Framebuilders - Anyone here convert a roadbike frame to a track bike fork end/700c wheelbase? (Pics?)

I have a schwinn road bike frame-

I am thinking about making the rear end more compact- by converting the horizontal dropout to track fork ends-

and bringing everything a little closer together- to have a 700c wheel fit snugly in the back-

and then get a new lugged track fork to fit a 700c wheel up front-


has anyone done this before? Any pictures?

what kind of Schwinn frame? If it's a varsity or that ilk, you may not be able to replace the fork.

My only concern is this: if you have to ask if it can be done, you probably can't do it without a long learning process. Anyone that is qualified to do it would not ask the question, they'd just do it.

well,

its a schwinn traveler frame-

i built a foldable retractable carbon fiber bike in an industrial design class last spring semester. (i am a senior in industrial design at rhode island school of design)

and ive had some braising experience, and I know of a friend who has done this conversion (he hasnt painted the frame yet, or put anything back together)

I just want to see if anyone has done it on here, and if they have a picture of how the new geometry looks like with the conversion done.

A couple of issues here, the fork bit shakes things up.

A typical "track" fork has minimal tire/crown clearance, so you would experience some serious front end drop, which would effect BB (bottom bracket) height.

The rear end would probably require (99%) chance some custom fabricated dropouts (actually easy) to get where you are going.

I would set the frame as is in a full length jig, rear dropouts/BB/front droputs and lock it down. Measure the lot and see exactly where you have to go by moving the clamps after frame removal (bad explanation, I know) You are going to see that the wheelbase move will be pretty darn far, it would raise your BB, but make the fork issue even more radical.

It might actually balance itself out........

The seatstays will probably have to be persuaded, but you have to do it right, or it will look super lame.

I understand the look you want, and I think it would look cool, but the factory setup is not even close to a track bike's setup. The smooth braze, the Schwinn headbadge, and track ends would be sweet, but you need to get some numbers first.

wouldnt after all this modifying-

the bb would actually become lower to the ground?

since track dropouts higher then horizontal dropouts, and 700c wheels are smaller than 27" wheels,

and the front fork clearance would lower the front down also?


what I want to know is-

how exactly does the compactness of the wheels to the frame occur-

do the chainstay and seat stay tubes have to be shortened to accomidate smaller wheels?

and I wonder if the conversion would look weird with a road bike anged seat tube with all of these close clearances?


anyhow, I plan to do it to this bike:
(i have another exact same model schwinn traveler frame, smaller and in untouched condition)
this frame was in not so great condition, so i went and shaved all the cable stays and everything off this frame, and repainted it.
but I still have the other one in original paint/form condition

here is the one in mind for this conversion:
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh66/spray2020/IMG_0325.jpg

another pic:
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh66/spray2020/IMG_0330.jpg

and here is the same model/smaller size that i left the frame alone and is a conversion:
http://photos-e.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v361/216/116/12501680/n12501680_30826100_8997.jpg

Depends on the dropouts, if you shorten the chainstays (all things being equal) the BB will go up, this is relative to keeping the top tube level. You shorten the forks, you sink it back down, that is what I meant about it might "equal itself out".

Track dropouts typically have the horizontal slot between the stays to a degree, that is what i meant about making your own, then you could balance things out.

I was thinking that it was a non-lugged frame, but I can see that you are using the lugged frame as the potential donor.

You could make a set of forks with much less rake (30mm -) and bring the wheel in closer to the DT.......

You need to just plot the thing out (what you have) and just compare to the geometry that you want. Err on the side of raising the BB drop. You could also start with the front end of course, and make the ass end follow suit too.......... Have fun.

hi, i was interested in doing the same thing, you are planing on, just a week ago, but i changed my mind. However, check out this guy's bike section you might find it pretty interesting or insparational if you havent already ;)

www.ollierkkila.com

^ thanks for that link!

for some reason, on the peugeot build, i cant see the second page- where i assume you would see the inbetween process of putting in the new dropouts

also,

another thing that is funny...

is I was on Honda-tech and noticed you posted the same guy in the fixed gear thread!

nice EF!

my dc5:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v347/it066yen/IMG_0753copy.jpg

haha thanks pal EF's are FTW ;)


i like your dc5, pretty clean

I knew that you could get used Hondas cheap, but $859.00? What a steal.

ok, ok sorry for steling the thread ;)

hi, i was interested in doing the same thing, you are planing on, just a week ago, but i changed my mind. However, check out this guy's bike section you might find it pretty interesting or insparational if you havent already ;)

www.ollierkkila.com the heck with the fixies, I like his winter bike.

its pretty neat, isnt it!

Sorry to hijack, but I have seen Olli's work all over the net, from motorcycle sites to hotrod sites to design sites, to all kinds of bicycle forums - the man is awesome, I love that he just does it, and doesn't mess around :thumb:

misha misha-

well I plan to go foward with what I want to do-

and start with getting a track fork like you did (although you seem to just want to get a track frame now altogether)

did the track fork change the handling on your road bike conversion at all?

I knew that you could get used Hondas cheap, but $859.00? What a steal.


if you know of a place where I could get my car for $ 8,590 with my mods and the condition its in- I would be suprised!

hondas can go for cheap, but ones that are in good condition and are wanted by honda heads- will go for a pretty penny.

Sorry to hijack, but I have seen Olli's work all over the net, from motorcycle sites to hotrod sites to design sites, to all kinds of bicycle forums - the man is awesome, I love that he just does it, and doesn't mess around :thumb:

agree, he knows what he is doing, i saw a lot of his work. Its crazy.


misha misha-

well I plan to go foward with what I want to do-

and start with getting a track fork like you did (although you seem to just want to get a track frame now altogether)

did the track fork change the handling on your road bike conversion at all?

the track fork did quite a bit actually, handling pretty straight and skidding a bit easier to throw the weight forward. But i kidna do want a track frame, cuz i need a bigger frame anyway, so might as well do it.

there is a free version of BikeCad. You could take the measurements of your frame and the modifications and see what happens. If you put a shorter fork on it, the ht and st angles will be increased, probably not as much as a purpose built track bike. The angles as they are may be too slack for the trail you want to put on it. Probably will not be a big deal either way unless you need to ride no-handed while you text 911 for the ambulance you are about to need when you wreck while texting no-handed.

lol

dont mind the flat tire:

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee118/hivcans2/IMG_4352.jpg

yeah,

I saw that picture on honda-tech-

I love the close clearances that fork gives!

it looks good as is with the bigger clearances in the rear, but if that was brought it it would be better.

so was that nishiki frame originally made for 27" wheels?

I figure those weinmans are 700c, and the clearance in the rear is still pretty close? or is the frame for 700c wheels?

I wish i could ride w/o a brake around here, but riding everyday in providence w/o a brake on these crazy steep hills is too crazy for me.

there is a free version of BikeCad. You could take the measurements of your frame and the modifications and see what happens. If you put a shorter fork on it, the ht and st angles will be increased, probably not as much as a purpose built track bike. The angles as they are may be too slack for the trail you want to put on it. Probably will not be a big deal either way unless you need to ride no-handed while you text 911 for the ambulance you are about to need when you wreck while texting no-handed.

interesting, where can I download this program?

its a 700 frame, and the clearance in the back is equal to front when the tire isnt blown. I guess we got couple of pretty gnarly hills, i just go full on them, gets kinda scary sometimes, but its all good. Just gotta pedal really fast.

i liek my frame but its a 59 with a very low b/b tube. And i need 61, so yea. But its tange tubing frame, really nice light and strong still tubing. Super lgiht.