Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Mixte frame conversions...

I'm converting a Motobecane Super Mirage for my son; he wants to ride fixed with me, which I think is uber cool. And at 17 there's not much he wants to do with dad anymore so I'm jumping on it.

I have a number of frames but this Motobecane seems to be his size. Further, its rear spacing matches the rear spacing of the Kilo TT stock wheels (110 or 120 or something like that) which I also already have. With a bit of bottom bracket fiddling it looks like it'll have a pretty right-on chainline, and he'll be running 42/16 on 170mm Sugino cranks (to be replaced with 165s as soon as I get some to make up for the 27"/700c wheel issues.)

Anyway, my question is with the mixte type frame. I'm sure C&V might be able to answer this better, but if I mentioned converting it they'd probably go all wonky on me. What was their purpose? Mixtes were unisex, right? They weren't, like, "girls bikes" or anything, were they? Did the "top tube" design make for a stronger frame or something?

Any info y'all got would be great. Thanks!

Mixtes were unisex, right? They weren't, like, "girls bikes" or anything, were they?

Depends on who you ask. In this case you should probably ask your 17 year old son.

If I were 17, I would not be all up on the unisex-iness of mixtes.

There's a couple of "fixtes" here ridden by guys. I built a pink one for my wife. Personally, I think mixtes look best with commuter/north road bars instead of drops.

Check out this thread in the C & V for some cool mixte bikes. http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=227038

http://shutter03.pictures.aol.com/data/pictures/10/002/7F/1B/A9/97/thhKiwLQ25eVTxzyWkls3v0AXRBGtdqf0258.jpg

Wow, man wins "Hipster of the Year" riding a mixte.

I just chedked his website, and that bike is called the "Ms. Michaels" and it includes a flower-vase braze-on. So I don't think it's very unisex.

http://www.ahearnecycles.com/pages/maggiemixte.html


It is very nice though.

lols this thread.

lols this thread.

That makes no sense. "LOL at this thread" works, as does "I'm LOLing at this thread". Eventually, sp00ki, you'll learn how to effectively communicate via the written word. Until that time, I'm glad I'm providing you some entertainment as I educate you.

You never answered my question about the next game convention. Are you going to go? I could run a sweet adventure for you. It's OK that you want to play a hot elf chick in a chainmail bikini; I don't judge.

:lol:

i'm pretty comfortable in saying that mixtes are for girls

There's nothing inherently "girl" about a mixte. The drop tt is pretty convenient if you're on and off the bike a lot, and Rivendell even produces (or did?) a men's mixte. Good choice for a city bike.

That's all fine and good on the practical side. If my kid were 17, I wouldn't give him a mixte, because a lot of folks consider them "girl" frames. If he were a 6'2" badass that enjoyed bucking the system, I'd let him ride it and subvert the dominant paradigm. But thinking back to my own high school days, I don't think I would have appreciated the extra grief.

Ok, so, mixtes are usually considered "girl" frames. Probably not the best bike upon which to shove a 17 year old boy.

So I need a new frame. Bugger.

I think I'll still build the bike so he'll have something to mess around on at least, learning trackstands and skids and all the other "tricks" he sees me do, and then swap everything over to a more masculine frame when I find one.

just pick up a bikes islant kilo frame and have him ride that


perfectly masculine and cheap

I'll probably wind up doing something like that. I was hoping to keep expenses down; I have enough crap in my garage to build several bikes, but only that frame in his size. :)

Hell, if you've already got that mixte built up, see what you can get for it on eBay/CL. I bet you can ride the tail end of the fixxxie/retro wave to insane profits with that setup, and you can roll it into something 17-yr-old-friendly. Or sell the bb cups alone for crazy cash (I'm assuming they're French or Swiss?).

Or sell the bb cups alone for crazy cash (I'm assuming they're French or Swiss?).

I am 100% not sure yet.

I know the headset and stem size are *NOT* French or Swiss sizes. Tonight I'm going to bust into the BB so I can make chainline adjustments; if it is French and/or Swiss, your idea might not be a bad one. :)

I don't think mixte is exclusively a girl's bike, but it definitely isn't a teenage guy's bike. Maybe you could ride the mixte and let him ride your Kilo?

If you decide to get rid of that frame, I might can take it off your hands. P.M. me if you decide to sell it please.
_Morgan

Ok, so, mixtes are usually considered "girl" frames.

only in America


Probably not the best bike upon which to shove a 17 year old boy.


Probably not.

