Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.rykoala
03-26-07, 12:45 PM
A few months ago I got a 63cm Schwinn Le Tour for next to nothing. I *was* going to cut it up and use it as the basis for a recumbent project, but that fell through. I started acquiring parts to build up a fixed gear instead. First I tore of *all* the braze-ons and filed the tubes smooth. I also removed all the decals, head tube badge, etc. When I was done, all that was left was bare tubes. Just the way I like it. I happened to have a stem and seat post that fit and everything but the wheel set to make it work.
A friend gave me an old 12 speed with steel wheels. It even had good tires! So, after putting in a new rear tube, I had a wheel set. I robbed the 19T cog from my commuter (It had a 17 and 19 on it) and after a quick trip to the LBS for freewheel removal, I threaded it up. I used the rotafix method and then I put on a bottom bracket lockring over it. The chain line was *way* off by about 10mm so I decided that I HAD to respace/redish the wheel and hub. I've never done such a thing and was a bit nervous about ruining the wheel. But I followed the guide at fixed gear gallery.
I loosened the drive side spokes by 1/2 turn and then tightened the non drive spokes 1 full turn. I then respaced the hub some old wheel nuts off of a bolt on wheel I had laying around. I faced them outward so they would grip the dropout. I used one on each side and it turned out that those were the only spacers I needed. The chainline is within 1mm.
The wheel was still off center and so I tightened the non drive side spokes 1/2 turn at a time until the wheel was centered again.
I didn't have any single chainring bolts so I used standard ones, but I put on two chainrings of the same size so its not as noticable.
The bike is still being finished but I've ridden it around for a few miles and it works good! I just need to finish the paint job and put a front brake on it and it'll be ready for backup commuter duty.
The pictures are still on my wifes digital camera, so I'll share as soon as I get home and download them tonight.
The moral of this is that it was all my first undertaking in painting, metal working of any sort, respace/dishing. If I can do it, anyone can do it!
So the total cost of this bike if anyone cares was about $5 for the spray paint and the rear tube. I already had the cog.
A friend gave me an old 12 speed with steel wheels. It even had good tires! So, after putting in a new rear tube, I had a wheel set. I robbed the 19T cog from my commuter (It had a 17 and 19 on it) and after a quick trip to the LBS for freewheel removal, I threaded it up. I used the rotafix method and then I put on a bottom bracket lockring over it. The chain line was *way* off by about 10mm so I decided that I HAD to respace/redish the wheel and hub. I've never done such a thing and was a bit nervous about ruining the wheel. But I followed the guide at fixed gear gallery.
I loosened the drive side spokes by 1/2 turn and then tightened the non drive spokes 1 full turn. I then respaced the hub some old wheel nuts off of a bolt on wheel I had laying around. I faced them outward so they would grip the dropout. I used one on each side and it turned out that those were the only spacers I needed. The chainline is within 1mm.
The wheel was still off center and so I tightened the non drive side spokes 1/2 turn at a time until the wheel was centered again.
I didn't have any single chainring bolts so I used standard ones, but I put on two chainrings of the same size so its not as noticable.
The bike is still being finished but I've ridden it around for a few miles and it works good! I just need to finish the paint job and put a front brake on it and it'll be ready for backup commuter duty.
The pictures are still on my wifes digital camera, so I'll share as soon as I get home and download them tonight.
The moral of this is that it was all my first undertaking in painting, metal working of any sort, respace/dishing. If I can do it, anyone can do it!
So the total cost of this bike if anyone cares was about $5 for the spray paint and the rear tube. I already had the cog.