Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - i feel like a bad bad man (the strife of converting an old beauty).

edited for clarity

it's your bike, you can do whatever the **** you feel like with it.

what about those asian slave laborers that made the cheap bicycles of which "monster bikes" are constructed? don't you think they're crying somewhere knowing their creations are part of some freak show? oh...who cares?

Yeah, I'm subscribing to the "its your bike, do whatcha wanna do" (I can't tell you... who to sock it to...) ideology more these days.
But that frame would look much more natural geared.
Beautiful bike.

Your asking people who in heart beat would convert their bikes to fixed. I rode my Pinarello geared and i prefer it fixed.

converted frames always lose a few points in the "cool" department but if you're riding it and not polishing it with a diaper, who cares?

converted frames always lose a few points in the "cool" department

:eek: How many points do i lose?!?!?1?1?!??! What about if i ride with a brake, mtb bike shoes, socks up to my knees, and a helmet


I guess ill never be a "real" hipster

oh man, you lose points just for being able to install a brake on your bike.

How many points do you lose if you rode a bike that had a brake, and just never took it off?

How many points do you lose if you rode a bike that had a brake, and just never took it off?

11

I've always held the opinion of my bikes that they're just bikes. They're objects that can be repaired/replaced if anything were to ever happen to them. The 'Colnago of the other tread' has been crashed by me. It was shortly after I had it repainted to what it looks like today. I was in a group ride, clipped the rear wheel of the rider in front of me, and went down hard. Everyone stopped and was worried about the bike. I just picked it up, moved it off the road, and walked away to work out the pain from hitting the pavement. Someone worked up enough nerve to ask how I thought the bike fared. I replied, "F%$^ the bike." As it turned out, the only damage was torn handlebar tape, and a gouge in the paint on the headtube from the Drop Ins. New handlebar tape and some touch up paint and it was good to go.

It's just a bike. It'll be happy on the road. It doesn't care if it has 1 gear or 30. When I do convert my Colnago, I won't be shaving the derailleur hanger or the braze-ons, for two reasons: 1. I don't want to deal with the hassle of doing it, and 2. I may want to go back to multiple gears at some point.

Some bikes have soul, it's up to you as the owner to decide if you're ruining their soul or not. Good luck.

If you're happy with it one way or the other than pick that way.

It seems there's a school of thought here when it comes to older upper echelon bikes that have full groupos and whatnot - don't convert them. I suppose in essence there's a purity in that.

But in the end, if you're not riding the bike at all with gears on or are, then whatever "version" gets you riding the bike is the version to go with.

If you've got a really beautiful old geared bike, and you really want a really beautiful fixed/track bike, why not just sell the geared bike to someone who will love it just the way it is and use the money to buy an equally beautiful fixed/track bike?

There are a lot of really nice bikes in the world, and you don't necessarily have to own them all at the same time.

m.

I think all bikes look dumb without a chainline shaped like a slice of pie

If you've got a really beautiful old geared bike, and you really want a really beautiful fixed/track bike, why not just sell the geared bike to someone who will love it just the way it is and use the money to buy an equally beautiful fixed/track bike?


Sometimes the bike has extra sentimental value - aka there is a special reason why you have it, so you dont want to get rid of it. Just like dogs need to be walked, a soulful bike needs to be ridden, and if that means shaving the gears off, so be it. And perhaps the Pinnarello is just a man in a mid-life crisis - he is sick of being an old man and wants to see thrills again!!

Of course I am hearing strange animal noises from the next room over - so I just might be a little kookoo.

Of course I am hearing strange animal noises from the next room over - so I just might be a little kookoo.



Ooooooohhhhhhho ooooooooooohhhhhhhh ahhhhhhhhhhh ahaaaaahahahahhaha

I look at it as a great way to recycle a great bike. There are a ton of these bikes out there due to the weight weenies buying the newest carbon whatever. It seems like a waste to have all these older handbuilt steel bikes either gathering dust in the back of some shop or as wall art. If you believe that a bike has a soul of some kind then show it the respect it deserves and use it in some capacity.

I think all bikes look dumb without a chainline shaped like a slice of pie

Word to that, homeslice.

My ciocc is much happier as a fixie. I can tell...

There are a lot of really nice bikes in the world, and you don't necessarily have to own them all at the same time.


What are you, a pinko commie? Not owning them all at the same time? Ridiculous!
:D

Hey!...I'm a pinko commie and I have lots of bike. ;)

Sometimes the bike has extra sentimental value - aka there is a special reason why you have it, so you dont want to get rid of it. Just like dogs need to be walked, a soulful bike needs to be ridden, and if that means shaving the gears off, so be it. And perhaps the Pinnarello is just a man in a mid-life crisis - he is sick of being an old man and wants to see thrills again!!

My response was only directed towards those feeling the angst. Like, if you feel bad converting it then don't convert it. If you don't care - well, join the club I guess.

m.