Single Speeding

[letmetalktomark]

Hi,

I’m thinking about converting my 21 speed Peugeot Black Mamba to single speed courtesy of a Woolly Hat Shop spacer set. The idea would be to run it high geared for commuting and then lower the ratio for when winter comes.

Does anybody run their day to day bike as a single speed? If so any pit falls I should look to encounter?

I’m after some inspiration. If you have any steeds in single speed guise could you post some photos?

Below is roughly how my steed looks now (just without the riser bar)

Thanks for any help.

Mark

 

[Max P]

My main bike these days is a SS and TBH I cannot see myself going back to a geared/FS bike (maybe front shock one day). As ever it is horses for courses and dependant on the sort of terrain you normally ride. For me a rigid SS works fine (I ride 99% in Epping Forest - living 200 yds away).

Other bike is my original Clockwork but even this Chameleon is getting on for retro being a '99 US made frame. The build is retro in spirit I guess even if the parts are not...

 

[ededwards]

I've a singlespeed roadbike I commute on to work (53x1 and an offroader (32x16). I think the key is to get the chainline as straight as you can although as you have a bit more to play with than if fixed no real need to get it spot on (although of course no reason not to if that's what you like).

Also make sure if you are not using a tensioner (and much cleaner not to in my opinion although not an option unless you have at least semi horizontal dropouts and I can't see for sure if you have from the photo) then get the chain tension just right - not tight as a drum otherwise everything will wear out super fast - perhaps about 1 cm deflection when you press down on the chain from above.

Oh, and you may need to resit the chainring on the spider to make sure that it is as round as possible (also use a decent chainring) - see Sheldon Brown for details on this but it basically involves slackening off the chainbolts and then tightening alternate ones with perodic striking of the chain with a substantial implement, strangely satisfying.

That said you can ignore all of the above (as I initially did) and still get everything rideable - as usual if it looks right it probably is.

In summary, just go for it!

 

[mamadirt]

Hmmmmm, thumbies or singlespeed spacer kit. Personally as a die hard singlespeeder and parcel addict I'd go for the thumbies - far more exciting

Having a similar dilemma with my 'just delivered' 1990 Fire Mountain. Not ridden gears for ages and the steel biopace rings and plastic 300LX shifters and mechs are doing nothing to convince me I should keep them.

That Peugot looks great btw.

 

[Tommy]

a beauty Peugeot, a good bike to make ss.
When the weather is good i commute on my '90 giant escaper. Build up with old parts.

 

[ridevintagemtb]

My commuter is a singlespeed.

as you can see, I've gotten around the chain tensioner problem using a BMX half-link and some ghetto-rigged wooden plates I cut up. This worked for awhile, then things loosened up and and it all went to hell. I've re-tightened / arranged everything a bunch of times now, and in the end, I really dont trust it. If I was going to be doing some serious commuting, I'd put some sort of tensioner on there.

 

[Russell]

Theres something really satisfying about seeing old bikes converted to singlespeeds. Brill

 

[letmetalktomark]

single speeding the Mamba

Cheers guys,

The bikes look really good “single speededâ€

 

[messiah]

1995 Kona Explosif - broke at the dropout so I had horizontal dropouts put on it.

Owned since new and shows many battle scars hence why I didn't get it resprayed.

Not my everyday bike by any means but I love taking it out to the forest for a serious thrashing :twisted:

Commuting on it would a stupid twiddlefest... :roll:

 

[mamadirt]

Having a similar dilemma with my 'just delivered' 1990 Fire Mountain. Not ridden gears for ages and the steel biopace rings and plastic 300LX shifters and mechs are doing nothing to convince me I should keep them.

Didn't take me long to make up my mind - anyone have any use for a set of rusty biopace rings and lovely steel/plastic 300LX mechs?

Pics here. For some reason

won't work for me :x

Built up pretty quickly with pilfered parts from my sons' bikes and a lovely Raleigh Activator wheelset from my nephew, as it'll be pressed into service as my commute bike. Took it out for a 25 mile spin yesterday and nothing fell off - love it - made me feel 35 again

Already have a pair of NOS Onza RAW barends on the way from USA and various other bits planned . . . the plastic brake levers and red chainring will have to go. It'll be an interesting summer project - paintwork is peppered with rust spots and the decals are pretty rough but the splatter paint job makes it pretty easy to touch up. Not looking to create a showpiece but I reckon at the end of the summer I should hopefully have a pretty cool example of a 90's entry level bike. Watch this space . . .