Compact double to Single?

Hi all,

I don't know if this is a stupid question but,,, I have always ridden mountain bikes but have just started getting into road bikes, On my previous mountain bikes I have always ridden single speed up front and I would like to do it on my road bike. My current set up is a Dura ace 9 speed rear mech with a compact double (50t/34t 110bcd) with a Dura ace front mech. If I want to change to single speed at the front is it just a case of fitting a new 110bcd chainring to the front and removing the front mech? Any help/advice would be appreciated.

Many thanks. Gaz

You'll probably want to change the bottom bracket as the chainline will be out.

That's exactly what I did, swapped the triple for a single so now it's a 1 x 9.
Didn't need to change the bb, chainline was good, rides a beaut.

Yeah kinda. You might find your chain rolling off your front ring unless you get a single specific chainring. You might need a chain retainer, might not. You could use a narrow wide chainring but you shouldn't have to.

I suppose the question is why would you want to go 1*9 on a road bike?

Thanks for the answers, The main reason I want to change to 1x9 is that no matter how much playing and adjusting I have done my chain keeps rubbing on my front mech, I don't think its the mech, I think it could be the shifter as it was slightly damaged in a crash before I was given the bike. Plus I am more used to 1x9 and it would probably be a cheaper option than replacing the brake/shifter.

Yeah kinda. You might find your chain rolling off your front ring unless you get a single specific chainring. You might need a chain retainer, might not. You could use a narrow wide chainring but you shouldn't have to.

I suppose the question is why would you want to go 1*9 on a road bike?

You shouldn't need a chain guide if it's for a road bike.

...my chain keeps rubbing on my front mech, I don't think its the mech, I think it could be the shifter as it was slightly damaged in a crash...
Possible I suppose, but it seems unlikely: if it was damaged it wouldn't shift, rather than shifting incorrectly.

FD can be a faff: does this shed any light on the matter? Are you trimming as you shift across the cassette?

If you do go 1x9, I would try just taking the small ring and the FD off: you still have the RD to take care of chain tension, reducing the need for a SS specific ring.

^not so much the tension, but the ramps, chain will always try to derail at the ramps, hence the need for ss ring.

Agree a SS specific ring would be preferable, but I've run SS on ramped rings without problems.

That's SS though. With gears and the resulting wonky chain line it's likely the chain will be pulled off the ring and dropped on to the BB shell.

You'd need a retainer device if you use a ramped and profiled ring.

Yes, sorry: forgot it was 1x9.

As you were.

Thanks for the answers guys, Thanks for the link it was a good help. All sorted now, turns out that the outer chainring was ever so slightly warped, I've fitted a replacement and everything is A-OK!! Cheers. Gaz