Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - What to do with it?

I got this old ass bike off CL for $75. I was told it is from the 70's. It's branded "Huffy" and also says "woolward and wooler"

But I was told Serotta is actually who built the bikes. They just made them for Huffy, thus, the Huffy label on it.

I wanna make it a track/fixie but:

1. it has 26" tires (i feel i need 700c but dunno if they'll fit on the frame)

2. it has vertical drop outs

I'm a noob but I did some Sheldon Brown reading and it seems I may be taking on too much since I have the vertical drop outs.

What should I do with this bike? my main concern is getting some 700c's to fit.

While some Serotta bikes for pro-teams (7-11 IIRC) were re-badged as 'Huffy' due to sponsorship issues, this isn't one of them. Sad to say that you have a total POS department store huffy.

If I were you I wouldn't put a dime into it. You can either fix it up a little and turn it into a beater/bar bike or bin it.

Damn, there's $75 wasted. Well I think I'll just sell it for what I can get and save for something decent. Thanks for the info.

Damn, there's $75 wasted. Well I think I'll just sell it for what I can get and save for something decent. Thanks for the info.

You're welcome.

If you're interested in an older frame check out the Classic and Vintage section for some info on what to look for in a decent frame. Whatever you do please don't take to cable guides and such off an older frame; you might think it looks good, but it destroys the frame for the next person.

Good luck!

FYI- that bike has horizontal dropouts [not vertical as you stated] based on the pictures you posted.

Check out http://www.sheldonbrown.com/singlespeed.html about 1/2 way down the page.

Dude... that sucks. I know the feeling though. Earlier this year I probably put about $150 in a very similar bike and know for a fact I wouldn't be able to get more than $50 for it.
My advice. If the bike is rideable, list it on CL with a title like "Perfect for Fixie/SS - $50".
It's not a valuable bike by any means, so if someone wants to make a Fixie out of it, they won't (as we say on the C&V forum) be killing a kitten. And if someone who just needs a cheap/beater bike to get somewhere they and you won't be getting hurt too badly money wise. Just take the loss as knowledge gained, and as someone else mentioned, check out the Classic & Vintage forum here, we all could teach you a lot and net you a nice old bike for probably about as much as you paid for that.
The guy who sold it to you under the guise/confusion that it was a Serotta built Huffy should be kicked square in the teeth IMO.
It certainly sucks man, but, don't let it discourage you, a crappy bike is still better than no bike.
Welcome to forums, if you intend to stay, you'll be welcome here.
-Gene-

FYI- that bike has horizontal dropouts [not vertical as you stated] based on the pictures you posted.

Check out http://www.sheldonbrown.com/singlespeed.html about 1/2 way down the page.

Good lookin out.


I'm considering just riding my POS around while I save up for this beauty:

http://bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/kilott.htm



Man, that is the bike I want. I wonder if the price will actually change after Jan 1st though.

joke?

if not, sad.

I think this is an excellent frame for a fixie. You will kill no kittens converting this. Wheels should not be a problem if these are 27in right now, 700c wheels are a little smaller in diameter and you will have to move the brake pads to hit the brake surfaces on the rims but you should be able to do it. Just borrow a 700c wheel from a friend and stick it in to see how it fits. You will only need to test one wheel and I would suggest the front. You may have to spread the rear dropouts but that is fairly straight forward too. Sheldon Brown explains how to do it and keep good alignment at the same time. Probably the worst you would have to do is to replace the brake calipers if you can't move the pads down to the location of a 700c brake surface. Are you going to run just one brake on this fixie? Note that with that one piece crank, converting it to a standard bottom bracket and crankset might cost more than you want to spend. Nothing says you can't just leave the crank in it though. Just take off one of the front chainrings so you only have one, and the deraileur.

I think this is an excellent frame for a fixie. You will kill no kittens converting this. Wheels should not be a problem if these are 27in right now, 700c wheels are a little smaller in diameter and you will have to move the brake pads to hit the brake surfaces on the rims but you should be able to do it. Just borrow a 700c wheel from a friend and stick it in to see how it fits. You will only need to test one wheel and I would suggest the front. You may have to spread the rear dropouts but that is fairly straight forward too. Sheldon Brown explains how to do it and keep good alignment at the same time. Probably the worst you would have to do is to replace the brake calipers if you can't move the pads down to the location of a 700c brake surface. Are you going to run just one brake on this fixie? Note that with that one piece crank, converting it to a standard bottom bracket and crankset might cost more than you want to spend. Nothing says you can't just leave the crank in it though. Just take off one of the front chainrings so you only have one, and the deraileur.

Or simpler still he could just buy a track hub and pay to get the rear wheel laced to it. The crankset would be a pretty easy fix actually. Just unbolt the larger ring and pick a rear cog that has a tooth count that will work with it the smaller ring...its probably a 48. You could convert for as little as $100.

Good advice here, I may tinker with the Huffy a bit and see if I can at least get the 700c's to fit.
BTW: To whoever asked if the tires were 27", they are only 26". On the tire it also says "26x3/3"

joke?

if not, sad.



VERY sad. A newjack to fixie/ss wants to buy a great looking entry level track bike that has great reviews and is priced very well. Crazy.

Good advice here, I may tinker with the Huffy a bit and see if I can at least get the 700c's to fit.
BTW: To whoever asked if the tires were 27", they are only 26". On the tire it also says "26x3/3"

26x1-3/8" aka: Schwinn-size. (That's what we call them, at least) Those tires have an ISO diameter of 590. 700c tires have an ISO diameter of 622. It will be very close, I'm thinking. Maybe drop by your local shop with your bike and see if a 700c wheel (and tire) fits. If not, then you know to not waste your money. OR, you could build a 650c fixie with it. You can even buy disks and other aero wheels relatively cheaply for it on eBay, since triathletes don't use 650c any longer.

Are you seriously suggesting disc wheels for a bike that could have easily been a dump find? Here's a question: have you tried a ss/ fg? Why do you want to build one? All explanations about simplicity, direct translation of power and less upkeep aside, the main draw of ss/ fg is looking cool. My advice is to wait the hipster bubble out and score a complete 700c equipped track bike for about as much as you've paid for the huffy. It will happen. Some day all the lady pants wearers will want to venture out of their respective 3 mile radius' via two wheels and they'll have to invest in touring bikes.

the 700c might fit, but you won't be able to run brakes. don't know if that is or isn't important to you, but just letting you know. if you aren't used to bikes in general, run brakes.

also, you can't "unbolt" one chainring- its that cheap. it will still work, but not as "clean" looking. if you wanted to you could buy a set of converter cups then a crank... but at that point you are dropping over $100 on it, making this a $175 bike, plus the cost of wheels and tires, a new seat, new pedals and clips, etc. and he is easily exceeding the price of the kilo TT. I spent $300 on my conversion and had quite a few of the parts lying around, and got a good price on wheels (splurged on a few places though). even in its first iteration, it cost me about $120, and it needed to have parts replaced. I have had friends come to me saying its only going to cost them xx amount to build a fixed, then i tell them what parts to add.

just do yourself a favor and save up for the kilo tt. it is a GREAT bike. its almost already put together. it will require a bit of final setup, so find a friend that knows bikes and have them help you out. you don't have to worry about making sure something will fit, or whether that bolt will shear off on me... its all new.

don't know why i just typed all of that, but this OP has got to be trolling.

VERY sad. A newjack to fixie/ss wants to buy a great looking entry level track bike that has great reviews and is priced very well. Crazy.

i was referring to the huffy discussion in the first post...it is none of those things.