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Right, Ive decided Ill be singlespeeding my old peugeot elan, the bike that gets me to lectures etc.  Its oldish, and as such Ive no idea how compatible stuff will be with it.

Im guessing getting the wheel redished will be relatively simple, but I dont know stuff like whether its likely to be a freewheel or a freehub and whether I can reuse the sprockets.  If they come apart, that is.

Up the front, it seems the simplex chainrings are riveted together, so getting just the inside one would be tricky.  Does this mean replacing the crankset, and if so what should I look for in terms of compatibility etc?  And is this likely to push the cost up a silly amount?

[edit] Pics of the bike in question:

(http://www.fc9k.co.uk/images/bike/singlespeed1.jpg)

(http://www.fc9k.co.uk/images/bike/singlespeed2.jpg)

(http://www.fc9k.co.uk/images/bike/singlespeed3.jpg)

(http://www.fc9k.co.uk/images/bike/singlespeed4.jpg)

BTW, what tool do i use to get the cranks off?  Thought that shiny cap would pry off, but no such luck it seems...

lol singlespeeding... the new black :D lol

Makes me damn jealous of you lot :D lol If only I had the one hobby and a tump of money to throw at it. I could do without a 3rd one.

1: photography
2: computers
3: WILL NOT BE CYCLING! lol.. cannot afford the damn thing! :D lol.

singlespeed advice:

Dont do it!! nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

gears are all tooooo convenient :P

Admittedly they are noisier than single..  Im gonna try that wax crazyness that Max had next time its lube time.... My mother works real close to a bike shop, asked her to get me some if she could.. dint have any so I have 2 pots of teflon to get through first :lol: admittedly its quite nice, fairly quiet and cleaner than oil crap that I had last but doesnt seem to be as cool as the White Lightning that Max had - self cleaning sounds awsome :D

Teflon seems fairly good though, its clean enough so far.

Quote from: M3ta7h3adlol singlespeeding... the new black :D lol

Makes me damn jealous of you lot :D lol If only I had the one hobby and a tump of money to throw at it. I could do without a 3rd one.

1: photography
2: computers
3: WILL NOT BE CYCLING! lol.. cannot afford the damn thing! :D lol.

As max will testify, Ive been thinking about doing this for a long time, finally the end of work is in sight and Ill have a couple of weeks of free time to actually get it sorted :D  Ok so the bike I was originally going to singlespeed is now in pieces, but I have something similar :D

Quote from: snellgrovesinglespeed advice:

Dont do it!! nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

gears are all tooooo convenient :P

This bike is used for 10 minute sprints to lectures and hall, and occasionally to get to the shops or my girlfriends house.  The deraillieur is bent (hits the spokes in top) and the front cogs are patchy at best.  The only time this bike comes off the fast cog is when I want to burn taxis at the lights  :twisted:

Highest cost scenario, and mind this is what it would cost over here:

Shimano single speed freewheel: $15
Wheel Dishing labour: $15
New Sugino SS cranks: $70
= $100

Mind you can go throw a fixed cog on the back with some threadlock compound, but track cogs cost more than freewheels believe it or not.

 The old cranks can be reused, are ya sure they cant be taken apart? Are they cottered or are they mounted on a regular square taper BB? If you have a grinder, you can grind the teeth off the outside cog and use it as an punk rock bash ring. :D

Cheap method:

Use old crank: $0
Use old freewheel, let the other gears come along for the ride: $0

If its a college town, you can always ask if the shop has some detritus in their parts bin you can either have, swap, or give them a few coppers for.

EDIT: didnt see the pics up before. A shot of the business side of the cranks would be nice. Most rings come off with a 4mm hex key. Crank arm dust covers come off with a twist of a coin, but youll need a crank arm puller to remove the cranks, do you really need them off??

Simplest thing is to just run down and get the rear wheel redished with a 16 or 17T bmx freewheel. Let them know that youre using the inside chainring so theyll set up your chainline properly, which means the axel spacing.

Quote from: snellgrovesinglespeed advice:

Dont do it!! nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

gears are all tooooo convenient :P

Not really. For alpine stuff, theyre certainly a must, but Ive been training almost 200miles/week these days on my single speed. They make you stronger. A hill that used to kill me with a 42X25, I now scurry over easily with only a 16t rear. Passed a guy in full Discovery team regalia on the tony Belle Meade Boulevard on the flats at 25mph--I was on mile 15, and he was clacking through his gears trying to find some magical ratio. Har har.

QuoteAdmittedly they are noisier than single..  Im gonna try that wax crazyness that Max had next time its lube time.... My mother works real close to a bike shop, asked her to get me some if she could.. dint have any so I have 2 pots of teflon to get through first :lol: admittedly its quite nice, fairly quiet and cleaner than oil crap that I had last but doesnt seem to be as cool as the White Lightning that Max had - self cleaning sounds awsome :D

Teflon seems fairly good though, its clean enough so far.

