Swap 5 speed derailleur for single sprocket??

[paulnb57]

Swap 5 speed derailleur for single sprocket??
Simple quetion - is it do-able? I've got the chance of a Dawes 26inch wheel ladies bike (cheap) to use as a donor for parts for a cruiser, but would ideally like a single speed............

Cheers

Paul

 

[skillsthebarber]

i just bought this, ill let you know how it works out when i get it

http://cgi.ebay.com/Wheels-Mfg-SSK-2-Si ... 407wt_1125

 

[Korporal]

^^^That's for a cassette.

If you have a 5 (or 6 or 7) speed freewheel, you can replace it with a single speed freewheel. Or you can remove the derailleur, pick a sprocket you like, and remove some chain. I suppose you could do that with a cassette too.

How to identify what you have: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/free-k7.html

 

[UncleKudzu]

i took the gear cluster (cassette?) off of an old mountainbike and replaced it with the single freewheel from a junked BMX. got lucky in that the chainline was good. the bike had vertical dropouts, so i removed the derailler, adjusted the chain, and away i rode.

look for ideas from the fixie conversions that were so popular. i found some good instruction on this site, but i can't remember where exactly.

edit: here's where i got ideas: How to build a low-buck Fixie by Multipass. my bike is not a fixed gear bike, but it is a single-speed.

 

[user 135]

It is possible to disassemble a 5spd freewheel ,take off 4 of the gears and just use one of the gears. Need a 2 chain whips to turn off the the 2 outer cogs. You should not need to redish the wheel using this technique too. You will need to figure out rim brakes for your cruiser though.

http://sheldonbrown.com/freewheels.html#replace
http://www.cyclingforums.com/rec-bicycl ... wheel.html