Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Classic or Contemporary

I have a single speed schwinn le tour. As far as I can tell everything on it is original except for the tires tubes and bar tape. I am interested in putting some money into this bike but i don't know if I should attempt to keep it looking classic and original or more contemporary, ie bullhorns, new fork, new saddle etc. pictures below.


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I'd get a new wheelset, seat, crank and tires. Love the fork. Fix it. Woudn't worry about keeping it classic.

My LBS can hook me up with a pair of bolt on track wheels with a flip flop hub for $100 which is going to be the first thing i do those old steel rims don't brake for ****. I thought a brooks saddle might look nice but I know those are $$$. Where can I find a cheap crank though?

For that bike? Classic all the way.

For that bike? Classic all the way.

I understand this view as well but finding and buying classic parts can be expensive and difficult. Also since I took the kickstand and suicide brakes off and the chainring was ground down and it was converted to a ss its not really classic just classic looking. I think if I do this carefully it can be asthetically pleasing while keeping a classic vibe.

I think if I do this carefully it can be asthetically pleasing while keeping a classic vibe.

Yes you can.

I'll easily have the hottest ss/fixie in morgantown, a place not reknowned for its bike culture.

Do preservationists get worked up about lower end bikes? I would say turkey lever bosses are a green light. make it into a tall bike or something.

you're going to have to present that last post in terms I can understand lol. I am not personally super concerned with keeping it classic I just want to make it easier and more fun to ride. I'd like to get new handlebars, wheels, saddle, and possibly crank (the one on there is a double with the teeth ground off the big ring and its ugly.) A tallbike isn't really practical for where I live. What are these turkey lever bosses you have green lit? The guy at my lbs was the only person I have asked that put doubt in my head asking if I really wanna invest money in a cheap bike and if I really wanna mess with an already classic look.

My LBS can hook me up with a pair of bolt on track wheels with a flip flop hub for $100 which is going to be the first thing i do those old steel rims don't brake for ****. I thought a brooks saddle might look nice but I know those are $$$. Where can I find a cheap crank though?

You already have a nice, cheap crank on it, just roll with that. Keeps the classic look and all. It probably needs a new BB anyway, if the chainline isn't right you can make it so.

The working chainring is bolted to the outer ground down one. I don't like having the outer one on there it messes up the look for me I really just want a single ring crank.

modest, you can rebuild it

you have the technology

better than it was before

better…stronger…faster

Thats the spirit but in your opinion do I need anything more than my aforementioned components?

whatrugonnadowitit
?

Maybe some bullhorns, new saddle, wheels, and crankset if i can find one.

you will ride it around town for fun

as a commuter
?

It's not really that nice of a frame. If it was a paramount or premier or something worth keeping vintage then yeah. Seeing how modern components work a lot better (ie sealed and cartridge bearings) then if you want it to ride nice, go modern.

Looks to me like the larger ring was unbolted, not ground off. The oversize guard and general lots-o-metal look of the crank/chainrings is part of the look of bikes of that era, if you do a new crank then the build is going to look modern no matter what.

Turkey levers: those things that let you brake from the bar tops on crappy older bikes.

Turkey lever bosses: what turkey levers attach to. Yours are those rootbeer coloured things poking out the side of the brake levers in photo #6.

Green light: signal meaning "Go"

What does it mean, "Schwinn APPROVED"? Is it like some other company made it for schwinn and they put their stamp of approval on it?

Personally I wouldn't throw money at this bike. If you want a refreshed style, yes, change the bars, but I don't think it merits doing anything special to it. If you change the wheels, you'll want better hubs... change the bars and you'll want a better stem... change the stem and you'll want a better headset... and eventually, you'll just want a better frame. It's like the 1990s Honda Civics you see driving around with $5,000 carbon hoods and 100 horsepower..

Is this what's meant by the term "boom bike"? An inexpensive "me too" ride from the '70s when cycling was on an upswing?

Sorry, no offense, just don't want you to try to be 'cool' on the cheap and fail. At a certain point, the disconnect between the quality of the new components and the quality of the frame is going to become too much for the statement you're making.

Put some flatbars with yellow OURYs on it and some yellow tires and tear it up. Get rid of the brakes and the giant toothless crank ring, too.

Good luck!

Not all bikes that came with suicide levers were crappy. My triple butted Bridgestone 450 came with them, and they were attached to quality set of brake levers.

If this thing is butted at all, I'll be really surprised.

jeez, that geometry is beyond slack...

i'd say do the proper thing, save and wait for a better setup and scrap that one altogether. i had a le tour as an SS, it was okay at the time but pretty heavy and beater-ific.

