is there any way to set up a regular mtb with vertical dropouts(as opposed to horz dropouts) as a single speed without using a chain tensioner?
setting up a single speed w vert dropouts
- Thread starter no kar
- Start date
Short answer: NO
Not in a reliable way. If you experiment with an old chain and just the right front/ rear gear combo, maybe, but it wil fail eventually.
This gave me a busted collar bone BTW.
Get the singulator.
i was assuming it was possible, but definately a crap shoot to get the right gear combo fr and rear to make a chain fit tight...
how did this method fail you?
how did this method fail you?
depending on chainstay length, you might be able to work something out. i think this site: http://www.peak.org/~fixin/ had some gear combos that you can use without a tensioner for a given CS length.
just use an old deraileur and use the set screws to put it in the gear you want on your cassette
M
M.W.
Guest
It is possible...
BenWA has his Kona Chute setup as a 1speed and his setup works really well. I dunno what all stuff he's running though.
BenWA has his Kona Chute setup as a 1speed and his setup works really well. I dunno what all stuff he's running though.
No, it was an old Caloi frame I set up w/ bmx stuff. I had the classic cassette spacer and 1 cog setup, and a 32 x 14 combo was just right for cruising. The chain got loose and slipped off the rear and onto the spacers, right in the middle of me sprinting off of a light. I basically kicked the bike out from underneath me and went down HARD on my left side. Broken collar bone, cracked ribs, deeply bruised knee, deeply bruised elbow, busted helmet.
If I had correct tension, this would not have happened.
The lame thing was I was happilly sprinting away from my first day at a new job at my favorite LBS!! I had to go and ask him to call my friend to drive me to the hospital.
Almost none, at first anyway. Over time it worked loose I guess, and I just didn't check it enough. With horiz dropouts on a true SS you notice these things.
Be careful folks!
No it had verts....
I guess the above was a little confusing. I was just saying that you get used to checking your chain tension if you have horiz drops.
yes it is possible, but it takes patience. i have my town bike set up that way. i have an ancient crack and fail set up with a normal cassette hub with lots of spacers on it, once i got the chainline fixed i started playing with gear combos, now this is what takes patience but it IS possible, i think it is best to run small chainrings and cogs for best outcome, profile cranks would help with chainline too
it takes time, spare cogs and chainrings, and an old chain. get a ballpark on the front chainring you want and hook it up, then try 14, 15, 16, 17, 18t cog on the back until you find one with proper tension.
my SS (fully rigid trek 930, 19" frame, not a dirtjumper, but definitely relevant to this thread) has a 42t up front (lovely steel Alivio chainring... heavy and burly), KMC 3/32" 6spd chain (cheap and burly), and an ACS 18t freewheel.. just came off of the freehub with spacers approach (42t front, 14t rear! yowie) needless to say, this is a lot nicer.
if you have a freewheel, it's best to have a shop hookup where you can try a bunch and not have to buy them.
my SS (fully rigid trek 930, 19" frame, not a dirtjumper, but definitely relevant to this thread) has a 42t up front (lovely steel Alivio chainring... heavy and burly), KMC 3/32" 6spd chain (cheap and burly), and an ACS 18t freewheel.. just came off of the freehub with spacers approach (42t front, 14t rear! yowie) needless to say, this is a lot nicer.
if you have a freewheel, it's best to have a shop hookup where you can try a bunch and not have to buy them.
M
M.W.
Guest
To get the chain length right, you can use a halflink too.
Trying to run it with "just the right chainlength" is bogus.
Don't bother.
Run one extra link, and a chainguide.
Set the lower roller to hold the extra chain.
Viola.
Don't bother.
Run one extra link, and a chainguide.
Set the lower roller to hold the extra chain.
Viola.
what's a halflink?
btw - i don't think it's bogus. it works, it just takes time and resources. the results (clean look, no need for guide systems, etc) are worth it imo.
btw - i don't think it's bogus. it works, it just takes time and resources. the results (clean look, no need for guide systems, etc) are worth it imo.
halflinks are...well...half links. as far as i can tell they only come in 1/8" and 3/16"...i don't know of any others that do, but i know KMC makes chains that size.
www.danscomp.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cgi?cliet=76123271&action=DETAIL&item=463011
www.danscomp.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cgi?cliet=76123271&action=DETAIL&item=463011
My '95 Parkpre with vertical dropouts is set up singlespeed. I ran a singlelator tensioner for about 2 years, then somehwere on the internet, saw an article about filing down the sides of your axle to make them flat. This allows for a 'tiny' amount of adjustment without compromising the frame.
I filed mine, and have been running it like that for about a year now. Never had the chain fall off once. You still have to play with gears to get it pretty close. I run a 36-17 on mine.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.
I filed mine, and have been running it like that for about a year now. Never had the chain fall off once. You still have to play with gears to get it pretty close. I run a 36-17 on mine.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.
Wow.
Those are super cool.
Yeah half links are wicked but you don't have to spend money to get some. I made my own half links when singlespeeding my xc bike. Just disassemble a link, keep the rollers, and throw out the inner plates. Use a vice and some pliers and a hammer and bend the outer plates to the shape you need. Open the pin whole slighty on the end of the outer plates that will serve as the inner plate portion on the half link so that you don't get a stiff link (since outer plates require a press-fit with the pin). Reassemble with a new pin and the original rollers(it will fit loosely since there aren't the same flanges as there are on the inner plate) and voila! You have just made a half link!
M
M.W.
Guest
Also check out Alliance Bike Co (www.alliancebike.com I think...). They do a halflink that doesn't use a cotter pin.
I gotta remember to get one.
I gotta remember to get one.
check out www.surly.com they do single-speed stuff and have this thing called a singleator and also www.paulscomp.com does ss stuff.