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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Uno Gear

Old 04-01-08, 10:36 PM
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Uno Gear

Posted in the Road forum for those who might be thinking of taking a beater multi-speed bike and make it into a Single speed.

Well, not to long ago I posted a Motobecane that I got for free from a friend that was stacked with a triple, Shimano Sora, and wickedly heavy.


So this past sunday I got fed up and decided that I would make it into my town bike and a single speed.

So Sunday morning I took it apart and began to sand it, then realized that stripping it would be much easier. Ordered some cheap parts via ebay and by Sunday evening I was painting it flat black. MOnday i spent the day removing any labels on the parts i already had and also spent it cleaning parts and using steel wool on the flat black paint. This morning I woke and used a matte clear coat on the flat black and once it dried I used the steel wool again. i wanted a rustic finish.

I spent the middle of today putting everything back together and waiting to see if any of the parts would show. sure enuff all the parts showed. ( if you order from Ca and it ships ground we generally receive it the next day).

I put the conversion kit on another set of wheels I had then added the chain tensioner and front brake levers. On sunday i converted my Triple into a 42T single crank. The only not modified part are the horrible Sora-Ace brakes but last night I found some Ultegra SL brakes from ebay for $20 bucks (buy it now) don't ask me who and why. So until those get here I am stuck with the Sora. But the total cost of my conversion is very little.

MOtobecane _ got for free from friend.
wheels - had extra set in my garage
Crankset - conversion from original crank
Brakes - old sora from original motobecane
Handlebars - from original motobecane
Stem- free from friend
Saddle- Had in my closet just in case I wanted to switch on my race bike

$20 Brake levers - Tekro New (removed logos to look cleaner) Ebay
$20 Chain tensioner - Ebay
$15 Conversion cog set - Ebay
$5 Bar tape - Perfomance
$4 - flat black paint
$4 - matte clear coat

Review, :

Well since I already have race bike and wanted a junker bike for cruising town I decided to build this up
however after riding this, and feeling how smooth it is I will probably end up riding it more than planned and certainly would not consider it a junker. Alot of freedom in only having one gear.
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Old 04-01-08, 10:46 PM
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Over the hill
 
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Very striking. Nice!
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Old 04-01-08, 10:49 PM
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It is fantastic.
 
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Slick!
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Old 04-01-08, 10:52 PM
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Dude, you did it! Nice.

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Old 04-01-08, 11:28 PM
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i too just got a single speed...i've been riding mine for about 2-3 weeks now and hills are soo much easier now on my road bike...it makes you a stronger rider, at least it has for me
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Old 05-12-08, 06:26 PM
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updated to full posuer status.
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Old 05-12-08, 07:03 PM
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hello
 
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Very nice conversion.

No foot retension?
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Old 05-13-08, 01:42 AM
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I plan on doing Sidi Dominators and some clipless. just haven't rounded up the money yet for this bike that is. this is my Party / Bar hopping / Cruise around with some buddies bike. Fun I must sa. I live in a fairly small town so not a whole lot for the " Fixie Scene " but just another bike in my stable I guess.

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