Can You Change a Triple to a Single?

Question:
I have a 21 speed comfort bike. Gears 1 - 15 are useless! I really only use gears 15 - 21. Can I do away with gears 1 - 14 and go with a single sprocket, and if so, how do I do this?
Thanks,
Stan Zyskowski.

Hi Stan,

Depending on which chain set you have you could remove the in side chain rings, the problem you will have is that the line of the chain from the chain ring to the biggest cog at the back will be quite severe. A single chain set should be in line with the middle cog on the cassette or free wheel. Because you are using just the outside or large ring the chain has to bend a lot to go to the big cog, this wears out the chain and the chain ring quicker and can cause bad gear changes as everything is in the wrong line.

If you can buy either a single chain set with a matching narrower bottom bracket or if you can take the inner chain rings off your chain set then try to buy a new bottom bracket with a shorter axle then you will get what you are looking for. The cheapest way is to either leave it as it is or if you can remove the inner chain rings try riding it like that and see if it all works OK, if so, you are doing well.

If your chain rings are bolted to the cranks then you can un-bolt the smallest chain ring on the inside and leave the bolt off. Then with the middle chain ring you can un-bolt it and either use spacing washers instead of the chain ring that you have removed to space out the bolts or buy a set of shorter single chain ring bolts to hold the out side chain ring on to the cranks.

Your other problem could be that now that you don't have a front derailleur that the chain might fall off the chain ring occasionally.

Maybe you are to strong for a comfort bike and you should be thinking of getting a new bike either a road bike or a high-bred with higher gearing.