Single Speed

Apart from a brake cable and a brake hose its rolling stock! Rock!
could do with a new rear wheel, a seat QR and a new bottom bracket would let me put on some more suitable cranks, (the current one is very short)
the saddle and front wheel are off other bikes, but are quick release so i may as well use them as ive got them already!
it pedals fine, but cant stop yet! I could get away with just a rear brake but as ive got the mini, and it fits the rotor on the street bike its too convenient to ignore. New SPDs are due on mon XC bike, so the current SPDs could go on the SS. the street bike could use a new Headset (the other one is ok but a bit rough) so when i get a Pig Pro on there, the Pig can get serviced and put on the SS too.
slowly but steadily i guess!

Flickr

Super simple SS conversion cont'd

just out of interest (and a bit of boredom) i thought id'e try it, and whadya know.
though i wouldn't use a chainring myself, when you can get a nice supply of sprockets, of ALL different sizes by taking a hammer to an old cassette.
by having a fiddle with chain lengths and sprocket sizes, you can adjust the tension pretty accurately, and when its done properly (with SS specific cogs front and back, the ghost cog cant fall out, cant rattle loose, it just floats there, wedged between the chain going forwards at the top and rearwards underneath. because the chain moves at the same speed top and bottom it dosen't creep in either direction.
The clever bit is, if you need more tension on the chain, knock the wheel out the dropouts and move the floating sprocket a link closer to the freehub, (away lowers tension equally), if its awkward, chainge the size of the sprocket. kinda hard to explain, you either get it or you dont i guess, as long as the floating sprocket is bigger than the space between the upper and lower chain, it pushes them apart, tensioning it nicely.
a spring loaded tensioner would be quicker a less of a faff to set up, as would a mech, but i like the clean lines of this, and on a pimpy pit/hack bike it would look cool with a magical floating sprocket methinks :)

Super simple SS conversion

Ive just found the very best method of tensioning a vertical dropout single speed, its bodgetastic and it is going to be done on the slow progessing SS hack-bike project, it looks crazy but is so simple and there is NO reason for it to not work perfectly (may be a little unstable on a MTB, but we will see!.
Linky

Wishlist

Wondering if i can get a linky to a CRC wishlist on the sidebar.... hmmmm
If i stick one here, then i can check see if it stays linked to "My Wishlist basket" for any great length of time.

sigh ... bling bike bits ... sigh

New Brake pads

Last time my brake pads wore out, they got replaced by sintered pads, due to the high wear and tear inflicted by welsh muck, however they are no wear near as good, sure they slow you ut dont bite and feel a bit soggy (i prefer wooden trials style braking as i'm not a dipshit and can modulate)
however fibrax make a cross breed between the two, so this time im gonna try these, putting the sintered ones in the back brake for low pressure control braking, and hopefully they new much tackier but long lasting pads up front for some phat front wheel styling (xc/trail stoppie-tastic trick cornering)
Whoot!

Of Wooly hats and alloy carriers

Bought a ProII on a wheel? You probably didnt get the sticker that says "only use alloy carrier cassettes"(as it will bigger the freehub body). I know i didnt. nehoo i'm not a 'galoot' so i havent destroyed it.
But to prevent any major damage, as i havent bought anything in aaaages* and as my cassettes getting on a bit, i found a nice Fleabay shop which still stocks XT 8speed! which is sadly being phased out.
Ive got better things to spend 90 quid on other than new shifters, cassettes and chains just because Shimmano are getting more and more rubbish and Hope are following shortly behind.
Hope make thier hubs in every combination possible, bolt thorugh single speed rim specific, the works. yet if you want a tougher freehub body you need to buy the steel body aftermarket, and they dont sell the Ti ones at all anymore. Expensive, but in my mind worth it as they are the best of both worlds. nehoo, you should be able to decide between weight and strength. rather than have to retrofit second rate steel ones (200g heavier or something stupid) Shit, im turning into a weight weenie kit whore


*now everyone has left aber for the final time, i cant steal/borrow extensivly tools, so the shopping list has suddenly lept up to include shock pumps, chain whips, cable cutters...