Help converting to single speed

[Mr T UK]

I have an old Raleigh bike that I want to change to single speed and have got so far, but have a question about the hub now I have removed the sprockets. Its a Shimano SIS MF-H820.

It is stepped and I'm not sure what to do about a getting new sprocket and spacers as reading up it always seems to be a single width hub.

Any suggestions?

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

You have succeeded in removing the sprockets from a freewheel, but what you really want to do is to remove the whole freewheel which will leave you with a threaded hub. As you can see there are splines around the axle, see this and use a Shimano compatible 12 spline freewheel remover if the freewheel is made by Shimano.

Once the freewheel is off you then need to get yourself a single speed freewheel, per this depending on your implementation you might need to re-space the axle and redish the wheel to improve the chainline.

 

[Thegiantpeanut]

^This is true. You could try using a sprocket on the smaller stepped part, then spacers on top of that, that could work.

 

[philtalksbx]

An inexpensive way is to use a BMX freewheel with a suitable number of teeth to give a usable gear ratio. How you work that out is a whole new ball game. I picked one up at Halfords. As RecordAce says, the old multi speed freewheel comes off with a splined tool and the new one spun straight on and worked a treat. Also much smoother than the old one I took off.

 

[iandg]

You're probably thinking of these which are designed for cassettes not freewheels. thegiantpeanut's suggestion is probably the cheapest option (if you can find spacer that are the right size) or put the sprockets back on and run the chain around the one that give best chainline. If you remove the freewheel mechanism and replace with a single speed freewheel then (as recordacefromnew) says) you'll need to play with the axle and dish the wheel - may be cheaper and easier to get a new wheel (unless you have experience of wheel building)

 

[Diggs]

If you remove the freewheel mechanism and replace with a single speed freewheel then (as recordacefromnew) says) you'll need to play with the axle and dish the wheel - may be cheaper and easier to get a new wheel (unless you have experience of wheel building)

Yep. Each circumstance is different and it depends on your requirement for function over aesthetic. I ended up picking up a SS specific wheel(set) on ebay when I first converted my bike a few years back (although the potholed Essex roads kind of made that decision for me)

 

[Peter Armstrong]

Easy lol, check out my conversion http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/my-single-speed-project-need-help-along-the-way.145769/

You will need a tool like this to take it off.

You will be then left with the wheel that you can just screw a Single Speed Freewheel onto

I bought on of these of ebay, It just screwed on

You will be left with a gap on the axel, you will need some spacers or nuts to fill the gap and line up the axel to fit on the frame.

Hope this helps.

 

[Mr T UK]

Thank you all for your suggestions and ideas.