Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Wanting to build a single speed out of this bike...

Any advise from experienced people. I wanted to turn this bike into single speed, I don't think fixed is an option as the drop outs are verticle. Also thinking of just throwing on a pair of bullhorns, it would probably look interesting with the lines of this frame.

Any opinions?

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3/atombob03/linked/1a.jpg

You could use a White Industries eccentric hub (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/white-hubs.html) and make it fixed. Otherwise, you could just space out a single cog on the hub.

I think it would look nice with moustache bars.

I guess the most important questions is - Do you have a budget?

*cough* Magic gear (http://eehouse.org/fixin/) *cough*

*cough* Magic gear (http://eehouse.org/fixin/) *cough*


You ok? Don't you guys realize that these magic gears are just that. Magic. Go ahead. Try every little trick that you can for using vertical dropouts and converting to fixed. If you get lucky then, yes. Magic! And voila. You will have fixed. Unfortunately, that happens far less often than you think. The formulas can't take into account many other variables that have an effect on whether you will get good chain tension or not. Many times this magic gear does not exist without having to make some doodoo adjustments like filing axles and stuff to get it to work.

Take of the cassette, put on a cassette cog and spacers, tensioner, blah blah blah. Sheldon Brown has all you need, and if not that, check this (http://www.mtbr.com/faq/ssfaq.shtml#ssConversionsHowTo).

Just cut the shifter cables.
SS in five, at no cost to you.

Enjoy

shorten the chain and reroute it out side the rear derailer, bada bing, single speed.

I'm with Jersey. I like the shortening chain, and removing the derailer. It looks hardcore.

More like tardcore! :bday:

..but seriously, I went this way on my first completely botched SS "contusion", and it wasn't so slick. Especially when the chain ghost-shifted up to a higher cog and the chain tension went up so fast it bent my wonderful pot metal Alivio chainring into a taco.

..and after I banged that back into position, I realized the bearings in my rear hub had also been savaged. The whole wheel would move around from left to right (and up and down) on the axle, even though the quick release was tight. That was a bit disconcerting.

Anyhow, +1 on the freewheel cog w/spacers thing.

More like tardcore! :bday:

..but seriously, I went this way on my first completely botched SS "contusion", and it wasn't so slick. Especially when the chain ghost-shifted up to a higher cog and the chain tension went up so fast it bent my wonderful pot metal Alivio chainring into a taco.

..and after I banged that back into position, I realized the bearings in my rear hub had also been savaged. The whole wheel would move around from left to right (and up and down) on the axle, even though the quick release was tight. That was a bit disconcerting.

Anyhow, +1 on the freewheel cog w/spacers thing.


I just thought it would give him a chance to try out a SS setup with out commiting to it.Thats how my bike is set up right now (minus all derailers and cables) and been flying along for 6 months now. I've seen a bunch of bikes like that around...

I think i'll have to just run this as a single speed not fixed and probably stick on a singulator. Any thoughts on this? Thanks all for the advise as well. :)

Oh and I've found that I'll have rig the brake lever if I run bull horns due to the style of breaks this bike uses... requires more lever pull. argh.

singulators are junk. just use the old derailluer as a tensioner... the spring is more than likely stronger and if you a run a short piece of brake cable through it with the cable stop at the barrel adjuster, you can adjust it for good chainline. i'd also recommend picking up a shimano dx splined bmx cog. the ramped teeth from the existing cassette will make it prone to dumping the chain.

i'm with sin-a-matic with the moustache bar idea.

You can use travel agent adaptor to make road levers work with V-brakes.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009W7LHY/104-3528803-2615963?v=glance&n=3375251

You can use travel agent adaptor to make road levers work with V-brakes.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009W7LHY/104-3528803-2615963?v=glance&n=3375251

Sweet! I that's what I was looking for... a way to modify my existing breaks. Now if I can figure a cheap way around the singulator I'd be the most happy. The whole point of a single speed to me is to get way from having the "extra" mechanical stuff on the bike.

