SS for shimano freehub - cheap options...?

I am getting a cheap set of 700c wheels to go on my old Raleigh this weekend and want to know the cheapest way of sorting a SS out on the freehub. I know i need spacers and a cog, but the only thing i have seen so far is the "single speed conversion" kit from Evans for £26...

Would buying a £10 7speed cassette and ripping it apart work as i'm sure i've read that somewhere before?

velosolo have a reasonably priced, well-made spacer kit. £10.95 You need your own lockring (I have a free spare if you are unable to cadge one) and cog ( I have a lightly used 16T DX cog you can have for a beer)

I've found that you need more than one cassette if you're breaking them up yourself anyway..

Also the SHimano DX cog is only a fiver from velosolo - you can find them for a quid less in BMX places, but there you go...

^ velosolo no affiliation etc. etc.

Thats great thanks for the reply, i probably should have said but ideally i would like to get my hands on the kit this weekend so my bike is converted ready for the monday morning commute!

Try to collect 2 or 3 worn down cassettes, ditch the sprockets and keep the spacers.
Some dealers and riders (MTB or road, geared) should have some old cassettes left. Doesn't matter how many gears.
The best is, if you also get some 1mm washers.

Mmmm... first time I've seen something like this. So are there any major disadvantages using something like this compared to a "regular" built wheel. Seems to me there are lots of decent cassette road wheelsets at good prices (Mavic, Shimano, Bontrager etc)... especially s/h?

Well i came across this way of converting to SS by accident after i saw the kit on the Evans website. Getting a SS or flip flop rear wheel build is not cheap as you probably know, and then my issue was that i'm on old 26" road wheels (1976 Raleigh) and wanted 700c size which means a new front wheel also.

I have heard of ppl simply using a shimano 6 or 7 speed cassette without the derailler and simply installing the chain around the cog that sit best in line with the chainwheel - this does of course restrict you to a cog which is probably not the best for SS though!

As for wheels - yes they are definately cheaper to buy either s/h or new - I am getting a set of 700C "sport touring" wheels from Decathlon - £45 for the pair with q/r and shimano freehub on the rear wheel. Should do me for now until i can afford a BLB special, and they have to be a damn sight better than my goosed wheel bearings that i am coping with atm - i have 10mm of play in the front wheel lol!

Mmmm... first time I've seen something like this. So are there any major disadvantages using something like this compared to a "regular" built wheel. Seems to me there are lots of decent cassette road wheelsets at good prices (Mavic, Shimano, Bontrager etc)... especially s/h?

what do you mean by regular? a threaded hub designed to take a freewheel?

I have heard of ppl simply using a shimano 6 or 7 speed cassette without the derailler and simply installing the chain around the cog that sit best in line with the chainwheel - this does of course restrict you to a cog which is probably not the best for SS though!

i have 10mm of play in the front wheel lol!

you can use any speed cassette. you aren't restricted to a particular cog if you aren't fussy about chainline, which you probably won't be if you have 10mm play in front wheel.

also, utfs.

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread26965.html
http://www.londonfgss.com/thread25814.html
http://www.londonfgss.com/thread3084.html
http://www.londonfgss.com/thread18728.html