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I've been getting an itch to convert one of my raod bikes into a single speed and having never done this before I'm not 100% sure how to go about it.
I've had a look at conversion kits for the rear wheel and the teeth on the sprocket seem deeper. Does this mean I will also need a specific chain as well as a compatable chain ring for the front? I've also had a look at chainsets and tensioners too, but ideally I'd like to do it the cheapest way possible at first to see if I can adapt to it.
Bike is a Bianchi 1885 with vertical dropouts.
Any advice will be much appreciated. 🙂
check, but most of them will work with 8/9 speed chains.
you'll probably need a tensioner as well - one of the kits where you get the cog, spacers and tensioner in one go woudl be worht having.
depending on where you live the 39 tooth you currently have up front will be ok with a 16 or 18 rear to get you started.
You'll need a tensioner unless you're very lucky with the sprocket/chainring sizes you choose and the length of your chainstays.
You shouldn't need a new chain to accommodate the deeper teeth, only issue may be if you're running 10/11 speed, then the chain may be too narrow depending on the sprockets
It's currently set up as a Campag 10 speed. I assume the conversion kits are compatable with all type of free hubs?
I can see 2 potential issues with Campag.
1. Sprockets have a different spline pattern from Shimano, if you're happy to dismantle your existing cassette and use a sprocket from there then that shouldn't be a problem.
2. The DMR kit spacers are a set of rings that replace the sprockets from your cassette - I don't know what the diameter of the splines is on a Campag freehub. If they're larger than Shimano then the spacers may not fit, smaller and they'll rattle
Looks like Charlie The Bikemonger sales Campag kits. Problem solved.
If you just want to see if you can adapt to it, stick it in one gear and don't change. It's what I've done with my road bike, which is now ridden in one gear for 95% of the time. When there's a real headwind or I'm properly knackered it might get a change-down for a hill, otherwise the shifter is left well alone.
After a while, if you're happy, you can go through the faff of taking bits off and changing other bits around.
f you just want to see if you can adapt to it, stick it in one gear and don't change.
That's what i've been doing for the last couple of weeks. I've been riding on the 53/19 ratio on my commute which has got me thinking about the conversion abeit a slightly easier ratio though.
WHITE INDUSTRIES Eccentric Eric hub in 130mm is the neatest way to sort it properly
Probably a stupid question but are track/ fixie/ ss cranks the same?
Probably a stupid question but are track/ fixie/ ss cranks the same?
a cranks a crank a crank - don't believe the hype
No not all the cranks are the same Road, Track and MTB cranks all have different BCD's
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