Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - City fixed cruiser style

If I wanted to build something like this, but more of a ghetto version with probably with a steel frame with horizontal drop outs to avoid the cost of an eccentric hub:

http://www.63xc.com/erikb/urbanfix.htm

What kind of parts and where would I be looking for the stem, bars, cranks and rear wheel? I know a bunch about standard 700c style fixed gears but next to nothing about the BMX and mountain bike parts that make up something like this.

Anyone recommend a good inexpensive back wheel, bars and stem and cranks for something like this?

I put 3-pc BMX cranks on a Schwinn Cruiser. Set up was 175 arms and 26x2.1 tires, and stock rigid fork. There was plenty of pedal strike, thankfully I still had a coaster brake. I was kicking myself for not ordering 160's.

For a back wheel, get the 26" MTB wheel from IRO. For the other stuff, if your LBS has a used parts bin, your bound to find what you need.

Thanks.

Excellent photo and quote. I'm thinking about 160mm Bulletproof cranks or similiar.

"Chandler, I thought he was dead."
"No."

get ahold of any beach-cruiser (pick any garage sale). old or new, they all have horizontal drops. sub a track hub. your'e done.

This would be a good choise as it has an aloy frame:
http://www.madwagon.com/bikes_details.php?model=Fulsom
change out the coaster with and ASC bmx hub,or other fixed hub---sam

The Electra cruisers would be great for this. The frames are ok quality and amazingly cheap. I work for a shop that sells them and I've often thought about setting one up as a ss mtb. Probably would not last off road though, as the forks are kind of crap.

http://www.electrabike.com/04/bikes/05bikes/ess/05_ess_03.html

I restored an old Schwinn Breeze and converted it to a fixed gear just by throwing a new wheel set on it. Runs great and looks even better.

If I wanted to build something like this, but more of a ghetto version with probably with a steel frame with horizontal drop outs to avoid the cost of an eccentric hub:
...
Anyone recommend a good inexpensive back wheel, bars and stem and cranks for something like this?

I know that guy and that bike very well - I helped him build it. Its a very sweet bike.

Lots of ways to go about this project, depending on budget:

Any cheap-ass mountain bike can serve as a base - they are plentiful, but like you said - if you really want this to be a fix then go for horiz dropouts (more common on cheap-ass bikes anyway).

Check out Danscomp.com for BMX stem and bars - you could probably get them for a minimum of $40 for the set. The BMX stem fits right on a threadless 1 1/8 fork, or you can get one for a threaded fork, depending on what your bike has. But you do need a BMX stem for BMX bars. Also make sure you know what your rear spacing is (I'll assume 135mm).

As far as a back wheel - there aren't a lot of really cheap fixed gear mountain bike wheels out there that I know of. Cheapest is to build it yourself using a hub / reuse an old rim and possibly even spokes - maybe a Surly or Kogswell hub or something like that. There's a much better (and cheaper) selection of hubs if you can squeeze a 120mm jobbie in your frame.

Um... if you give me a sense of budget or ask more questions I might be able to add something else.

Best wishes,
Dr. Hans

I'm currently learning about this type of stuff too, so I'm going to throw in what I think I've learned about bottom brackets...

if the bike originally has 1-piece cranks, you can just replace the bearings and use those. A standard BMX chainring with the one hole will work. Sheldon has replacement bearing sets. Or you can get an "American" bottom bracket and crank set from danscomp.

Normal, MTB style bottom bracket can use normal UN72 or UN53 BB. Or, you can get a "Euro" BB/crank set from danscomp for BMX style stuff.

Most square-taper BMX bottom brackets will take a shimano taper, like bulletproof cranks or others.

Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong on this!

That bike is insane.

I could go one of three ways:

1) Take my old beach cruiser which I currently just use at the beach and bring it into the city, keep the current one piece crankset, replace the bent front sprocket and bearings which I need to do anyway, buy a nice single speed back wheel (probably from IRO) and some BMX stem and bars and try it out. Total cost probably around $150 and it probably wouldn't look like much you'd want to steal so I could leave it out on the street, maybe. I've got some Moby bites I can slap on and I'd leave the rusted on seat post and rusty cranks. Probably get a new headset also.

2) Take my early 90's Rockhopper, get a new backwheel and cranks for it and convert it to a single speed (keeping the old wheel and cranks for if I want to convert it back to a mountain bike). Total cost probably about $200.

2) I've got my eyes on a Electra frame which I could get for like $100 though I'm not certain of the dropouts, get a 3 piece crankset for it and kinda buff it out and pilfer some parts off the Rockhopper. Probably run more like $250 and I'd be a little scared of leaving it out on the street for more than a little bit at a time unless I ruined the paint job of the brand new frame. It's aluminum though and I bet I could get the weight down pretty light.

If you have some intimate knowledge of that bike on 63xc.com, I'd love to know what kind of parts it has besides the ones they tell you about on the site.

If you have some intimate knowledge of that bike on 63xc.com, I'd love to know what kind of parts it has besides the ones they tell you about on the site.

I might forget something but...
B-72 saddle with seat sandwich on Salsa Shaft seatpost
Primo Mustache h-bars
Poverty BMX stem
DT 14 ga spokes w/ brass nipples
Old LX crank
AC Racing chainring
Some kind of HD KMC chain
Ritchey Logic headset (since changed to a Ritchey Extreme Conditions headset or some such thing)
I forget what kind of v brake and rims...

That bike is insane.

I could go one of three ways:

2) Take my early 90's Rockhopper, get a new backwheel and cranks for it and convert it to a single speed (keeping the old wheel and cranks for if I want to convert it back to a mountain bike). Total cost probably about $200.


I have to vote for #2 since I have a 88 or 89 Rock Hopper that is fixed. I bought a wheel from Tony at IRO with his 135mm fix/fix hub, and didn't even have to change the cranks. I'm riding this fixed around town and it is awesome, totally recommend it. Did I mention that the chainline is perfect?