Installing or replacing the cables on your mountain bike can do wonders to improve shifting performance on the trail and you might be surprised just how easy it is to do yourself. This article will focus mainly on derailleur cabling but many of the concepts are transferable to mechanical brakes (disc and V-brakes) for those who haven’t upgraded to hydros yet.

We’ll start with this short tool and material list:

• Cable/housing cutting tool
• Allen wrenches
• Pliers
• Cables and housing

Cable and housing cutting tool.

That’s it! The only tool you may not have already is the cable cutting tool and unfortunately it’s necessary – most general purpose tools won’t cut it for this job (ha!).

Choosing cables and housing

Jagwire, Gore, Shimano, and SRAM sell cable and housing kits at various price points depending on the quality of the product. In general, you get what you pay for so if you want the best cables, buy the most expensive set. That being said, performance benefits are diminishing as you move up the cost-ladder so I usually pick the middle-of-the-road cable and housing kit (around $25) to get the most bang for my buck. Note that some kits may be specifically designated as brake or derailleur cable kits so make sure you know what you’re getting. Also, most kits will include enough cable and housing for front and rear so you just need one kit for your derailleurs and one for your brakes.

If you’re only replacing a single cable or a busted housing, you don’t need a full kit and most manufacturers also sell cables, housing, and parts separately. But for a complete overhaul or new install, go with the kit because it’s cheaper than buying the parts and it’ll include all the little pieces you’ll need for a smooth installation.

Installation

Start at the shifter (or brake lever) and carefully take the unit apart. The tops on most SRAM shifters unscrew without a tool – just use your thumbnail and twist. Make a careful note of how the cable is routed inside the shifter – once you take the old cable out you’ll need to route the new cable in the same way. New shifters often come with the cable pre-installed.

The “barrel” end of a shifter cable.

Bike cables usually come with two metal ends attached – a disc on one end and a barrel on the other. In general, the disc end is needed for a brake cable install while the “ball” end is used for shifter installation. Since we’re installing derailleur cables here, cut off the disc end using your fancy cable cutters.  Bike cables are actually made up of bundles of many tiny cables so you want to make sure you get a clean cut and avoid fraying the bunch – hence the need for a sharp, special cable cutting tool for the job. A frayed cable end will be nearly impossible to thread through your shifter and cable housing and once a cable starts to fray, it’s usually worthless.

Holding the cut end of the cable, thread the cable through the shifter according to the instructions that came with your shifter unit. Now relax – that’s often the hardest part of the operation!

If you’re replacing the cables on your bike, now is the time to round up the old cable housing pieces so you can cut the new cable housing to the same lengths. For a new install, start with the first section – from shifter to frame – and hold the housing between the shifter and first cable stop. Rotate your handlebars far left and far right to make sure you have enough slack for a full turning radius. Mark the spot with your finger, then make a clean cut using your tool, being careful not to crush the housing as you cut. Place ferrules on both ends of the housing, then route the cable through the housing, taking care to avoid fraying the cable. A good rule of thumb: if you feel resistance when pushing the cable through, back off and try again. If you force the cable, you’ll fray it. Sometimes twisting the cable inside the housing can overcome a slight resistance (just be sure to twist with the cable braid rather than against it).

Slip the ends of the housing into the shifter and frame stops and admire your work! For the rear derailleur you’ll need to repeat this procedure twice more, fitting the housing between cable stops on your frame. If you have a full suspension bike, be sure to leave some slack in the cable and housing in the transition between the main and rear triangles to account for travel.

If you’re installing a brake cable or if your frame uses cable guides instead of cable stops in places, just run the cable and housing continuously and use zip ties to attach the housing to the frame. Tighten the zip ties all the way down and cut off the excess as close to the guide as possible. You can also use C-clips designed specifically for attaching housing to your cable guides.

At the derailleur end, attach the cable to the anchor bolt and tune your derailleur. For the front derailleur, you may want to first add a cable “boot” for additional protection – most kits will include this and the boot will slide over the cable just like the housing. Once you have things pretty well dialed, cut off the excess cable and place an end cap over the cut end. Crimp the end cap down using your cable cutter (if it has a crimper) or use a pair of pliers. This will prevent the cable from fraying over time.

Cabling tips and tricks

Cable rub can be a problem on some bikes, particularly if you have excess housing length in certain places. On our New Year’s ride, ckdake pointed out evidence of cable rub on my new bike – and this was just the second ride! His suggestion: electrical tape on the frame between the frame and the housing. This worked great for me and since my frame is black, it’s hardly even noticeable.

Sheldon Brown mentions using a rosin-core solder on the ends of cut cables to prevent fraying and also a few lubrication strategies for keeping things rust-free and smooth shifting. Modern coated cables may not need lubrication so check the instructions that come with your your cable kit.

Properly installed, your cables and housing should last for years with little to no maintenance. But if you’re experiencing shifting problems or notice cracked housing and frayed cables, it may just be time for a simple cable overhaul.

After testing six different full suspension 29ers at Interbike last year, I decided it was finally time to get one for myself. I’ve owned several hardtail mountain bikes since 1992, including a 29er, but this would be my first big move into full suspension mountain biking. Turns out it would also be my first carbon mountain bike.

The Santa Cruz Tallboy was the first bike I demoed at Interbike in September and it was love at first ride. I’m told this is Santa Cruz’s best selling mountain bike which says a lot since the company makes a bunch of great bikes (including the sexy V-10 Syd recently built up). And just in case you’re wondering, Santa Cruz didn’t give us these bikes – we both paid for ‘em with our hard-earned money.

Anyway, back to my Tallboy build. I decided to go with the carbon frame and Fox RP23 shock with Kashima coat (you can get the RP2 instead to save a little $$). Santa Cruz included a Fox shock pump and grease gun for the pivots but other than that, what I got was basically a blank canvas.

Initially, the biggest challenge was finding a headset that would work with the frame. Santa Cruz says this on their website: “As all of us frame manufacturers seem to be using slightly different configurations with tapered headtubes, these headsets are custom items.” Of course I read this after the purchased frame was sitting in my office, wondering what I had gotten myself into. The note from Santa Cruz made cryptic references to Cane Creek and Chris King headsets but didn’t give any specifics so I spent the next several days emailing Santa Cruz support and searching online for the right part.

Eventually Syd set me straight and before I knew it, I had the right Cane Creek upper and lower cups and a sweet Fox 32 Factory series fork with matching Kashima coat. I had the guys at Bicycle South install the headset and fork, then set out to build up the rest of the bike myself.

