9spd to 1spd?

[HTFR]

If I just take off my rear derailer and adj the chain length to I turn my bike into a single speed? and just leave the full cog set on.

p.s. I do NOT have horisontal dropouts

[htrdoug]

Originally posted by HTFR
If I just take off my rear derailer and adj the chain length to I turn my bike into a single speed? and just leave the full cog set on.

p.s. I do NOT have horisontal dropouts


I've never seen it work out,maybe with a half link you could get close.usually you must run a chain tensioning device of some sort.I have a locked out derailler on my chute and the chain as short as possible,it doesn't seem to bad
http://home.insightbb.com/~d.may/Chute.JPG

[Brian HCM#1]

Originally posted by HTFR
If I just take off my rear derailer and adj the chain length to I turn my bike into a single speed? and just leave the full cog set on.

p.s. I do NOT have horisontal dropouts With one chainring in front and on a hardtail it would probably work, providing the chainline is correct.

[dhmtbj]

I doubt you will be able to get the chain at the right tension. Best thing to do is to get a single speed converter like the singulator or use a drailleur with the set screws keeping the deraileur at the desired gear.

[Motionboy2]

Most Likely you will drop the chain or it will try to shift because of the ramping on the cassette. You can use one of the rings on your cassette or you can spent the 4.95 to get a single BMX cog and another 10 bucks for a spacer kit.
This is what a bunch of guys around here have been doing. Set your bike up with one ring on the front. Take one of the cassette cogs or a new BMX cog, and get that ready for the back. Now go to the hardware store and get 2 large washers that will fit over your freehub body. You can put these on either side of the cog and make a chainguide for the cog. It works REALLY well. You will still need some sort of tensioner

[JAH]

Originally posted by HTFR
If I just take off my rear derailer and adj the chain length to I turn my bike into a single speed? and just leave the full cog set on.


Nope, chain always will want to climb on a cassette. If you just take a bunch of links out and ride, your chain will climb up into an easier gear until eventually it gets tangled in your spokes. Dont do it, buy a single speed wheel or conversion kit, you'll have much better luck!;)
-John

[SwisSlesS]

Unless you got horizontal dropouts, you're gonna have to keep something on there to tension the chain. Whether it's a rear derailleur or a Singlator or a Melvin, any of them will work.

[mtnbikej]

NOpe....remove the cassette and use spacers on the freehub body to space out the rear cog. Use a singlelator to allow for chaintension. I run one on my Chameleon(only because I run discs and the dropouts are not long enough). Have not had the chain come off yet.

mtnbikej

[FRzealot]

Making a single-speed out of vertical dropouts is dicey.

In an absolute pinch, or your frame is at the end of it's life, you can size the chain and file the back-ends of the dropouts by hand.

It works, even when the chain wears, but you have to file evenly so the wheel can be adjusted.

[peter6061]

If you are close, you can carefully file flats on two sides of your hubs axle to allow for some adjustment. I've run torn up derailleurs, singlators, and now run nothing as I can adjust a few millimeters in either direction.

Also, I haven't harmed my high end steel frame at all.

(this option may not work with all hubs. - I did it to a cheap surly 1x1 hub - works great)

Good luck

[Liquid Chicken]

I just built a Single Speed out of a 8 speed. I am using a singlespeed crank and original Hub w/o the cassette. I chose the 17tooth cog and bought a Surly Singleator. What kind of chain is the best to use here. Surly says to only use a 3/32" chain w/ its singleator. ????

[DamienC]

Here's my SS conversion. Its an old Park Pre steel HT that my GF retired when she built up her new Surly.

http://www.geophys.washington.edu/People/Students/damien/Singlespeed.jpg

I'm starting out with 32/18 gearing and I couldn't get the setup to work without a tensioner so I did this:
http://www.geophys.washington.edu/People/Students/damien/SS_rear1.jpg
Yeah, its totally Bontrager-ghetto but whatevs - chain tension is good and it runs silently (surprisingly so).

Total out of pocket cost: about $12 for new grips and brake cables and a rainy Saturday morning.

I'm totally digging the ride and now I'm eyeing White Industries' ENO eccentric hub so I can ditch the tensioner.

[SwisSlesS]

Originally posted by DamienC
Here's my SS conversion. Its an old Park Pre steel HT that my GF retired when she built up her new Surly.
I like how you have two Surly Instigators in the same room.

[DamienC]

Originally posted by swiss_less
I like how you have two Surly Instigators in the same room.

Thanks. We're just hoping they'll mate to make more Surlys. Time to crank the Barry White in the bike room.:)

When we go riding we're going to be like those cheeseball couples you see on the beach or other public places with matching outfits. You can't see it too well but it so happens that we both have old Bridgestone road bikes too. Pathetic, I know.