pockettissue Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Hey, I was thinking about converting my 2006 Norco Evolve into single speed.I heard that single speed has many advantages over gears, including weight, simplicity, the ability to ride backwards (I've always wanted to try this) and less maintenance. I know that riding around town will require more effort, but I'll live with it if there it is just so much better.How does one go about converting a bike to single speed? What parts will I need? I'm clueless, so I need advice.Thanks a lot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve@banbury-trials Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 (edited) i take it that you have a normal cassette on the rear hub? well if you do this is how you can go about changing to single speed.you will be needing a single speed spacer kit,a sprocket and a chain tensioner.note these are the better ,high end products but you get the idea.now the installation.1.remove the cassette completely .2.put the first half of the spacers in.3.then the sprocket and the other spacers.4.now you must setup the chain line my interchanging the spacers ,this must be as straight as possible to insure a healthy drivetrain.5.use the lockring from the castter to tighten up the spacers and sprocket.5.attach the tensioner and fiddle round till is central other the sprocket.6.now simply attach the chain and go ride.hope this helps,and im sure if i've missed a thing then someone will pick this out for me.steve Edited February 28, 2008 by banbury trials Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trials_pimp Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 You can either use a single speed Kit, Ie, tensioner, cog and spacersor you can lock out your mech and keep your cassette. I have been using this method for about 5 years and its been fine.All you need to do is remove the spring from the rear mech (the spring in the frame mount peice) and fit a spacer on the bolt to the frame. When you tighten the mech it will lock, so it wont go up and down. The use a small peice of gear or brake cable (could even use a a spoke) and lock the mech into your chosen gear, just by running it through the cable stop on the mech, then to the cable bolt on the mech.If you want to save some money you can strip your cassette down to only 1 cog, by taking it off, and removing the 3 2mm allen key bolts in the back. The cassette will fall apart, and you can simply pick out your required cog. Then you will need some spacers, you can use the cassette spacers (you will need more that 1 cassettes worth) or buy some/make some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Dark Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 The use a small peice of gear or brake cable (could even use a a spoke) and lock the mech into your chosen gear, just by running it through the cable stop on the mech, then to the cable bolt on the mech.or you could just adjust the limit screws inwards to hold the mechIf you want to save some money you can strip your cassette down to only 1 cog, by taking it off, and removing the 3 2mm allen key bolts in the back. The cassette will fall apart, and you can simply pick out your required cog. Then you will need some spacers, you can use the cassette spacers (you will need more that 1 cassettes worth) or buy some/make some.A lot of cheaper cassettes dont have allen key bolts...so have a browse throught the wiki...its best just to use a locked out mech and a peoper single speed spacer and cog kit like this: http://tiny.cc/DMR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al_Fel Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Hey, I was thinking about converting my 2006 Norco Evolve into single speed.I heard that single speed has many advantages over gears, including weight, simplicity, the ability to ride backwards (I've always wanted to try this) and less maintenance. I know that riding around town will require more effort, but I'll live with it if there it is just so much better.How does one go about converting a bike to single speed? What parts will I need? I'm clueless, so I need advice.Thanks a lot!Am I right in thinking you can ride backwards on any bike? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Am I right in thinking you can ride backwards on any bike?Yeah. Except if your gears aren't set up properly, because they will crunch really badly *** when you try and go backwards.Unless pockettissue means riding backwards without pedalling backwards? Which obviously isn't going to be possible by going single speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al_Fel Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Yeah. Except if your gears aren't set up properly, because they will crunch really badly *** when you try and go backwards.Unless pockettissue means riding backwards without pedalling backwards? Which obviously isn't going to be possible by going single speed.Am I remembering "JIB" right where the dude shifts off his sprocket and onto a smooth spacer so he can go backwards without pedaling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psycholist Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 There are BMX coasting hubs available that will allow you to roll backwards without the pedals being driven backwards. The pickup on them tends to be crappy though, making them useless for trials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Rainbird Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Am I remembering "JIB" right where the dude shifts off his sprocket and onto a smooth spacer so he can go backwards without pedaling?Yep After seeing that my bike was suitably modified! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pockettissue Posted February 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Pedaling backwards:On my bike when I pedal backwards, the pedals are just ratcheting back. But I've seen BMXs and single speed street bikes that when they start rolling backwards, they can pedal backwards and the pedaling actually propels them backwards, like pedaling forward would propel you forward. It's not just pedaling backwards; it's riding backwards.Yea sorry for being unclear there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt rushton Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Pedaling backwards:On my bike when I pedal backwards, the pedals are just ratcheting back. But I've seen BMXs and single speed street bikes that when they start rolling backwards, they can pedal backwards and the pedaling actually propels them backwards, like pedaling forward would propel you forward. It's not just pedaling backwards; it's riding backwards.Yea sorry for being unclear there.No they must be using freecoaster hubs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al_Fel Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 the only way to do that would be if you didn't have any kind of a freewheel on your bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pockettissue Posted February 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Oh.Thanks for correcting me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrAsHeR Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 the only way to do that would be if you didn't have any kind of a freewheel on your bike. Let me correct you.If you want to do this you need a freecoaster which is a hub that will engage it self to pedal backwardafter a few cranks spin backwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve@banbury-trials Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 apparently freecoaster sprockets are availiable,i read it in mbuk ages ago.steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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