Fixies

[gasman]

Yesterday I rode a Major Taylor-C'Dales track bike. It was pretty cool but to not have brakes was very disconcerting so I went easy. The bike really responds and I could see how much fun a fixie could be. I don't want to spend a ton of money to buy one, the M-T was about $1300. C'Dale also makes a model called the Langford that comes with a flip-flop hub and a front brake for about $450. I would rather have a steel frame bike fixie- then I would have a bike in each material-Carbon,Ti,Al then steel. I saw that Bianci makes a steel fixie for very reasonable price. Does Serotta make a fixie type frame with horizontal dropouts at a reasonable price? Are there other makers I should look at or should I look for an old steel frame and build on up myself ?I know this is the option lots of people decide on,but it would take a lot of time and I don't seem to have enough of that.

[Benjamin]

that's the specialized langster you're thinking of.

i don't like the specializeds.. the sloping top tubes and relatively cheap parts don't really do it for me when it comes to fixies.

serotta does make track bikes and at one point, offered coversion of your old serotta road frame to track ends as a service. i'm sure they'd still do it.

anyway, the tradition of the fixie is building one up out of spare parts - perhaps an old road frame with long campy-style dropout, perhaps you want to spend a few more bucks and pick up a nice old track frame from ebay.

for $200-$400 you can get a nice old italian steel frame. my 1984 pinarello track bike cost me under $350 complete. it needed new wheels and tires, but otherwise was good to go and damn, does it have style.

my wheels are surly track hubs mated to 32 hole MA3 rims. they ran me about $225 for the pair and have proven to be virtually indestructable. add on some armadillo tires and you're good to go.

[coylifut]

you'll have a lot more street cred if you build it up. Especially if it has a rattle-can paint job. (Sorry couldn't resist, I've been anxiously waiting to use stret cred in a sentence for some time). But really. You should be able to build a fixe for somewhere around $250. The majority of that will be the new rear wheel you'll need to build. If you want to go pre built, I know a number of people who've purchased the cheapest Fuji track bike. It has road angles, but I can't remember if it has a water bottle boss or not. The nice thing about an old road frame, with the long Campag dropouts, is that they normally have fender eyelets. I can't imagine a fixe without the ability to easily bolt fenders on.

[davep]

If you don't have boxes of spare parts lying around to build a bilke out of used bikes on Ebay are a good bet. If you want new you can get a Surly Steamroller frame and fork for, I think, $379 at excelsports.com, or from Sheldon Brown, which is also a great resource for fixie info and parts.

[jerk]

wait for the lemond to come out. steel frame, carbon fork, bontrager wheels front and rear brake for a thousand bucks.
jerk

[alembical]

Somewhat related stupid question..... Regarding cross racers, are they racing on fixed or single-speed bikes? I would assume that it is single speed for the racers (at least mostly if not 100%), but I am not real sure. I think that the MTB are single speed, rather than fixed. Is this correct?

Alembical

[William]

You can find quite a few fixed gear set-ups (complete bikes) for under $500. Build it up yourself if you can and you have the parts, or don't mind hunting them down. That'd the best way to go IMHO. If not, get a new/used one. Lots of cheap fixies on ebay.

Fuji
Bianchi
Surly
Specialized
KHS
www.irocycle.com

(to name a few) All have fixies for under $500 (for now :rolleyes: :crap: ).

Parts:
http://fixedgear.americancyclery.com/
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/fixed.html

Build it yourself. It's the cheapest and most satisfying way to build one. I'm currently in the process myself.


William

[gasman]

OK- Now let me get this staight. For real street cred, which we all desire, I have to build a bike I don't really need without having enough parts at home to build the bike and most importantly I lack the time to do the build up.But I do know how.


Sounds good to me :banana: :banana:

Ben- Your right the Langster is made by specialized, my bad.

Wait a minute you made a great video on how I can get a used bike locked with a Kryptonite ;) ;) :D :D


Man is this forum great or what !?

[christian]

Somewhat related stupid question..... Regarding cross racers, are they racing on fixed or single-speed bikes? I would assume that it is single speed for the racers (at least mostly if not 100%), but I am not real sure. I think that the MTB are single speed, rather than fixed. Is this correct?

