Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Is this frame OK for a conversion?

Hi guys,

I'm new here, and although I used to do a lot of mountain biking as a kid, I'm new to fixed gear bikes. For some reason they really appeal to me, probably because before I converted to skateboarding, I used to be a big rollerblader (primarily street but also a little bowl) and I still jump on a surf or snowboard when I get the opportunity. Also, I'm a bit of minimalist, and I find them incredibly damn attractive to look at.

Anyway, the plan is to use it for a bit of exercise and some slow speed tricks to get back that buzz that I miss so much, the odd ride with friends around town (Sydney, Australia) or when I've got some errands to run. At this point I don't plan on doing any races or long rides, and as I work from home I wont be commuting on it.

So... I'm a bit strapped for cash right now (waiting on some projects to blossum) and as I'm such a neophyte when it comes to bikes, I figured I'd get the parts myself and have the local bike shop build it for me, save some money and learn something in the process.

I've been all over ebay, craiglist, gumtree, local forums etc and have found a few potentials, this one seems to be the right size, reasonably cheap, in reasonable condition and seems to have short horizontal dropouts. Apparently, it's seat tube is 51cm, is called a "spokesman", is made of "tange" tubing. Attached is a sticker which says "high grade frame MEIKO" and "Champion no.2" - although all of that means nothing to me.

http://leenutter.com/bike/1.JPG
http://leenutter.com/bike/2.JPG
http://leenutter.com/bike/3.JPG
http://leenutter.com/bike/4.JPG

Am I missing something blindingly obvious, or is this frame good to go for a fixie conversion?

Also, call me vain, but going back to aesthetics, is it possible to grind off the hangar? It really kills some clean lines.

P.S - when I say right size, I worked it out based on this formula that I found on the net:

Take your inside leg measurement to the floor
Subtract 5cm for mountain bikes, or 2.5cm for road bikes
Subtract 23cm, the average distance from the bottom bracket to the ground

My inside leg measurement is ~80cm

Looks good to me. I say yay.

keep the hanger or get a bike with track ends. its funny the amount of people doing conversions when you realize that bikesdirect.com offers decent track / single speed bikes for about the same amount that you will put into a good converted bike...

Also, call me vain, but going back to aesthetics, is it possible to grind off the hangar? It really kills some clean lines.

only ****ups grind stuff off conversions. Are you a ****up?



P.S - when I say right size, I worked it out based on this formula that I found on the net:

Take your inside leg measurement to the floor
Subtract 5cm for mountain bikes, or 2.5cm for road bikes
Subtract 23cm, the average distance from the bottom bracket to the ground

My inside leg measurement is ~80cm

This is a worthless measurement.

Converting a bare frame when you can't even build it yourself is not going to save you money. Find something complete either new or used.

go cog - thanks for the confirmation!

dzinehaus - I'm in Aus, shipping will kill any potential savings

dutret - you seem fairly adamant about grinding stuff off conversions. Is your opinion based on something justifiable or is it simply your point of view?

With regards to new or used complete, the absolute cheapest new fixie I've seen in Aus is $799AUD, I can get this frame for under $100. I have come across some used fixies for sale but they are all spec'ed out and can't be had for anything near the new low end ones.

building it yourself will probably be more fun than just buying a new one.

go cog - thanks for the confirmation!

dzinehaus - I'm in Aus, shipping will kill any potential savings

dutret - you seem fairly adamant about grinding stuff off conversions. Is your opinion based on something justifiable or is it simply your point of view?

With regards to new or used complete, the absolute cheapest new fixie I've seen in Aus is $799AUD, I can get this frame for under $100. I have come across some used fixies for sale but they are all spec'ed out and can't be had for anything near the new low end ones.

It's based on the fact that only ****ups do it. It prevents the bike from being used with gears, almost always looks ****ty and accomplishes nothing except letting people know you are a ****up.

799 used or new?
you'll need:
bottom bracket
seatpost
saddle
cranks
chainring
chain
wheelset
rim strips
tubes
tires
cog
lockring
stem
bars
brake
brake cable
brake cable housing
brake lever
bar tape or grips
plus money to get the bike built properly.

You clearly know next to nothing about bikes so finding these parts used locally is going to be hard for you. If you start ordering stuff individually shipping will push you over 799 alone. Conversions can allow you to get a better bike for cheaper than you would new or used but only when the bike you start with has most of what you need on it or you have those parts lying around.

dutret - you seem fairly adamant about grinding stuff off conversions. Is your opinion based on something justifiable or is it simply your point of view?


If you want the clean lines of a track frame... buy one. There is no reason to destroy a frame for the purpose of ascetics. There is no reason to remove the hanger from this bike. And if you leave it on you can revert it back to a road bike if you so choose. In this case i completely agree with dutret.

If you want the clean lines of a track frame... buy one. There is no reason to destroy a frame for the purpose of ascetics. There is no reason to remove the hanger from this bike. And if you leave it on you can revert it back to a road bike if you so choose. In this case i completely agree with dutret.

+1

Don't destroy a perfectly good frame.



...besides, the fact that the seat post is still in the frame implies that it is seized. Look for a different bike.

+1

Don't destroy a perfectly good frame.



...besides, the fact that the seat post is still in the frame implies that it is seized. Look for a different bike.

i looked at your sig, then i farted. :innocent:

go cog - thanks for the confirmation!

dzinehaus - I'm in Aus, shipping will kill any potential savings

dutret - you seem fairly adamant about grinding stuff off conversions. Is your opinion based on something justifiable or is it simply your point of view?

With regards to new or used complete, the absolute cheapest new fixie I've seen in Aus is $799AUD, I can get this frame for under $100. I have come across some used fixies for sale but they are all spec'ed out and can't be had for anything near the new low end ones.

at this moment seeing as you are in OZ your cheapest bet might be to pick up an EAI brassknuckle from
http://www.thebikebiz.com/product_p/bk-trk-eai02.htm

as seen on : http://www.thebikebiz.com/help_answer.asp?ID=22#132 they do ship to OZ. then ebay it for the rest and you would have a great bike for about the same budget... not as cheap as a conversion but you don't have a lot of options do you?

You could call up your local state/territory cycling club rep and ask them about where to buy a track bike in OZ for the kind of budget you have.

Good luck

If you are looking to do tricks of any kind a conversion may not be what you are looking for. The geo of a track frame will make some tricks easier. For me both skids and wheelies are considerably easier on a track frame. Just a thought.