Converting to single speed/fixed gear

Wez

Hey guys,

About two weeks ago I pulled an old Raleigh out of a skip and begain working on it. The previous owner (who I later found out was a good friend) began converting it to fixed gear. I took it out in peices and stuck it together the next day. I had a few teething problems with it when getting started, but nothing major.

My main query for your guys is, I've got it as a single speed at the minute, I like the fact that there's only one gear, but it's not fixed. Although I'm considering it lately..

But my question is, if I slip off the rear cassette, can I take it apart ring by ring and grind down the ones I don't want and position my chosen cog inline with the chainring infront? Technically, I don't see anything wrong with this, the benefit of using the existing cogs is that they're the perfect size.

I can use the gear I want at the minute, but it doesn't run smoothly, because of the chain being used, which I'm happy with, but I just wanna change to a higher top speed and I can't because of the lineup.

Another small note, where there should be a locking nut where the axle runs through there isn't. It's grand once I'm pedalling, but when I stop, it moves out and keeps spinning, not using the freewheel built in. I want to repair this asap, but haven't the money to just replace the whole setup. Does anyone know if you can just buy the individual part? It's basically the nut that stops you from being able to slide the cassette right off, which I can do atm.

I can give pics of mine of required, just I'm in work at the minute..

Cheers guys, and sorry for the ramble!!

Morgan

Does the rear wheel have a screw on freewheel or a cassette?

It's a cassette you can break it apart and use the spacers (you actually need two cassettes worth of spacers to to this - get a worn out one from a bike shop) to position your single rear cog (pick up a Shimsno BMX cog rather than reuse an existing one).

If it's a screw on freehweel it's a bit trickier - you can remove it and use a single bmx freewheel but this'll probably mess up your chainline. I think that's described here:
http://sheldonbrown.com/deakins/how-to-fixed-conversion.html

I'm not sure which locknut you're referring to - the cassette lockring (this)? They come with new cassettes and most bike shops would give you an old one for free.

Itsfixed

Hi

If its an old raleigh the chances are you have a screw-on freewheel cassette rather than the more modern ones, where you can take apart the cogs. With screw-on ones you can't.

If you ahve a screw on cassette, a better idea would be to buy a screw-on single cog freewheel. Count the number of teeth on your chosen cog on the cassette and get the equivalent one as a single cog.

To source one, try www.charliethebikemonger.com. its also a good site for general info about converting to single speed or fixed gear. I bought an ACS singlespeed freewheel from him one time, and no problems. Nice chap.

Grinding down the other cogs would be a pain in the arse and probably wouldn't look good at all.

Mr. Grieves

I've just converted an old peugeot which had a freewheel, as I suspect yours does. It was surprisingly simple - I removed the freewheel, threaded on a track sprocket which I had to buy, and swapped the axle spacers on the left with the ones on the right in order to line up the chain. It cycles quite nicely now, except the rim is no longer centered since I respaced the axle. I need to have the wheel redished. Anyone know what shop in Dublin would do a good job of this for cheap? (I've spent very little on the conversion so far, but the wheel is newer than the rest of the bike and I don't want to wreck it.)