Recommend a bike shop for a single speed conversion

barrymanilow

Hi ,

I want to convert an old peugeot I have to single speed . It's a bit beyond me skills and tool collection . Can anyone recommend a shop anywhere in the country that would do something like this well ? straight chainline , good ratios etc all that

Thanks ,

Barry

Buchaill_Mor

Dlb Cycles.

CramCycle

Where are you based?

barrymanilow

I'm in Limerick

CramCycle

barrymanilow wrote: »

I'm in Limerick

Don't know anyone there but considering you want a single speed and not a fixed, it would be simple enough I imagine. If it has a cassette, just buy a conversion kit from Wiggle or CRC or Planet X. You are looking at 20euro and you can use your current set up with little or no changing. If its wheels with screw ons, you can just buy a screw on BMX cog, new chain and a new chainring. Your current derailleur will keep the tension.

CramCycle

OSI wrote: »

Get yourself one of the these and pull the cables:



Will at least allow you to adjust gears in between rides until you find the right ratio for you.

Surely you could just do that with the current derailleurs.

CramCycle

OSI wrote: »

But if you cut the cables on the current derailleurs they're just going to pull into frame as tight as the spring can manage. If you leave the cables and commit yourself to using a single gear, you'll always find yourself reaching to change when you're at the end of your energy pool.

Ah, I was just thinking of until the OP finds the gear he finds the best. I wasn't thinking of it as a permanent solution. Once the right gear is found, change it all. Alot of conversion kits have a few cogs in there as well, get your pulley and the conversion kit and there should be no issues at all, tool wise all that is needed is a lockring tool and a multitool.

barrymanilow

CramCycle wrote: »

Don't know anyone there but considering you want a single speed and not a fixed, it would be simple enough I imagine. If it has a cassette, just buy a conversion kit from Wiggle or CRC or Planet X. You are looking at 20euro and you can use your current set up with little or no changing. If its wheels with screw ons, you can just buy a screw on BMX cog, new chain and a new chainring. Your current derailleur will keep the tension.

Thanks Cram ,

Questions ;Cant I just remove one of the front chainrings ,i.e take of the 52 and leave the 42 or vice versa , do I have to get a new chainring ?

Same with the chain , it is pretty new , would I need to change it to a single speed specific chain ?

Also , can I move a screw on Bmx cog around on the rear hub so that I can line it up nicely with the front for good chainline ?

CramCycle

barrymanilow wrote: »

Thanks Cram ,

Questions ;Cant I just remove one of the front chainrings ,i.e take of the 52 and leave the 42 or vice versa , do I have to get a new chainring ?

Same with the chain , it is pretty new , would I need to change it to a single speed specific chain ?

Also , can I move a screw on Bmx cog around on the rear hub so that I can line it up nicely with the front for good chainline ?

It really depends on what you have there now. If its 8 speed, I presume its a cassette. The best thing here, particularly if you want to keep your chain and chainrings, is to get the conversion kit. This normally has a multitude of spacers so that you can line things up reasonably well, the pulley (pictured above) will take care of the rest.

If you go for the BMX cog, ie thread on, the chain thickness is normally thicker, so you would be recommended a new chain and chainring. You can put spacers to get a good chain line but I have never done this as I haven't used a dished wheel for it so it may not line up well or be secure so you would have to ask someone else.

The former is cheaper and easier.

If you use the former, I can't see why you couldn't use the chainrings that are there, no need to take one of either unless for the style of it, the other one won't do you any harm.

barrymanilow

for the benefit of anyone searching this thread ,

I managed to do this conversion very cheaply in the end . I just took off the front ring I wouldn't be needing . I didn't buy shorter single speed bolts and instead I put spacers on the bolts that were already on the crank so that they wouldn't bottom out when holding just one single ring . Holding up well so far .

I didn't need to buy a chain tensioner as there was scope in the dropouts to move the wheel back .

I got a cheap screw on single speed freewheel on ebay for €14 that was compatible with the chain I already had .

Only tricky bit was chainline . I had to move the spacers around on the rear wheel axle and then I had to redish the wheel . It was easier than I thought , I just followed this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQFXnVJbl7U

So got it all done for €14 happy camper , thanks again for the advice above

A Jeffers

You could have just set the limiter screws on the Deralieur so that it is fixed to one gear and get rid of the cables. Not hard to do and you only needed a screwdriver!

barrymanilow

I thought of that but by losing the 5 speed block and the chunky deraileur I dropped a lot of weight and the bike looks neater too

A Jeffers

Fair point, the bike would definitely look neater. Sounds like it's a good job, well done!