Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Fixed gear project, lots of Pics

I know there is a Pics thread, But I couldn't resist posting up some before and after shots.

The project started out as a pretty rough Vista Esquire that had been sitting in my Girlfriend's Parents basement for 30 years... give or take. Anyway they were going to toss it, so I took it and did a little work. BTW the frame is a good fit so I decided it would be worth while to play around with, even though the frame is not the greatest in the world.

Hear it is before I started.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk294/handyandy3459/100_1239.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk294/handyandy3459/100_1240.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk294/handyandy3459/100_1241.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk294/handyandy3459/100_1242.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk294/handyandy3459/100_1243.jpg

So I learned that Old french bikes have a different size stem than American bikes (21.1mm vs. 22.2mm... or something like that) anyway i get really lucky and found a shop where the owner hasn't thrown anything away in 30 years... and he had just what I needed (for $10 bucks)
anyway I picked up a set of wheels, a front break, and some other odds and ends, and I think I ended up with a pretty nice ride.
I'm running a 39/14 fixed, and a 39/16 free (39 because it was on the bike)
I painted it up, and this is what I ended up with.
The only thing left that I need is a Brooks Team Pro, or Swift.
Anyway here are the pics...
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk294/handyandy3459/bike%20pics/100_1280-1-1.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk294/handyandy3459/bike%20pics/100_1281-1-1.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk294/handyandy3459/100_1282.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk294/handyandy3459/100_1283.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk294/handyandy3459/100_1284.jpg

Let me know what you think.

Damn, dude, that's gorgeous!

Nice job!

thats classy lookin! nice work you done her right

Looks great.

holy sh*t, nice work. i hope my giant will come out this well. how did you paint it? rattlecan?

holy sh*t, nice work. i hope my giant will come out this well. how did you paint it? rattlecan?

more or less followed the how to paint thread, and used duplicolor rattlecan from auto zone.
I ended up using a can of green, some white, a can of duplicolor effex clear (to get some sparkle... only on the green) than 2 cans of clear... I striped the old paint off first.

I'm not to sure how durable the paint will be, but it has to be better than the paint that was on it.

Surprisingly there was very little rust on the frame.

Beautiful! How the ride? Looks laid back and comfortable.

Nicely done. A honey-colored Brooks would go very well with that bike. My two suggestions: a polished silver brake (if you can find one with enough reach, that is), and try cleaning up the original fenders and putting them back on the bike. If they polish up nicely, it will add to the classy look you seem to be going for.

I'm digging the white stripe things on the bike. Is it just vinyl stickers?

Man, I am impressed!!! Very well done!

Hot dang! Great work! I am now completely inspired to pull out the old Univega frame (salvaged from my inlaws' garage) and do a modern conversion!

How did you paint the frame?

The white is painted, I masked it out and sprayed it on.

Its just a rattlecan paint job, though i did you the good auto paint.

I'm working on cleaning up the fenders, I was thinking of painting them white, I don't think they will clean up nice enough to leave them chrome. They were in the worst shape of anything on the bike.

She rides quite nicely, pretty laid back, but very comfy in the drops. A honey Brooks is on the shopping list, just have to sell a few things... (anyone want some paintball gear?)

BTW the grips are the short elk hide grips from Velo orange, and they are really nice and pretty easy to stitch up. I am going to have to get some full length brown for my geared bike to match my brown Brooks Swallow...:thumb:. I tend to go for the retro look, even on my modern road bike...

I have to keep an eye out for a better front brake, this one gets the job done until I can find one with the right reach and within budget, I also want to find a nice lever that goes left rather then right...

Classy. That tension is a tad too loose for fixed.

What type of wheels/hubs?

What type of wheels/hubs?

Mavic CXP 22 rims, Formula Hubs... nothing fancy.

Got them from the LBS, about the same price as online after tax.

The white is painted, I masked it out and sprayed it on.

Its just a rattlecan paint job, though i did you the good auto paint.

I'm working on cleaning up the fenders, I was thinking of painting them white, I don't think they will clean up nice enough to leave them chrome. They were in the worst shape of anything on the bike.

She rides quite nicely, pretty laid back, but very comfy in the drops. A honey Brooks is on the shopping list, just have to sell a few things... (anyone want some paintball gear?)

BTW the grips are the short elk hide grips from Velo orange, and they are really nice and pretty easy to stitch up. I am going to have to get some full length brown for my geared bike to match my brown Brooks Swallow...:thumb:. I tend to go for the retro look, even on my modern road bike...

I have to keep an eye out for a better front brake, this one gets the job done until I can find one with the right reach and within budget, I also want to find a nice lever that goes left rather then right...

You can't flip the lever over?

You can't flip the lever over?

I could, but it's even uglier on the other side, and I can live with it on the right.

Anyway I can't really complain to much about a $12 combo.

EDIT* Yep chain is a tad loose, I knew I forgot to do somthing before I took Pics... (snug up chain)

...Yep chain is a tad loose, I knew I forgot to do somthing before I took Pics... (snug up chain)

I love this conversion! Is there any more rear track left to snug up the chain, or will you have to delete a chain link?

I love this conversion! Is there any more rear track left to snug up the chain, or will you have to delete a chain link?

There is pleanty of room to snug up the chain. I just have to get the hang of getting her snuged up without being to tight.

I love this conversion! Is there any more rear track left to snug up the chain, or will you have to delete a chain link?

lol

http://www.infendo.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/nerd-46422.jpg

Nice job, awesome looking conversion OP.

is it just me or do the chainstays look rlllllllly long

I'm surprised that no one has noticed the giant hole right behind the BB where the kick stand used to be...:eek:

lol

http://www.infendo.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/nerd-46422.jpg

Nice job, awesome looking conversion OP.

Where the hell did you get this picture of me?!

That geometry is really slack. And those chain stays are long as hell. I bet it rides like a boat.