Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - How to convert a Mountain Bike to a Fixie

Dear All,

I have a 18 speed mountain bike and I want to convert it into a fixie myself but i have many doubts.
Here a pic of my MTB.
292654

1) Do I need to change the frame considering that the rear could be too loose after removing all the rear gear cogs?
2) Do I need to change the whole rear wheel considering that the hub may not be able to convert into a fixie?

Have anyone done such a conversion before?
If yes, perhaps you can share your experience with some step by step guides and advices?

Thank you very much.

Cheers.
Shunhui.

http://i.imgur.com/YQM4D.jpg

Fixed gear conversions (http://bit.ly/10dTAAn)

Have anyone done such a conversion before?


Cheers.
Shunhui.

YES (http://www.63xc.com/)

Thanks. I have read through the sites...now is to find the parts and start to disassemble my MTB...

Will post back here for help when I meet with difficulties.

My problem is that it seems difficult to find fixie parts.

I think you're going to need a new rear hub at least. if you have an 18 speed mountain bike the rear hub is probably 130mm but it could be as small as 126mm. If you can't find a fixed mtb wheel (i did a quick search and didnt I would go with a hub meant for 120mm spacing and use a longer axle and lace it to your existing rim.

actually.. i just did a search and you may be able to convert your wheel to a fixed wheel with a Surly Fixxer if you have a freehub (not a freewheel)

do your chainrings come off your crank or are they riveted together?

Thanks. I have read through the sites...now is to find the parts and start to disassemble my MTB...

Will post back here for help when I meet with difficulties.

My problem is that it seems difficult to find fixie parts.

What fixie part are you looking for that you can't find?

My problem is that it seems difficult to find fixie parts.

Do you live on the moon?

Do you live on the moon?

I totally did not think of that; I always overlook the most obvious question!

just ziptie the freewheel to the spokes and lose the RD.

just ziptie the freewheel to the spokes and lose the RD.
http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/154/596/sm%20seems%20legit.jpg

actually.. i just did a search and you may be able to convert your wheel to a fixed wheel with a Surly Fixxer if you have a freehub (not a freewheel)


Going by the apparent cheapness of the bike I will say he just needs to unscrew the 6speed freewheel and then install a fixed cog. Chainnrings are most likely riveted.

Wait...are you actually suggesting a suicide hub?

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/atlfeelgood/gasp.gif

http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/33103247.jpg

I am very interested in this conversion, please when you have the final bike insert a pic to see your results, great!

Going by the apparent cheapness of the bike I will say he just needs to unscrew the 6speed freewheel and then install a fixed cog. Chainnrings are most likely riveted.

yes i would say it's likely the OP's bike has a freewheel and not a hub. it also would be a bit overkill to use the expensive surly fixer on such a cheap bike

i've not use a "suicide hub" but there are some in this forum that say it's ok to use as long as you use brakes.

if you're trying to keep the project at a low price, i'd recommend just going with a single speed instead of a fixed gear. just replace the freewheel cogs with a single speed freewheel and ur good to go.

if you're trying to keep the project at a low price, i'd recommend just going with a single speed instead of a fixed gear. just replace the freewheel cogs with a single speed freewheel and ur good to go.

But dude, fixie!

But dude, fixie!

yeah, i know :(

We need more gifs!

I think you're going to need a new rear hub at least. if you have an 18 speed mountain bike the rear hub is probably 130mm but it could be as small as 126mm. If you can't find a fixed mtb wheel (i did a quick search and didnt I would go with a hub meant for 120mm spacing and use a longer axle and lace it to your existing rim.

actually.. i just did a search and you may be able to convert your wheel to a fixed wheel with a Surly Fixxer if you have a freehub (not a freewheel)

do your chainrings come off your crank or are they riveted together?

Yes, I measure it and my MTB rear is currently a 130mm hub.
I read about the surly fixxer too...not too sure if it is safe enough.
as for chainrings, it is riveted together......

I am very interested in this conversion, please when you have the final bike insert a pic to see your results, great!

Hi infact I am starting to have second thots about converting it...as its starting to look no so cost efficient.

But dude, fixie!

Yup I am just interested in a fixie for now...maybe with a flipflop hub...for switching between a Fixie + SS is not a bad idea either. ;P

Yes, I measure it and my MTB rear is currently a 130mm hub.
I read about the surly fixxer too...not too sure if it is safe enough.
as for chainrings, it is riveted together......

i'm pretty sure the fixxer is safe. it bolts on in a way where it's not going to come loose.

the other option is using a flip flop hub meant for 120mm and get a longer axle and some spacers. or cold set the frame to be 120mm. you might even be able to jam a 120 hub in the 130mm spaced rear without cold setting, though it'll be a pain in the butt

since your crank is riveted you're going to need to replace that too, unless you have the tools to separate them

Well if one wants to go dirt cheap and fixie run a Schwinn suicide just beg borrow steel the fixed Shimano multigear freewheel off a old front freewheeling bike screw it on and short chain it to the middle gears front and rear. I have actually done this on beaters and it works ok.

Well if one wants to go dirt cheap and fixie run a Schwinn suicide just beg borrow steel the fixed Shimano multigear freewheel off a old front freewheeling bike screw it on and short chain it to the middle gears front and rear. I have actually done this on beaters and it works ok.

Wait, what? Both the rings AND the cogs had ratchet mechanisms. The back one may have been sticky, but it wasn't fixed.

The late 70's frontfrweewheeling stuff had fixedgears in back no mech and the freewheel was on the crank.

Shimano Front Freewheel. Have fun finding one considering how few people actually know what it is. This just complicates things over simply adding a SS freewheel or fixed cog to the existing hub.

you said to "screw on" this collection of fixed cogs? sounds like the same thing as screwing on a single track cog. if so it will still have the problem of potentially being unscrewed when trying to brake/resist pedal movement

also sounds like they arent very common

The late 70's frontfrweewheeling stuff had fixedgears in back no mech and the freewheel was on the crank.

Uh, no it didn't. Please enlighten me, but I'm pretty sure you're spreading false information here. No mech? Like no RD? No ratchet mechanism?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_freewheel


FFS retained the typical rear freewheel to stop the chain in the event of, for example, a clothing tangle — which could otherwise lead to injuries of the leg by the drivetrain, crashing of the bicycle, or both.



Take a look: "friction freewheel"-

http://i.imgur.com/VXCFv.jpg

Rare as hen's teeth, and still a freewheel anyway- just with high enough friction that the first thing to spin freely is the front.

Shimano was always trying really weird things in the 80s..


OP, can you determine if you have a freehub or a freewheel?

how much money do you want to spend on this project?

do you plan on running with brakes?

delete whole thread and move that to top

Lets just say from practical standpoint on Mountain conversion you have one choice. Go cheap ss speed using mostly excisting components there is no cheap or practical way to make a Mountain bike into a fixed gear on the cheap, the spacing, rear wheel, BB and crank just aren't right for FG.

surly makes Fixed hubs in 130mm spacing.
http://surlybikes.com/parts/hubs