Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - I want to convert my bike, please help!

My dad gave me his ten-speed 1979 Schwinn world Sport, it was in pretty bad shape, but I have been fixing it up. It looks great now, and I want to convert it into a single-speed. I found an old gift certificate to my local bike shop for 80 dollars, but they said it would cost over 250 dollars to convert it! I know they are screwing me over, but I am kind of a noob when it comes to bikes. What parts do I need and what is a good estimate in terms of pricing?

I found some photos and information on the exact model:

http://oldtenspeedgallery.com/owner-submitted/kyle-zs-1979-schwinn-world-sport/

Hopefully you can help me out, thanks!

Shouldn't cost you more than a few bucks if you're handy and own a few bike tools. If you aren't (handy) or don't (own tools) it'll cost you the price of a new rear wheel. Don't bother with a fancy one though.

Everything you need to know is right here: http://sheldonbrown.com/singlespeed.html

why convert it?

anyways, you can pick up a new rear wheel for maybe 75 bucks on craigslist, but you'll have a rear wheel smaller than the front, though it might be slight enough to not be obvious.

if you don't mind a slightly more skilled project, you can relace the rear wheel to a fixed hub. expect about 30 for the hub and about 30 for spokes and nipples.

the bike shop was likely pricing you a new wheelset, tubes, tires, and a singlespeed crankset that will give a better chainline, and probably a new bottom bracket. i could see all that plus labor adding up to 250...

EDIT: this is if you wanna run fixed. if you wanna just throw a bmx freewheel on, it'll just cost the price of the bmx freewheel and your time redishing and respacing the wheel.

use the search