bloom87

I'm considering going geared on my single speed as soon as the winter comes to an end. I think 6 or 7 speed will be enough. So I will simply replace my freewheel with a 6 or 7sp, get a new chain, get a derailleur, one DT shifter, and that's it.

What are the pros and cons of such a setup ? Does anyone here use one ?

Thanks !!

southpawboston

1972 Jeunet 630. Originally 2x5, now 1x5. I chose a fairly wide-range 5-speed freewheel (13-30T) and a 45T chainring to handle some of the steep hills I have to deal with daily. This still allows me to go fairly fast. For general purpose use I don't see any cons.

nlerner

I have a couple of bikes set up that way and one for my wife:

1963 Schwinn Paramount with a 1 x ultra 6:


1970 Schwinn Super Sport with a 1 x 5:


An 80s Raleigh Marathon mixte with a 1 x 6:


What's key is that you line up the chainring with the center of the gear cluster so as to avoid dropping your chain off of the crankset ring.

Neal

southpawboston

I suppose so. My current chainline is seriously skewed toward the smaller cogs (it is probably lined up with the second outermost cog), but it's never dropped when in the largest cog. I could fix this by mounting the chainring inboard on the pro 5 vis crank, but that would look funny.

special_k

I've done this to a Cinelli Rampicchino. I simply removed the inner chainring and the front derailleur. It now has 1X7 gearing controlled by a single bar end shifter. Shifting is really smooth.
I love how it has the look of simplicity and yet is still functional. For everyday city riding 7 speed is more than enough.

Machine Age

This was the perfect setup for my office bike. Crappy cellphone pic. Now this bike has been replaced with a larger one that's 12 speed and I'm probably going to do the same to it. Sprint 9000 rd with Dura Ace hub and 6-speed Uniglide cassette.

Never had a problem with chain coming off etc. I took out four links.

unworthy1

Or you could use the outboard position for a custom chainguard...what I like to do and it gives a re-purposed second life to worn-out chainrings. Just get a toothless old ring of a size large enough to cover up the inner one, rough-clip off the teeth with big nippers, then grind smooth and round on a bench grinder...sand and polish as required.

tmh657

I am working on the same kind of project on a Schwinn. What shifters are you using there? I have a SRAM 7 speed twist shifter that I could use. I will use the same kind of bars that you have there. I am going for a comfort bike that rides fast.

randyjawa 

194? Automoto four gears - most of the time...


Late sixties or early seventies Torpado with five gears, under construction right now...


And a two speed Victoria built in Victoriaville, Quebec, but no derailleur...

Machine Age

8 dollar thumbshifter. Works great!

zandoval 

I have to reluctantly admit that I don't use that big ring up front very much - All my bikes may as well be 1x6 - My front dérailleurs mostly an ornament...

jonwvara 

Thanks, that's a nice trick.

jstewse

Has any one used a single rear ring and a FD with a device like the Paul Melvin? https://www.paulcomp.com/melvin.html It's had me interested for a while. While not much simpler than a multi-speed rear setup, it's probably a little more robust than a RD.

ColonelJLloyd 

I'd take that bike behind the wood pile.

mazdaspeed

Looks pointless to me. Want to try the singlespeed thing? Leave your bike in one gear; it will be exactly the same.

mazdaspeed

1x8 speeds on the beatercross bike



Seems to work well, 39x11-30 is a nice wide range of gearing

Peter_B

2 of my bikes setup with single chainring and freewheel:


1950 Maclean Featherweight
46t front / 16-20 three speed freewheel


1950 Hetchins Nulli Secundus
46t front / 13-30 five speed freewheel

unworthy1

yow! That Hetchins^ with the curly stays and the curly crankarms: looks like the rear got a little too close to Salvador Dali...and melted...it happens!

Peter_B

... plus the drooping Toni Merkens track stem.... Yes, you caught onto my spoof build intention, to complement the curley stays with other 'curley' parts, a la Salvador Dali's 'Persistence of Memory'

juls

Takara 5 speed built from misc parts for my grand daughter. Orig had cottered cranks and steel wheels. Shaved off the teeth of the lg cr for a guard. Stem shift.

juls

Easier to get another wheel for it-otherwise redishing required (as a con). If not used for racing; no cons that I can think of....

due ruote 

I had my Trek Multitrack configured as a 1 x 6 for a while. Nice town setup.

Noah Scape

Raleigh Competition - 1978.

gerv 

Beautiful bike. Stronglight crank? Which model?

531phile 

I didn't know such a beast existed. I was looking to do this setup but had no leads. Now I do. Too bad it's priced like every other Paul Component. Either expensive or super expensive.

what's the difference between this Paul Melvin and just using a regular derailleur with maybe an extra long limit screw?