Gurgus

So, I'm intrigued by you ss fixed folks. I'm thinking about building myself an ss, maybe ss fixed. Problem is , budget.
I'm thinking about rescue a bike from the trash and going from there. My question is: Can I use stock cassettes and whatnot to create a single speed rear hub? Also, can that same hub be converted to go one side freewheel, one side fixed? Also, what is a good gear ratio? I've been mountain biking for about 4 years now and while I may not have the stamina of an ss/ fixed rider, I can ride. Thanks for any info there folks,

Possible ss convert, Gurgus.

crustedfish

welcome to SS/FG land!!

Rescuing trashed frames is always a good thing...(easy on the Martha reference)...

Make you that you look for a size that works for ya, and I always find it easier to work with track ends, as opposed to vertical dropouts. There are ways to get around the problems associated with vertical dropouts, but it might cost you in chain tensioners or eccentric bottom brackets.

Also, I would (try to) not skimp on the rear wheel, including fixed cog, lockring, hub, spacing, dishing, blah blah blah...

Best bet would be to find a donor frame with track ends, and pick up a nice rear wheel with all the trimmings. Or, build one yourself, if thats your bag...

Regarding hubs with a fixed/free setup, usually they come from the factory that way, and there may be a workaround...but, I dont know too much about that, as I am always Fixed...

randy

bluesref

I just finished putting together one.

Found a Mongoose frame with no wheels, horizontal dropouts in a snowbank on garbage day.

I needed Wheels (complete)
Real crank
frewheel

Ordered chear 26" wheelset $40
Tiers 'n tubes Wally World (YUK) $30
Ebayed a crank with 39 ring $18
Chainring bolts and 16 freewheel $15

Suppose I should get a chain that ain't all messed up

Time to go play in the snow! and get off the trainer.

isotopesope

i just built up a single speed mountain bike this weekend using a wheelset that has only one cog on the cassette body and spacers on either side of the cog to accomodate for the other missing gears and chainline. no problems so far. i also am running a chain tensioner...

you could also get the surly fixxer which replaces a shimano cassette body and allows you to thread on a bmx freewheel or a track cog and lockring. that might be your best bet. you could also weld the bearings on your cassette body to lock it up for fixed riding... you'd probably have to get a fatter cog though to ride it fixed. xcutterx did this for a bike he built up for my roommate to collect dust on... i think that's ghetto, but it was free and my roommate didn't want to spend any money. you get what you pay for.

as for gear ratios, i am running 48:16 with 170 cranks on my fixie and 32:16 with 180 cranks on my ss mountain bike. i am pleased with both.

GreenFix

I built a single speed last week. I had a frame with horizontal drops, and I converted teh wheel that was on the bike. I busted up two cassetts with a drill and a nail punch to get enough spacers, and I used the middle ring on my crank (34) and a 17 tooth cog from one of the cassettes. I resized the chain with a chain tool I had. The total cost was $0, and I had fun playing mechanic for a night.

To answer your more specific questions, you can not turn a regular cassette hub into a flipflop wheel.

It is pretty hilly around here, and most people are using 2:1 for their single speeds.

I hope this helps.

Gurgus

That helps alot. I've got a couple of cassettes lying around, I'm just gonna have to scavenge a frame from somewhere. I don't wanna fix/ss my beater mountain bike because it's nice to have a spare bike for folks to come ride with me.

Thanks for the info.