Alembical

The vast majority of single-speed cross riders I've seen (actually, all) were riding single-speed freewheel rigs, not fixed.

But then, there's a tricky little mention at the bottom of this page by Tarik:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/singlecross.html
about what to do if you're considering fixed gear cross.

Sounds fun to me. Alas, the Kissena (Queens, NYC) cross series ain't happening this year. :(

- Christian

[coylifut]

OK- Now let me get this staight. For real street cred, which we all desire, I have to build a bike I don't really need without having enough parts at home to build the bike and most importantly I lack the time to do the build up.But I do know how.

you do realize I was kidding about the street cred thing. It's the new operative term among my teenager and her crew of litle players. I you don't have time, every major builder offers one. The LeMond sounds promising.

[gasman]

you do realize I was kidding about the street cred thing. It's the new operative term among my teenager and her crew of litle players. I you don't have time, every major builder offers one. The LeMond sounds promising.
Don't worry Coy- I knew it was tongue-in-cheek as was my response. :D Although I may still try to build one up just because.

[coylifut]

…and you are contemplating building one up, here are some suggestions. First you need to find a frame/fork. Very early 80s-late 70s Japanese frames are your best bet. What you are looking for is a frame with 120 spacing, wider spacing will work, but you’ll have to adjust the chain-line. I saw a really nice looking Fuji Professional (cromolly-with long drop-outs and fender eyelets) go on ebay for $50 a few months ago. I’ve seen em with poor paint go for ½ that. You’ll also need a crank with a bottom bracket. There are plenty of SRs out there that look like a copy of early Campy models that can be had for $10 or so dollars. These usually have a 42 inner ring; put it on the out side. You’ll need chain-ring bolts, about $7. A decent single speed chain will cost around $7 as well. Find the LBS that caters to the single speed crowd, take your frame in, and have them build you a wheel while being mindful of the chain-line, about $130. You’ll need a cog – cost $20 or so. There, you just spent $225. If you find one with poor paint, take electrical tape and wrap it around the top, seat and down tubes. Ok, you still need to find a front caliper, lever, front wheel, bars, stem and post. This is what your cycling friends are for. I never mind when my friends take something in my parts cabinet and put it to good use. You’ll be amazed at how tight and quiet it will ride. When you are riding fixe on the road, you have less ability to un weight for bumps and ruts, consequently, these early era steel bikes, while noodley by today's standards, ride nice as a fixe.

[gasman]

Thanks Coy- Great information. :banana:

[Andreu]

...down on riding on a fixie in a really hilly country. The idea and simplicity is really appealing to me and I have a met a few riders over here who ride one (but they generally live in or near flat or rolling countryside).

I live on the coast and in virtually every direction there are hills.....along the coast in one direction it is generally fairly flat but boring with too much traffic - the other direction is lumpy (hard short steep climbs along dramatic cliffy coastline). In land ...long long hills (some up to 20 km long) gradients typically 8 to 12% (not too steep?).
What would the experienced fixie rider do.....or should I just stick with gears and coast down the other side of the hills?
Thanks for any advice.
A

[Climb01742]

the gearing you chose is key. there's no getting around the fact that hills are a challenge. you will work hard. but that's part of the benefit. perhaps consider a single speed vs. fixie. allowing you to coast coming down. i know fixie purists will howl ;) but a single speed gives you many of the benefits, without the downsides of a fixie. plus, if hills are an issue, you can chose a gear that works better for ascending hills, but that you could never spin fast enough on downhills if it were fixed.

[oldmill]

Another fixie framemaker to consider. Damn swell-looking machines. http://www.antbikemike.com.

[coylifut]

It's hilly where I live and I ride a 42x18. Any time I ride, I'm forced to climb a 2 mile 8% hill to get home. I have to hump it pretty hard to get up it. It was really hard at first, but has gotten much easier. Wide bars help. The only time riding fixed down hill is a problem is when you are riding with geared riders. You just blow your self up trying to keep up with em. However, when alone I don't have any problems. I do have to feather the brake occasionally.

[Andreu]

can you control the speed on descents on a fixie using your legs...or is this nearly impossible?
Ta
A :beer:

[coylifut]

can you control the speed on descents on a fixie using your legs...or is this nearly impossible?

