Single speed build/conversion

[East_coaster]

Hi guys I'm new to this forum, just thought I'd share my single speed build, well it's more of a conversion. I bought a 90s road bike from eBay for £50 the advert said it was a diamond back but when I picked the bike up I noticed it had had a paint job with diamondback decals stuck onto the frame so I'm not sure if it is a diamondback, however I didn't mind as the bike was in excellent condition so it was well worth the £50 and I plan to leave the frame plain with no decals on.

Here's what I've done so far.

How it looked when I bought it.

Stripped down and handlebars cut to make bullhorns

Single speed freewheel conversion alignment looks ok

Bullhorns

 

[biggs682]

how do you know its had a paint job then ?

 

[East_coaster]

how do you know its had a paint job then ?

There was speckles of the red paint all over the derailleurs and cranks and its thicker in some places then others.

 

[Andrew1971]

Are you goung to use the brake lever's that came with the bike. I know it mean's drilling and filing because that's what i have done.
It look's good tho. You are doing a good job
Andrew

 

[East_coaster]

Are you goung to use the brake lever's that came with the bike. I know it mean's drilling and filing because that's what i have done.
It look's good tho. You are doing a good job
Andrew

Cheers mate .

R.E brakes I've bought some chrome flat bar levers to put on, I thought the original ones would be a bit to bulky.

 

[East_coaster]

So progress has been slow but managed to get cracking on with it in the last few weeks so here's some updated pics, it's not finished but it's not far off. Paintwork looks good on the pics but up close its not the best but it looks better then it originally looked.

 

[East_coaster]

So finally got round to finishing the bike of this morning, been out for a quick 10mile spin this afternoon only problem is that when I pull away from a standing start and push down on the pedals the chain slips on the back chain ring, anyone got any ideas of what could be happening?

 

[Milkfloat]

Did you torque up the sprocket when you fitted it? It could just be bedding in and tightening itself.

 

[Andrew1971]

Chain might not be tight enough. The jockey wheel you have on your tensioner put a bigger one on it.
Andrew

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

So finally got round to finishing the bike of this morning, been out for a quick 10mile spin this afternoon only problem is that when I pull away from a standing start and push down on the pedals the chain slips on the back chain ring, anyone got any ideas of what could be happening?

View attachment 131178

The chain tensioner isn't leaving enough chain in contact with enough teeth. Put the tensioner so it pushes up on the outside of the chain and engages more teeth.

 

[East_coaster]

The chain tensioner isn't leaving enough chain in contact with enough teeth. Put the tensioner so it pushes up on the outside of the chain and engages more teeth.

Had a little play around with the tensioner this morning and managed to get it to push up instead of down and that seems to have worked a treat, thanks for the advice.

 

[East_coaster]

Not been on here for a while, I sold the previous single speed in this thread as it wasn't getting used but I have a new project now. I bought this carrera tdf of eBay for £23 its in a bit of a mess but frame and wheels are good which is all I need for a single speed build most of the other parts are surplus to requirements.

I plan to make it into a track bike with tri bars to use on my local track in the summer months. I've already got it all stripped down ready for painting so watch this space for updates.

 

[East_coaster]

Little bit of progress over the last few weeks, bike stripped and frame has been painted it's not the best of paint jobs when you get up close as I just used that cheap auto paint spray cans from B&M bargains. I've started to build the bike up, fitted a pair of carbon forks and used up some of my Boardman parts I had lying around, next job is to refurbish the wheels as they are in a bit of a poor state.