because of vertical drops. I already have some cogs/lockring laying around, may try that with the thread on hub just for kicks, see if I can get tension at all.

By the way, the thingies (spacers) are all the same size, on the cheap one they get smaller.

I hate this thing!!! I want it off!!!!!! (I need the tool, don't I.) How can I at least take it apart or something?

Jonny B, do you have experience with the Surly Fixxer?

Thank you very much. :D

I used to be a regular there, thats all.




Hammye, how the hell do you know Jim? Him and I are good friends...I was trying to do this myself, because I bother them so much (they are the only one's I go to).....Hmmm, please explain, I'm curious! If you stop by, tell him I sent you ;)

Do you know Wilson? He built the rear wheel in my avatar.

picture 001 is a freewheel.
picture 011 is a cassette.
I think if you want to go single speed and not fixed you should remove the cassette get a cog that fits over the splines (ie not threaded) and then use some spacers to get your proper chainline. That'll be the easiest way to go about it although you may want to verify this with someone more knowledgeable such as The Fixer or Rev Chuck. This way you don't have to redish your wheel.

Ok, so I think I've figured out what I want to do. I have two wheels, the screw on and the freehub. The first, I may get redished and rig it up with a cog, lockring and loctite, the second wheel, the spacers and cog for singlespeed. It never occured to me that I have the two wheels and could do both single and fixed (without getting a new flip-flop hub)

Ok, so since it looks like I'll be going to the bike shop, I'm just curious if you can take a cassette off without taking it apart, or can you take it apart while it's still on the hub? I want to find out what makes these things tick. (literally?)

Thanks again everyone, it's appreciated.

I have never removed a cassette. I think you need a special tool. I have removed a freewheel and though you need a special tool I just killed it since it was old and crappy (kinda like me) that was actually kinda fun. Bearings were flying everywhere.

On the casette hub, you see the very outer metal piece that has all those notches in it? That's where you're supposed to insert your special cassete removal tool and screw just that ring off. However, the piece has just a bit of depth to it and you can, if you're careful, grab ahold of it with a pair of big pliers (channel locks work best) and remove it. When it's off the whole bunch of cogs (the casette) just slides off leaving you the hub with the freewheel built it. Then you need your one prefered gear from that casette after you break it up and enough spacers to fill the empty space on the hub. Reverse process to get it back together.
There's proper ways and proper tools and then there's the other way. If the end result is fun then you win.