converting an '80s racer to single speed

[Scilly Suffolk]

I've just won a Peugeot Carmargue (the racer, not the shopper) on Ebay and intend to convert it to a bullet-proof, Winter hack.

1) I do the majority of my riding at 52 x 20/18: what do you suggest I gear the SS at.

2) Can I convert the existing wheel to SS with spacers or is a specific SS wheel the best option (if so, budget suggestions please).

3) My commute is usually around ten miles and I have an early start and a late finish, so will be riding in the dark; I was thinking that bull-horn bars might be a good idea as these will make me more visible amongst the traffic: any advice re. cutting down drops/buying new bars and what are my brake lever options.

4) Anything else I haven't considered.

Thanks in advance of your time and trouble.

 

[YahudaMoon]

Hi Jimmy. I don't understand why you would want to change it into a single speed. If you want a single speed then dont change gear.



Or do you mean a fixed gear ?

 

[Dan_h]

Hi Jimmy. I don't understand why you would want to change it into a single speed. If you want a single speed then dont change gear.

Well, from the sounds of it because not having all the gubbins associated with gears will make it more reliable. I think this is a good point in favour of converting to singlespeed. My own bike is now a singlespeed due to 100 - 150 miles per week on sketchy roads meaning that I went through the (reasonably cheap) mechs / cogs etc at some pace and just popped whatever I had on there to keep it running.

 

[Dan_h]

1) I do the majority of my riding at 52 x 20/18: what do you suggest I gear the SS at.

2) Can I convert the existing wheel to SS with spacers or is a specific SS wheel the best option (if so, budget suggestions please).

3) My commute is usually around ten miles and I have an early start and a late finish, so will be riding in the dark; I was thinking that bull-horn bars might be a good idea as these will make me more visible amongst the traffic: any advice re. cutting down drops/buying new bars and what are my brake lever options.

4) Anything else I haven't considered.

1) Mine is geared at 46x18 which gives me all the climbing I need. it does spin out quite easily though then again i can spin fast enough to give me 37 - 38 kph on the flat. 48x18 seems to be the stock "try this" gear supplied with a lot of bikes. It gives 72" so between 52x20 (70.2") and 52x18 (78").


2) You can probably convert the existing wheel. If it is a cassette hub on it then it is easy, just pop on a single cog and some spacers.. If you have a screw on freewheel then you will need to replace it with a single speed freewheel, respace it to give you the right chainline then take the wheel to your LBS to get it re-dished to put the rim back in the middle.


3) Never used bullhorn bars, so I don't really know. A friend has cut down drops and he just turned his brake levers upside down, dont know if this is a good idea though.


4) Depending on the dropouts on your bike you may need a chain tensioner!


Hope that helps,


Dan.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Thanks for getting back to me.

Yes, as Dan guessed, I want to convert it to SS for ease of maintenance/reliability throughout the Winter. For the next six weeks I have to cycle out to get a lift, so the bike will get chucked in the back of a van.

I'm pretty sure it has Simplex derailleurs which, model dependent, don't have the best reputation: I can't be throwing a derailleur in the spokes at 6:30am.

It'll also be used for going shopping and nipping around town, so I want a bike I can just jump on and ride: no SPD, no Lycra etc.

Depending on the funds available I might get a flip-flop hub, but I think a fixie will take a little getting used to and I don't have the opportunity at the moment.

Thanks for the advice on gearing and rear wheel conversion: I pick the bike up on Sunday and need it for Tuesday...

 

[derrick]

Why not remove derailier, shorten chain and try differant cogs till you find the one thats right for you, no need to remove the cassete.

 

[YahudaMoon]

Oh. Id just lock out the rear mech then. Its not going to wear out any more than a SS unless you change it to track spec chain 1/8. This will just cost money though

As the majority of your riding is 52 x 20/18 Id go for 52 x 18 though for me I prefer a change every now and again for more spin. More reason to keep them gears unless your going fixed. I think its a pointless exercise otherwise.


As for your bull horns I only ride drops and I can't see how its going to make you more visable ? If your on the tops of either bars it the same position aint it ? Unlless your strectched out on the bull bar or on the bottom f the drops. Also I dont think it will make any difference in making you more visable anyway ?


Id spend the money on quality tyres and just getting the bike working. New chain maybe ? Brake blocks or whatever it needs. Sometimes also what sounds like a easy cheap conversion can end up costing ££££.


