Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Frame for touring with 120 spacing

I'm thinking of getting another bike that I could both tour and commute with, but I want to keep using 120 rear hubs. Its gotta have rack and fender mounds, and clearance for big tires. Is there anything like this out there, readily available?

Surly, and bend it 10mm..

what hubs do you have? spacing out your axles is probably a better idea since it will be a lot easier then trying to get a geared hub down to 120 when you touring requires gears.


I suggest a cross-check.

The Kogswell Model G used to fit that bill pretty well, but it seems like they've jumped into the 650B boat pretty hard as of late.

The latest Mercier Kilo's have rack and fender mounts, so depending on how big you want to go with tires, that could be a good way to go.

The Kogswell Model G used to fit that bill pretty well, but it seems like they've jumped into the 650B boat pretty hard as of late.

The latest Mercier Kilo's have rack and fender mounts, so depending on how big you want to go with tires, that could be a good way to go.

yeah the Kogswell would have been pretty decent as a tourer.

However, even though the mercier has rack/fender mounts it is a very bad choice for touring. The geometry is all wrong. Angles too steep. Front end not designed around carrying loads. Not enough tire clearance, you can barely clear a 28 on the rear.
and the big thing: The chainstays are way too short = heel strike with panniers.

what hubs?
I'd be on the lookout for an 80's touring frame that i'd coldset down to 120, or space out my hubs to 126..

I was originally thinking Kogswell, but they only have one bike on their website, and it is not one I want.

The crosscheck is a great bike, but then I may as well get a LHT. All of my bikes share components, and only one of them is generally ready to ride at any one time, so I try to maximize compatibility. I may get a cross check from a shop, and ask them to cold-set it right as they get it. Besides, I have a road bike already. If I were to ever put gears on a crosscheck, it'd probably be a nexus hub.

A lot of older road frames are 120mm. Like this:

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k292/bylar13/BikePics108.jpg

Racks are easily mounted using p-clips if the load is not to great. I put a couple of seat mounted bottle cages on this,as well as a set of Berthoud fenders. I am waintg for a Nitto rear rack to complete it. Point being if you can find an older road bike that you like it does not take much $ or time to make it work. Then if you want to switch it out, not a big deal. It runs 27 1 1x4 (32mm) tires with fenders.

I was originally thinking Kogswell, but they only have one bike on their website, and it is not one I want.

The crosscheck is a great bike, but then I may as well get a LHT. All of my bikes share components, and only one of them is generally ready to ride at any one time, so I try to maximize compatibility. I may get a cross check from a shop, and ask them to cold-set it right as they get it. Besides, I have a road bike already. If I were to ever put gears on a crosscheck, it'd probably be a nexus hub.

except the LHT has vertical dropouts. Is your roadbike touring appropriate? If you are ever going to want gears it's for touring. Respacing takes a couple of minutes.

Rivendell Quickbeam

except the LHT has vertical dropouts. Is your roadbike touring appropriate? If you are ever going to want gears it's for touring. Respacing takes a couple of minutes.

I think a flip flop will be fine for touring away from serious west-coast style mountains, thanks.

Shame about the LHT dropouts. What is the heel-strike profile of a loaded crosscheck? Or should I take this to touring?

Rivendell Quickbeam

Hey, could you sponsor me? I'll write your name on my forehead and take a picture of it to post on the internet for $1000.

You don't need to cold set the frame. If a 120 hub fits, then the frame can be squeezed together by the quick release. Cold setting merely makes wheel changing easier. 132.5 to 120 may be a bit far though.

Your most realistic frame option is finding an old frame.

dutret is very right when he said "if you ever are going to need gears..."
Depending on terrain, you are going to take years off your cycling lifetime. Running heroic gearing or pushing huge loads will damage your knees. No fun, I assure you.

Instead of a rack, I would look at a carradice saddlebag on a SQR seatpost mount, and a handlebar bag. Any more than you can carry in that system and you should be running gears.

[QUOTE=genericbikedude
Shame about the LHT dropouts. What is the heel-strike profile of a loaded crosscheck? Or should I take this to touring?[/QUOTE]

chain stays are 4cms shorter then the LHT.

on one il pom pino. fairly cheeep. good luck touring on it, but it takes a rack, fenders, canti's, fattish tires, and they're currently spaced 120.

hth,
-rob

edit--they won't let me type the bikes real name, for reasons i cannot fathom, hence the wierd space between pom and pino. omit the space if you're googling.

edit--they won't let me type the bikes real name, for reasons i cannot fathom, hence the wierd space between pom and pino. omit the space if you're googling.
Il Pompino means "*******" in Italian. Another good reason to buy it.

I thought that it was handjob, and I thought that the handjob reference came from a reference to the action of the cable guide on centerpull cantis.