Please help before I spend again.

[djg]

So I've decided that I "need" a fixie. I keep thinking of ways to pick up some old beater frame and do this on the cheap, and then I keep coming back to this new LeMond Fillmore model. Er, ... , I, er, really kind of like it. Checked one out at the LBS. Took it out for a neighborhood toodle. Purty. Lively. Everything on it looks just fine, not counting the reflectors. A thousand bucks (plus a few). Am I completely mad? (Not looking for global analysis here folks, just a take on the latest hankering).

BTW: for those who cannot read English prose in context: darn right I'm looking for facilitators--why else would I be here?

[Smiley]

I have an old english Raleigh that I will be selling , its a 57 by almost 57 with a quill set up . Lots of class in an old frame . pm me and I'll give you details if interested . I don't go for the modern fixee's . Working on a new project bike now .

[coylifut]

The Fillmore looks darn cool. My only reservation is that it doesn't appear to have clearance for fenders or eyelits. For half the price, you could buld a pimpin fixe complete with full fenders. Also, you may want less fancy heavier duty wheels than the Fillmore has.

You'll have fun either way

[djg]

I have an old english Raleigh that I will be selling , its a 57 by almost 57 with a quill set up . Lots of class in an old frame . pm me and I'll give you details if interested . I don't go for the modern fixee's . Working on a new project bike now .

Thanks Smiley, but a 57 x 57 is just a little big for me.

[pale scotsman]

I'd buy a beater and do it on the cheap. Then when you find out you really like it buy something purty! :beer:

[Hard Fit]

Seems a little expensive to me when you can get the Bianchi at about half the price.

[FierteTi52]

Ben's Bike In Wisconsin markets a fixe/SS frame under the name "The Orange One". Rumor has it they are built by Waterford and the price is very reasonable. This sounds like an nice alternative to a Surly, Langster, or Bianchi.
http://benscycle.com/site/itemdetails.cfm?ID=709&Catalog=39
Jeff

[Sam in VA]

At www.kogswell.com. From the pics, they build what looks to be an ideal fixie frame (except for the threadless steerer).

[SneakyFast1]

I bought a Fillmore about three weeks ago. I have ridden it three times and each time I like it more. It was a little expensive, but I enjoyed the instant gratification. I'm not into building my own stuff so that factored into the decision.

As noted there are no eyelets.

Douglas

[PaulE]

but I have been fixated on fixies lately as well. Someone mentioned fixedgeargallery.com on a related thread recently, and there's a lot of information for someone like me that's new to the concept.

Buycycling's buyers' guide says the Filmore has a freewheel, but it sounds like it's a fixed gear bike.

In the past few years I've given away a bike and some parts that in restrospect would have been ideal for a fixed gear conversion, oh well.

For those who have built their own from an old bike, are there any helpful hints? One thing that I'm wondering about is horizontal vs. vertical dropouts in a fixed gear conversion. If you don't want to go with the White Industries hub, do you have a better chance at a reasonable chain tension with horizontal dropouts?

Another thing is the right amount of chain tension. If I did go fixed, I would have front and rear brakes, but the chain tension still has to be pretty good so that you can slow down without having the chain jump, jam or break, no?

Well, this is supposed to be an off-season activity, so now that Spring is coming, I will have a lot of time to mull it over.

[coylifut]

but I have been fixated on fixies lately as well. Someone mentioned fixedgeargallery.com on a related thread recently, and there's a lot of information for someone like me that's new to the concept.

Buycycling's buyers' guide says the Filmore has a freewheel, but it sounds like it's a fixed gear bike.

In the past few years I've given away a bike and some parts that in restrospect would have been ideal for a fixed gear conversion, oh well.

For those who have built their own from an old bike, are there any helpful hints? One thing that I'm wondering about is horizontal vs. vertical dropouts in a fixed gear conversion. If you don't want to go with the White Industries hub, do you have a better chance at a reasonable chain tension with horizontal dropouts?

Another thing is the right amount of chain tension. If I did go fixed, I would have front and rear brakes, but the chain tension still has to be pretty good so that you can slow down without having the chain jump, jam or break, no?

Well, this is supposed to be an off-season activity, so now that Spring is coming, I will have a lot of time to mull it over.

It's so much easier with horizontal dropouts. Getting reasonable tension while using vertical dropouts is really difficult without using the eno hub. They do make a half link that can help, but why bother with all the good steel frames laying around doing nothing.

another less expensive option is the Fuji Track SE. It comes as a complete bike and has road geometry. I think they are priced around $500.

I just love riding my fixe.

[jartzt]

I bought a Langster last year. Ordered it in November. Got it in February. Paid $430. They raised the price this year. Best bike:dollar investment ever (and like many of you I have more bikes than I need but fewer bikes than I want).

I put a couple of cages on it, swapped out the cheap saddle it came with for an old ripped up one I had, and added a Dura Ace track cog.

