Originally Posted by
ragboy
I'm going to try my hand at converting a late-80s Schwinn Traveler 12-speed to a singlespeed (horizontal dropouts). After doing a little research, I just want to confirm a few things:
1) I need a special tool for taking off the freewheel, correct?
2) I should buy a singlespeed kit, correct? If so, which one will work?
3) Is a kit the only thing I need?
I've been to Sheldon Brown's site, but there is almost too much information -- it's easy to get lost.
You need a singlespeed kit if you either have
a) Vertical dropouts
b) freehub (like a freewheel but the cogs are a seperate piece.)
You have neither. You need the LBS to remove the freewheel (don't bother buying the tool. You won't need it again and there's so many different kinds of freewheels that if you do, it'll likely be the wrong one.) All you need after that is to shorten your chain and put a ss freewheel cog on there.
Parts: $15-25 (varies by whether you want/need a new chain.)
LBS Labor: $0-5 (removing the freewheel is a 30 second job.)
*edit* This does not take chainline into account, but you'll be fine using the inner ring (or moving the outer ring to the inner position.)