My 26" singlespeed conversion [Updated]
 

outdated.

Were you unsatisfied with your previous drive train?

Nah, I almost never rode the mountain bike and wanted to do a SS conversion as a fun project. And to have a simple, no-fuss bike that I could run errands on or cruise city streets on, on days when I just want to beat around and not do a training ride. Might also use it as a commuter, or try to do occasional group rides as a training tool.

(also, this is the singlespeed forum).

hotness! good job.

An armful of post?

Thanks lyledriver. I like the cleaner, simpler setup.

As for the seatpost, yup. Though the frame has a rather "compact" sloping tt geometry. It's not above the safety line I don't think. I have the fit set up similar to my road bikes, since I spend so much time on them it feels right for me. If I were taking it offroad I might lower a bit.

well if you really didn't ride it that much, i would have done the same (if i could find a single or fixed speed hub).

To convert a HG hub (splined freehub, the most common hub these days, in other words: the thang you gots) to single speed, you only need a $15 conversion kit, which you might even save, if you just get a PVC pipe of appropriate width and cut it to correct length. Keep the splined lockring from an old cassette, and get a Shimano BMX cog (by the way, anyone has an idea where I, living in Finland/Europe, could get one?).

In any case, to convert to singlespeed, that's all you need, no expensive SS hub necessary.

Updated this morning! Including more pics of the details and conversion process.

this is a pretty good post (as a resource) for others looking to do similar things.

i did kinda like the white though ;)

that looks nice good job

good job. nice looking bike. bet it's much more fun now too

@ OP, indeed a very nice SS, i would get new levers though.

Actually, i do have a 26" rigid mtb. that i really want to turn in to a single speed cruiser. I asked for a new hub and i got that, but then the lbs added a cassette that i DON'T WANT, and he made me pay. I didn't have the money at the time, so i told him i will pay him later, and then when im ready to pay, his store is closed and he wont reply to my emails... And just before he closed i got a 4 speed shifter from him for my nexus hub, by the means of a friend.

Back to my SS, well i should figure out how to get the cassette off (if its the "screw type") and then a bmx cog from a local hard core mtb $tore ($ cause its costs!) i think i might be on my way. I really want to repaint the frame too... hope its in good condition, i kind of forgot about it... also it weighs a ton, which is not cool.

Yo this right here is pure inspiration, thanks!

PS im in turku... good luck though!


EDIT: here was V1 of that bike, i rode it so hard the rear hub just fell apart as i chased a bus (really pushing it) and i literally GRIND(ed) (the rear hub) to a stop, thats why i got the new wheel (which i don't have pics of). Defiantly need a new crank, and BB.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...d/IMGP4412.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...d/IMGP4410.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...d/IMGP4407.jpg

Don't forget you can sell the stuff you pulled off, costing you even less.

If you are referring to me, the only thing i can pull off is this 7sp cassette (not pictured).

I mean all the XT stuff from the OP

I "donated" the derailleurs to the shop in exchange for the stem. I don't know what they woulda gotten on ebay but I wanted to clean up fast and get rid of stuff I knew I wouldn't reuse.

Difflock_2, that Suzico frame is a definite candidate for powdercoat! :)

To find out whether yours is a screw-on cassette-type-of-hub (freewheel and cassette are built together), or a splined freehub (the freewheeling mechanism is in the hub), you can check out
http://sheldonbrown.com/k7.html
or just post a closeup of your hub/cassette.

P.S. I think Turku people are friendly, and have an overall very positive opinion on them. I don't understand why Helsinki people think they're so superior :p I now expect a reaction, LOL!

Towlie: Ever heard of Suzico??

wroomwroomoops: I wills (lmao wills) start a new topic, once i get a pic, im sure its a screw one.

And i don't know much about Finnish culture... but ok, lol.

okay, time for me to post a few pics of my conversion. I actually made 2 attempts:


First attempt:
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/DSCN1214.jpg


And second attempt:
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/DSCN1293.jpg

Detail of the drivetrain:
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/DSCN1295.jpg

Thanks!!!

That pic solved my chainline issue! I had simply missed that I can put the ring on the INSIDE the spider. As it is now, the ring is about 2-3 mm farther out than the sprocket, and the sprocket in turn is as far out as the splines reach. Now I can move the sprocket in a couple of mm and get a perfect chainline!!!

Glad I could help, my nordic friend. Notice that, in my case, I needed to add spacers to further correct the chainline by about 1 mm. Also, notice that I used an ENO ecccentric hub (built the wheel myself).

Damn...

I forgot about the bulging chainstay... I knew there was a reason for having to get a 127 mm spindle.

To the OP. Why did you have to re-face your BB and head tube?

Good question. Powdercoat is really thick, particularly on the bottom bracket, where it seemed to coalesce. The shop re-faced (I think that's the correct word) them so the bearing cups and headset cups would have a flat surface to mate with once again. They had a tool that they spun by hand about the axis of the BB and of the headtube, and it sort of shaved off a thin layer.

The frame can be prepped ahead of time so this step isn't necessary (some sort of taping process), but the powdercoaters I took it to don't specialize in bicycles and apparently don't have this fine point down yet. However, a guy at the LBS knows the guy at the powdercoater and is going to teach them about prepping the frame. The result was still good; it just required an extra step.

Some powdercoaters (like Spectrum Powderworks) specialize more in bikes, and I assume they already know how to tape off these surfaces.