New user, how do you go into the new world of single speeds?

Hey guys,

New to the forum. Picked an interested on single speed bikes since my current shitty mtb is in need of repairs. Where is a good place to start getting more information about good frames for conversion and so on? Tempted to start a project bur no idea what is good and what it is not

Try reading through the "Foffa" thread

48 pages...this may take some time. Stupid part is I would probably fall for the them.

You learn through experience, buy loads of parts, if things don't work sell them on, or more likely keep them and then build a second bike in the future.

Yup, what ^^^^ said. Learn from your mistakes. Start simple and work up. Buy a few basic tools like spanners and a set of Alan keys and just get stuck in. You'll find out quickly enough the difference between Italian and English threaded etc

What if you a poor student with no income?

Try sheldon brown, or ss and fix up the mtb, Charlie the bikemonger does kits

But on a more serious how much would it cost to build a bike from scratch, even if you know what you are doing? I have plently of tools but worked exclusively with mtb and never had to any BB, forks or anything like that. But can do brake, gears, cables and so on without much problem

What's actually broken on the mtb?

Back in the halceon days of this forum I build a bike from scratch for £80. It's a death trap, but it rolled.

If you keep an eye on eBay you can get a complete (ly shit) bike for less than £50, remove the derailer and you've got a ss.

The freewheel is spinning both ways. That and it needs a new chain and probably a new chainset, as the chain does not sit on it completely anymore. Plus I am worried with the sanity of the front wheel and the crap suspension fork, the bike more horizontally if I press the brakes and wiggle it

This:
http://bit.ly/182oD1o
And this:
http://bit.ly/182oLOB
(This may not be the right type of freehub, we'd need to know more about your bike to be certain, I take no responsibility!)
Plus removing some of your chainrings, derailers and getting a new chain (chains are cheap and should be replaced about as often as tyres or brake pads).

I've forgotten what to search for to get forks that are the same length as suspension forks but without suspension?

Conversions can be as much or as little as you want, youd be better getting one off classifieds on here.
Do you want fixed or single speed?
Doing a ss on your mtb wouldn't cost too much as you already have the bike

Also needs to be said I have been running on the same gear the whole time. Hence the reason why I was looking at single speed options. But after getting advice seems it is not possible to got that route for cheaper than going multi speed. I can fix it keeping the multi speed for about £40 would cost me more than £100 to convert to single speed

http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/bikemongers-complete-kit-1-p.asp

But isn't that for a freehub wheel? rather than freewheel screw on wheel?

Yeah if yours takes a freewheel your talking about a fiver then a tensioner and the cost of fixing the other bits
What bike do you already have, how many gears etc

I have a giant rock for which the only picture I can find is this:http://www.crank-it-up.org.uk/pages/gallery/album1/large/giant_rock.jpg. Freewheel would be cheaper but then chain alignment would be off no?

As for gears currently has a shimano 7 gear freewhell with one the low end rear dérailleurs either an altus of one of the sis

Pics useless hahaha
7 speed is probably a cassette so the kit i linked would be the one
Read thru this http://sheldonbrown.com/singlespeed.html
Should give you a better idea

Definitely not a cassette as I removed it today and unless my eyes are falling on me it is a freewheel not cassette

http://www.thebikelist.co.uk/giant/rock-2006

Be pretty cheap then just get a bmx freewheel on it

Be pretty cheap then just get a bmx freewheel on it

You guys keep saying this, but wouldn't this completely put the chain alignment off?

Read sheldon. You can adjust it with the chainring up front to some extent anyway

You could mess around with the axle spacing and dish of the wheel a bit too. I'd personally try and pick up a cheap but more suitable frame and fork.