20 dollars from nashbar gets you a 14, 15, and 16 tooth casette cog and wide assortment of spacers, AND a generic "singulator" chain tensioner. By and large the least expensive and easiest way to get everything on one shot.

I likes the look of that frame. Is it paint?

I likes the look of that frame. Is it paint?

Yes, just a gold color stock paint from specialized. :)

i'm eventually going to replace my dropouts with horizontal ones and run a multispeed hub.

here's another option, from fgg:
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/aug/MatthewBenardis-1.jpg
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/aug/MatthewBenardis.htm

i'm eventually going to replace my dropouts with horizontal ones and run a multispeed hub.

here's another option, from fgg:
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/aug/MatthewBenardis-1.jpg
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/aug/MatthewBenardis.htm

i'm eventually going to replace my dropouts with horizontal ones and run a multispeed hub.

here's another option, from fgg:
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/aug/MatthewBenardis-1.jpg
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/aug/MatthewBenardis.htm

Hehehe, I was going to post that same rig from FGG but came in to find it posted 3 times ;)

Oh hell yeah, that looks fantastic! I'm just now starting to rip into the bike and at this point I'm into the easy part... tear down. I've been messing around with the gearing to find what will work but my choices are so limited that I've decided to throw on a singulator for a bit.

Once I commit i found a frame builder who is more than willing rework the back triangle with track bike drop outs so I can run this fixed or ss. :)

Here we go... I'll have pics when it's at least part way finished.

wow, zach is a HUGE fan of that bike.

wow, zach is a HUGE fan of that bike.


i know! i just can't get enough of it.

That frame is artful.

i'm eventually going to replace my dropouts with horizontal ones and run a multispeed hub.

here's another option, from fgg:
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/aug/MatthewBenardis-1.jpg
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/aug/MatthewBenardis.htm

I wonder if any FGG dudes have had their pedal slip, wind gust, etc. and have the bike go splash.

When I was leaning my bike on a brick in the back yard, I was worried about it...and it would have just fallen on its side...

Okay, I've started the process. I did run a singulator on the back and everything is running fine. Of course nothing goes a smoothly as it should with me and the simple task of stripping off the extra chain rings on the cranks turns out to be impossible.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/124/282/1600/ss2.jpg

The damn things are rivited on.

I guess I'm off to search for a compatible style crank set and that should lighten the bike. If these arms are so cheap as to be rivited, they must weigh a ton as well.

The last step is the bars. I'm still torn between bullhorns and mustache... I'l take any more opinions on that one.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/124/282/1600/ss1.jpg

Sorry about the crappy pics. I'll get better ones as soon as I can.

looks better already

i love em both, but moustache has more hand positions.

oharescrubs - next tuesday, Margarita Relay, 14th an K NW, 7pm.
be there AND be square

Keep the bars, get a new stem.

Keep the bars, get a new stem.

What do you suggest for a stem on this bike? I'm still learning so I'm enjoying all the input. :)

that thing needs a salsa stiff upper lip stem! new cranks might be in order too, so you can just run one chainring.

Okay, found a set of used cranks at a LBS. :) Ended up having them swap them out for me and the mechanic even took the time to grind and fit the chain ring on the inside just so it'd look better.

The gearing is a little different and the cranks went from 170 to 172.5. The black seems to look a little better as well. Not bad for $35.00 installed. I'm liking the black as well. Might have to change the stem and seatpost soon. ;)

Here are some pics...

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/124/282/1600/ss-back.jpg

the must have chain line shot:
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/124/282/1600/ss-chainline.jpg

close up of drive chain:
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/124/282/1600/ss-drive-close.jpg

front view:
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/124/282/1600/ss-front.jpg

nice!

nice!

Thanks! I'm still loving the way that black crossroads looks though. I'll get there at some point. This was a budget build though. lol!

Thanks! I'm still loving the way that black crossroads looks though. I'll get there at some point. This was a budget build though. lol!

give it time. you're well on your way to a great start!