Yes. If you get on someting in the 12% area you may have to use your brake, but for the most part you can use your legs. I really find going down hills are not a problem. You need a front brake for a road fixe, in most areas, it's the law. If you get tangled up with a car and don't have a brake on your bike, you don't have much of a case. 1 brake, plus back-padaling = much, much, much more stopping power than any geared bike with two brakes.

[Dekonick]

Not an expert - but from what friends say: There is a hub that will take both a fixed cog, and a freewheel - fixie on e side, flip wheel and you have a single speed with a freewheel. Just keep a wrench with you and you can flip out if you need to (run out of energy, find that too steep descent...etc..)

I am looking for a frame myself - want to build one up. Ironcycle is looking nice, and a good deal at @ 250 for frame/fork.

[coylifut]

Not an expert - but from what friends say: There is a hub that will take both a fixed cog, and a freewheel - fixie on e side, flip wheel and you have a single speed with a freewheel. Just keep a wrench with you and you can flip out if you need to (run out of energy, find that too steep descent...etc..)

I have fip flop hub, I've never flipped it. I've since taken off the free wheel on the other side. Trust me on this one, once you get rolling on your fixe, you won't want to stop for anything.

[Climb01742]

phil wood makes that kind of two sided hub. i had one on a frame a few years ago. quite slick and functional.

[bags27]

I agree completely with coylifut. Maybe, just maybe when you're trying to descend Everest or something, you'll be tempted to flip to the freewheel. But otherwise, once you get into it, there's no turning back. And anyway, taking off the back wheel for anyway other than changing a flat (and a lot of fixie riders use heavier, flat-resistant tires in the back) is not a good idea, since you've got to make sure that everything's tightened down real, real tight or else....

[Climb01742]

for me, flipping it wasn't so much for during a ride as it is for before a ride--do you want fixed or free?

[davep]

Bags raises a point I had never thought of-what do you if you get a flat on a fixie? Do you carry a couple wrenches to take the wheel off?

[coylifut]

Bags raises a point I had never thought of-what do you if you get a flat on a fixie? Do you carry a couple wrenches to take the wheel off?

That's what a peanut butter wrench is for. I use an Armadillo for a rear tire on my fixe.

[Too Tall]

Andreu, maybe you got an answer? For riding a fixie I assume it's an offseason endeavour for conditioning and not riding with others? A smallish gear is very managable for the grades you mention. Something like a 66" to a 72" is good but not bigger.

[Climb01742]

too tall--i'm not very good at gear inches. to hit the range you're talking about, what kind of gear combo's hit it? a 42 x ? thanks a lot.

[keno]

gear inches = 27 x drive gear teeth/rear gear teeth

keno

[Ozz]

too tall--i'm not very good at gear inches. to hit the range you're talking about, what kind of gear combo's hit it? a 42 x ? thanks a lot.

This is pretty useful:

http://www.jbarrm.com/cycal/cycal.html

[kestrel]

I have a Raleigh that has horizontal dropouts. I use a quick release rear wheel, and spin the gear on the threaded hub without a lockring. Then if I get going downhill too fast and have to make an emergency stop, I grab the brakes and stop pedaling. The gear just spins off and rattles till I stop. I release the wheel, thread the gear back on, place the wheel back in the dropouts, tighten the quick release and back on the road I go. Actually I've never had to do it, but a friend that borrowed it did use the feature once. The only drawback I see is that I don't have the ability to use backpressure to slow down. I have got front and rear brakes installed.

[Too Tall]

Kestrel. Quit foolin around we don't want you to get hurt. Why can't you fit it with locktite and a BB lockring?

[davep]

If you can't back pedal to slow down, why not just get a freewheel and make it a single speed and not a fixie?

[kestrel]

I've been riding that way for 7 years, and never had a problem. Are there drawbacks to a fixie without a lockring? I have a lockring, just never bothered to install it. Always pedaling to tighten it, so I saw no use installing it. Please, enlighten me!

[Too Tall]

Put the lock ring on, tighten it down and you can go buck wild on the bike and not loose the cog....ever!

(sigh) Kids :rolleyes: