How can I turn a multi-speed bike into a one speed?

www.sheldonbrown.com has a long discussion of this very problem. Also there are a lot
of enthusiasts on www.bikeforums.net under the (SINGLE SPEED and FIXED GEAR)
forum below who can answer specific questions. Steve

all the how to's i found were to in depth. its pretty easy-as long as you have a bike with hirizontal dropouts to get the chain tension right then u can just take the derailers off and shorten the chain using a chain tool(cheap at lbs) to the approximate length required by your slected gear ratio. then u get the tension perfect by moving the wheel around in your dropouts and youre good.

... and set bicycle technology back 100 years ...

I can certainly understand doing a fixed-gear conversion, for those who are into such things (I am decidedly not), but I see no benefit whatsoever to doing a one-speed freewheel conversion.

Quit shifting..........

Someone needs to get out mountainbiking more

Hey newbie it's you not "u". Check the guidelines AOL'ese or net shorthand is a no-no here.

Horiziontal dropouts aren't needed either as there are several brands of chain tensioners on the market. that will allow you to convert virtually anything there are also spacer kits that will let you use your current wheel. The absolute FASTEST way to turn a multispeed bike into a single speed is to duct tape the shifters in a comfortable gear say the middle 32 tooth sprocket and the 16 tooth in the back.

the easiest way to run SS is to not shift!

Lighten up, Francis, this ain't boot camp. LOL!

Don't call him Francis, he likes psycho.

OK, is this road or mountain singlespeed? Are you going for fixed gear or simple singlespeed? There are many ways to do singlespeed conversions on the cheap. You don't even need to buy a chain tensioner on a frame with vertical dropouts if you have access to an old derailleur that you can use as a tensioner. Search around in the singlespeed and fixed forum here and read that sheldon brown website. Sheldon's site in particular is a great resource and will get you headed in the right direction. Got me started on my first SS, then my roadie to fixed conversion and my second SS (which is now an 8 speed, but still, the site helps a ton).

Clean setup, no need for extra cables, only one pulley wheel allows the knuckel to rest against the dropout, preventing it from it bouncing around. Best of all, it allow you to use whatever frame you want.

https://funwavs.com/wavfile.php?quote=3902&sound=33

LMFAO!

im sorry offended you . i take notes on computers all day so i tend to slip into my shorthand. ill try to cut it out for your sake...

I guess it's a mountain single speed and I don't know whether I'm going for a fixed or simple gear. Probably whatever is easier. I don't know a thing about bikes, and this project is looking a little harder than I thought. I read the Sheldon Brown site and it was very confusing for me. My bike is really cheap (from Wal-Mart), I think it's a 10 speed and I don't know about the dropouts. I was looking for a cheap single speed but all I found were cruisers, and they weren't my style. I'll keep looking around at the sites you've all suggested and in time I might get it done. Please post anything else that you think might help me. Thanks.

It's one of those things, that until you try it, you don't see why. Similar to people who swear they will not fall the first tme they try clippless. They know they are right. Like me,I was not going to fall.

I don't say those things any more.

Quit being so smart!

That's what I was going to say. You beat me to it

can anyone help me please.....
i have a six speed frewheel that i want to turn into a single speed. I've been told that i must simply remove my freewheel and screw on a bmx freewheel (probably 16t), however my chainline will be completely wrong. I've read sheldon's article and i dont want to go to the hassle of re-dishing my wheel. I also have horizontal dropouts, can anyone help please