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Converting your old geared bike into a singlespeed can breathe new life into a tired old ride. For those who have never gone single, a conversion is usually a good choice before buying a dedicated frame. And for some of us, we just like our old frame too much to replace it.
Now it’s true that you can use your old derailleur as a tensioner, and you can crack open a cassette to get your desired cog. You can even cut PVC pipe to make cassette-body spacers. But why go to all that trouble when Misfit offers a Complete Conversion Kit for just $37? And Misfit’s kit isn’t just easier, it’s better for several reasons.
The dedicated chain tensioner is simple, strong and easy to adjust. The supplied steel cog is brand new and unramped, so there’s less chance you’ll experience any chain skipping. And the different sized aluminum spacers allow you to conveniently dial your chainline. Misfit even includes a new lockring, which may be quite handy if yours has seen better days. My only nit to pick with their Complete Conversion Kit is that the standard steel cog can dig into the soft aluminum splines of your cassette body.
Enter the Cod Cog. The 7075 aluminum cog is Shimano spline compatible and features a 6.35mm wide base. The wide base spreads out the pedaling forces and therefore won’t damage your cassette body. I’ve been using Cod Cog for about two years now and it shows little to no signs of wear. Available in sizes from 16 to 22-tooth, they retail for $30. Admittedly, they’re not super cheap, but remember they are etched with laser beams. That’s right, lasers!
Seriously, though, you get what you pay for. Misfit now offers a Cod Cog Conversion Kit for $60. It basically swaps the steel cog for a fancy aluminum one and saves you $7. For more information, or to order direct, go to www.misfitpsycles.com.
Marshall @ Endless bikes has been making a simillar cog for a few years now. 7075 laser etched, with the most overthought tooth profile this side of a keirin(very quiet..). He also makes a cassette spacer kit based on the fibonacci sequence, therefor making any alignment combo possible. I’m just puttin it out there…
Could we hear about someone actually using this? The spring-loaded tensioner idea isn’t new – singlespeed conversions use them all the time – but I’m concerned about putting lots of torque (both forward and reverse) though that tensioner.
If this works well, it’d save me from having to buy an eccentric hub for my street-commuter conversion.
Jeff actually uses it, and I used a similar Surly tensioner for a fairly long time. They work just fine, though admittedly an eccentric hub is a cleaner conversion.
If by “putting lots of torque (both forward and reverse)” through the tensioner you mean by running it on a fixed gear conversion, think again. You cannot run a fixed gear with a chain tensioner like this.
Nice to see info on coverting. I’m runnin’ vertical dropouts, so sorry I can’t comment on conversion kits!
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http://www.singlespeedrevolution.com
Ride One or Ride None!
If the Misfit one is too much for some, Fort also sells a kit for around $20. I don’t think the included cogs are laser cut though.
+1 on what Brad said…you’re asking for trouble if you try to couple a fixed-gear drivetrain with a chain tensioner setup like this.
The tensioner is very similar to the cheaper Forte’ kit…but Misfits kit has better (and more) spacers, and is totally worth the extra money. The tensioner is durable and easy to adjust, and if you really crank up the tension, the chain WILL NOT skip. Good stuff all the way around.
I use Performance Bike’s SS conversion kit which uses an IDENTICAL tensioner. It came with more than enough spacers, 20, 18, and 16 tooth steel cogs and a lockring. The thing is always going on sale. Nashbar also offers the SAME kit with their own logo etched on the tensioner arm.
GenghisKhan? This kit is MADE for folks with vertical dropouts. The tensioner takes up the slack you can’t easily eliminate with vertical dropouts.
Anyway– the performance kit works great, however I got some chain skipping and total dropping in rough off-road conditions. The Performance tensioner (which, again, is IDENTICAL to the Misfit one in the photo above) does NOT offer adjustable tension.
“The Performance tensioner (which, again, is IDENTICAL to the Misfit one in the photo above) does NOT offer adjustable tension.”
Sure it does — you just shorten the chain until the tensioner is nearly parallel to the chainstay. Alternatively, you can ziptie the tensioner to the chainstay to dial in tension. No skipping whatsoever in my experience with both Performance and Misfit Psycles kits.
I am seeking a full fixie conversion kit for a old Trek 470, 21 speed. Do you know if one is available.
The only reliable way to convert a non-horizontal drop bicycle to fixed is with an eccentric hub like the White Industries ENO hub, or the fairly rare and relatively new eccentric bottom bracket converters for external bearing cranksets.
You absolutely, positively cannot use a derailleur hanger mounted tensioner for a fixed conversion. Single speed yes, fixed no. They cannot accept the tension on the bottom section of chain that a fixed drivetrain creates under back pressure.