Ok so first, a bit about me: I am not Syd. I generally don’t enjoy working on bikes or researching parts and just when I *think* I know what I’m doing, I usually screw something up. Still, I figured building up a new bike would be a great opportunity to improve my wrench skills. And if I did make a mistake or get stuck, I could always bring the bike to the shop to have it put together the right way.

I started with the seat and seatpost, mainly so I’d have a way to hold the frame in my work stand. I found an old Easton EA70 30.9mm seatpost that came with mudhunny’s Blur and slapped a Titec Hellbent saddle on (the lightest one I could find in my collection). I was really anxious to get the thing looking like a bike so I grabbed my SunRingle Black Flag 29er wheels, strapped on a SRAM 2×10 cassette, and bolted on the rotors. The wheels were already shod with tubed tires even though the rims are tubeless but swapping those out is another project for another time.

After restoring my Redline to its original 1×9 configuration, I cleaned all my SRAM 2×10 X0 drivetrain stuff with a fine-tooth comb (and a ton of de-greaser). The bottom bracket and crank went on teflon-smooth and I finally figured out what that weird plastic piece on my bottom bracket tool is for (it tightens the retention nut on the crank arm). I attached the derailleurs, and was pretty happy with myself for actually buying the right front derailleur for my frame (it’s a high mount, dual pull, 34.9mm clamp, 2×10, in case you’re wondering).

Next I turned my attention to the cockpit. Not wanting to marginalize my Redline any further, I decided to use the alloy Syncros bars on my shelf instead of stealing the carbon Answer bars from that bike. I picked up a cheap 110mm FSA stem and Sette lock-on grips, then got busy attaching a new set of Avid Elixir 9 hydraulic disc brakes. I had planned on using a spare set of Hayes brakes but after looking at the brakes, they needed more work than I was willing to put into them at the time.

Finally, it was time to hook everything up and give the bike a spin! I wasn’t entirely sure how to route the derailleur and brake cables so I studied the Tallboy pics on the Santa Cruz website, making generous use of the zoom button to see the details. I used a fresh Jagwire cable kit, cut all the housing to size, and routed the cables. I ended up cutting one section of housing too short and fraying the rear derailleur cable but luckily I had spares.

Confession: derailleur and chain adjustments frighten me. This was the part of the build I was dreading and I assumed I would need professional help at this point. I read the SRAM instructions carefully and checked the existing chain length from my Redline. Turns out it was spot on! After routing the chain and linking it together, I attached the derailleur cables, made a few adjustments, then breathed a sigh of relief. It was alive! Final weight: about 27 lbs. which I could easily see dropping close to 25 lbs. with a few part swaps.

Of course I wasn’t completely done – there were still lots of little items like clipping zip ties, adjusting lever angles, and dialing in the shocks. All told I probably put 3-4 hours into the build and ended up doing it all myself (save the fork and headset installation).

I took a short test ride around the block to make sure everything was set, then drove out to the Pinhoti trail for my first real ride. It was a great ride and the only issue I ran into was with my rear derailleur cable slipping loose (easy trail-side fix).

In the end I’m really glad I built this bike up myself from scratch. I definitely learned a lot and gained confidence in my wrench skills, not to mention I got a bike that fits me better than one with stock components might. I can’t wait to put a ton of miles on this bike in 2012 – look for a full review sometime in late spring!

This is the third in a series of how-to articles detailing my 2012 DH bike build, the Santa Cruz V-10.

Trimming Brake Hoses

I tend to save the brake hoses until last, cutting them after the fittings are set at the correct angle and the exact position of the hose on the frame has been established. Cutting hoses is a one time deal. Once a hose is too short, you’re outta luck, so do it right the first time. Make sure all the lines are secure and that there are no kinks in the places where they have movement, such as at the head tube and suspension.

It’s also a good idea to trim the ends off cable ties as close to the connection as possible. Doing so leaves behind a smooth surface rather than a jagged edge which can catch on clothing, or worse, yourself. Use a sharp blade to carefully remove the excess off the cable tie.

So after all the brake lines are tied down, I get to the business of trimming the lines. Avid makes it very easy with some new tools that were introduced at Interbike this year. I used Avid’s pro bleed kit (along with extra compression fittings, nuts, and barbs) along with two cool new tools that make life way easier: the hand-held hose cutter and barb-end driver.

First, I established how much hose I needed to cut by removing the hose from the lever end and then marking the hose where I felt it needed to be cut. For the front wheel it is a simple matter of making sure that when the suspension is fully extended, the brake cable doesn’t tug or interfere with the other cables’ movements. For the rear brake, I made sure that when the steering is in full lock left or right, the hose did not pull.

On the XO brakes, an 11mm wrench and the supplied crowfoot (8mm) tool were used to remove the lines. After that, I simply cut the hose using the Avid hose cutter (leaving an amazingly clean cut) and then installed the new compression nut, compression fitting, and barb, in that order (not forgetting to toss on the boot first). The barb fitting tool made short work of installing the barb end. Once that was done, I then reinstalled the hose (for further details see this post). Finally, I bled the hoses. This video will help with that:

Once the hoses are bled, you can get to finishing off the bike and those little details such as cable stops and ties. I use the supplied Avid cable joints: they are durable and clean looking. Just be sure that you test spin the wheels to make sure the CPS hardware and calipers are lined up with the wheels. Finally, double check to make sure the front and rear wheels are buttoned up.

Stay tuned for my final Santa Cruz V-10 build article on dialing in the cockpit.

After installing the fork and headset on my new Santa Cruz V-10 build, it was time to install the drivetrain. I started off by adding a bit of grease to the bottom bracket cups. Following the well-illustrated SRAM guide, I placed the correct spacers for the Truvativ bottom bracket width and used a proper bottom bracket tool and a torque wrench to set everything up. The cups went into place with little fuss. Just remember to torque the cups down using a torque wrench.

The chain guide, also from SRAM (Truvativ), was next. Setting a chain guide for the first time can take a bit of work. The key is to align the guide pulley to the chain ring. This is accomplished using the included spacers, which fit between the ISCG tabs and the chain guide. Follow the directions from the manufacturer for further details: they are generally easy to follow with many small steps. The trick with the guide set-up is to make sure the angle you choose is as close to touching the rear suspension as you can get (unless you have an elevated rear chainstay). You can also align the taco (chain retention device that replaces the front derailleur) in an 11 – 12 o’clock position. Then install the crank, torque it down, and you’re mostly ready to go in front.

