# Convert to one chain ring.



## huggybear0 (18 Jun 2020)

Hi I have a Trek ex8 2011 with Shimano M552, 42/32/24.

I would like to convert it to one chain ring. The videos on the web show it is possible to remove the large and small chain ring then get shorter bolts and use the 32 ring.

It then just remains to remove the front derailleur and gear mechanism and it should work

can I just ask has anyone done it and is it really that easy or is more required to set it up.


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## Cycleops (18 Jun 2020)

Never done it but should be very straightforward. Just make sure you won’t miss those extra gears


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## DCLane (18 Jun 2020)

I'm doing this with my son's hillclimb bike build. You'll need a set of single speed / track chainring bolts. You may also need a chain guide to help prevent the chain coming off.


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## figbat (18 Jun 2020)

It should be as easy as you make out. You may wish to fit one or more "bash rings" to the crank in place of the removed chainrings just to keep it neat and tidy and help protect the remaining chainring. If you wanted to take it further you might consider getting a wider-range cassette to cover some of your missing gear ratios.


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## Sharky (18 Jun 2020)

Done on my road bike. Fitted a narrow/wide ring at the front and shortened the chain. Fit the chain ring on the inner or outer positions depending on the best alignment for the type of riding you do.


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## I like Skol (18 Jun 2020)

I need to ask why?


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## Tenacious Sloth (18 Jun 2020)

I like Skol said:


> I need to ask why?


It’s probably to increase the value of the bike. Like supercars, the more bits you remove - the more they cost.


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## huggybear0 (18 Jun 2020)

Would I need to add a something to keep the chain in place such as a guide or something.


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## figbat (18 Jun 2020)

You might. Shortening the chain will help avoid jumping off, as will adding bash rings. You can pick up a cheap chain guide that mounts to the seat tube - I run one on my 1x conversion. I also run a narrow-wide chainring, which you may also consider.


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## huggybear0 (18 Jun 2020)

figbat said:


> You might. Shortening the chain will help avoid jumping off, as will adding bash rings. You can pick up a cheap chain guide that mounts to the seat tube - I run one on my 1x conversion. I also run a narrow-wide chainring, which you may also consider.


Hi can you send me some pictures of yours please.


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## Sharky (18 Jun 2020)

I like Skol said:


> I need to ask why?


In my case, I was forever doing the "Campag Shuffle". That's changing up on the front and down at the rear and in the dark on my commute home, often ended up in the small/small combinations. Switching to a 1x9, then a 1x10 made it a simple click up or down to change gear. And without the double at the front, I can get all 10 gears running smoothly. I was confident that it would work for me, as one of my other bikes is a single speed, running a 68" gear, so having 10 gears is a luxury. Think my range is now 40" to 90" ish, which just about gets me up most hills round here (and it is hilly in Kent) and a 90" is more than adequate for flats/descents.


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## fossyant (18 Jun 2020)

You may need a wider cassette and you could be limited by the rear mech as it's not designed for bigger cassettes, assuming you still want to get up big hills off road. Otherwise you'll be pushing.


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## jowwy (18 Jun 2020)

narrow wide chainrings are a better option than bash guards and look better....cheap as chips on ebay or superstar components

can get most sizes whether its for mtb, road, cross or gravel


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## figbat (18 Jun 2020)

huggybear0 said:


> Hi can you send me some pictures of yours please.
















(ignore the bike rack clamp).


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## rogerzilla (18 Jun 2020)

I did this on my 2 x 9 TSR. It just worked at first, with a 10-speed 105 rear mech. Then I fitted a 9-speed Dura-Ace mech and it started unshipping the chain frequently when changing gear, so I fitted a chain guide. Then I solved the problem altogether by making it a fixie!

So...you either need a clutched rear mech, a 10 speed mech with a strongish spring, a narrow-wide chainring or a chain guide.


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## 3narf (19 Jul 2020)

Ive done this on several bikes - you can get a narrow/wide chainring for £5.99 (if you have 104 BCD cranks) but you might still unship the chain occasionally unless you have a clutch rear mech.

Im looking at making chain devices for my sons' bikes as a cheaper option than clutch mechs!


