Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - A natural way to convert to fixed.

This conversion technique requires a lot of time, so it's not for everybody. First you take any multi-geared, free wheelin' bicycle - set it outside in your backyard for a decade or two. Eventually that freewheel and those deraileurs will lock themselves up tight from wholly natural causes.
You remove the deraileurs and brakes, and you're set - just take a look at this natural conversion I carried out myself (project was started unintentionally by the previous owner).

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y158/XYZZY2000/P1010244-1.jpg

And here's the obligatory crown clearance shot...

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y158/XYZZY2000/P1010245.jpg

Keeping the five cogs in back means I can select five different ratios just by loosening the rear wheel and putting the chain on a different gear.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y158/XYZZY2000/P1010246.jpg

I should note that if you intend to ride on pavement instead of grass, tires are recomended - unless you can stand the noise.

depending on rust is ********

depending on rust is ********

or cool.

this is the new brakeless.

I don't like the frame's geometry but I know I would ride it in a heartbeat. (If it had a new crankset, new wheelset, and tires/tubes). Oh and f those ugly pedals.

**** BRAKELESS I ride TIRELESS

I don't like the frame's geometry but I know I would ride it in a heartbeat. (If it had a new crankset, new wheelset, and tires/tubes). Oh and f those ugly pedals.

Haha.. my girlfriend has those pedals! They weigh about 3lbs each.

I've ridden bikes with them. Pure hate.

**** BRAKELESS I ride TIRELESS

So does the OP from the looks of things in those pics.

Edit: If I'd bothered to read the OP, I'd have realized this clever chestnut was already there.
But I'm loving the rear fender. Insane coverage.

depending on rust is ********
that's what i was thinking.


Haha.. my girlfriend has those pedals! They weigh about 3lbs each.
i have a scar that looks like teeth marks in the back of my right calf from wrecking my old schwinn continental and slipping off the pedals :(

I think i'm going to take the used tires off my three speed and put them on this one so I can ride on the street. I know I also have some old toe clips around somewhere too. It'd be great to build a bike where I didn't actually buy anything, just threw stuff away (or rather put it in a box because I know I'll never have any future use for it).
Or I could weave some hemp tires and make it even more "natural" :D

does the light still work?

fsnl
sparky

Am I seeing correctly that the rear brake is still there but unattached? While I like the whole rusted together idea, I think it's certifiably insane to try it without a brake. It may seem nice and locked down, but braking with the cranks is one of the best imaginable tools for generating the leverage to free up the freewheel. I wouldn't want to be aboard w/o brakes when that happens.

By the way, did you have to cut off the fender stays? Looks like the eyelet bolts are still there (?)

Yeah I still have one brake lever and the rear brakes mounted, as soon as I find a cable I'm going to connect them for the same reason you mentioned. I didn't cut the fenders at all, it came with these crazy cut back fenders that just attach to the brake bolt and nothing else, they also rattle like hell because of it.

And the light would work if I had a generator to power it, I just left it on the bike for fun and fatness.

Mos.
Fin.
Rocks.
If you were here in BFE I would give you tires for that, just in exchange for watching you do skids on such a hosebagcycle.

The bike is named the "Senator". That rules, it makes me think of old men with socks and sandals smoking cigars while mowing the lawn on sunday afternoon. Keep it on the grass and get a panama hat.

You must get some random NJS part for it.

HAH!!!

sweeeeet fender

For all intents and purposes, I consider this "done"
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y158/XYZZY2000/P1010164.jpg
I'll put the fender on as soon as I find a bolt for it.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y158/XYZZY2000/P1010165.jpg

Rides like a dream! (it's those ridiculous frame angles!)

hopefully the rust won't snap mid ride...

This is, without question, the coolest thing ever. Ride it slowly, and away from all other life forms. I love it!

Those tires are awesome.

Those tires are awesome.

+1. The white sidewall is a perfect fit for that bike, as is the cushy saddle. Or does that count as a seat?

those reflectors on the fork are baaaaaaaaaaaaad assssssssss

Please forgive the automotive reference, but it's like a Ferrari that somebody rebuilt in a junkyard. I love it.

freewheel and no rear brake? i guess you can get away with it 90% of the time...

edit: nevermind, the whole "freewheel rusted so it doesn't spin" thing just came back to mind. how long do you expect that to hold?

how long do you expect that to hold?

I would have thought it would have broken free by now, but alas rust is apparently stronger than my feeble legs... either that or something much worse than rust has happened to that freewheel.

And the cushy chidren's bicycle seat is gone already, I had an E3 gel form seat laying around and though it couldn't look any more out of place than on this bike, so that's what it has now. That the seat is worth about four times as much as the rest of the bike pretty much meant it had to be there.

never mind the hub, i'd be more worried about the cranks suddenly 'freeing' themselves.

they're cottered right?

fsnl
sparky