Well. I finished the bike. Er, sort of. Minor tweaks and whatnot, but largely this is it:

http://www.iefixed.com/tim/iamtim_mixte.jpg

Needs a new seat post, seat post binder, the pedals need an overhaul, the rear tire is kinda skidded out, and the cranks are too long. But that's it: a Motobecane Super Mirage mixte with a Kilo TT wheelset running a Dura Ace 16t cog. It's got Sugino cranks with a 42 tooth chainring and Suntour track pedals. The Kilo TT stock stem -- a Zoom -- holds up a set of chopped Weyless XC20 risers with (not shown in pic) Swobo grips. Finally it's got a Bontrager Race Lux saddle.

The funniest part? My son fully digs it. He's out riding it in the street outside our house (it's 10:00pm) and just called me to get on my bike and ride with him. So... late!

EDIT: Incorrectly listed the chainring as 44t when it's really a 42t.

Nice, i would totally ride that, I think the gun metal gives it the masculinity those frames are in need of.
have fun tearing it up with your son.

It rides very smoothly. I was impressed. I'm just glad the boy likes it. :)

Wow fukken A - it looks great and he's out riding it - that's great!

Good job Tim!

Be prepared to "share" your Kilo once in a while if he rides with "dudes" but it looks like a good thing overall.

Where I live, a 17 year old guy on a fixte mixte, with good taste in music, would probably get all the 19 year old cute indie hipsterette ladies. Especially with a front basket...

Well. I finished the bike. Er, sort of. Minor tweaks and whatnot, but largely this is it:

http://www.iefixed.com/tim/iamtim_mixte.jpg

Needs a new seat post, seat post binder, the pedals need an overhaul, the rear tire is kinda skidded out, and the cranks are too long. But that's it: a Motobecane Super Mirage mixte with a Kilo TT wheelset running a Dura Ace 16t cog. It's got Sugino cranks with a 42 tooth chainring and Suntour track pedals. The Kilo TT stock stem -- a Zoom -- holds up a set of chopped Weyless XC20 risers with (not shown in pic) Swobo grips. Finally it's got a Bontrager Race Lux saddle.

The funniest part? My son fully digs it. He's out riding it in the street outside our house (it's 10:00pm) and just called me to get on my bike and ride with him. So... late!

EDIT: Incorrectly listed the chainring as 44t when it's really a 42t.

I originally was going the follow "silly iamtim, mixtes are for chicks theme". I converted a effeminate blue one for my girl (SS) but I would not be embarrassed on the pictured ride.

If your son is chill with it that's what matters.

That's pretty slick, and the color and the bars definitely keep it off the ladies team. Nice work.

Just teach him to say, "It's not a girls' bike, it's a mixte, duh," with withering condescension.

if you love your son; you should give him a brake

if you love your son; you should give him a brake

Oh, it's certainly getting a brake. I just hadn't put it on for that picture.

I'd totally ride it :D

i wonder if OP's son riding a girls bike is going to play as big a part in his being a dweeb as being raised by OP...

i wonder if OP's son riding a girls bike is going to play as big a part in his being a dweeb as being raised by OP...

LOL!

You can't get a rise out of me so you're going after my son? That's really sad and pathetic. I was going to take offense until I realized you're just jealous because my son proves that I've had sex with a woman at least once...

...which is more than can be said for you.

mixtes are lush. i made one up single speed for my girlfriend and ride it from time to time. i don't feel like i'm riding a girls bike. they swing both ways as they say. which is good. nice bike.

LOL!

You can't get a rise out of me so you're going after my son? That's really sad and pathetic. I was going to take offense until I realized you're just jealous because my son proves that I've had sex with a woman at least once...

...which is more than can be said for you.

let the record show that tim can only prove having had sex once.

ed: sorry, with a woman once.

let the record show that tim can only prove having had sex once.

ed: sorry, with a woman once.


...which is more than can be said for you.

Nothing more to be said. :lol:

hrm...
so the self proclaimed geek who plays d&d, the kazoo, and as an even more "interesting" hobby becomes ordained as a minister in various religions no one practices is attempting to prove his masculinity by challenging the sexuality of the twenty something with a hot girlfriend and an awesome job-- on an internet messageboard.

not that i don't enjoy our little exchanges, but i can assure you this is going nowhere at nearly light speed.

i'm going to take this opportunity to bow out of whatever sort of contest this has become for you and go back to coming here to talk about bikes.

ordained as a minister in various religions no one practices

Actually, I'm a minister of NO religion. I am an atheist; my ordination is strictly legal.


i can assure you this is going nowhere at nearly light speed.

I could have told you that from our first exchange. But as I said a few days ago, you've been providing me great entertainment. I have nothing against you personally, save for the general distaste I have for anyone who butchers the written word.

So thus it ends.

Get a room.