Single Speed on the Cheap

Step 8 Tensioning the chain

The chain will likely be too long. If so, adjust the chain tension by moving the rear wheel further back in the dropouts until the chain is nicely taught. The easiest test is it should run smoothly; if it's too long it will buzz, if its too short it will bind.

Comments

[qdogg]

I really don't understand why you would want to do this! If you want only one speed just don't shift the gears.

[bobbyderf123]

I'm completely with you!

[tradtimbo]

This is a dangerous setup, and you should not promote it. People have gotten hurt using this setup. Please read the following: http://timmcgivern.wordpress.com/2008/09/23/single-speed-bicycles-the-wrong-way/

Thank you

[Fuzz2050]

While the article you linked to does make sense, and it would be prudent to replace the multi-speed freewheel with a single, I think the dangers are greatly exaggerated. I rode my bike for many hundreds of miles like this, with no trouble, and I know of countless others who have done the same. If the bike were to auto-shift the way you describe, it seems much more likely that the chain would snap, or the wheel would come loose in the dropouts. Under both of these situations, the bike is still fully under your control, and no major harm is done. I find it hard to imagine that the force holding your wheel in place is greater than the strength of your bike frame. It seems that so long as the rider keeps the chain properly tensioned, and they keep both brakes on the bike, the risk of this is very low, and the consequnces less than dire. I have not heard of a single accident caused in this matter, but if you have, please post some more details. I'm more than willing to be proved wrong on this.

[tradtimbo]

In the link I provided to the blog there is a link to a BikeForumsBikeForums discussion on this very thing. Two users in the conversation, including myself, have had accidents with this set up. The axle bolts were very tight on the bike I used because I wanted to keep the tension tight. The bike folded. Steel bike chain stays are not designed for that moment (force x distance) at the joint. Chains are very very strong in tension because this is the force they are designed to take.

If your chain tension is good and the larger cog adjacent to the cog you have the chain on is a few teeth larger, then your probably ok as you said. final point: It doesn't make much sense to make a bike potentially more dangerous if your not really making it lighter. The freewheel is the heaviest component removed in a conversion. I want people aware of the danger.