SS conversion question

Word. I was thinking similar but some others felt differently. Thanks for the tip! Ill report back later.
 
Jim&Val remind me to bring the tensioner for ya.....and you didn't do the official first timers intro:whoopdedo what a fox paws :rofl:
 
Since everyone is building SS's, I'm starting to think about it. I can't decide if I should just buy one or build one. I've been researching frames and I don't even know where to begin. I think I want a Titanium frame. What does "Convertible drop-out that allows the choice of horizontal single speed or geared bike" mean? Thanks for any help.

:hmmm:
 
cdrmtbiker said:
Since everyone is building SS's, I'm starting to think about it. I can't decide if I should just buy one or build one. I've been researching frames and I don't even know where to begin. I think I want a Titanium frame. What does "Convertible drop-out that allows the choice of horizontal single speed or geared bike" mean? Thanks for any help.

:hmmm:
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a horizontal drop out allows you to run it as a single speed without the use of a chain tensioner, because u can slide the rear wheel back and forth within the drop out to achieve the proper tension.
looks like this:
180px-Rear_dropout.jpg
 
Duh! Now it makes sense. How do you eliminate the gap between where you would normally have multiple gears after you convert to a single gear, i.e. the gap between the hub and inside frame? I have to go back and look. I think this is the question Jim and Val asked
 
I believe you can use washers or something like that. Or some people have constructed spacers out of PVC I think.
 
walter said:
I believe you can use washers or something like that. Or some people have constructed spacers out of PVC I think.
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you can get specific spacers, I know surly makes em and lots of generic companies, or you can steal the spacers from an old cassette.
 
PVC works great if you have it laying around. i picked up the gussett SS kit that came with some pretty slick looking spacers.
 
Thanks for all the responses. This site is great. Another question. I would like to get a Titanium frame (although they are crazy money). The only ones I could find were made by either Litespeed or Titus. Does anyone know of any other manufactures that make a Titanium frame. If anyone knows of an alloy frame that will save some money but is still crazy light that let me know.

Thanks
 
cdrmtbiker said:
Thanks for all the responses. This site is great. Another question. I would like to get a Titanium frame (although they are crazy money). The only ones I could find were made by either Litespeed or Titus. Does anyone know of any other manufactures that make a Titanium frame. If anyone knows of an alloy frame that will save some money but is still crazy light that let me know.

Thanks
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Check out Seven and Moots. I think Indy Fab does some Ti as well.

So are you looking to build a SS frame, or are you going geared?

Two different projects, correct?
 
cdrmtbiker said:
Thanks for all the responses. This site is great. Another question. I would like to get a Titanium frame (although they are crazy money). The only ones I could find were made by either Litespeed or Titus. Does anyone know of any other manufactures that make a Titanium frame. If anyone knows of an alloy frame that will save some money but is still crazy light that let me know.

Thanks
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dreamride:

http://www.dreambike.com/whiterim.htm

i think they do custom too

if you're thinking 29er - how about the one9 by niner - 3.4 pounds...

http://www.ninerbikes.com/one9.html

biknben rides one - i understand he digs it.
 
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One project. A Titanium SS. Would also like the option to be able to convert the same bike to geared.
 
My vote would go towards a Ti frame with an Eccentric bottom bracket. I had horizontal drops on my Santa Cruz Chameleon, and for me it was just a pain in the butt everytime I took the rear wheel off. Getting the wheel in even, getting the disc rotor straight. Ebb's and vertical drops are much easier, in my opinion.
 
Glancing Aft said:
if you want to try out a tensioner I think I might no some place that you could get one for free, http://www.mtbnj.com/forum/showthread.php?p=73563#post73563
:D
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Yes that is a great tensioner! Many guys I compete trials with love these cause they can take a beating. I had one for my trials bike, but I had to sell it because it did not work with my bike.

*Something to keep in mind* Well, it worked, but I was forced to use a half link because of two things - my gear ratio and also my chain stay length. (Very short on most trials bikes)

Half links = death when it comes to trials, so I sold it. A half link might be ok for an XC bike though. I'd give it a try. If you run into this same problem it is better to use a tensioner with a spring though.

BTW... I've heard some really good things about these -

http://www.webcyclery.com/product.php?productid=17033&cat=405&page=1
 
Finished!

I got the conversion done a couple weeks ago. I used a kit that came with a tensioner, a bunch of spacers and 16 & 18T cogs. Took it for it's maiden voyage at Allaire tues. night. Rides really good using the 18x34. I was really surprised how it got up the short steep climbs. The cool part about using the tensioner is that I can put the 16T on to commute to work without any mods, the tensioner just takes up the extra slack in the chain. Hopefully I can post up some pics(wiht Val's help-I'm still new to this posting stuff)
 
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