Setting up your French Single Speed Cyclo-cross (FSSCC) ?

I've read Sheldon's pages about French bikes, and I've built up a fixed-gear before on a long-reach
27" Schwinn frame... but my question with using French bicycles from the late 60's? (white un-named
Mercier) and a white/chrome Gitane ("tour de france") for cyclo-cross has more to do with preventing
chain drop.

For my multispeed 'cross rig I ground down 2 BMX rings and setup the front with double guards. Is
this possible or necessary with a single-speed? What are the best measures to take for
single-speeds, other than proper chainline, to prevent chain-droppage?(new word)

Also, I'm going to have to put a cheap Tange hybrid/cross fork on the Gitane as it doesn't have any
clearance for knobbys... a 1" threadless headset should install fine with the Gitane's 30.2
headtube, right?

thanks, Mark Beattie Portland, OR 1lesscar at excite dot com

"Mark Beattie" <1lesscar@excite.com> wrote in message
news:ba1f05d3.0308162128.32e77b9@posting.google.com...
> For my multispeed 'cross rig I ground down 2 BMX rings and setup the front with double guards. Is
> this possible or necessary with a single-speed? What are the best measures to take for
> single-speeds, other than proper chainline, to prevent chain-droppage?(new word)

You could also just use a front derailleur with the stops adjusted to keep it on the one chainring.

> Also, I'm going to have to put a cheap Tange hybrid/cross fork on
the
> Gitane as it doesn't have any clearance for knobbys... a 1"
threadless
> headset should install fine with the Gitane's 30.2 headtube, right?

It is likely that the Gitane used the El Cheapo Producto headset which was designed to fit into a
head tube that hadn't been reamed out. You might need to have the head tube reamed to size but
otherwise, yes, it will work fine.