# single speed conversion kit? for first timer



## Roc (May 9, 2006)

I'm looking for suggestions on converting my Sette Shadow to a single speed I mostly use this bike for commuting and some single track stuff, I'm also hoping on doing it *cheap.* 
I found a few inexpensive converting kit options at Jenson and Pricepoint, can I use my same old crankset?

_I'm sure this is got to be one the most common question asked here_


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## SlowSSer (Dec 19, 2003)

http://www.mtbr.com/faq/ssfaq.shtml <--- upper RH corner of the main SS page...and this one too!

to make life easy for you- yes- cranks are cranks. just get a bmx style (unramped, unpinned) chainring.


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## pozzi (May 5, 2006)

the one i'm using is really nice for the $.

it is the Performance Bicycle house brand; Forté








kit comes w/ a tensioner, spacers (two thicknesses) lockring and 3 cogs (16t 18t &20t).

they are normally right around $20 on sale (don't pay the $30 MSRP! just sign up for their emails and they're normally on sale about once or twice a month for ~$20) and if there isn't a Perf Bike near you you can get them online.

i recently converted my HT MTB to a SS and have not looked back.
matter of fact, i've put more miles on my HT w/ the SS this year than I have on my F/S XC or on this HT before i converted it combined.
not bad for a frame i was previously gonna just throw away.

SS is great fun!

here is mine installed:


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## Roc (May 9, 2006)

pozzi said:


> the one i'm using is really nice for the $.
> 
> it is the Performance Bicycle house brand; Forté
> 
> ...


 I like the looks of that! and the price is right! I think I'll look into that one. Thanks.


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## corprin (Mar 12, 2007)

I used the same kit from Nashbar (was $14 on sale) for the same reason you are looking at it. I wanted to try SS, but spend too much. It came with a 14t, 15t, and 16t, which was a bit better for commuter duty than the Forte kit. Basically it is exactly the same item.



















I had to chamfer the edges of two spacers to help keep the chain from getting grabbed from the sides. I am running 32:12 using the toothed cog from an XT cassette and the spacer that sits between it and the next cog up. Once you get the tweaks done with the tensioner it works perfect.


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## CBiDrive (Oct 31, 2006)

Check out MisfitPsycles.com they have a complete conversion kit includes chainring, spacers, SS chain, cog, and tensioner. It is an all in one kit that I used and got my SS going in one day.


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## Iron horseman (Apr 27, 2007)

X2 on the forte, just make sure you take out enogh chain links so that the tensioner is as close to horizontal as possible. That way your chain will wrap the rear cog better and wont skip under exteme torque. In GA, I use 34/18 and ride trails mostly.


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## Roc (May 9, 2006)

*CRAP! Chain problems:madman:*

I bought the Forte SS kit, installed everything and then tried to put the chain back on only to find out that the spacing on the rear cog is shorter then the spacing on my chain? it's not even close, so bad it's unusable, is this because my chain has stretched? or does the forte SS kits not work well with shimano chains?


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## wongjonathan87 (Aug 13, 2007)

Just a question. . . Those who have installed / used the Forte SS kit for a while, say, for a few months; What kind of riding do you guys / girls do? I'm an avid BMX rider, mostly street, and skate park riding. I'm thinking of building an MTB for street, trials riding, and dirt trails. Will the Forte SS kit stand up to a good amount of abuse that street riding, jumping, etc. would dish out to it? Any problems with chains popping off after jumps?


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## Iron horseman (Apr 27, 2007)

Roc said:


> I bought the Forte SS kit, installed everything and then tried to put the chain back on only to find out that the spacing on the rear cog is shorter then the spacing on my chain? it's not even close, so bad it's unusable, is this because my chain has stretched? or does the forte SS kits not work well with shimano chains?


Mine is using a shimano chain. It should fit fine. Does it just skip when you ride? If so just take out as many links as possible to make the tensioner tighter.


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## Iron horseman (Apr 27, 2007)

wongjonathan87 said:


> Just a question. . . Those who have installed / used the Forte SS kit for a while, say, for a few months; What kind of riding do you guys / girls do? I'm an avid BMX rider, mostly street, and skate park riding. I'm thinking of building an MTB for street, trials riding, and dirt trails. Will the Forte SS kit stand up to a good amount of abuse that street riding, jumping, etc. would dish out to it? Any problems with chains popping off after jumps?


I ride pretty hard. I bomb down hills fast and my SS is fully ridgid, so I would think if the chain was going to shake off, etc it would have done so by now. I also jump from time to time ( do a little tabe top here and there!). No issues so far, i'v e had it for a couple of months now.


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## wongjonathan87 (Aug 13, 2007)

Thanks a lot for your help . time to get started! I never liked messy shifters anyway  , Cars are a different story though. Manual is the way to go


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## Pelon (Dec 7, 2004)

*8 Speed chain*



Roc said:


> I bought the Forte SS kit, installed everything and then tried to put the chain back on only to find out that the spacing on the rear cog is shorter then the spacing on my chain? it's not even close, so bad it's unusable, is this because my chain has stretched? or does the forte SS kits not work well with shimano chains?


 Works great I had the same problem with a 9 speed chain also bought a Surley 36 tooth front chain ring and have been rideing it for about 6 weeks now with no problems.


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## carl1266 (May 17, 2004)

I installed the Nashbar conversion kit yesterday. The installation instruction talk about tensioning the spring, but I didn't get it. Where am I supposed to use the the 18mm wrench?


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## Dekes (Jan 3, 2007)

just buy yourself a 10$ chain, a nice wide base cog like chris king or surly or anything (stay away from aluminum cogs) and get some spacers from a couple of old casettes you will find for free at your lbs. Use your derailer as a tensioner by fixing it with a piece of brake cable.


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## Evel Knievel (Mar 28, 2004)

Roc said:


> I bought the Forte SS kit, installed everything and then tried to put the chain back on only to find out that the spacing on the rear cog is shorter then the spacing on my chain? it's not even close, so bad it's unusable, is this because my chain has stretched? or does the forte SS kits not work well with shimano chains?


 First you get the links cut out that are extra. Then use the tensioner in the pull up towards the frame mode. A zip tie works great. Make the tensioner wrap the chain around the rear cog. This should take care of the problem.


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## wakejunky (Feb 20, 2007)

I bought all my parts from Psycho bicycles only to find that the Forte (Performance kit) is EXACTLY the same tensioner and cogs. Only thing different are the spacers. The Performance kit has a bunch of thinner spacers whereas the Psycho kit has different sizes. In retrospect, I should have gone with the Performance kit and would have saved myself a lot of money.

Chris


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