How to Convert a Mountain Bike to a Single Speed

Get back to basics with a single speed. Who needs gears anyway?

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Remove your derailleurs, derailleur cables, shifters, etc. Hey, your bike just lost about two pounds!

2. Convert your cranks. Remove two chainrings. Bolt the middle chainring back on with single or 'shorty' chainring bolts.

3. Convert your freehub. Remove your cassette and replace it with spacers and a single cog.

4. Consider building a wheel with a single speed hub. It'll look better.

5. Get a chain tensioner if you have vertical dropouts. Several companies make them for single speeds. Or just convert your old rear derailluer.

6. Understand that a 'pure' single speed frame has vertical dropouts. This means you won't need a chain tensioner, so the bike will have a nice, clean look. However, you will need a solid axle and locknuts to hold your wheel in place.

7. Shorten your chain to the appropriate length.

8. Adjust the chain tension. You want a bit of slack in your chain, but not too much.

9. Check your chainline. Your front chainring must line up with the cog in back or your chain will fall of from time to time.

10. Go ride.

Tips & Warnings

• Most single speeders prefer a 2 x 1 gear ratio, fat tires, and wide bars for out-of-the-saddle climbing leverage.

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on 3/14/2006 You can also add a down hiller's bash guard in place of your biggest cog so you can use the original chain ring bolts.

on 12/12/2005 Vertical, the standard for geared bikes, usually requires a chain tension device. Horizontal (track) style allows you to move the wheel forward and back along the horizontal plane, allowing for tension adjustments.