HowTo? Fixed / Singlespeed conversion from an old bike

Could I use an any rear wheel for use on a singlespeed if I took off the old cassette?

pretty much, yes.

screw on a freewheel and redish for old speeds, cassette cog and spacers for 7/8/9/10 modern cassette hubs.

modern ones really are easy to SS, as you can dial in chainline with spacers

SHELDON IT

i dout it,theres a certain kind of thread required for a single speed sprocket...........im not an expert,im probably wrong:)

ok im wrong:)

Yeah. Or if you're converting a freehub wheel, get a shimano DX bmx sprocket and some pvc pipe for spacers ;)

I used a standard 8spd Shimano mtb wheel and spaced it out with the alu spacers you find within better cassettes.
Just ask your bike shop for any binned cassettes they have and then unscrew them (or drill them) to retrieve the spacers from in between the sprockets.

Bodge:

Almost there:

Thanks.

how does one turn, say, and old 10/12/18/21speed into a simple single. i have some old wheels and want to get my hands dirty
ie, how would one go about turning this (shimano cassette compatible) wheel into a single speed?

how would one do the same with this one?

are there any good how-to guides out there for relative noobs?

Sheldons your boy.

http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed-conversion.html

Drill hole in cassette, put nut+bolt through it, remove derailleur and shorten chain.

it would be the most ghetto fixie ever.

for single speed:

the cassette wheel- single speed spacer and cog kit.

the track wheel - just get a screw on freewheel.

but really, there's a mine of information out there, get googling lad.

http://www.mtbr.com/faq/ssfaq.shtml and google
Come back to us when you get stuck :P

cheers guys. id googled a bit, but there seemed to be different sorts of wheeltypes and conversion kits about that i was starting to get confused. RPM's advice pretty much nailed what i wanted.

is that track wheel not fixed threaded?

I love how the first two responses are details of how to make a fixed conversion and not a single speed (presumably a freewheel) - if its not in a list format we just won't read it!

Nick: The first wheel - a DMR kit should fit that wheel ok (or similar). That or break up a few old cassettes and space out the sprocket you choose. Read up on chainline.

The other wheel appears to have a threaded bit. It doesn't look like a track wheel. Probably an old style road bike wheel where you screwed the cassette on. You'd probably be best off buying a screw on BMX freewheel for this. You'll need a single speed chain though too (wider).

No such forum serving us up here, so I'll stick my head above the parapet and admit to living in Birmingham. Cheers for still reading. I've had the frame for the past couple of years, left to me by a mates mate when he scarpered from Birmingham. The frame is a Faggin, Italian.
Top tube = 565mm head tube - seat tube centers
Seat tube = 575mm bb center to s. tube top
Traditional raked forks, dropouts stamped Faggin.
105 brakes, front derailleur & hubs, Mavic sub rims, Selle Royale sharke saddle, 3ttt bars, Dura Ace seat post and levers, though all pretty old kit it's servicable enough. Had to get new Tiagra rear derailleur.
I'm 6' with s.o. height 830mm, it's slightly undersized but when it was running it felt ok. It's my first road bike so I don't have much to compare it with, mind.
The rear hub has worn, pitted bearing surface. Replaced bearings and cones carried on riding but now fancy going single speed.
Seat post needs raising but is stuck fast, tried ammonia (the discussions else where on the forum about using coke are a bit dubious. Coke contains phosphoric acid which reacts with ferric oxide, rust, to produce iron phosphate as in Kurust). I'll try a vice to force it out and if that fails whip out the hacksaw. Shame to waste a decent seatpost but hay ho.
The bb is sound, square taper but it'll do. Got the drive side cup out with difficulty (using 24" breaker bar), left side won't move and splines have pretty much had it through trying. Could I leave it in, or would that rule out bb replacement in future? What about having it machined out? Could it be filed away? Where can it be rethreaded?
I can get the frame & fork blasted and powdercoated for £25, or should I go for paint?
I'll reuse the rear rim but am having trouble finding a mid price single speed hub any suggestions. Is there a chain line problem with using either of the chain rings (42, 52)?
Any recommendations for brake levers?
Can't think of any thing else... Comments please.
Cheers, James

jimmer
Seat post needs raising but is stuck fast, tried ammonia (the discussions else where on the forum about using coke are a bit dubious. Coke contains phosphoric acid which reacts with ferric oxide, rust, to produce iron phosphate as in Kurust). I'll try a vice to force it out and if that fails whip out the hacksaw. Shame to waste a decent seatpost but hay ho.

you should have found the discussions where I mentioned using caustic soda to remove a stuck post. it works, and you may save the post if you get it in a vice quickly and rinse it once it's out. same deal for the BB (I'm assuming it's an alloy cup?) or hacksaw it , then make sure the bb shell threads are chased clean afterwards.

but, really is it worth all the bother?

"but, really is it worth all the bother?"

Seat post or frame not worth it? Or a general comment on life's futility. Seat post I can lose, frame seems ok. Something to keep me occupied and a single speed starter.

fair enough then.

powdercoat is king. £25 for the whole job is cheap, go for it, or don't paint it at all.

you can use the 42 or 52 dependent on what kind of gearing you want. if you are using the road double crankset then get hold of some single chainring bolts and mount your chosen chainring on the inside of the spider

good luck dude, and welcome to the forum

Near the bottom of this thread there is loads of info on different hubs. Double fixed hubs (which can run freewheels as well) start off at about 15 squid so not the expensive. You may need to change the b.b to get a correct chainline you will have to see. A good bike shop should beable to chase out the threads. 25 quid for powder coating is v. cheap. Break levers, depend on what bars you intend on riding with, drops , flats risers.

Go fixed instead of single speed more fun.

p.s hello we have other people form outside london too so you are not allown. Come down for an event some time.

TheBrick(Tommy) Go fixed instead of single speed more fun.

+1

Faggins are nice frames so I'd say it's worth it. Are you undoing the BB the right way? I'm sure you are as the drive side of both Italian and English BBs is standard threaded (ie undo it anti-clockwise), but it's worth asking!

If the cup is alloy then leaving the BB area in a bath of warm caustic soda will get it out in an hour or so. This may have the added benfit of stripping the paint in that area. Sure you will get the seatpost out somewho and then get the whole thing powdercoated. Sure it will look good. I'd leave the braze ons in place so that you can go back to gears at some point in the future.

Momentum Are you undoing the BB the right way? I'm sure you are as the drive side of both Italian and English BBs is standard threaded (ie undo it anti-clockwise), but it's worth asking!

No, English is reverse threaded on the drive side, Italian is 'standard', i.e. anti-clockwise to remove.