Single Speed plus Granny - will it work?

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ChrisEyles

ChrisEyles

Guru
Location
Devon
I had a look, and seems like most dingle sprockets are for fixed gear track hubs.

Extra wide SS sprockets also seem to only be available up to 21t or 22t, which makes perfect sense for a SS running off a ~32t chain ring, but isn't ideal for what I'm planning.

I guess I could do something similar using a 32/18 gear on the middle ring and a 24/26 gear on the granny ring, and ditch the 42 chain ring... but still wouldn't be able to get a 26t SS sprocket for the granny gear where it matters most, and I'm thinking the higher tooth count I was originally planning on is probably going to wear better and be less likely to skip under pressure too (plus let's face it, being in the "big ring" on a MTB always looks cool ;) )

A shame as a 23t,34t dingle sprocket would be the perfect solution.... I would just probably be the only customer for it.

I wonder if it would be possible to use the pins that hold the cassette sprockets together to link the 23t and 34t sprockets... probably the length and position of the threads will be wrong but might be worth a go.

I think if the cassette body turns out to be steel on my hub I'm just going to give it a go with the 23t and 34t cassette sprockets.
 
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ChrisEyles

ChrisEyles

Guru
Location
Devon
One last question - the 11t smallest sprocket on all the cassettes I've installed is always knurled, I assume to give the lock ring something to grip on to. Would I need to put the 11t sprocket next to the lock ring (even though it would never get used... not that it does much anyway!) or is it OK to put one of the plastic spacers at the end next to the lock ring?
 
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ChrisEyles

ChrisEyles

Guru
Location
Devon
Keep the triple on the front, put a single speed sprocket on the back, keep the rear changer and use it for chain tension.

I'd thought about doing that. A 23t sprocket would give me 42/23 as a regular gear, 24/23 as a granny and 32/23 as an in-between gear (though from paying attention to the gears I mostly ride in I doubt I'd use that one much). My concern was that the chain line will only be just right in one of the gears - either the gear I'd be using 90% of the time, or the gear I'm applying the most force through for hill climbs. And from the granny chain ring to the big ring is quite a distance. Combined with bumpy trails and ramped/pinned shifty chain rings and sprockets it didn't seem like a good idea.
 

Milkfloat

An Peanut
Location
Midlands
I'd just convert it to fixed.
I’d just keep it it’s gears. I am not brave enough to used fixed properly off-road.
 
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ChrisEyles

ChrisEyles

Guru
Location
Devon
@dave r yep, I ran both brakes on my fixed and wouldn't have been without them. Fixed MTB on a steep downhill trail is still crazy though, with or without brakes (even more so than this dingle speed nonsense!).

@Milkfloat I ran a 1x8 set-up on one of my previous MTBs, 32t up front and 8 speed 11-34t on the back (the same rear wheel and cassette that's currently on the Marin actually). It worked great as a geared set-up, but wouldn't scratch that single speed itch.
 
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