Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - New track forks

I just got back from picking up a new track fork for my converted Cinelli Super Corsa fixed gear. The factory forks were of an oval tube extreme sloping internal butted crown with a big honking brake hole in it. That always bothered me esthetically, as I have been running most of my bikes without any brakes. I had Jack, at Franklin Frames, make me up a Flat Crown round bladed fork and color match it to the frame and detail it with gold striping and contrasting head tube color in the detail cutout holes, as the rest of the frame is. I think he did a great job and it makes the bike more "Old Skool Track", if you will. The trail angle of the fork was kept the same as the road fork so the handling should be the same. This bike was very quick handling before the change. There is enough clearance to run 25-28 tires if I want also, although I probably will continue running 23's because of the "hot rod" nature of the bike. I now have the option of running the road or track fork by simply switching between the two. This bike has gone thru the most radical reconfiguration of all of them and is finally complete, I think.
The attached photos will show the change.


Fixedgearhead

Very nice looking.
On a side note, how many freaking bikes do you have hanging in the background of that third picture? I think I count 9.

Very nice looking.
On a side note, how many freaking bikes do you have hanging in the background of that third picture? I think I count 9.
I'm almost embarrassed to admit the number is actually 11. I think of that part of the basement as the Bicycle bat cave. Not all are mine though. 2 are my wife's, and one is a Murray whitewall fat tired cruiser that I bought on impulse at Walmart last year in their after Christmas Clearance sale for $50. We use that for friends who come over and want to go for a ride with us but don't know how to ride anything other than a coaster brake bike. I normally have it set up on the stationary trainer so that I don't needlessly use up the chain/bearings on the good bikes. Since retiring about 12 years ago I have become increasingly obsessed with fixed gear bikes and look upon them as my lifesaver. Each one is geared differently so as to afford variety in choices as to purpose and terrain covered. There is not a lot to do here in the rural part of Central Ohio so they are my creative and exercise outlet. They have allowed me to loose 40 lbs. and lower my cholesterol to the point that I may actually live longer than my parents did. That is the plan anyway.



fixedgearhead

I'm looking for a track fork for my Pista as well. i don't want the brake hole and I want to run a quill stem. How much was the fork at Franklin Frames?

cory

I'm looking for a track fork for my Pista as well. i don't want the brake hole and I want to run a quill stem. How much was the fork at Franklin Frames?

cory
I had him build it with stainless dropouts and extra paint work which pushed it up to $160. If you can live with the standard drop outs and single color paint I think he will do it for about 125-130. Give him a call and say that John Taylor of Fredericktown said to call. I don't know if that price is for everybody because I do a lot of business with him. No harm in asking. I highly recommend him. He has been at it for many, many years and does a lot of behind the scenes repair work for major bike shops all over the USA.

I had him build it with stainless dropouts and extra paint work which pushed it up to $160. If you can live with the standard drop outs and single color paint I think he will do it for about 125-130. Give him a call and say that John Taylor of Fredericktown said to call. I don't know if that price is for everybody because I do a lot of business with him. No harm in asking. I highly recommend him. He has been at it for many, many years and does a lot of behind the scenes repair work for major bike shops all over the USA. Sorry: the phone number is 740-763-3838

John, you have a lot of bikes. Good stuff. 'nuff said.

pretty...

looks like some kind of bizarre flayed aubergine.

me likes.

fssb
sparky

pretty...

looks like some kind of bizarre flayed aubergine.

me likes.

fssb
sparky
I thought of it as Pesto Green. Yum Yum!

fixedgearhead

John, you have a lot of bikes. Good stuff. 'nuff said.

I thought so too until I read an interview with Robin Williams, the comedian. He said he thought he had probably over $1,000,000.00 invested in his bike collection. He has a whole wharehouse full of various types. I think I remember him saying that he has a full time mechanic looking after them. Just keeps a few at his house in S.F. you know, something to ride if Lance should drop in. He even has a Fixedgear that was built by American Cyclery in S.F. Mostly he rides multigear types. I think that, is a lot of bikes.


fixedgearhead