Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - SS/Fixed the ultimate in simplicity?

I have been toying with the idea of converting my urban assult bike (UAB) a Schwinn Moab Disc into a SS.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2699/635/1600/IMG_2544.jpg

One of the things that has motivated me is how simple and elegant a SS/Fixed gear bike seems to be. My friend has a Dutch SS which I enjoy tooling around on, but it is a laid back cruiser that weighs a ton.

I figured by converting my UAB I could get the best of both world's - better performance and the simplicity of a SS.

However, after doing a lot of research on the net I am starting to think the most simple and elegant thing I could do is to just leave the bike the way it is a ride it. I mean it is starting to seem a bit silly to chase after simplicity by taking apart a bike that works great and buying new parts and trying to make it all work well again. Not really all that simple.

I am not dissing the idea of a SS and I probably will have one in the future, but I think the path to a SS for me that retains that feeling of simplicity and elegance will be to either buy a complete bike or build one up from scratch when my UAB dies a natural death.

Its already been stolen once so who knows that could be tomorrow.

Are most of you riding SS/fixed conversions or did you buy/build up one from the start?

safe riding,

Vik

I bought mine new from iro. I dont know very many people that take a new bike like that and chop it up and convert it. Most conversion are of old bikes someone bought for 15$. If i were you i would buy a fixed or make a conversion from an older bike and keep that one.

well it depends, if you want to go SS, it's easy, if you want to go Fixed, it'd be a little more money spent. both are simpler. provided you want to go SS, you just buy a SS kit like Gusset, and a chain tensioner, then you strip your derailers, shifters, extra chainrings, and cassette and whip it up, and that's if you do it RIGHT. the thing i love about SS is that there is much less to break, so it's up to you

to go fixed, a new rear wheel is needed, and you either have to find a "magic ratio" or get an eccentric rear hub.

The bike doesn't appear to have horizontal drops. That means you would need a chain tensoiner, which takes much of the "simplicity" out of SSFG.

The best candidate for a conversion is a bike that's in good condition with mostly servicable parts but has lived out it's usefulness as a geared bike. In other words, your old mtb has been replaced by the latest disc brake DH monstrosity. Try finding an old Specialized Hardrock. They can be had pretty cheap, the drops are horizontal or can be made so, and they aren't too crappy.

Yeah..keep your good bike like it is. Precisely because fixies are so simple and primitive, you can generally get away with using old cheap stuff to make a conversion and it will work just fine. So you are better off buying an old beater that you can convert....it'll cost you about the same as converting you geared bike...then you'll have both. To save money do a google search for rotafix...many people here will tell you that you will die with a rotafixed hub, but its not true. I;ve been riding one successfully for nealry 2000 miles. If you find you like fixed, then splurge for the track hub.
I love ridig fixed, but I would never want to commit 100% to riding fixed...gears are great too and its nice to have two or more bikes so you have some day-to-day options.

No, the ultimate in simplicity is this:

http://store.semcycle.com/images/UW.jpg

I bought mine new from IRO too. While my mtb is a decent candidate for converting, I still like the gears when it comes time to climb the hills.

Your bike is too new to convert. Plus the frame looks heavy as hell. I'd look for a lightweigh rigid mtb frame w/ horizontal dropouts at the numerous garage sales that are starting around now and convert that to SS. A fixie on the trails might be great for low speed technical maneuvering, but might suck when it comes time to bunnyhopping logs. Unless you're really good.