Rear Derailleur Installation

After attaching the shifter, the rear derailleur installation comes next, along with the cable routing. With the cable in hand, you want to have gentile bends in the line. No sharp kinks or excessive amounts of cable that can (and will) snag on stationary object (trees/bushes). On a DH bike you are limited in steering, so the length needed is shorter than most people think. A slight bulge in the cable at the derailleur and a gentle curve of cable at the shifter is about where you want to be in length. That is enough to keep the cable ends seated nicely in the shifter barrel, and the cable stop on the derailleur. Using a good quality cable is a great idea here: I used SRAM SlickWire cables, seeing that the bike uses a full-length housing that reduces the risk of  contamination from dirt and moisture. This is critical based on the environment that DH bikes operate in.

Setting the stops on the derailleur properly is key. SRAM wants the derailleur’s top pulley to be a half gear-width offset (towards the derailleur hanger side), on the high end. On the low end, set the derailleur so that the top cog on the cassette is in line with the idler pulleys on the derailleur. The new DH derailleur from SRAM can now have its “B” screw adjusted properly so that it is the correct tension and distance away from the cassette (a small issue with my previous set up on my Banshee). Once I set the limits, I installed the chain and shift cables (for further info on these check out our articles on Derailleur Adjustment and Chain Installation).

Coming soon: cockpit configuration and brake installation.

On more than one occasion, I have heard people respond to product reviews with, “You got it for free, of course you like it.”

As a reviewer, I can say that it doesn’t really matter, good stuff is good and bad stuff is bad, regardless of the source. If anything, the fallacy of sunk costs might actually imply the opposite effect… but I digress.

At any rate, here is the first of several reviews of stuff I’ve bought with my own dough.

Crank Bros Multi-17

As the name implies, this is a portable multi-tool for trailside repairs and adjustments. Before buying this model, I had tried or borrowed a number of different tools, and I found them all to be either too bulky, lacking specific features, or just plain too expensive. For $20 and weighing in at 168 grams, the Multi-17 nails the first two categories. As for included features, have a look and judge for yourself:

• Torx bit: t-25 for brake rotor bolts
• Open wrenches: 8mm and 10mm
• Screwdrivers: Phillips and flat
• Hex wrenches: #2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8
• Spoke Wrenches: #1, 2, 3, 4
• Chain tool!!

Over the past 5 years I have used every tool on this device, but by far the most crucial one is the chain tool. I have fixed numerous broken chains for other riders along the trail, preventing many a ride from ending on foot.

This tool is flat, but with a slight curve so it fits perfectly into a hydration pack or seat bag. The weight is reasonable, the price is spot on, and you will be amazed at how frequently you’ll dig it out on the trail, especially on group rides.

If you are shopping for a packable multi-tool for anything more than casual mountain biking, this is the one you want. To me the Crankbrothers Multi-10 is too sparse, whereas the Multi-19 only adds an additional size of each screwdriver. Either way, Crank Bros backs their tools with a lifetime warranty.

Get this tool, put it in your pack, and thank yourself later when you REALLY need it 20 miles into an epic ride.

This is the first in a series of how-to articles based on my 2012 DH bike build, the Santa Cruz V-10.

Headset Installation

When it came time to select a headset, I decided to go with an AngleSet unit from Cane Creek to slacken the V-10 headtube angle by half a degree. Fortunately Cane Creek has great instructional videos on their website which made the process fairly simple. Before getting started, make sure to clean and inspect your frame and parts to verify that everything is ready to go. Use a proper headset press and line up the headset markings so the unit is centered on your frame; otherwise you’ll end up with wonky steering. Also pay attention to the direction of your AngleSet install: with the thick wall pointing forward you’ll decrease your headtube angle, while pointing the thin wall forward will increase your angle. Either way is acceptable, it just depends on your goal.

Seeing that this is somewhat difficult and requires tools you may not have, take it to a pro to do it for you (this should be an inexpensive procedure at most shops).

Installing a Fork

Fork installation is next. Again, if you’re not comfortable cutting a steering tube, or if you just don’t have the gear, be sure to visit a bike shop. For those of you who do have the gear (steering tube guide, lower race installation tool, hack saw, files and deburring tools), the procedure is pretty straightforward. Start off by installing the lower race with something like the Park CRS#1 setting tool. Once that is in place, the bearing and headset gimbal goes next.

Carefully feed the fork through the head tube (you have have the upper fork crown off for the moment). Then place the upper gimbal, bearing, and compression ring in, followed by the top bearing cover. Some people want a bit higher positioned bar, so follow the manufacturer’s recommendations as to how far you can space your upper and lower crowns (found in the installation guide of all forks). Install the upper crown, and place a mark indicating the top of the crown or where you want to cut – a minimum of 2mm above the top of the upper crown is usually recommended. Once you do choose to cut the steerer, use either a pipe cutter or a tool like the Park SG-6 saw guide and hack saw. Finish the cut by deburring it and then installing the star nut with a setting tool.

Now, reassemble the front end with spacers. Double check the work and check the steering once again. Make sure there is enough tension that the fork has no play, but doesn’t feel tight. Once you have the right tension on the bearings, tighten the upper crown down followed by each of the stanchion bolts. Cane Creek has specific instructions found on their website showing how to correctly install the AngleSet races and gimbals, so if you’re planing on using an Angleset headset, I highly advise that you watch that video before getting started.

Next up: Installing the drivetrain.

Setting up a home bike shop makes it easy to perform basic maintenance on your bike.  Having the right setup even makes working on your bike, dare I say, enjoyable.  Of course, you may not have the space to dedicate to a full-fledged shop, but there are still options.  I’ve been there myself – I started riding when I lived in a 600 square foot  apartment on the 3rd floor of the building and space was at a premium!  There’s also the fact that some bike tools are expensive, and you may not want to spend a lot of money on tools you’ll only use once a year.  So here are a few different set-ups and some additional tips for setting up a shop to work with whatever space and budget constraints you might have.

The “Just the Essentials” Set Up

You need very few tools to do basic maintenance on your bike: adjusting shifting, installing a new chain or shift cables, adjusting fit and control positions, changing tires, etc.  An allen wrench set, adjustable wrench, pliers, chain tool, floor pump, and tire levers will take care of most needs.  A small toolbox will easily swallow all of that, is nice and portable, and doesn’t take up much space.  Also, tackle boxes work really well and are often cheaper than proper tool boxes.

My old “shop”.  Not much to it, but it got me by for a few years.

