Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - from conversion to street-track

I love riding my fixed gear conversion. But after riding my friends NEW bike today ("Windsor- The Hour"), I am wanting to get a brand new track bike with nice hubs designed for the fixed gear enthusiast that rides around the city.

My reasons for wanting to upgrade from my old conversion to a newer track/road bike are:
1) The chromoly steel is much lighter than my raleigh which is from the late 70's to early 80's
2) tighter frame geometry
3) the front hub spins for minutes longer than the one on my conversion

With that said, my questions are:

1) what are the benefits and or drawbacks to switching from a homemade conversion to a new track/road frame with nice hubs?

2) which modern track frames do you like? I've looked at the Surly Steamroller and the Pake Track bike.

3) are there any other huge factors that could benefit my performance other than a lighter frame and really nice hubs? My friends Windsor bike was much easier to drive than my conversion, I assumed this was mostly because of the lighter frame weight, and awesome hubs.

Thanx in advance!!!

good god. please search.

get a kilo tt and next time you have a question search for it instead of posting a new thread.

oh be nice...

without knowing more about your Raleigh it's difficult to say, nice older roadbikes can make excellent conversions... lighter wheels/better hubs can make a huge difference. If your Raleigh is a cheap model, perhaps an upgrade would be in order...

I'm not familiar with the recent entry-level fixed gear options: people seem passionate about their steamrollers, and Kilo TTs look to be nice frames for the money.

Even if the Raleigh isn't superlight, if it's a higher-end model you might be better off looking into parts upgrades... wheels may make the most noticeable difference.

This place has really taken a hit lately.

dat hub go woooooooosh

straight up zoooooooooooom

I love driving my bike

3) the front hub spins for minutes longer than the one on my conversion

Have you ever repacked the front hub?

You liked you friends Windsor right? Just buy that. Maybe in a different color so you guys don't look too dumb riding around together.

oh be nice...

Even if the Raleigh isn't superlight, if it's a higher-end model you might be better off looking into parts upgrades... wheels may make the most noticeable difference.

Yes. I recently picked up some sun M13 rims laced to formula hubs and my ol' Trek is riding like she never has before.

Somebody Stole My Bike And The Hubs Are Cheap Will Phil Woods My Make Straps Tighter..

Mod deleted

Weather's getting nice, lots of people want to get into biking. Should we start recommending high-end stuff for people to buy so that once they decide they're bored of biking (read: once it starts getting REALLY warm), they'll sell it to us for cheap?

Now that's a good idea gharding!

OP, please get a really nice new NJS track bike with no dents or scratches... but remember I was reasonably pleasant and tried to be helpful when you get tired of it and want to make space in your garage. Oh, and take good care of it...

Really though, in the amount of time you whiny jerks wasted posting your pissant complaints, you could've been helpful instead. Yes they're newb questions, but we were all newbs at some point.

some newbs bother to research what they're into instead of expecting info to be handed to them

I find it slightly annying to get thanked in advance. It basically means "I dont feel like thanking you later".

I find it slightly annying to get thanked in advance. It basically means "I dont feel like thanking you later".

actually, it's a polite way to acknowledge that someone is going to be expending some of their time answering questions...

Oh No, he asked a few questions, he never asked to have it served to him on a silver platter... yeah he could've found some of his answers by digging in the forums, on the other hand people could provide a few simple answers and point him in the right direction... instead the denizens of this pit do what they always do, waste time talking trash.

Pot/ kettle. I don't see anything but trash talk from you in this thread duder. But I don't blame you, i don't feel like answering such vague and badly researched questions either.

I still dislike thanks in advance.

how about scroll up mander, to where I at least attempted to answer the OP's question?

boohoo, now I'm sad.

Point taken.

I don't know what you guys are talking about. I buy entire brand-new bicycles just for the hubs all the time.

my fixie don stop but my hubz still spinnin

dont stop and your hubs wont
until they explode
ride until your hubs explode

thats my exploding hubs haiku

I always thought haiku's were 5-7-5 not 6-5-7

I always thought haiku's were 5-7-5 not 6-5-7
yea, they are.

Have you ever repacked the front hub?

I have not. It's an old sealed Joytech.

if they aren't spinning well, maybe it's time to replace the cartridge bearings?

you still haven't provided any further information about your Raleigh...

You liked you friends Windsor right? Just buy that. Maybe in a different color so you guys don't look too dumb riding around together.

ha ha! i'm gonna' paint my windsor pink an yellow. we ride koola than lawrence fishburn and bacon.

if they aren't spinning well, maybe it's time to replace the cartridge bearings?

you still haven't provided any further information about your Raleigh...

