It has gotten too routine, so instead of doing something difficult like intervals or tours I've got the urge to change up the bike. I'm thinking "single speed". Last year it became clear that it makes more sense to start out with a FG/SS frame and wheels than to convert something, but I don't want a new bike and I don't want to buy a new wheel ... or buy much of anything really ... so I was thinking what if ...

I have spare wheels and old cassettes, I could salvage a cog out of one and get a bunch of spacers to get the chain line straight. I think I could rip apart an old derailleur and clamp the pulley part to the chain stay for a chain tensioner. Or buy one if that fails. Buy a cheap ring, strip off the DR's cables and integrated shifters from my road bike, and put on a couple of brake levers I have in the parts box. It seems like that would be a cheap, relatively easy conversion that I could reverse without much trouble. What do you think; am I forgetting anything?

Of course I could just tie off the DR's in one gear combination, but part of the point is shedding weight and taking stuff off, so I really prefer an actual conversion.