Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - building a fixie help... please !!!!

So maybe youve read my previous post a few days ago, but Ive made a decision and im going with the IRO MARK V build-o-bike with standard wheelset. However, I may be a bit knowledgeable in the road bike category, but I am absolutely clueless when it comes to fixies. Would someone be able to walk me through the options so I can what I want? Im looking for a fixie that i can commute with, however if i wanna do some riding uptown after work in central park I can. I want something that will last, something that gets from my house to my job. im 6'0" about 185 if that helps. With that said, here we go:

Crank size? Whats best for me: 165, 170, 175?

Cog: 14, 15, 16, 17, 18? Do I need a second cog?

Headset?

Handlebars? I got that covered. Bullhorns please. :D

Stem? Brake? I want a front brake but cross lever or drop lever?

http://www.irocycle.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=144 ... are you sure this is right bike for me? I would like an iro for under 650.:cry::cry::cry:

Well, I will apologize for my n00b-ness. But please help. Thank you very much.

Soon to fixie in NYC. YAY.

About the cog ... of course it depends on your chain ring. Take your road bike, and find the chain ring/cog combo that you like the feel of. Ride around on it (only) for a while. If it feel right, thengo for that combo on your fixed gear bike.

A lot of the stuff is asthetics and personal taste, I think. Shorter cranks may be smart to avoid pedal strike.

use the damn search, ****ing newbs

Crank size? Whats best for me: 165, 170, 175?

Cog: 14, 15, 16, 17, 18? Do I need a second cog?

Headset?

Handlebars? I got that covered. Bullhorns please. :D

Stem? Brake? I want a front brake but cross lever or drop lever?



Cranks, I prefer 165 as stated earlier to prevent pedal strike. Longer arms won't necessarily give you any added "Leverage" some people like to claim from longer arms, just means you will have more up/down movement from your pedal stroke.

Cog depends on what gear you want to use. I live in a flat area and run a 46 chainring up front with a 17T cog in rear. This gives me 73 gear inches which translates to decent enough top speed but not so tough to pedal up hills.

Headset, get the stock FSA headset. I have it on both my fixed and roadie and absolutely nothing wrong with it. Sure its not as blingy as the Chris King but it will do whatever you throw at it.

Stem will be based on bike fit which is based on how much reach you need from the saddle to the handlebars. No one can tell you which size is appropriate for you since we don't know your measurements.

You already know you want to use bullhorns so you're gonna need a cross lever for those bars cause a drop lever will look kinda weird. Or you could find a time trial lever which goes on the end of bullhorns and looks far better.

as someone whose primary mode of transportation is a mark v, i highly recommend it.

the iro cranks come with a 46 tooth chainring. Most people use between 70-80 gear inches on city fixed gears, find a cog that puts you in that range and you feel comfortable riding in your city.

From riding FG in NYC as well here's my 2 cents.

Gear inches - I ride between 68 and 73. Lower than a lot of folks, but I like quick acceleration at stoplights and to be able to spin at the slower speeds often required in NYC traffic. I don't find I need a high top speed in the city.

Cranks - I have both 165 and 170mm. Not that much difference but I would probably go with 165mm both for spinning purposes and less chance of pedal strike.

Brake levers - I am running bullhorns with a cross lever but will probably switch to a TT style lever. I find that when I most need brakes I'm usually on the bar ends pumping harder/faster or going downhill. It wouldn't look so cool, but I'd actually like to have both a TT and a cross lever in line, because instant access to brakes in NYC traffic is a good thing.

Brakeless - in NYC, no way unless you are a kamikaze messenger with a deathwish.

Bars - bullhorns are great for city riding. I have used drops, risers and bullhorns and have found the horns to be the best overall.

Frame size. A lot of guys seem to be riding smaller track frames with the seats jacked up and longer stems but I'd consider getting a frame on the larger size of your range for commuting and city riding. It will give you less seat to handlebar drop without having to run a really tall stem or risers. Over time, I have found that a more upright position is more comfortable for commuting and city riding in traffic. I'm 6'1" and have gone from a 57 to a 59cm frame and like the larger one. Your mileage may vary, and the top tube length of frame must be taken into account of course.