recently picked up an old schwinn voyageur 11.8 in chrome off marketplace for a steal and i’m looking for some insight on converting it into a single speed/fixed gear without completely breaking the bank.

don’t need nothing fancy, no need for track specs or super flashy boutique parts—i just want something reliable to get me around town, ride with friends on cool nights, and help me get back into some version of being in shape after a real rough stretch with depression. maybe the occasional long ride when the mood hits.

i’ve definitely had fixies and single speeds before: i had a mercier kilo tt that i absolutely loved in my early 20s, and then i also converted an old schwinn varsity in my late 20s/early 30s. but now that i am almost 38 it’s been a while, and i’m sure a lot has changed in terms of parts and resources since my last builds.

while i do love the feel of an old school geared road bike, i already have a couple other bikes in my collection that fit that bill. i would like this one to be a fun little urban zipper—simple, light, and easy to maintain.

looking for some insight on what flip flop wheel set/size i should be purchasing for this bike specifically and what tubes/tires will also fit. as well as any other things i should consider purchasing to make this conversion possible.

any help, links, or updated resources would be really appreciated. thanks in advance

Whatever you do, if its a true 11.8 with chrome finish, please don't take off all the braze-ons from the frame. There was a market for that specific model of bike (and frame) a while back, not sure if there still is, but they were in demand.

For the wheels, grab something that has cartridge bearing hubs. Many cheap loose ball flip flop hubs use undersized bearings so they wear out quickly. If you want cheap and solid, Weinmann DP18 rims are quite commonly built into wheels with flip-flop hubs, and tend to hold up well to the abuse the average SS/FG rider dishes out. They are not light however. Any local bike shop should be able to get you a set, or help you figure something out a bit more lightweight if that is important to you.

Chances are your bike has a nice enough crankset that it has replaceable chainrings. If it uses 110mm, 130mm, or 144mm BCD, you could get a new chainring, a set of single-speed chainring bolts, and swap the bottom bracket out for something that gives you proper chainline. Finding some other used crank arms with a common BCD and doing all that is an option too. If you get an entirely new crankset, Origin8 cranks are cheap and not completely terrible. For something a bit nicer, Sram S-300 or Sugino RD-2. 1/8" chainrings must be used with 1/8" chain, 3/32" chainrings can be used with 1/8" or 3/32" chain.

Cheap single-speed freewheels are usually garbage, the internals do not handle the forces a strong rider can put out. ACS Paws is probably the best out of the cheap options. Shimano used to make solid single-speed freewheels, but it seems like the pandemic brought their quality downhill, so I would only grab Shimano if it is NOS. Not a lot of experience with them, but Origin8 Hornet 108 appears to be a solid choice. If you want to be absolutely certain your freewheel won't be a problem, White Industries is the way to go. 1/8" freewheels need 1/8" chain, 3/32" freewheels work with 1/8" or 3/32". Going all 1/8" with the chainring, chain, and freewheel/cog will help a bit with longevity, 1/8" chain with 3/32" chainring and freewheel gives a bit more wiggle room to work with a chainline that is less than perfect.

Not sure that the brand of fixed cog matters that much, but don't cheap out on the lockring. Shimano Dura-Ace, Surly, All-City are decent choices.

If you have room to move your brake pads down 4mm, then converting to 700c should be no issue. If there isn't room to move them down, you will need longer reach brakes. From what I remember, a 11.8 should at least be able to clear 32mm tires, and might even have room to go a bit bigger.

It does in fact all the "round" objects on a fixed gear drivetrain make a big difference. A more round and concentric cog and chain ring will have a huge effect on a quieter, faster and more efficient drivetrain. Having used different cogs over time I noticed a difference when I switched to high quality stuff like the Sugino S3 cog and then the top upgrade to the EAI Gold Medal. The Surly Cog is a decent low cost cog if you need it but the Gold Medal is very well machined super smooth so the chain is gliding on it and gives me zero high or low spots so I can get proper tension. The chainring is Sugino 75 but I will say for a lower cost or 130bcd option the Sugino Messenger is a great way to go.

A good lockring is important though and everything else said looked good.

Makes sense, most of the cheap cogs on bikes I've worked on have been concentric enough to not be particularly noticeable, but if something is going to end up being out of spec enough to be noticeable, much more likely to happen with a cheap cog. Instead of the cog not being concentric, I have noticed some cheap bikes where the threads on the hub are the part that isn't concentric, and there isn't much to be done unless the whole wheel gets replaced.

If you were here in Japan I’d happily trade you a good Keirin track bike to save your Voyageur from the sacrilege of being turned into a single-speed/fixie. I had a Voyageur back in the day, and it was a wonderful bike, the chrome ones with the gold cassette and chain all the more so.

it is still there. There are some things that should be left as is.

I had a chrome voyageur 11.8 that I had set up multiple different ways including SS, fixed, and 3 speed fixed. They're not a lightweight frame, but they are great for tire clearance. They came stock with 27" wheels, so with a 700c wheelset you can fit pretty generous tires. I had 700x33s which cleared with room to spare. I found the ride to be smooth, if not inspired and very neutral. And chrome bikes always look great especially in sunny days. I miss it. I'm not a part snob. Mojo (eBay Seller) makes great cogs for the money. And Shimano makes a liveable basic freewheel. Cranksets, if really on a budget get a vintage 80s 144 BCD road crank and add the fixed gear chainring of your choice (mojo also makes pretty round chainrings for the price). Velomine for a basic wheelset and you'll be good to go. I'm a fan of conversions because you have more variety in tubing, geometry, colors, and manufacturers. Have fun with your build, and welcome back!