White Lightning isnt all its cracked up to be, tbh. Ill go back to wet lube as soon as this bottles done. Now, its damn clean, and sucks the dirt out of your chain--which is awesome, but its an inferior lube to oil and doesnt last long. Im going back to 1:1 80w gear oil/mineral spirits, as you can use it to clean and lube. Its more like WD40 if WD40 didnt suck balls.

OK, cranks.  Top ones the current set, the other two are from my other peugeots and can be used if necessary.  Bottom one looks by far the tastiest, but sadly its missing the left crank arm :D

(http://www.fc9k.co.uk/images/bike/cranks1.jpg)
(http://www.fc9k.co.uk/images/bike/cranks2.jpg)
(http://www.fc9k.co.uk/images/bike/cranks3.jpg)

Personal preference, Just take the gear fixings off and reduce the chain length accordingly, then you can fit them again if you change your mind or decide to sell it.

Worth it? (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Alloy-Single-42T-Chainset-Crank-Chainguard-Suit-Nexus_W0QQitemZ7241703516QQcategoryZ109118QQcmdZViewItem)

Reckon that would fit? Could hopefully pick it up and avoid postage :)

Also this ok (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/16-TOOTH-FREEWHEEL-SINGLE-SPEED-OR-BMX-SCREW-ON_W0QQitemZ7245644147QQcategoryZ42328QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)?

Quote from: funkychicken9000Worth it?

Reckon that would fit? Could hopefully pick it up and avoid postage :)

Bloody perfect! Great price! Alternately, use the last cranks with left arm of another set, as long as theyre both the same length. Put small ring on outside, secure with $5 short bmx bolts.

QuoteAlso this ok?

Generic Chinese freewheel? Just fine, you dont need uber freestyle quality.

Thats assuming its a screw on freewheel, but thats what it looks like to me. Shimano did make 6spd Uniglide cassettes, but then you would have jap derailleurs as well. ;)

Quote from: SeriousPersonal preference, Just take the gear fixings off and reduce the chain length accordingly, then you can fit them again if you change your mind or decide to sell it.

Looks crap though. :lol:

I did do that for a destitute man I found grabbing the aluminum out of my recycling bin. Hes seen me out riding and wanted to know where he could get a cheap bike to ride to his new job on. As I had a medium sized circa 72 Raleigh Le Cheap racer in the garage, I had him come back in an hour, after I stripped it of gearing, a chainring, and shortened the chain. Left the freewheel on and sold it on credit for a token $20. He paid me 2 years later. Now thats honesty. :lol:

Freewheel ordered, waiting to hear back from the guy about whether I can pick up the cranks.  Then I just need to redish the back wheel :)

What chain do I need?  Also, I have no bike-specific tools bar a few spanners.  Anything Im likely to need?

You can also use the middle cranks, remove the inner ring and run a larger cog in back to get a usable ratio, a 20t would be perfect, though a little hard to find. ;) ACS makes a 20 toother, afaik.

The new cranks are purtier tho. :lol:

I like my vintage ones, but the bolt pattern is obsolete. If anbody has some gently used SR/Ofmega rings, lemme know. :lol:

(http://static.flickr.com/52/128068408_51e379311d.jpg)

Quote from: funkychicken9000Freewheel ordered, waiting to hear back from the guy about whether I can pick up the cranks.  Then I just need to redish the back wheel :)

Redish after you move the axle to get the freewheel to line up with the chainring.

Quote from: funkychicken9000What chain do I need?  Also, I have no bike-specific tools bar a few spanners.  Anything Im likely to need?

Chain=the cheapest piece of crap you can find, or shorten your existing chain. I like KMC gold colored bmx chains as theyre the Mr. T of the bike world.

Tools needed:

thin wall socket to loosen crank bolts, probably a 14 or 15mm. Most arent thin enough, I made my own with a regular socket and a grinder. PITA, tbh.

crank puller:



or have a shop pull the cranks for you.

Freewheel remover:


these can be brand specific. take off wheel, remove skewer, put remover in place, secure with skewer, remove fw with bigass wrench.
spoke wrench:

cone wrenches to move that hub axle. I like the cheap park ones like in the pic:



spoke wrench to dish and true. Good luck if youre a noob. :lol:

Might be worth having a buddy with proper tools help, as the price adds up. ;)

Better yet, get a toolkit and save money in the long run. ;)

also:  http://www.sheldonbrown.com/singlespeed.html

Wooyay.

Reckon Ill get the bike shop up the road to redish the wheel and switch the cranks.  Theyre supposed to be pretty friendly :)

I may buy a freewheel remover though, as if I find 42x16 too much of a challenge Ill be able to switch easier!

Quote from: funkychicken9000I may buy a freewheel remover though, as if I find 42x16 too much of a challenge Ill be able to switch easier!

Pretty much anybody and their grandma can ride that gear ratio with no problem. I find it comfy from 8mph grinds and spin it out at 25mph+. 18t rear feels awful, but I still do it in the winter sometimes. 15-17 is the magic zone with a 42T front.

