Like a Cervelo Soloist or tri bike to a single speed?
if you have horizontal dropouts you can tension the chain by moving the rear wheel if not you can install a chain tensioner.
Does width between dropouts have anything to do with the process?
You can learn everything you need to know here:
You can pretty much convert any bike with a chain tensioner, check out webcyclery.com, they have alot of good stuff for SS bikes.
The sheldon brown site is essential. If you want to convert to a fixie (as opposed to a singlespeed) then a chain tensioner won’t work properly.
While not a typical chain tensioner, when I thought of doing this one of the simpler solutions I found was the White Industries Eno Eccentric Hub. The hub is designed so that it can be swiveled to achieve proper tension.
Your rear spacing has to match the hub’s width - i.e. you can’t use a 126mm hub on a bike with 130mm spacing (well, you could but you probably wouldn’t want to).
single speed is easy. Fixie would be harder.
You need horizontal dropouts or the white industries hub mentioned above or you need to get the right chainring and the right cog so that the chain length is just right.
For a single speed (can coast) it’s much easier. Just use your rear derailleur or a chain tensioner like the one from surly. you can even use your same rear wheel. Just break up a cassette and get the cog you want. Then fill up the rest of the cassette with just spacers. put the lock ring on and you’re good to go!
What’s this for? track use, training, fun?
It takes some work but a fixie or singlespeed on a road dropout width is perfectly possible. I have an axle kit from Surly which will fit on Shimano cassette hubs, having taken the cassette body and axle off first, which allows the use of a fixed sprocket in 130mm road dropout length. I have never used it however.
Oh, and doing it this way means you’ll have to cut your current chain into a shorter length.
I converted an '02 Soloist to fixed when the FD hanger met an untimely death. The new stuff: Open Pro on White Ind. ENO hub, Surly cog, Miche track chainring, Izumi 1/8" chain. Better to do it right with track-specific chainring and chain than use your current chain on a ramped/pinned chainring. Last thing you’d want to do on a fixie is drop a chain.
singlespeed’s speeds are for losers
fixed is it
dirt
ps never whimp out and singlespeed on a road bike.
Check out this Soloist carbon that got the fixed treatment.
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2006/oct/DwayneWhite.htm
Seems like kind of a waste of a nice road frame though. I was thinking about doing a conversion but just got a real track frame instead.
The link doesn’t work, is the URL correct?
Maybe the site is dowm temp?.
Tom
Site seems down. Hope it is temporary. Sheldon Brown’s site is a super bike info source.
Any suggestions about what brand of “old” frame to use for this project? Or any other features, besides horizontal dropouts, should I look for?
Tom
It got to fit good.
Use any frame
If you like it and use it then spend more on a better beater later.
It isn’t brain surgery
it is a fixed gear bike
A 5 or 6 speed bike is the easyest I guess
the hardest thing is to redish the rear wheel for a good chain line
but who cares
sheldonbrown.com is the fixed gear pusher
the high priest of fixed
the man
just have fun with it
dirt
PS think thrift store or check LBS for a bike that was never picked up after a repair.My LBS are the best help when I need somthing. I never ride without brakes. I never ride without brakes. I never ride without brakes.
make sure you have an idea what youre going to do with it before you buy the frame… if you arent going to use brakes youll have an easier time with wheels… if you are planning on using brakes, youre gonna have to search around for wheels that are the right size for your frame… (providing you arent going to build your own)… there are few makeshift ways of converting brakes for different size wheels, but i got fed up and just ride around with no brakes, and can stop way faster than if i were to use a brake instead of skid or skip
Damn! I thought I was building the tightest fixie, but that Carbon Soloist definitely takes the cake. Anyway, here’s my newest project…raced on the track in Athens in 2004, to boot. Rear der. hanger and bottle knobs ground down for speed. I’m likely going with an FSA Carbon Pro track Crank and an ISIS bb. Undecided on wheels, stem, and bars…I’d welcome suggestions.
Indeed, what’s the point of the converting a bike to a single speed? You would be better off leaving it as is and training mental discipline by never shifting.
Fixie or nothing…