The Raleigh was an old rusted 3-speed beach cruiser from the late 70's to early 80's. I striped her down to frame and fork, and build her up with the following:

*Sun M13 rear wheel with formula hub
*Old used Joytech front wheel with that sealed hub (the wheel/hub I am considering replacing)
*Some $30 Shimano cartridge bottom bracket
*Sugino RD crankset 48t with a 19t rear cog

(Also, the chain tension is not too tight). I'll post a picture of the bike in case it helps with any of the details...

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/237/mywhipuq5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

sweet reflective spokecard

replacing the old cartridge bearing would seem to be a cheaper alternative?

bike looks decent... if it's hi-ten maybe it's worth just getting a Windsor or whatnot and keeping the Raleigh as a beater/loaner bike... if it's Cromoly I'd stick with the Raleigh.

You seem to have pretty decent parts. I think that formula rear would be better than the stock windsor hubs. If your frame is hi-ten, and you want an upgrade, you could just get one of the kilo framesets before they're gone and move the parts over.

replacing the old cartridge bearing would seem to be a cheaper alternative?

bike looks decent... if it's hi-ten maybe it's worth just getting a Windsor or whatnot and keeping the Raleigh as a beater/loaner bike... if it's Cromoly I'd stick with the Raleigh.

Its not croMoly, it's a tank.

if you've got the money and are sure you want to ride fixed... go for the upgrade.

Muzzymuz makes a good point... I suppose you could either get the Windsor and swap some parts from one bike to the other, or go Muzzymuz's suggested route and get new cartridge bearings for the front wheel.

You have everything you need except a decent front wheel (and maybe a headset). Just get a Bikeisland Kilo TT frame for $200 and swap it all over. Sell the Raleigh frame/fork for $60 and use that money to buy a decent front wheel.

You have everything you need except a decent front wheel (and maybe a headset). Just get a Bikeisland Kilo TT frame for $200 and swap it all over. Sell the Raleigh frame/fork for $60 and use that money to buy a decent front wheel.

I didn't see any Kilo TTs on Bikeisland. They did have a "Finally!! IN STOCK!!: 2008 Cro Mo Steel Old School Fixed Gear /Single Speed Frame Set." Is that what you were talking about? When I click on the link to "Geometry" it shows the specs of the Kilo bike. Is this the Kilo?

Isn't the 520 Cromo stronger than the 4130? I cant find any info about the 520 compound. Whats the difference?

yep...

I don't really know anything about 520... elsewhere someone said it was standard 4130... make of that what you will.

Edit- mmm, might be double-butted 4130

yep...

I don't really know anything about 520... elsewhere someone said it was standard 4130... make of that what you will.

Edit- mmm, might be double-butted 4130

Well the raleigh is a "Carbon Steel." Renolds 520 should be much lighter than that, correct?

yep.

yep...

I don't really know anything about 520... elsewhere someone said it was standard 4130... make of that what you will.

Edit- mmm, might be double-butted 4130

All 4130 is double butted afaik. The name (if I'm right) refers to the brand of tube---with its characteristic composition and butting profiles. Yes it's the same as 520 (I think). If someone can confirm all this or correct me, i would appreciate it.

Any butted tubing will be a nice improvement on gas pipe.

sounds like you just need to do some work on your wheels

this just in. the "the hour" is the same as the motobecane messenger. but the messenger comes with brakes and a freewheel for $50 more

All 4130 is double butted afaik.

If you do a search for straight gauge 4130 you'll come up with some frame builders who use it... so... it exists anyway; although from my very brief perusal of the search results it looks like it's mostly used in BMX and MTBs...

Somewhere on here someone talked about what 4130 means exactly...

I thought Pakes were straight guage 4130

All 4130 is double butted afaik. The name (if I'm right) refers to the brand of tube---with its characteristic composition and butting profiles. Yes it's the same as 520 (I think). If someone can confirm all this or correct me, i would appreciate it.

Any butted tubing will be a nice improvement on gas pipe.

4130 refers to a material (some certain steel alloy) not tubes. 4130 can be made into tubes, butted or not.

you guys are such a-holes for being a dick when he's trying to learn.. i'm sick of the constant 'search function' bull things change over time don't fault him for wanting to double check things current.

that said, don't buy a langster or a pista.

you just wake up from a long nap or something?

4130 refers to a material (some certain steel alloy) not tubes. 4130 can be made into tubes, butted or not.

Durr, I just remembered that the rear triangle of a crosscheck (like mine) is straight gauge 4130. Durr. thanks for straightening that out. Well I'd be very surprised if the main triangle of a production road bike was made of the straight gauge stuff, but I guess anything can happen.

pretty sure the pake is straight 4130 as the dude said up there.. ^

I googled; it is. Hey everyone, I don't know **** and I got a big butt and i like to sniff my own butt.