One gold plated BMX chain ordered, Ã,£7 inc P+P :D

Quote from: maximusottercrank puller:

Will that work on a Bush?  :twisted:

(GW for instance)

Quote from: funkychicken9000One gold plated BMX chain ordered, Ã,£7 inc P+P :D

lol youll be wanting bling for your wheels and frame next. :D

http://www.instructables.com/ex/i/5DEE2302C85C10288256001143E7E506/

http://www.instructables.com/ex/i/EFC90EF418D410299AD7001143E7E506/?ALLSTEPS



lol :D

if i was sad that would be cool.

Quote from: funkychicken9000One gold plated BMX chain ordered, Ã,£7 inc P+P :D

LMFAO! Now you have to find lycra shorts with a "sag". :lol:

Ill try to find some chrome spinning valve caps you as well.

Quote from: funkychicken9000One gold plated BMX chain ordered, Ã,£7 inc P+P :D

I think you need one of these too ;)

Some interesting developments!

Went to find the shop selling that single crank on ebay.  Turns out its about 200m up the road and down a little back street :D  I spoke to the guy there and told him what I was doing.  He had a look at the bike and ummed and arred a bit, and said that redishing the wheel probably wouldnt be ideal.  He said the only place that would redish it in cambridge would be Haywards (my friendly LBS), and they might not be able to get it right.  He did suggest an alternative though, and after scouting around the back of the shop for a bit, came out with a Rigida double skinned ally rim and an old large-flange BMX hub, with threading for a single freewheel.  Anyway, the long+short of it is that hell get it sent up to his wheelbuilder in Leicester to get it laced up, and the whole lot should cost about Ã,£23.  Hell fit the new crankset for Ã,£3 too.

So all in all, a bit more expensive than I originally reckoned on, but Ill have a nice shiny new back wheel and no worries about the chainline being a bit bodged :)

Hes lying to you. Ive redished a dozen wheels into singles for myself and friends, its so simple as to be yawn inducing.  There are no hitches or things to go wrong, its just something that works every single time like gravity. Tell the asshole to blow you.

"Dishing the wheel isnt ideal" Goddamn horsehockey of gargantuan proportions. Big steaming piles of ass curds must have come out of  his mouth when he said that. When you convert a freewheel hub to single speed, you move the hub to the center of the axel and effectively remove the previous dish needed for the freewheel--you return the wheel to a more natural and strong state of lack of dish. My god is he blowing smoke up your ass.

Seriously, this guy is taking you for a ride. Is he going to re-axle the bmx hub and add spacers? Bmx rear spacing is 110mm, yours is 126mm.

I hope you havent given him any cash, as youre being bullsh*tted big time.

You dont want to confront him? PM me his number and Ill call long distance and tell him hes full of it.

Reckoned youd say that :D

Redishing the wheel isnt the problem, he suggested it was more that the hub I have might be tricky to get central without fouling anything.  He said it might well be possible, but that the only place in Cambridge that would do it would likely charge me Ã,£15+, so an extra Ã,£8 for a completely new wheel would be more economical.  Plus it means I still have all the old gubbins that could be fitted back on if I wanted to flog the peugeot later and slap the new wheel on a slightly nicer frame.

As for the BMX hub, he reckoned on a 5mm spacer each side.  The axel is long enough to cope with that.  And to his credit, he wasnt just trying to shove old parts off on to me.  Sourcing my own hub wouldnt be a problem, its just that he said the BMX hubs worked quite well on other SS bikes hes built up in the past.

Get a goddang cone wrench and spokie and do it yourself. Takes an hour and a six pack if you go slow and methodical.

Hmm.  I might give him a ring tomorrow morning and ask him to hold off on sending the wheel in, pop down to the other bike shop and get a second opinion.

Just remembered one thing he mentioned:  Something about there possibly not being enough thread on one side of the spokes to allow the rim to sit central on the hub?  Hence possibly needing a new half-set of spokes, =money++.  Sound plausible?

Quote from: funkychicken9000Hmm.  I might give him a ring tomorrow morning and ask him to hold off on sending the wheel in, pop down to the other bike shop and get a second opinion.

Just remembered one thing he mentioned:  Something about there possibly not being enough thread on one side of the spokes to allow the rim to sit central on the hub?  Hence possibly needing a new half-set of spokes, =money++.  Sound plausible?

Very much so!

Btw, this pissed me off so muchly, that I created a Usenet topic on your plight, so get a third opine:

http://tinyurl.com/of7dj

arf :D

Well, thanks very much for your advice.  I think I probably was a tad hasty in agreeing to the wheel build, but I havent actually given him any dosh for it yet so I plan to ring up tomorrow and ask him to hold off on it.  Ill probably get me a spoke key and some beer when my exams finish next week and have a go myself, but moving the hub axel is still a mystery to me!  How would one go about it?

Still, trip to the shop wasnt entirely wasted as I do now have that Ã,£15 crankset :) Cheers again for all the help!

To move the hub on the axle, you need to loosen the locknuts and move the axle in relationship to all of the hardware on it.

see attached file.

OK, cancelled the wheel order.  LBS reckons on Ã,£10 - Ã,£15 for the redish depending on how smoothly it all goes, bikes in reasonable nick so hopefully no seized spokes or anything :)