Singlespeed mountain bike, hmmm.

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3narf

For whom the bell dings
Location
Tetbury
OK, I'm thinking of converting my Orange into an SS. It'll be a knockabout bike but I might use it for occasional offroad rides.

Am I right in thinking people generally use about a 2:1 ratio of chainring:sprocket teeth for SS mountain biking?

Is there any way I can avoid using one of those cheap & ugly chain tensioners that bolt on where the rear mech usually fits? It has standard vertical dropouts.

Is there a halfway cheap tensioner that fits on the BB shell or seat tube?

Also, as I'll be using the middle ring, can I get a bash ring that'll fit where the big ring is now? I seem to remember it's a Deore LX chainset.

Thanks
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
Sheldon Brown and Charlie the Bikemonger have all the info you need and more besides.

If you get lucky with chain stay length and get inventive with the gearing you may well be able to run without a tensioner

Not aware of any worthwhile BB/seat post tensioners for SS MTB. Most riders seem happy with a pretend mech style tensioner.

No reason why you can't use middle and bash, though that isn't that common on SS MTB ime, just a pointless piece of metal to drag around. No big ring to rip you to pieces when you crash.
 

Old Plodder

Living at the top of a steep 2 mile climb
Simply shorten your chain so that your derailleur is almost horizontal, use the stop screws to align chain & cog; yes, usually 32x16 giving a 52" gear.
 
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3narf

3narf

For whom the bell dings
Location
Tetbury
OK, I'm going to do it. I think I'm going to make some kind of tensioner using a nylon pulley off ebay.
 
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3narf

3narf

For whom the bell dings
Location
Tetbury
Then I'll have to decide if I should keep the Pace RC35s on it or use the Project 2s...
 
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3narf

3narf

For whom the bell dings
Location
Tetbury
I ordered some spacers for the cassette and I'm going to fit the rigid forks to keep the weight down.

I don't want to use a tensioner so I'm going to get a 1/2 link chain- can you get these in 3/32" or so I need to use a 1/8" one?
 
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3narf

3narf

For whom the bell dings
Location
Tetbury
OK, this is what I did yesterday:

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I was lucky because the chain length is just about spot on. I just need to get some washers for the chainring bolts as the nuts protrude very slightly and the chainring rattles...

It feels great to ride so far!
 
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3narf

3narf

For whom the bell dings
Location
Tetbury
I just did my first offroad ride- superb! It's like a whippet uphill.

All the way up to South Head from Hayfield was bliss. Then going down the Royche reminded me why they invented gears and suspension...

Fantastic, though. I'm really glad I went for it.
 
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3narf

3narf

For whom the bell dings
Location
Tetbury
:ohmy:

This will soon be my only mountain bike! I must be mad
 
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