The 95% Set Up

A few additional tools will take care of 95% of the work you might do on your bike.  Some bike-specific tools like cone wrenches, bottom bracket wrenches, cassette lock ring sockets, and a chain whip will take care of almost everything your bike could need, including swapping entire drivetrains, changing fluid in suspension components, hub overhauls, etc.

My garage.  I can do most of the work on my bikes, but there’s still a few things (like installing headsets) I take them to the LBS for.

The “Better Than Most Real Bike Shops” Set Up

Some folks are dedicated enough to go all out, and set up an at home shop that rivals most actual bike shops.  They have all the tools, even the ones very rarely used.  They can build a complete bike with no trouble, everything from facing headtubes and installing headsets, pressing bearings into suspension linkages, building wheels, and trimming brake hoses to fit – they can do it all.  This isn’t the sort of shop you put together in a weekend – it’s something a person builds up over the years.  A shop like this is kind of like a boat or a pool – you may not have the budget/space/desire to have your own, but it’s good to have a friend who does!

Singletracks member azdrawdy has one of the nicest home shops I’ve seen.

A Few Other Tips

A proper work stand will make your life much easier when working on your bike, especially anything related to drivetain work.  However, work stands do take up a lot of space, and they’re certainly not cheap.  If you’re handy you could always build your own and if space is at a premium, look into the various folding models that are on the market.  If cost is an issue, you could use a storage stand (like one of these two I reviewed recently).  You can also just flip the bike upside down on the seat and bars.

Peg boards (or nails in the wall) are a great way to keep tools organized and have easy access at the same time.

Keeping your shop organized is important.  Whether your shop consists of a single tool box or an entire garage or basement, every tool should have a place, and you need to always put it back in its place.  That way you spend your time using the tools instead of looking for them.  Using a peg board to hang up your most often used tools is a good way to keep them both organized and readily available.  When it comes to buying tools, remember: they’re an investment, so buy the quality stuff so you only have to buy it once.  Quality tools will last you a lifetime, and it’s cheaper in the long run!  Many tool manufacturers sell kits that come with a bunch of different bike-specific tools.  These kits are a good option and although they are not cheap, they’re generally cheaper than buying each tool individually.  Most come with a nice case to keep everything organized and easily portable so you can take them with you on your next mountain bike trip.  You can check out all the tool reviews here on Singletracks to make sure you’re buying good quality gear.

azdrawdy has pretty much every tool that might be needed, and his work bench is highly organized.

What kind of home shop do you have?  Tell us about it in the comments below and include a link to a photo if you’ve got one.

The best few months of riding are upon us:  fall!  The heat from summer has finally broken and leaves are changing color – it’s truly a great time to be in the woods on a mountain bike.  But fall and winter in the southeast and other parts of the country brings changes to the trails.  Dry hard packed trails become covered in leaves and pine straw and low spots become damp and seem to stay that way.  Here are a few things you can do to your bike to make it better suited to the trail conditions of fall and winter.

Leaves make the trails slippery. Proper tires can help a lot.

Tires

I like using lightweight, low profile, fast rolling tires in the summer.  But, those types of tires don’t work so well in the fall and winter so I like to switch to tires with larger knobs with more space between them, which does two things.  The big knobs dig into wet dirt and pierce through the leaves to find something solid to hold on to, giving me more traction for climbing, braking, and cornering.  The wide spacing between the knobs allows the tire to shed mud better, so it doesn’t get packed in and turn the tire into a slick.

The old Continental Mountain King is the best tire I’ve ever used for fall riding in the southeast.  The big triangular knobs punch right through the leaves and grab hold of the firm earth below.  It’s slow rolling, but the grip is outstanding.  Unfortunately Continental has changed the design on the Mountain King… I’m not sure how well the new version works in the leaves.

Keep the Mud Out

Fall and winter bring rain and snow, which leads to mud, which can work its way into your shifter cables, leaving them stiff and unresponsive.  One of the best things you can do to your bike to keep it running smoothly is to start using full length housings on all your shift cables – that way there’s no exposed cable and nowhere for mud to get into the system.  Some bikes are designed to be run this way – they have cable guides, not cable stops.  I wish every bike was built this way.  If yours isn’t designed for full length housing, just use zip ties.  It’s not the prettiest set up, but it’ll keep your shifting smooth and maintenance free all season.

My old bike wasn’t designed for full length housing, but I ran it that way anyway.  Photo: azdrawdy

There are also a few totally sealed cable systems designed to work with bikes not made for full length housing.  Gore’s RideOn and Nokon systems are two examples.  They use a one piece liner that runs inside the housing from the shifter all the way to the derailleur.  So even if you have cable stops, and sections with no housing, the liner is still there to keep the cable covered and mud free.  These systems look much better installed than my zip-tie method, and weigh a little less, but they’re also much much more expensive.

Sealed cables means you can do stuff like this as much as you want without messing up your shifting.

A Lube For Every Season?

Chain lube is another place you may want to make adjustments along with the seasons.  Many people switch to a heavy wet lube for the fall and winter months.  Thick chain lubes do a really good job of staying on the chain for a long time regardless of the trail conditions – but they also attract dirt and grime.  Be sure to wipe the chain down regularly to remove the excess lube and dirt.  It’s been my experience that certain wax based lubes, like Squirt (which I’m using all the time now) still work well in the wetter months of the year.  However, since the lube falls off the chain when it gets dirty you have to reapply it more often.

Wet lubes tend to stay on the chain even in really crappy conditions. Just be sure to wipe all that gunk off after the ride to minimize wear and tear on your drivetrain.

Your Tips

What do you do to your bike to prepare it for the colder, wetter months of the year?  Tell us in the comments section below.

Not everyone can afford the latest and greatest all the time. But if you find that you’re in need of a rebuild on your older 2005-2008 or 2009-2011 Fox 40 and want the best Fox has to offer, have I got news for you!  Fox was cool enough to contact me to see if I wanted to pimp someone’s 40 for them. One of my good riding buddies happened to have popped the diaphragm on his 2010 fork after one too many flat landings, making him the perfect candidate for an upgrade.

After considerable riding time, all Fox 40 forks start to lose plushness and exhibit increased stiction which affects sensitivity and increases harshness. This can be due to contamination of the fluids and minor loss of lube over time, not to mention the wear associated with thousands of cycles of compression and rebound. Needless to say, my buddy Chris was super stoked for the pimped out parts!

With an upgraded inverted cartridge, Chris is getting a host of improvements, the most obvious of which is the repositioning of the compression knobs (now on top). Internally the cartridge is more reliable which reduces the chance of bladder cap bending and bladder blow outs.