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## 3narf (19 Jul 2020)

fossyant said:


> You may need a wider cassette and you could be limited by the rear mech as it's not designed for bigger cassettes, assuming you still want to get up big hills off road. Otherwise you'll be pushing.


...unless you already ride singlespeed!


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## Black Sheep (26 Aug 2020)

my current bike used to be single speed, this was done by removing the larger chain ring from the front triple, don't think I ever took the small one off as I had no crank puller so didn't bother but never used it. 

Single speed kit on the back gave me a 32 x 16 set up and a chain tensioner kept everything in place, I don't recall the chain coming off despite a number of loops of Cannock Chase or Grizedale, I've had the chain come off the 5 speed road bike many times though!

You can get chain guides that are just a box where you'd have the rear mech to keep the chain in line, some add a roller under, I had one on a jump / play bike, but never found the need for cross country.


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## Drago (26 Aug 2020)

I like Skol said:


> I need to ask why?


A lot of hardcore riders want the big ring out the way to increase rollover clearance for logs etc, particularly as the taller gearing is rarely required off road anyway. Triples always were a bit superfluous on an MTB.


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## Black Sheep (26 Aug 2020)

Drago said:


> A lot of hardcore riders want the big ring out the way to increase rollover clearance for logs etc, particularly as the taller gearing is rarely required off road anyway. Triples always were a bit superfluous on an MTB.



I've always, other than the single speed days, had triples on mtb, in my teens it was asking for ridicule to not be in the highest gear when belting down a cart track, six of us bombing it down the wheel ruts, how we never crashed into each other I'll never know. 

Now it's a way of making progress on the tarmac stretches or fire road stretches between bits of trail while still retaining a crawler gear for them lankyshire hills


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## Drago (26 Aug 2020)

Aye, I've always binned the big ring on bikes I use properly off road, or bikes I train with then adjusted the mech to prevent the chain going off for a jolly on it's own.


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## I like Skol (26 Aug 2020)

Drago said:


> Triples always were a bit superfluous


I beg to differ.


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## Drago (26 Aug 2020)

I like Skol said:


> I beg to differ.


Well, indeed, you may belt along now and again on smooth trails, or between trails, but that comes at the expense of rollover clearance. A lot of sporty riders, and trainers such as myself, decided that the loss of technical riding capacity was not compensated for by having a bit of extra speed on tap on the smooth or downhill. 

The the big chanring removed you can still ride the smooth or downhill, it's a bit slower but you can still do it, it's not a limiting factor. With it in place you've lost 3/4" of clearance, and you simply cant ride around that shortcoming when the log or crest is as big as it is.

Of course, it's all rather moot now with single chairing system as pretty much the norm, but my backup training bike is still 2 x 9, and on my annual requalifcation in October there will probably still be one or two in use with other delegates on the course.


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## ChrisEyles (28 Aug 2020)

^^ I wonder if this goes hand in hand with the slightly lower BB height on modern bikes? 

Personally I quite like a slightly higher BB to avoid pedal strikes (yeah I know, I need to work on my technique...), in which case I very very rarely catch the big chain ring on a triple. 

On my lowest BB bike I've still never dinked the big (40t) chain ring, but I do seem to smack the pedals a lot! Maybe I'm not jumping enough big logs - but I'd have more to worry about than catching my big chain ring if I tried that 

To be fair, 32/11 is as high as you'll ever need off-road. And if it's a big meaty FS with knobby low psi tyres, it's probably not going to hold you back massively on road either. For mixed on/off-road riding (which most of my MTB riding tends to be), a triple is the way to go!


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## arsebeast (8 Nov 2020)

My raceface 34t ring, excuse the rusty bolt! Changed to single ring about three months ago and never looked back, certainly improved my riding. Slight warning tho - If you aren't changing your rear cassette then make sure your fitness is up to the loss of the extra gears. I got faster and stronger because I was forced to use harder gears than before but I can imagine if your legs weren't up to it then it could be pretty depressing/painful. Just make sure your new chainring is compatible. Chain guide is a Lil' Chap from Gusset Components. After hearing lots of bad things about guides mounted direct to the post, this one is absolutely rock solid.


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## weareHKR (8 Nov 2020)

I changed my Hybrid to a single, I went with a 48T Narrow/Wide chain ring, eliminating the need for a chain guide... ( subject to your riding conditions)


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