how to convert mtb into fixed or single speed

little wiser
little wiser Posts: 662
edited January 2009 in Road general
hi hoping some one may be able to answer my question ,any way my commute bike /mtb freehub gave up the ghost and could not find another so long story short it now at back off garage gathering dust is it worth trying to convert into single speed if so what cost etc and how much work? im handy with tools so will be doing it my self but have never even thought about fixed till now. any advice gratefully recieved. oh yeah i dont wanna get rid because me and my brother built bike many years ago and sprayed frame etc.

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12534960

    basically fit a SS converter.

    maybe a tensioner or a half link it depends on the cogs and the bike.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • meagain
    meagain Posts: 2,331
    First, fixed OR single free? Different ball games as they say!
    d.j.
    "Cancel my subscription to the resurrection."
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    meagain
    Opps missed the Fixed bit :wink: still planning on welding up a dead freebody for fun.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • little wiser
    little wiser Posts: 662
    sorry thats what i may do weld or braze the body together have you done this?
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Not yet. BUT a big issue with a fixed is that you can not use any tensioners the chain has to be the correct length or the bike have Horizontal drop outs.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • little wiser
    little wiser Posts: 662
    yes i understand this but may give it a go not got much to lose. and if worst comes to worst i can strip bike of bits and throw rest lol
  • GarethPJ
    GarethPJ Posts: 295
    Firstly don't try brazing the freehub up. Brazing (or if you like bronze welding) requires a good close fit in order for the filler to flow correctly into the joint to provide a goog solid weld. If the gap is too big you get something not disimilar to soldering which will almost certainly fail. Good old MMA or MIG welding would do the job and be a lot simpler.

    Secondly it is possible to use a tensioner with fixed, but not sprung one, it has to lock in place solidly. I have seen it done with a butchered chain device from a downhill bike. I always fancied trying it with a DMR Simple STS, but then none of my bikes have vertical dropouts.
  • meagain
    meagain Posts: 2,331
    An aside: "Secondly it is possible to use a tensioner with fixed, but not sprung one, it has to lock in place solidly"
    I have long contended that this true, but have always been derided (in the nicest possible way!) by the Fixed FAQ wisdom that once resided on this Forum but now mainly frequent Another Place!

    little wiser: I did get your PM re "?" - but I'm not sure of a response! If you are not determined on fixed, then single free is obviously both cheaper and easier. Less of an engineering challenge however!

    The choice is yours!
    d.j.
    "Cancel my subscription to the resurrection."
  • little wiser
    little wiser Posts: 662
    thanks to all will prob what till after xmas and attack it then while on holiday can hide away in garage for a bit away from kids and wife :o sorry meagain for the slightly weird pm was tired and didnt word it very well. :oops:
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    You can buy a fixer for cassette hubs which does the same job as welding up the freehub buy they ain't cheap, £110 :shock:
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • little wiser
    little wiser Posts: 662
    jesus think £110 a little outta my price range basically me and my bro built the bike at a place i used to work at and its old now but i love it reminds me off my old jobso dont wanna get rid cus its unique, but also dont wanna/have not got any money to spend on it :(
  • mz__jo
    mz__jo Posts: 398
    If the freehub is shot and you want to use the same wheel for a single free, you will have to replace the freehub (which is not usually too expensive) or the hub, or the wheel; at which point most people change the freehub, put back the cassette and carry on on gears. It's when you smash the derailleur or the levers that there is an incentive to go single. If the wheel takes an old-fashioned freewheel then life is easier. Junk the freewheel and put on a single free. Also you have to watch out for the chain, 9sp chains and single freewheels (or single cog sets) frequently don't mix. If your old mtb is on 7sp or 8sp things go a lot better.
    If you want to convert a shot freehub to fixed it may be easier to open it and jam the pawls solid with some sort of steel insert, rather than welding it (there's not a lot of material for good welding and sometimes you find exotic alloys which don't weld well) I have never done this but having taken freewheels apart I can see how it might be done.
    Cheers Jo
    http://rctl.ffct.org/

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