Performance-wise the new cartridge puts the weight of the oil and cartridge body on the top of the fork which reduces sprung weight. Because of the new placement of these parts, the bump force does not need to overcome that weight to start absorbing the actual bump. This improves fork sensitivity.

For this task the following FOX parts must be ordered:

2005-2008 40′s: 820-08-126-kit  Service Set: Inverted 40 RC2 05-08 Retro Cartridge Assy Complete
2009-2012 40′s: 820-08-092-kit Service Set: 2011 40 RC2 Cartridge Assy Complete ($450)
SKF 40 seals part# 803-00-616 Info to pass on below. ($35.00)
2005-2008 40′s: 208-03-056 Kashima Stanchion tubes x2 ($300 for a set of two)
2009-2012 4o’s:  208-03-056 Kashima Stanchion tubes x2 ($300 for a set of two)
Fox Float fluid

And here’s the tool list you’ll need for the job:

32mm 6pt socket
1.5,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,10mm Hex key set.
10mm deep socket
15mm open socket
7,12,15,16mm wrench
10-18mm cone wrenches (thin)
13,14mm crowfoot
Pick
Plastic hammer
Screwdriver
Torque wrench
Extensions
Graduated liquid container
20cc syringe
Cleaning solution
Micro towel

I would also highly recommend a flashlight and a repair stand to do the work on.

Start off the job by clearing out a work area and have all your supplies with you. Safety glasses would be a good idea, especially when dealing with fluids and cleaners.

First, remove the front wheel and brake. Carefully remove the 4 pinch bolts on the axle using a 5mm hex key. The caliper follows next with the same 5mm hex key; remove the cable guide using a 2.5mm hex key and re-mount the guide (it’s small and can easily be misplaced).

At this point there should be nothing attached to the lower assembly so it is safe to remove the stanchions from the upper and lower crowns. Loosen the six bolts that hold the upper and lower crown assembly to the stanchions using a 5mm hex key. Once they are all loose, slide the stanchions from the upper and lower crown. If you find them to be a bit snug, use a brake tool (those little plastic spacers that people usually discard) and tap them in the pinch space (trust me it works great). The stanchions should slide out very easily. Just remember to catch the two bumpers and more importantly, remember to put them back.

Now that the fork is removed, it needs a good cleaning before you go any further. You don’t want any contamination to enter the fork when working so a good cleaning product like Bike Super Wash from Finishline should do the trick. Use an old tooth brush and get into the hard-to-reach spots around the lower assembly to get all the grime that may have collected. After drying everything with a lint-free cloth, release any spring tension on the coil side by backing out the the pre-load.

Place the spring stanchion in your bike stand and make sure you’re not scratching anything (wrap the stanchion once with a cloth). Since you’re replacing both stanchions and the damper cartridge you only need the guts out of the spring side. Using the 32mm 6pt socket, remove the top cap (counter clockwise). Note how many spacers were placed directly under the top cap and use a pick to pull out the damper spring.

On the bottom of the fork use a 6pt 1omm socket and loosen the bolt that holds the plunger shaft about 3 threads, then give it a tap or two with a soft face hammer to loosen it up. Get ready to catch the 40ml of oil that will drain out from the fork lowers.

After the fluid drains, set the lowers aside and wipe down the bottom half of the spring side.Using a pick and small screwdriver (or second pick), carefully remove the spring clip that holds the plunger shaft assembly in place. I use the second screwdriver to pry the spring out of the groove while the pick rotates around moving the spring clip. Once it is off, save the plunger assembly and spring clip.

Place the new stanchion in the stand carefully (again wrapped with cloth or the packaging material that it came in) groove side up first. Install the plunger assembly and spring clip. The clip should go in easily – just carefully work it in with a circular motion using the pick as a guide. Turn the stanchion thread side up and install the spring and spacers (remembering the order in which they were removed). Then install the top adjuster assembly. Us a bit of Fox Float fluid on the O-ring to prevent it from binding. Torque down the top cap to 24 Nm and set aside for final assembly.

With the remainder of the fork (old damper cartridge and lowers), you now can place the damper side of the stanchion in the repair stand.

Remove the protective cover from the compression tuning knobs and remove them using a 2.5mm hex key. After that, use a 15mm deep socket to loosen the bottom nut.

With the nut loosened about 3 threads, reinstall the cover and tap that with a soft face hammer until the damper shaft comes loose (get ready to catch the fluid). There will be about 40ml of fluid in that space that will need to be caught before you can separate everything. Remove the nut fully and you’re done with the damper unit.

Clean up the fork lowers using a bike cleaning spray and remove any residue. Once clean you can now proceed by removing the seals and foam O-rings. I use a pry bar (basically a wide screwdriver) covered in cloth to protect the finish of the fork.

After a bit more cleaning I soak the O-rings in Float fluid and carefully place them in the fork, followed by the new low-friction seal. To install the seal I use a bottom bracket tool that happens to fit snugly around the seal without damaging the seal itself. The most important thing is to avoid bending or physically touching the seal lip and spring. You could even use a PVC tube of close diameter here. Whichever method you use, be sure the seals go in as straight as possible.

With the new damper cartridge, remove the top screw that holds the two compression adjusters, and set it aside temporarily (do not tip it over or that small detent ball in the photo above will drop out). Remove the lower cap and the red rebound knob using a 2.5mm hex key. Then apply a light coating of Fox Float fluid to the damper cartridge O-ring. Thread the cartridge into the new Kashima-coated stanchion all the way down (don’t worry about torque yet). Place the assembled unit in a bike stand (protecting the coating with a rag or packaging material), and use the 32mm 6pt socket to torque the cap to 24 Nm. Install the adjusters and single tapered bolt. The adjusters are indexed so be careful to match things up – the single tapered bolt uses 1.5 Nm max, so use caution.

At this point you should have two complete stanchions and a lower crown assembly with new seals. Install the damper cartridge on the right side (the arch of the fork is forward) and the spring side stanchion on the left. With both ends it is critical to carefully install each stanchion with a twisting motion, so that you do not fold the lip of the seal. A bit of Fox Float fluid on the seal itself and the stanchion will work great at eliminating any chance of the seal grabbing.

Once each one is in I temporarily place the bottom nuts in place until I can fix the whole unit on the bike. With a friend and those plastic brake shims installed, carefully reinstall the stanchions back into the fork crowns. Now remember to slide the frame bumpers on before sliding the stanchion into the upper fork crown. At this point you can also feed your cabling as well. Once you have the stanchions in place, remove the shims and line up the stanchions.

