Chicago Al 

I am not only new to SS but new to working on bikes and have been spending a lot of time at the C&V forum this summer. Fun! This is a different project though.

13 y o son and I want to convert his garage-sale-find '96 Specialized Hardrock to SS. Later on, maybe to FG with a flipflop...but first SS. The bike has semi-horizontal rear dropouts so should not need a chain tensioner, right?

As I understand it:

remove cassette (need Shimano tool for the lockring, right?)

replace cassette with single cog and spacers

remove extra chainring

either shorten chain or replace it with a new one (time for that anyway)

remover gripshifters from bars

I have basic bike tools, chain breaker, etc, but not the special cassette tool--maybe something else would work?

This will be a Chicago street bike, so what cog/chainring combo would you recommend? I see SS conversion kits pretty cheap but they usually include a tensioner which I am pretty sure we don't need.

Anything else I should be thinking about?

Thanks,

Al

nimbuscrenel

I've seen casette lockrings removed with a screwdriver and hammer but don't recommend this. I tried it myself and could get it to budge, plus the proper tool is like $7 and will last forever. You probably don't need the chain tensioner included in a lot of kits, but a lot of times the kits that come with those will also include multiple cogs which gives the ability to play around with the gearing a bit. You can just chuck the tensioner or throw it up on craigslist or something. I'm thinking specifically of this one from Performance: https://www.performancebike.com/bikes..._1031512_-1___

vegipowrd

The "what cog and chainring" question is one you wil have to figure for yourself. It depends too much on how you ride. That said, I would aim lowish (mid to low 60s in gear inches). You may end up playing with the gearing and that's fine. I actually enjoy a low geared ss bike because I find it relaxing. Chicago is flat enough that you may need to bump things up a bit.

Chicago Al 

Okay, thanks...it does seem pretty simple. Son and I are working on these bike projects together and his learning curve seems to be steeper than mine, as it should be. This school year he hopes to do a FG build as an independent study project. He may be the one asking questions later on!

uni_bi_cycler

I just converted a Spec. hardrock (a 99 or 2000 I think) and the chainring bolts were actually rivets. Kind of a beast to get out (drilled them out.) Just a heads up. HOpefully yours has actual bolts.