Thanks! I'm still loving the way that black crossroads looks though. I'll get there at some point. This was a budget build though. lol!


No doubt that black Specialized home repaint looks hot, but come on! How about some originality? You know what would look cool? How about a deep red? Or an orange? How about slate grey?

i second the mustache bar idea. it'd totally be fitting with the style of frame that you have there!

north road bars work well. they would look GREAT flipped, too.

http://zachs.smugmug.com/photos/59433679-M.jpg

You ok? Don't you guys realize that these magic gears are just that. Magic. Go ahead. Try every little trick that you can for using vertical dropouts and converting to fixed. If you get lucky then, yes. Magic! And voila. You will have fixed. Unfortunately, that happens far less often than you think. The formulas can't take into account many other variables that have an effect on whether you will get good chain tension or not. Many times this magic gear does not exist without having to make some doodoo adjustments like filing axles and stuff to get it to work.

... And don't even begin to think that you will get normal wear out of a chain with a magic gear. Without the ability to tighten up that chain as it wears, even a mildly worn chain will be dropping from a perfect chainline if you have any rough roads on your ride.

That said, chains are cheap. I've been riding mine for a long time and when I start to drop the chain more than once a week, I swap it out.

I was thinking of posting that Bernadis' bike as well! One of my faves of last year - I love the way the bars kinda balance with the poise of the curved topbar. Sweet. I voted but alas not a 'best conversion' winner on the fgg.

Rode this beast to work this morning. I'm running the 44x18 seems to work okay since i have an occasional hill. . Wow! What a blast. I really need to change the bars now. They aren't very comfy and I'm really hating the look. They really take away from the lines of the bike.

Running the 44x18 seems to work okay since i have an occasional hill.

Must... scrape up... funds....

... And don't even begin to think that you will get normal wear out of a chain with a magic gear. Without the ability to tighten up that chain as it wears, even a mildly worn chain will be dropping from a perfect chainline if you have any rough roads on your ride.

That said, chains are cheap. I've been riding mine for a long time and when I start to drop the chain more than once a week, I swap it out.

Yeah, I'm less and less happy with my magic gear fixie. It's getting pretty droopy and noisy. I think I'm going to have to break down and get that ENO afterall.

Anyway, back on topic: Another vote for mustachios!

I'm waiting on my ultimate comprimise between moustache bars and risers to arrive, maybe these would work for you too?

http://www.bikemannetwork.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/ON1-MARY.jpg

Okay Ignore the brake levers as they are on there only until I find a correct set of levers so it looks pretty bad. lol.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3/atombob03/bike-stuff/05-16-06_2234.jpg

The bull bar was a freebie from a friend with a pile of bike parts. Though I need a shorted stem I may run these bars for a bit. Opinions? K'mon I know you have em!

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3/atombob03/bike-stuff/05-17-06_0843.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3/atombob03/bike-stuff/05-17-06_0842.jpg

Thanks.

I like the look of the bullhorns but definitely get a shorter stem

Okay added the 60mm stem and set of brake levers to the bike. Seems to ride much better. I'll tape up the bars once I'm sure I want to run this set up. First ride and hands didn't like the new position too much but that could be due to the bars not being wrapped as well.

http://www.5point7.com/linked_pics/05-19-06_0909.jpg

http://www.5point7.com/linked_pics/05-19-06_0910.jpg

theres one of these thats been sitting in the hallway of my building since i moved in. It has never moved. I wish it would dissapear. *cough*someonepleasecomeandstealit*cough*

chicks dig single speeds... proof. LOL.

http://www.5point7.com/linked_pics/05-19-06_1342.jpg

Okay this is it until I can scrape up the money for some Track bike ends then I can drop the Singulator and go fixie! So close..... argh.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/124/282/1600/fin3.jpg

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/124/282/1600/fin2.jpg

Also for summer now that weather is getting better, I'll upgrade the wheels when I go fixie and lose the damn fenders. It's a blast to ride now. :) Thanks for all the help everyone! :D