You can spend more but I don't know why. People complain about Alex hubs but I haven't done a lick of maintenance to mine and I've ridden the bike 4000 miles through crappy weather.

Mmmmmmm. Single Speed. Mmmmmmmm. Fixie.

Simple. Bullet Proof.

[coylifut]

I bought a Langster last year. Ordered it in November. Got it in February. Paid $430. They raised the price this year. Best bike:dollar investment ever (and like many of you I have more bikes than I need but fewer bikes than I want).

I put a couple of cages on it, swapped out the cheap saddle it came with for an old ripped up one I had, and added a Dura Ace track cog.

You can spend more but I don't know why. People complain about Alex hubs but I haven't done a lick of maintenance to mine and I've ridden the bike 4000 miles through crappy weather.

Mmmmmmm. Single Speed. Mmmmmmmm. Fixie.

Simple. Bullet Proof.

I think it would be hard to build a fixe for much less than $430 unless you had already had a majority of the parts. That's good information, I had no idea those things were so inexpensive.

[djg]

I think it would be hard to build a fixe for much less than $430 unless you had already had a majority of the parts. That's good information, I had no idea those things were so inexpensive.

Coylift, I think that the price on the langster has gone up by as much as 150 bucks--it may still be a good deal (what do I know--maybe an excellent deal) but with the retail pushing 600 it has competitors in new bikes as well as conversions. I'm going to a shop later in the week to look at Fuji, Bianchi, and KHS. And I'm still thinking about that LeMond. And some used frames I've seen around (I've got various bits and pieces in the garage, although not everything I'd need), and NOS, and ...

Thanks for the suggestions folks. For buildups, the Kogswell looks interesting, as does the "Wisconsin" frame from Ben's, which I've seen on e-bay. Soma has a trackish offering too that I've seen.

[jartzt]

There aren't many but you can find them. The new 05 are identical but the MSRP is now $599 (up $170 from last year). Specialized built them expecting to sell a few and they sold out of their entire allocation -- that said I've seen a few available so it's worth looking.

You can build a lighter, sexier, fixie (White Ind Eno, Paul Components, better more forgiving frame, etc.) That said, why? The bike is light enough (it's a training sled), bullet proof (I've had good luck with the hubs), and ton's o' fun.

[SneakyFast1]

Buycycling's buyers' guide says the Filmore has a freewheel, but it sounds like it's a fixed gear bike.

The Fillmore has a flip-flop hub. Fixed on one side, freewheel on the other. I have only used the fixed side. I think the freewheel has a larger sprocket (17). The fixed it 16 and the front is 44.

Douglas

[PaulE]

Bicycling certainly made no mention of the flip flop hub.

[woolly]

Ben's Bike In Wisconsin markets a fixe/SS frame under the name "The Orange One". Rumor has it they are built by Waterford and the price is very reasonable. This sounds like an nice alternative to a Surly, Langster, or Bianchi.
http://benscycle.com/site/itemdetails.cfm?ID=709&Catalog=39
Jeff


I like this one!

[Marron]

I guess I'm a traditionalist, but part of the fixie experience has been finding the old bike/frame that converts easily and cheaply to a fixed gear. In my case it's been a succession of old steel frames that were in fact the top end of their day and now out of fashion. The recent response to fixie popularity by the marketplace has increased your choices but reduced the need for creativity and resourcefulness. Bikes like the Langster and Quickbeam leave me cold, they may make it quick and easy to get rolling but I feel better bringing an old war horse back to life (kind of like me).

[djg]

I guess I'm a traditionalist, but part of the fixie experience has been finding the old bike/frame that converts easily and cheaply to a fixed gear. In my case it's been a succession of old steel frames that were in fact the top end of their day and now out of fashion. The recent response to fixie popularity by the marketplace has increased your choices but reduced the need for creativity and resourcefulness. Bikes like the Langster and Quickbeam leave me cold, they may make it quick and easy to get rolling but I feel better bringing an old war horse back to life (kind of like me).

and I may still do it. I have my eye on this and that--e-bay and elsewhere--and some things in the garage. At the same time, I'm spread pretty darn thin these days between the job and the little ones and any sort of additional project may lie fallow in the garage for who knows how long.

So I snuck out and test rode a Bianchi Pista yesterday. Not bad. Props to Bianchi for doing two things to last year's model that--as a pair--are out-of-fashion in the big corporate end of the bike world: They seem to have made this year's Pista model both nicer and cheaper than last year's.

[Eggzilla]

I believe there a LeMond Filmore on e-bay this week. I don't know what size you need, but check it out. Maybe you can save some $$$$$$$$$. Hope it works out for you. :)

[Hard Fit]

I can't remember if it was last year or the year before, but my understanding is the Bianchi's were hard to get. If you want one, now is probably the time to get one. (Although their web site says they think they can keep up with demand this year.)

[djg]

Still pondering, but I'll post the results.

Dan