Some things are best left though I don't know anything about the bike


That just my opinion though


Good luck with it whatever you choose


John

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Good idea Derrick, at least in the short-term, thanks.

 

[YahudaMoon]

Why not remove derailier, shorten chain and try differant cogs till you find the one thats right for you, no need to remove the cassete.

If you remove the de-railer the chain will just drop of the block or sprocket. It has to be single speed specific cog or fixed cog ?

 

[Manonabike]

1) Mine is geared at 46x18 which gives me all the climbing I need. it does spin out quite easily though then again i can spin fast enough to give me 37 - 38 kph on the flat. 48x18 seems to be the stock "try this" gear supplied with a lot of bikes. It gives 72" so between 52x20 (70.2") and 52x18 (78").


2) You can probably convert the existing wheel. If it is a cassette hub on it then it is easy, just pop on a single cog and some spacers.. If you have a screw on freewheel then you will need to replace it with a single speed freewheel, respace it to give you the right chainline then take the wheel to your LBS to get it re-dished to put the rim back in the middle.

The length of the BB will determine the chain line so I'd suggest you get a few narrow spacers rather than 2 wide ones and you will have no problem in achieving a perfect chain line. Sheldom Brown has a good article on that.

3) Never used bullhorn bars, so I don't really know. A friend has cut down drops and he just turned his brake levers upside down, dont know if this is a good idea though.

I love them on my SS. I bought the Charge Slice and Cane Creek TT200 brake leavers - excellent hand comfort

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

YM: the more I think about it, the more you're making sense.

I want a simple reliable "Winter hack", so no gears makes sense. I've also read that a lot of riders switch to a fixie for the Winter as they are good for improving bike control and cadence, but I am (to be quite honest) a little scared of riding a direct drive bike in traffic.

Converting an old racer to SS seemed, at first, to be a good compromise; however, as is often the case with compromises, it might be I'm getting the worst of both worlds rather than the best.

Certainly bull horns seem a pointless waste of a pair of drops: I was thinking a more upright position would make me more visible, obviously riding the tops will have the same effect (getting a little carried a way with "fixie fashion" perhaps).

This needs more thought...

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Thanks MOAB, I like Charge a lot and if I do go for bullhorns I'll give your suggestions a look.

 

[YahudaMoon]

Hi Jimmy. I do'nt know what you paid for the bike though Im guessing about £80 ? By the time you finish getting the bike converted it could maybe end up a £150 bike ? I don't know ?

Plenty of fixed gear old bike out there for £80 like this one that I nearly got

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190585108...AX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_2439wt_931

Maybe you could sell the bike and just get another like the one above ?

Just a thought

John

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Thanks John, I paid just under £60 .

I'm coming around to thinking that buying a "proper" fixie/SS is the way forward, or at least one that someone else has converted.

I should know this really having looked into converting a hybrid to drop bars some time ago.

I'll hang on to the Pug, in the short term at least: it already has mudguards and with some 25mm tyres and a service it should do me for the Winter.

It will also give me the opportunity to take the Ian May off the road for a respray and to fit all that lovely Gipiemme and Ofmega kit I've been slowly and cheaply picking-up.

Thanks to everyone who's chipped-in, this has been a most useful exercise: chapeau!

 

[Fab Foodie]

If you remove the de-railer the chain will just drop of the block or sprocket. It has to be single speed specific cog or fixed cog ?

NO.

Ok Jimmy, I did this 25 years ago, it's pretty simple.

Firstly, you can do as suggested upthread, remove all the gubbins and just shorten the chain to fit the cog you want to experiment with. Nothing more needed.

If you want it tidying-up then remove the freewheel and replaced with the single sprocket of choice. The caveat here is that in fitting a new rear single sprocket you may need a new chain and chainring as well.
When I did this I used the inner 42T ring and moved it to the outside of the chainset and combined it with a 15T rear because that was my preferred riding combination when I used gears. My only difference is that I went fioxed rather than single. Keep both brakes btw to be legal (and safe).

Simples.

There are many advantages to s/s and fixed, simple, quieter less cleaning and maintainance, less cost, much, much longer chain-life and you develop better technique and flexibility.
Don't go for bull-horns, just raise the drops if possible if you feel you need it.