The antimony of my single speeder:
Apollo Everest MTB 1990.
Drive: 44/16
8 speed chain
Multi-speed front chainwheel 44t.
DMR single speed convert (16t).
Handlebars; Easton Scandium DH (65cm end to end)
LX Deore (circa 1990) 5 spider crank.
Race line Hemisphere 26 x 1.95.
DMR Singlator chain tensioner.
As most of my cycling involves the commute to work, my most often used route (as I have a range of options depending on time & how technical I want to make it) takes in the flatter parts of Melbourne (inner west, Docklands & Yarra trail) with no real killer climbs.
Even though I bought my new Avanti Aggressor MTB recently to replace my tried & worn Apollo MTB I thought that converting the old Apollo into a single speed & using that for the commute would leave my Avanti Aggressor for a more offroad application (as god intended). That way at least I would have 2x working bikes.
Luckily the components on the old Apollo MTB which were worn where the ones I needed to change in the convert, namely the front chainwheel, rear cog & chain (as well the derailers but these were tossed in the convert) . I also looked at a new set of ‘bars & a new seat because I grabbed one from a specials bin.
I suppose the important part of a single speed convert is the right ratio. The mantra with MTB single speeders seems to be 2 to 1, 2 teeth on the front for every one out back. Popular with offroad MTB single Speeds seems to be 32/16. For me this would only give me 20kms/hr cruising (flat out) which is pretty slow seeing how I stick to mostly bitumen paths (roads). On my current Avanti I seem to spend heaps of time in the 44/16. So this is what I when for.
DMR make a Single Speed convert for a multi-speed freewheel (just a cog with alloy spacers really). I ran the front chainwheel on the middle mount on the crank & played with the freewheel spacers in the DMR kit to align the cogs true. Easy.
A problem with single speed on a MTB (later model after mid ‘80s) is that they have vertical dropouts for the rear wheel axle. This doesn’t allow any sort of adjustment of chain tension without a rear derailleur. The option to reweld in horizontal dropouts in my current Apollo frame would add cost & lots of stuffing around to my project so I sort a simpler chain tensioner from DMR. This tensioner was not cheap coming in at $110AUS. Some guys go for the old derailleur & just back in the adjusting screws until the derailleur sits aligned with the chain & cogs.
After fitting up the convert with the chain it didn’t seem that I had that much slack in the chain but I went for the tensioner just in case. It’s now the nosiest part of the bike in motion.
I went with wide (65cm approx) ‘Riser’ handlebars to give me the leverage I would need as I would be out of the saddle more on this single speed with hills. I fitted beefer Raceline Hemisphere 26 x 1.95 tyres to reduce any chance of slip on pavements, they also offer some cushioning as the Apollo is rigid frame/forks.
I’ve done about 50kms so far & I’m thinking that maybe 44/16 might be alittle geared high as I’m out of the seat heaps, but it’s do-able. I will give it an extra week & if it’s still a problem I’ll got from 16t to 17t at the rear as my chain can take that extra size up.
Apollo Everest MTB 1990.
Drive: 44/16
8 speed chain
Multi-speed front chainwheel 44t.
DMR single speed convert (16t).
Handlebars; Easton Scandium DH (65cm end to end)
LX Deore (circa 1990) 5 spider crank.
Race line Hemisphere 26 x 1.95.
DMR Singlator chain tensioner.
As most of my cycling involves the commute to work, my most often used route (as I have a range of options depending on time & how technical I want to make it) takes in the flatter parts of Melbourne (inner west, Docklands & Yarra trail) with no real killer climbs.
Even though I bought my new Avanti Aggressor MTB recently to replace my tried & worn Apollo MTB I thought that converting the old Apollo into a single speed & using that for the commute would leave my Avanti Aggressor for a more offroad application (as god intended). That way at least I would have 2x working bikes.
Luckily the components on the old Apollo MTB which were worn where the ones I needed to change in the convert, namely the front chainwheel, rear cog & chain (as well the derailers but these were tossed in the convert) . I also looked at a new set of ‘bars & a new seat because I grabbed one from a specials bin.
I suppose the important part of a single speed convert is the right ratio. The mantra with MTB single speeders seems to be 2 to 1, 2 teeth on the front for every one out back. Popular with offroad MTB single Speeds seems to be 32/16. For me this would only give me 20kms/hr cruising (flat out) which is pretty slow seeing how I stick to mostly bitumen paths (roads). On my current Avanti I seem to spend heaps of time in the 44/16. So this is what I when for.
DMR make a Single Speed convert for a multi-speed freewheel (just a cog with alloy spacers really). I ran the front chainwheel on the middle mount on the crank & played with the freewheel spacers in the DMR kit to align the cogs true. Easy.
A problem with single speed on a MTB (later model after mid ‘80s) is that they have vertical dropouts for the rear wheel axle. This doesn’t allow any sort of adjustment of chain tension without a rear derailleur. The option to reweld in horizontal dropouts in my current Apollo frame would add cost & lots of stuffing around to my project so I sort a simpler chain tensioner from DMR. This tensioner was not cheap coming in at $110AUS. Some guys go for the old derailleur & just back in the adjusting screws until the derailleur sits aligned with the chain & cogs.
After fitting up the convert with the chain it didn’t seem that I had that much slack in the chain but I went for the tensioner just in case. It’s now the nosiest part of the bike in motion.
I went with wide (65cm approx) ‘Riser’ handlebars to give me the leverage I would need as I would be out of the saddle more on this single speed with hills. I fitted beefer Raceline Hemisphere 26 x 1.95 tyres to reduce any chance of slip on pavements, they also offer some cushioning as the Apollo is rigid frame/forks.
I’ve done about 50kms so far & I’m thinking that maybe 44/16 might be alittle geared high as I’m out of the seat heaps, but it’s do-able. I will give it an extra week & if it’s still a problem I’ll got from 16t to 17t at the rear as my chain can take that extra size up.
