Can you add gears to a single speed mountain bike?

Question

I recently bought a 2006 Gary Fisher "Rig" and I'm wondering if adding some gears are possible

Answer 1

It may be possible, but it is probably going to be difficult.

For one, the Rig isn't designed to accept a rear derailleur.  Your Fisher dealer may be able to order a derailleur hanger, but without one, you're going to have a hard time hanging a derailleur on your bike.

Secondly, I don't think the Bontrager single speed hub is designed to accept more than one cog.  You will probably need to buy or at least scrounge another wheel.

By the time you purchase a derailleur, shifters, a new wheel, cassette, cables, housing, etc. I think you'll be a mighty long way toward paying for another bike.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Agree with sfr.

The dropouts are your biggest issue, not to mention that you wouldn't have any way to route the cables. If in fact you could convert your rig to SS, you would end up spending enough $$ to pay for a decent used  hardtail with gears. Maybe you should just sell it.

Answer 3

Possibly. Alot of single speed mountainbikes use spaces and a cog held onto a freehub by a lockring. You can usually removed the spaces and cog to add a cassette, and get a drop out with a derailleur hanger. from there, its just getting the derailleurs (clamp on front obiously, and a new crankset) and shifters. Now that I'm writing this down, it would be easier and probably cheaper ot just buy another bike.

Answer 4

The Rig was designed to be a single speed.  You would be better off getting a Cobia and trade in or sell your Rig.  You would ruin a very good bicycle by turning it into something against its design.

Answer 5

You could make it a three speed. Three speed hubs are neat.

What I like best about three speed hubs is that you can shift while stopped, like when you're in high gear and you stop for a red light.

http://www.sturmey-archer.com/index.php