[Turt99]

Here are some images of my new SS, I just got the conversion kit and couldn't wait to get it installed, the rear cog is 18 and the front ring is 32.

I just have to get the brakes done, and regrease some of the bearings and the bike will be good to go.

Do I have it installed correctly?

 

[mtbdirteater]

Looks good, but get any one of the cheap non-ramped 32T chainrings available intended for single speed use, and remove the other rings. Even with that tensioner, if you do slam through some rough stuff and drop your chain with those ramped and pinned chainrings and there is enough slack, you have a chance of wrapping it up with another ring and doing some type of dammage. I don't know what your chainline is like or how much slack you actually have just from the pictures, but if you snag the big ring with your chain while cranking... your chain isn't long enough anymore to complete that "shift". You probably already knew this though.

Cheers,

Dave

 

[mtbdirteater]

Oh, hey, and I like bash guards, a smooth round type, for a SS conversion with a tensioner, because they can act like outer chain guide plates (and pants leg guards if you ride it to the store) and it's almost impossible to wrap your chain over a smooth bash and around your crank arm (but I've done it). If you drop your chain off on the inside, on your BB (or on your granny gear before you remove it), most likely no harm done except for paint, but doesn't look like a concern on that frame.

If the spring in your tensioner loses tension, breaks or freezes gunked with mud or ice, you will have some sudden unexpected chain slack. Having singlespeed non-ramped teeth and a straight chainline really helps then.

Cheers,

Dave

 

[Turt99]

Thanks for the tips, currently the chainline is perfectly straight from what I can see, however I see your point with jumping a gear. The current plan for this bike is to just fool around with it like this to get a taste for SS, if I like it I'm either going to upgrade the crank or get a SS frame and build a new rig.