Building MTB Single Speed

I read that the Big Apples can cope better in the rain?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Sale/14/Haro_Mary_SS_2008/5360033160/

Buy this and put different tyres on it.

Thats way more than I wanted to spend! But that really is excellent value.

Only I already have essentially the same - and can make it like that but cheaper!

My BCD is 104, so that limits me to 36t for Surlys, which is a real shame.

I can get a tiny on the back 12/13t, the latter which gives me about 74 inches.

Is this going to cause excessive wear because of the overall small size and, as a beginner, is 74 going to be too difficult?

74 is high!!

34-13 would give me 70...

I really have no idea how much easier that would make it...

Can anyone help?

i would try 42:16 or 46:16, i have used these ratios on two different converted bikes for road use, and with slick tyres like those suggested in the post, the bike will be more than capable of covering short distance commutes, i would not put more money into this project as necesary as it is no match for a road frame and my first foray into single speed i spent much more money than necessary but it was more of a learning experience, i used a converted ss mountainbike with slicks 26" x1.5 at uni in york its f-ing bomb proof (46:14)

But mate, if I use Surly, I cannot go above 36....

This is mine...

and this, please don't laugh at the back....

The photos aren't showing.

Anyone any got any gear recommendations? Is 70 ok?

can you see them now..???

I used to run a Pace RC31, but going down a big hill in Scotland on looking down seeing the forks flapping about so much put me off...

i loved the RC30

yes great for XC..

Sod it - I just bought a dirt cheap Tricross.

Go Ride - Hope you enjoy it.

For £274 Brand New I think I will!

Cheers

you was trying to work out the bcd on you cranks
but no one said how to work it out so i thought i would add it on here
BCD chart for 4-bolt chainring[FONT=Times New Roman]
[/FONT]Bolt to Bolt (measure center to center)[FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT]BCD Bolt Circle Diameter
41mm [FONT=Times New Roman][/FONT]58mm[FONT=Times New Roman]
[/FONT]45.3mm[FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT]64mm[FONT=Times New Roman]
[/FONT]48.1mm[FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT]68mm[FONT=Times New Roman]
[/FONT]73.6mm[FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT]104mm[FONT=Times New Roman]
[/FONT]79.2mm[FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT]112mm

Thanks mate - I ended up finding that on Charlie Bike Monger - very useful. Cheers

Work out BCD:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_bo-z.html
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/chainrings.html

Measuring BCD: This 110 mm BCD ring measures 64.7 mm center-to-center.
Multiplying this dimension by 1.7 will give you the actual BCD for a 5 bolt chainring.
Use 1.4 for 4 bolt chainrings

mtb bcd is most commonly 104mm, for my commute i use 34-15 which on26" wheels i think gives about 60 gear inches. off-road i use a 17t sprocket giving me 53.6gi. standard otp mtb singlespeeds use a 2-1 ratio so thats as good a place as any to start! hope that helps, or have you built it already?

I've singlespeeded mine, but it's still for off-road use, I just can't be arsed with maintaining gears. I bought spacers and cog for rear cassette. Fire-eye chain tensioner (£10 CRC flood sale) and 32 Middleburn ring up front (£10 CRC flood sale too). It runs nicely.

Nice job on that Klein.

this might be the right thread to show you what I put together yesterday.
bought the initial bike for 10 quid at Frank G. Bowen auctions, have traded parts and shopped around to make it as cheap as possible. the chain tensioner is a thing I got for 1 quid at Lock 7.
I have it in mind as a pub bike/secondary bike.