GreenFix

I was tinkering with my old mountain bike last night. It is the bike I reserve for commutes and carrying my son for fun rides. While trying to sort out the new shifters I picked up, I realized that my front derailleur was garbage. I was pretty frustrated, so I pulled it off the bike. Then I pulled the cable off. Next came the rear derailleur and cable, the big chainring and a dozen or so links on my chain, the integrated shifter/brake. I now have a single speed (34:17). The chainline is perfect, but to do this right I need a grinder to bust up the cassette, some spacers, and a new chainwhip (I broke mine lastnight). I have not taken the bike out yet. The wheel is towards the front of the forward facing drops, and that has me a little worried because of a past experience of pulling a wheel out of the dropouts on a derailleur equipped bike (long story involving blood, injury, and an indifferent autmobile public). I tightened the quick release, and the wheel feels pretty secure in the frame. We’ll see. I have to hook up the brakes, and put the seat post and seat back on, then I will give it a spin. The derailleurs were old hefty altus, so I shed quite a bit of wieght. I will also shed quite a bit more when I bust up the "sturdy" cassette that is on the back and find another caliper brake lever so I can get rid of the second integrated set up.

Who knew I had this in my basement the whole time I have been reading and dreaming about everyone elses single speeds. I can't wait to try it. pics will follow.

a2psyklnut

Most cassettes are held together by three long screws. If you look closely, the heads are allen heads. I think they're like a 1 or a 1.5 metric. So yeah, they're pretty small. Stop by you LBS and ask for some spare spacers. They usually have a junk box with some old cassettes that they'll usually let you have to tear apart and get the spacers.

While there, ask them about a threaded axle for the rear hub. That way you will no longer have the fear of the rear wheel coming out. A new axle for a low end shimano hub shouldn't be more than about $15.00, and you sound mechanically inclined enought to swap it.

Good Luck & L8R

GreenFix

Thanks for the note psyklnut.

I checked out the cassette last night and a spare I had kicking around, and they are both riveted. One of them is from a bike that came with comlete shimano altus c10, and the other is from a bike that was equipped with stx. I thought when I bust them up I might have enough spacers for the job. I am going to the bike shop this weekend, and I will probably ask while I am there about the spacers and the axle. I have one question about the axle. DO you know a trick for getting the cones spaced right? When I grease the hubs now, I just leave one cone in place, but I would guess that if you are moving things over to a new axel, you will have to remeasure the spacing.

thanks again.

Jonny B

Well you know the lock nut distance will be 135mm (I guess, might be 130 or 126 if it's real old), so just measure the length of the axle, take 135 from it, half the result and that's how much axle there will be at each end. Start with one of the lock nuts, add any spacers, fit the cone, then the hub, then the other cone, more spacers and the other lock nut, easy.