This is a good time to use a quality measuring tool to get both sides in place at the right heights. By adjusting the height you can also slightly adjust the steering angle. With a near-flush stanchion to the top crown you have a slightly shallower head angle for more stability at higher speeds. With 10mm of stanchions over the deck of the upper crown you have a steeper head angle which is better for tighter situations. Torque the bolts to 7.28 Nm and while you’re there, set the bumpers and double check the torque on the adjuster caps.

Turn the bike and fork upside down and fill each leg with 50ml of 10wt Fox green suspension fluid or equivalent. Then place the new washers supplied with the seals and torque the bottom nuts to 5.6Nm. Lastly, install the red rebound knob using a 2.5mm hex key.

With the bike upright, install your wheel and front brake. Remember to torque all the bolts and do a once-around check to make sure you didn’t miss anything.

Was all this work worth it? From the very first time we compressed the chamber we noticed a massive change in the fork. Talk about buttery. I personally hate using food as an analogy for bike performance but.. buttery smooth it is. My good buddy Chris ended up taking his bike literally from my shop at home to a Pennsylvania bike park within 24 hours.

Here’s what Chris has to say about the upgrades:

The test venue for the fork upgrade was Seven Springs Bike Park located just outside of Sommerset, Pennsylvannia.  (The park) has a diverse selection of trails from the ever so fun “Aline” type trail aka “007″ to faster rocky tech trails such as “EC” designed by top rider Eric Carter, to some pretty gnar trails such as “Frankenstein” which was littered with huge rock gardens and decent sized rock drops.

Before the first ride, the high and low speed compression knobs were set in the middle positions at 11 of 22 and 13 of 26 clicks respectively. I normally run with only two to three clicks of preload which is just enough to make sure the spring is not loose. Rebound to me is the hardest setting to get “dialed” as it should be fast for bashing through rocks without pack-up but slow enough to cushion big hits without bucking you off of your bike like a wild horse after landing something big.  The best starting point for rebound is in the center position (10 out of 20 clicks).

The first trail I rode was a perfect test for the fork which was a flowy trail called 007 with tons of jumps and big berms and even a few rock sections.   This trail was great for getting a feel for all aspects of the fork set-up.

During the first run of the day I totally forgot about the new fork by the end of the trail.  It felt so good that I got lost in the moment and joy of riding.  Once the utter awe of amazement wore off I took a few more runs down 007 paying more attention to the fork settings and honestly the fork was set up pretty bang on for the most part and there (were) only a few things to slightly adjust.

The high speed compression was set a bit soft with the bike slightly diving into the front travel a bit too much on rougher landings and drops. After a few more test runs I was confident (in) my observations and I cranked the high speed dampening up maybe 4-5 clicks which now was set at (14 out of 22). After getting the high speed compression set, adjusted, and tested out for a few runs I felt as if I could use an ever so slight increase in response from the rebound. 3 clicks faster seemed to do the trick (so now 13 out of 20 clicks towards fast rebound).  The low speed compression was pretty bang on in the center position. I tried adding a few clicks of dampening from the center, as well as taking a few clicks off but I really liked the feel of the fork with it set exactly in the center position (13 out of 26 clicks)

One thing I really liked about the 2012 fork parts compared with the 2010 (is) the revised damper cartridge. I find that I like to adjust my high and low speed compression far more often than my rebound. Riding at different places often times requires slightly different compression settings  depending upon the terrain.  On this version of the fork the high and low speed knobs are located right at the top of the stanchion which makes adjustment an ease.  The knobs are buttery smooth to turn and the clicks are very pronounced.

Thanks to the folks at FOX for sending up the parts for the modifications.

There’s a big race coming up.  You’ve spent weeks, or even months, preparing yourself, riding as much as possible, watching what you eat, and even ditching friends and family so you could train.  You are ready… or, at least as ready as you will be!  The last thing you want is a mechanical to put you out of the race, wasting all the hard work you’ve put into preparing for the race.  Here are some tips to make sure your bike is as ready to race as you are.

If you have to travel to race, be sure to take everything you need.  Make a list, check it twice.

“Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.”

While I’m not sure if Confucious really said that, I am sure it’s good advice.  Getting the bike ready starts long before the race, two or three weeks out actually.  You wouldn’t wait to do all of your training until the day before, would you?  So why wait to check the bike until the day before?  The night before a race is NOT the time to be doing major work on your bike!  Starting early will give you time to replace any worn parts (which you probably don’t have laying around and will have to order) and get them broken in before the race.  Here’s what you should look into:

Tires:  Check your tires for wear and damage.  Inspect the sidewalls and the tread, look for cuts, bulges, embedded debris, anything that could cause a failure.  If you’re not confident in a tire, replace it.

Brake Pads:  How much life is left in your brake pads?  Is it enough to get you through that 50 mile race if it rains?  Having an extra set to carry with you just in case isn’t a bad idea.  Brake pads are like toilet paper – there are nasty consequences for running out.

A tire failure can ruin your day in a bad way.  Make sure they’re up to the task.

Stans:  How long since you last topped off the sealant in your tubeless tires?  If you shake the wheel and don’t hear Stans splashing around inside, you need to add some more.

Drivetrain:  If your ride is shifting smooth, then great, move on.  If it’s not good, figure out why and get it fixed.  Take it to your favorite LBS and let them tune it up, replace what’s worn out (chain, cassette, cables, etc).  If you had to replace the cables, be glad you’re smart and got it done early.  Now you have time to break them in and get the initial “stretching” over with and get the system re-tuned so it’s running like a sewing machine on race day.

Hidden Dangers:  When was the last time you checked your chainring and cleat bolts?  Probably never, right?  Most of us never think about them.  Well now is the time to check – I’ve read too many race reports where someone lost one of these critical bolts and were not able to finish the race.  You don’t want to be That Guy.  (example:  3 days before the 50 mile Fools Gold my buddy Ross discovered that 2 of his chainring bolts were missing and another was loose!)

A well tuned and clean drivetrain goes a long way towards having a good day on the bike.

Final Prep

On the night before the race you need to get all of your stuff taken care of.  That way, the morning of the race you don’t have anything to do except get dressed and get to the start line.  Get your clothes laid out, food prepared and ready, pack your hydration pack with whatever tools you’re taking.  Here’s a good checklist for prepping your bike the night before:

Tire Pressure:  Get your tires aired up to whatever pressure you plan on using.

Drivetrain:  Wipe away as much dirt and grime as possible and re-lube your chain.  A smooth, quiet drivetrain goes a long way toward making you feel good on race day.