I have the "turkey" levers somewhere but I took them off when I bought the bike. I really like the look of this bike and am not too concerned with its quality, I was thinking about putting some money into this bike knowing that swapping the parts out to a different frame when I find one shouldn't be difficult. The geometry has me pretty upright but the frame is also too large for me which is why the seat post is invisible. I kinda jumped at this one because it was already ss when I found it and a yellow bike is something I have always wanted. If I put say $150 into this I should be able to get new wheels and handlebars and maybe swap out a saddle from the local bike co-op. The co-op also sells alot of vintage bikes, frames and parts. What are some models I should keep my eye out for if I wanna get a different setup and swap parts?

If the frame's geometry and size are wrong, your new bars and seat won't do you any ergonomic good, and riding a bike that's too big for you doesn't look cool, even if it's your favourite colour.

A new wheelset should be interchangable with another frame, as long as the axle length is the same. Is it 130, 135, 120mm? Will your chainline be right? If you get new handlebars, choose a diameter that will be compatible with current standard stems - which might mean replacing the stem on the "Approved". More $.

For respectable parts you're looking at at least double your budget. Ride it as it is, do some research and save up for a real bike. Sorry.

Also, come over to the Classic and Vintage forum, there's a big difference between 'vintage' and 'just old'.

I think you're gonna need a bigger bike shop.

yellow deep V's
bull horns

No need to apologize I made this thread to get feedback. Double my budget doesn't really bother me. The bike isn't uncomfortable to ride its just bigger than I know it should be. I assume a measuring tape is going to do me a world of good when considering what parts I need to replace when the time comes. Again are there any specific models that are sort of tried and true for doing road to fixie/ss conversions?

A measuring tape won't be much good to you. You need a vernier caliper.

Also if the frame is too big for you already, forget bullhorns. Get something that curves backwards, like a moustache bar or something upright and rock some nice grips. Otherwise you're going to hurt your back.

I would second the yellow Deep Vs, but that's your budget right there.

Are you keeping your brakes?

I don't know what I should keep at this point it sounds like trying to find another bike is in my best interest. Why though? What is your opinion of the brakes. Side note, I think I might come into some problems since schwinn basically made every part for this bike by their own standards of measure i don't know what will be compatible.

the fact that it has a kick stand plate indicates that this bike was a lower quality schwinn. my suggestion is to sell it to someone who wants a single speed, it seems to have treated you well, let it make someone else excited about riding.

the seat is slammed, and pushed all the way forward, you need a smaller frame. then it won't matter if the parts are period correct as the period of it's build will be when you have it.

ok, from velospace..

people that convert le tours name them things like 'rawkelle' .. no *****.

oh ****, don't let me be that guy. Alright a new frame is in order. However a complete bike from the co-op is like 50 bux so I guess I should do that so I have a working bike first and foremost. Please, and brand or model that is of good quality?

there's alot of bike manufactures, just look out for things like kick stand plates, flimsy dropouts, plastic bits on the brake levers or shifters. if they'll let you take the wheels off, see how heavy it is with out the wheels, if it feels like a tank, then keep moving.

cool, thanks for the advice. i think i am also going to look for a crank that lets you take the rings off.

MP, go forth to Fixed Gear Gallery and Velospace and find inspiration. Visit some big cities and big city bike shops. Take a Greyhound to Toronto and check out Curbside Cycle and the Urbane Cyclist. You've got a lot of hills where you live, I would stay with a lower gear and run a front brake at least. Maybe hook up some cross tires, it looks like there's a lot of good trail riding to be had. Are you going fixed or free? Anyone else in your town riding fixed?

how far from wv to toronto
?

oh, also www.altabikes.no (http://www.altabikes.no), www.biomega.dk (http://www.biomega.dk), www.sogreni.dk (http://www.sogreni.dk), www.surlybikes.com (http://www.surlybikes.com), (obviously)...

according to google earth about 6hrs - 400miles

how bad do you want this modest
?

by the time you go to toronto and back you could have just bought a bike new or online

doofo i never said i was going to toronto. I want this pretty bad I wanna work on a bike myself so its my creation. I was thinking about a flip-flop hub what say you mike and doofo?

how bad do you want this modest
?

by the time you go to toronto and back you could have just bought a bike new or online

all the bikes online are used?

the ups guy rides them to your house

what kick stand plate are you talking about? i dont see it.

there was a kick stand i took it off

since it is a conversion anyway you might as well have a flip-flop if you are going to buy a new wheel

i can get a set of track wheels with a flip flop hub for $100 from my lbs

no, no, i'm just talking research for inspiration. Curbside has a lot of parts, and their sister store Bikes on Wheels sells used. Urbane has their own brand of frames, they deal with a lot of FG/SS bikes and stock Deep Vs and a variety of bullhorns, cranks, hubs, cogs, you name it.

My point is in a small town you're not going to find a bike shop that will have the parts or know how to do anything impressive.

i can get a set of track wheels with a flip flop hub for $100 from my lbs

I say trade in your bike, buy those wheels and start looking for a frame for them

they do alright actually they carry very modern stock and are helpful with mailordering anything i need.

modest is employing the ever sly polite wv troll style