Thanks for all the info!! I'm going to check out the links and will probably have even more questions. In the interim...
...Do your favorite rides without shifting, trying different ratios each time....As a matter of fact, that's probably the best way to do single without having to butcher your bike -- just don't shift. If you want a fixie, though, that's something else.
This is what I'm doing now. Just thought it would make for a cleaner bike without all that junk hanging around.
My opinion is that if you want to see if you'll like SS convert your current bike as cheaply as possible or even just ride in one gear for awhile. If you already know that you like singlespeed you'll probably be better off in the long run to sell your current ride and step up to a SS specific bike.
I've never seen any 'Quality' single speeds in the LBS or product brochures. Most of the singles I see are of the beach cruiser types. Do the major manufacturers produce them? Who does?