Hidden Dangers:  Check those chainring and cleat bolts one more time.

Check your cleat bolts!

Go Get Some

Alright, you’re ready – get some sleep, you’ll need it!  In the morning all you have to do is eat, fill up your bottles/hydration pack, get to the venue and put on your riding clothes.  Oh, and don’t forget to take that all important pre-race potty break!

Hi folks – in this article I am going to tell you how to install, set up, and adjust both 3×10 and 2×10 front derailleurs (though most of this will work for 9spd drivetrains as well). I will also cover the different types of front derailleurs including top clamp, bottom clamp, high direct mount, low direct mount and E-type.

The first step is to identify what type of front derailleur you have. You’re going to have to look at how the cable pulls, size the clamp diameter (or ID the type of direct mount), determine the cage length (short or long), and of course count the number of shifts (2 or 3). The photos below show the different types of front derailleurs.

Top clamp (left) & bottom clamp (right)

High direct mount (left) & low direct mount (right)

E-type

Establish the right front derailleur you need, make sure you have the correct fitting (is it E,E2,S1,S3), and if you’re upgrading to 3×10 or 2×10, make sure you have compatible gear (crank, front shifter).

The next step is to gather all the tools necessary along with the instructions from your manufacturer.

4mm, 5mm, 6mm Hex Keys
8mm, 10mm Hex Keys
Friction grease
Side cutter
Pliers
Cable housing cutter
Ruler / Vernier caliper
Bottom bracket tools (GXP, Octa link, 14mm,15mm extractors)
Torque wrench

Now it’s time to install the front derailleur. With a low direct mount model you’ll need to remove the crank to access the mounting points. E-type front derailleurs require you to remove the drive side crank bearing and replace one of the spacers with the mount plate. Bolt the E-type derailleur down with the single alignment bolt first, then torque the bearing cup back in place.

In setting the derailleur you have to keep three things in mind:

1. The spacing between the top of the large chain ring teeth and the lower edge of the derailleur cage should be 1-3mm (regardless of design).
2. Use friction grease to reduce the necessary torque on the clamp.
3. Tighten the clamp and make sure the cage is parallel with the chain ring.

Setting the gap with a 2×10 derailleur is pretty easy. Just align the set height and torque, keeping in mind that everything should stay parallel. The 3×10 set ups require you to either use a “pro alignment block” that comes with new Shimano front derailleurs or you can carefully move the cage to the middle ring position and check the gap, adjusting up or down as necessary. Torque the clamp down based on your manufacturer’s recommendation (usually 5 – 7Nm).

Now you can set the low (L) and high (H) settings. With the chain already installed you want to have a 0.5mm gap between the inner chain guide plate and the chain. If you don’t have a chain on, from the side of the small chainring to the inner chain guide plate you want a gap of 1.5mm (I usually prefer to do this with the chain installed). Turning the (L) screw counter-clockwise increases the gap while turning the screw clockwise decreases the gap. With the high gear we want the same spacing of 0.5mm between the chain and the inside of the outer plate. Use the (H) screw this time – a clockwise turn will decrease the gap.

With the derailleur physically set up, now you can continue with the rest of the installation.

Starting from the top, make sure the shifter is placed into low gear. For SRAM models, open up your shifter pod by loosening the single screw on the pod. For Shimano shifters there is a plastic cover which you remove (near the thumb shifter). In either case, simply install a new cable and give it a slight tug to make sure it is snug (saves time when tuning).

Above is a typical Shimano shifter. Below is the new X9 / X7.

Below is the XO with its cover removed. As you can see it’s pretty simple. One cover bolt.

Check out your cable housings and remove the housing caps to get a better look. If the ends look frayed it may be time to replace the cable housing as well. If you do decide to change the housing, use the existing pieces to match the lengths. Cutting shifter cable housing requires a proper cutter (not a side cutter as it squishes the housing and increases drag on the cable); try the Park CN-10 cutter. Using a proper cutter also ensures a nice clean, straight cut essential for proper shifting. Once the housing is all cut and installed with cable ends, feed the shifting cable through and down to your derailleur. Do not attach the cable at this point.

Once all the cables are routed and cable ends are on and double-checked for snugness, feed the cable to the front derailleur. Before attaching the cable to the derailleur, turn the cable tension adjuster all the way in (clockwise) and back it out 2 full turns (this is a perfect starting point). It is important to follow the routing correctly. If you purchased the derailleur new your instruction sheets should have clear diagrams showing the correct route. It is very, very, very important to get this right – I’ve seen too many installations where someone got the cable installed incorrectly and the index shifting just doesn’t work. What happens is that the incorrect amount of cable will be pulled. Below is an example of correct installations (Courtesy of SRAM):

Once you’ve figured out the correct route, tighten the cable with the pinch bolt. About 5-7Nm should ensure the cable doesn’t slip. The trick here is that there should be some slack in the cable.

Finally you’re ready to check out shifting performance. With 2X10 it is pretty easy to set up. If you have a stand to allow you to turn the cranks that’s great; if not, find a friend willing to hold the bike up for you for a few minutes. Crank the bike and shift up to the big ring. The shift should bring the chain up to the large ring almost instantly without grinding on the way up. If it takes too many crank strokes or just skips then you have to turn the adjuster knob on the shifter out (counter-clockwise) half a turn at a time until it shifts. Once it shifts up nicely, just make sure that when you’re in the smallest gears on the cassette the chain doesn’t rub on the inside of the outer cage.

With a 3×10 system we only care about centering the middle ring. The first and third rings are taken care of with the stops on the derailleur but the middle ring is aligned with cable tension and the index in the shifter. Again, shift from the small ring to the middle ring and see how it shifts – did it get to the middle ring in about one crank turn or did it skip? If it skipped and didn’t shift, add a bit more tension half a turn at a time (counter-clockwise). Now if it shifts too much, back it off a quarter turn (turn clockwise). You’re trying to get the cage positioned so that the middle gears shift perfectly without rubbing on the cage. On all bikes there will be a bit of rub on the extreme ends of your gear range. Below is a chart borrowed from Shimano that works great as a diagnostic chart.

After about a week or two of riding, especially with new cables, go back and recheck the spacing and torque on all the bolts. I hope this helps and if you have any questions, feel free to post a comment or a thread in our forums. Cheers folks!

Hopefully my recent post, One Is Enough, convinced some of you to give singlespeed mountain biking a try.  The nice thing about singlespeeding is you may be able to do it for cheap by converting a bike you already own for less than $30!   You could spend a lot more, but the basic conversion will get you rolling with only one gear and is perfect if you just want to try singlespeeding out.  Converting an old bike to SS is also a great way to breathe new life into it and finally get it out of the garage and onto the trails again.

After riding my SS to help with the One Is Enough article, BrianW decided to convert his old 1991 Trek 830 to a SS.  We did just the basic conversion on his bike, and that’s what this article will focus on.  Future upgrades are included at the end however if you want to do a proper full-on, bomb-proof conversion.

Yep, you can even convert a full suspension bike to SS – you just need a special tensioner.  I used the Yess ETR-V to convert my Anthem for my first taste of SS riding.  I liked it so much I eventually built up a dedicated 29er SS hardtail and retired the Anthem.

Parts You’ll Need

Spacer kit – get one that includes lots of different spacer sizes to fine tune the rear cog position to achieve a really straight chain line.  Some cheaper kits include only two spacers – I don’t recommend these.

Rear cog – if your hub has a steel freehub body (common on most lower end bikes), a cheap stamped cog will work, but if your hub has an aluminum freehub body you should get a dedicated SS cog with a wider base to prevent gouging the freehub body.

Tensioner – this will keep the chain nice and tight and keep it from falling off.  There is a slight chance you wont need it, but very very slight.  Go ahead and pick one up – you can always take it back if it turns out you don’t need it.

Chain – most SS rear cogs will not fit 9spd chains so you’ll need either a SS chain or an 8spd chain.  If you’re converting an older bike it may already have an 8spd chain on it so feel free to reuse that chain on your SS set up as long as it isn’t too worn.

Several companies offer SS conversion kits that include the spacers, cog, and tensioner which is easier and cheaper than buying the parts separately.

BrainW purchased an Origin8 SS conversion kit that included multiple spacers, two cogs, and a tensioner.

Quick note on gearing:  The gear ratio/combo you use is dependent on your fitness level and where you live. Someone in Denver, CO probably needs an easier gear than someone in Savannah, GA.  Ask around your area for recommendations.

Tools You’ll Need

Performing the conversion takes limited mechanical knowledge and only a few bicycle-specific tools.  These are tools every cyclist should own anyway as they’re required for basic maintenance/parts swapping.  This project is a good excuse to get the tools if you don’t already own them!

• Chain whip and lockring tool – used to remove the cassette from the rear wheel.
• Chain tool – you’ll need to shorten the chain to the correct size.
• Big adjustable wrench – used to turn the lockring tool.
• Various allen wrenches – used to remove the rear derailleur and shifters, install the tensioner, etc.

Step 1 – No More Shifty Bits

This is pretty basic so I’m not going to go into too much detail.  Just remove all of the parts you’ll no longer need:

• chain
• front derailleur
• rear derailleur
• front shifter
• rear shifter
• all shift cables and housing

Won’t need any of this crap any more.

Step 2 – Rear Cog Install and Alignment

Remove the rear wheel from the frame and the cassette from the hub.  Use the chain whip to hold the cassette in place and the lockring tool and adjustable wrench to remove the lock ring.  Once the cassette is off, it’s time to put the rear cog on and get your chain line straight.  You’ll want to use the spacer kit to get the rear cog aligned with the middle ring on the cranks – it’ll take a few tries to get it right.

Put the cog and spacers on the wheel where you think it might be close but don’t tighten the lockring down too tight.  Put the wheel into the frame and lay the chain across the cog and chainring.  Is it straight?  Probably not.  Remove the rear wheel, and move the cog/spacers around to get closer.  Repeat as necessary and once you’re happy with it, tighten the lockring down.  You probably can’t get it 100% perfect, but get as close as possible.  A straight chain will run smoother, wear much slower, and is less likely to come off the chainring.

Nice straight chain line.

Tip:  It’s hard to tell if the chain is straight just by eyeballing it.  None of the frame tubes will be parallel to the chain so it makes it hard to visualize.  Here’s what I do:  place a straight edge (I use a level) on the chainrings extending back towards the rear wheel.  If the chain is straight, it will stay the same distance from the straight edge all the way back.

A straight edge makes it easy to tell if your chain line is good or not.

Step 3 – Chain Length and Tensioner Install

We’re almost done!  Now it’s time to shorten the chain to the correct length.  Without the tensioner on the bike, wrap the chain around the middle chainring and rear cog.  Figure out where you need to remove the excess chain – you want the chain as short as possible – then put the remaining chain back together.  Chances are the chain will be a little too long and you’ll have some slack but that’s what the tensioner is for.  If you get lucky, the gear combo and chainstay length will work out perfectly and you wont need the tensioner.  But, this is rare.

The chain didn’t quite line up perfectly on BrianW’s bike so we had to use a tensioner.  When you shorten the chain be sure take it apart at the correct place, so you have a pair of outer links on one end and inner links on the other – can’t connect two sets of outer links!

Installing the tensioner is easiest if you remove the pulley wheel so you don’t have to fight the chain.  The tensioner should have a spring peg near the derailleur hanger mount – that peg should sit in the ‘hook’ of the derailleur hanger.  The pulley wheel is usually adjustable so you can set it up to match your chainline.

Looking through the wheel, you can see the spring peg sitting in the derailleur hanger hook.

Some tensioners are designed to push the chain down, some are designed to push the chain up, and some can work either way.  A tensioner that pushes up on the chain is desirable because it causes the chain to wrap around the rear cog better, so there’s more teeth engaging the chain and less chance of slip or dropping the chain.  However, a decent tensioner that pushes down on the chain will work okay too.

The Origin8 tensioner pushes down on the chain.  This bike is ready to ride!

Okay, you’re done!  Go ride and enjoy the simplicity of singlespeeding.

Go All Out

There are a few additional upgrades you can do to make your SS set-up better for long term use.

SS chainring – A dedicated SS chainring will not have any shift pins/ramps and will have taller and wider teeth than a ring designed for shifting.  The taller/wider teeth are stronger and engage the chain better for reduced chance of slipping and dropping the chain.

Wider SS cog – conversion kits all come with rear cogs that are stamped out of a flat piece of steel.  They are thin and under high load they can gouge into the cassette body on your hub, especially if it is a lightweight aluminum body.  True SS cogs are machined out of a large piece of metal and have a wider base to spread out the load to prevent messing up your expensive hubs.

SS chainring bolts – these shorter bolts will let you remove the big ring from your crank.  Less weight, more ground clearance, and no exposed teeth to cut into your leg in a crash.  And it looks nice and clean.

BrainW’s old bike is now ready to hit the trails once again!