Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Hit the road on my new CAAD9 today

It's pretty much finished except for the new chainring that I'm waiting on. I only got to test ride it for a few miles but managed to take in a couple of hills. The first impression is that this is a totally different machine to my 80's steel roadie conversion, the power transfer to the road is amazing, this thing just wants to go!... and it seems to want to climb too, but that might be because it only weighs 17lb and is only 57 gear inches.

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x248/cyclaholic_album/cssfg04.jpg


and check out this kid's hipster attitude :D...
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x248/cyclaholic_album/cssfg05.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x248/cyclaholic_album/cssfg03.jpg

I'm not happy with the slackness in the chain but that should be sorted with the new chainring, and if not then I'll spring for an Eno eccentric hub.

That saddle angle looks horrendously uncomfortable, but the bike looks good! Weird choice for a FG conversion, but hooray for adventurousness.

That saddle angle looks horrendously uncomfortable, but the bike looks good! Weird choice for a FG conversion, but hooray for adventurousness.

My bum finds it horrendously comfortable. It's my second Specialized Avatar gel 155, the first one cracked in the middle after 50k miles.

Yeah that chain slack is a bit of a worry. I guess you can't get away with taking another link out? And geez... 57 gear inches, that is very low. Whatever floats your boat though. Nice looking conversion anyway.

Yeah that chain slack is a bit of a worry. I guess you can't get away with taking another link out? And geez... 57 gear inches, that is very low. Whatever floats your boat though. Nice looking conversion anyway.

Nah, another link (1/2 link) won't come out, unfortunately. I have a 45t chainring on order that will tighten things up according to the magic ratio calculator (http://eehouse.org/fixin/formfmu.php), and bring me up to 66 gear inch.

if the handlebars come up to your ear, i'd say the bike's a bit too big for you.

if the handlebars come up to your ear, i'd say the bike's a bit too big for you.

Nice... he he!!!

I like it!

Post this thread in the roadie forum and give a link. I want to count all the Star Trek facepalm pics.

this thing just wants to go!... and it seems to want to climb too

Welcome to the wonderful world of CAAD9 ownership. Nice, tasteful conversion, hope you enjoy it!

Very Nice

It's pretty much finished except for the new chainring that I'm waiting on. I only got to test ride it for a few miles but managed to take in a couple of hills. The first impression is that this is a totally different machine to my 80's steel roadie conversion, the power transfer to the road is amazing, this thing just wants to go!... and it seems to want to climb too, but that might be because it only weighs 17lb and is only 57 gear inches.


:eek:

only 17lbs? that's like a boat anchor for a fg caad9. The caad9 is a pretty easy frame to get to 16lbs with gears. Put some light wheels on it and you'll feel like you got shot out of a cannon.

And if you like the BB stiffness of a cannondale and want a fg, ever considered getting a capo frameset?

very nice! makes me wish i still had my aluminum road frame-- bike was stolen :(

I like it!

Post this thread in the roadie forum and give a link. I want to count all the Star Trek facepalm pics.

I second this

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Bratton/1232550426_worffacepalm.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Bratton/687fea91677be9103defb8d-1.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Bratton/ultimatefacepalm.gif (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Bratton/ultimatefacepalm.gif)






Did I win?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Bratton/ultimatefacepalm.gif (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Bratton/ultimatefacepalm.gif)

quoted because this was a lame conversion. should have kept it geared or sold it. not diggin it one bit.

Did I win?


http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/54/picard_facepalm.jpg

:eek:

only 17lbs? that's like a boat anchor for a fg caad9. The caad9 is a pretty easy frame to get to 16lbs with gears. Put some light wheels on it and you'll feel like you got shot out of a cannon.
Damn that's light! I've never been into super light wheels, seeing as I'm 240lb.



And if you like the BB stiffness of a cannondale and want a fg, ever considered getting a capo frameset?

I didn't deliberately go out and choose this frame, in fact I wasn't even looking, I just ran into a really good deal and grabbed it.

Looks straight except for the chain slack and the granny gear. I too think this is worth posting in the roadie forum, especially given how popular CAAD9's are over there.

My new chainring arrived from Cycle Underground (http://www.cycleunderground.com.au/chainringdesigns.htm). I don't think the picture does it justice, this thing is a work of art!

I rang them yesterday morning, told them what I wanted, and here it is the next day for $50 Aussie delivered, friggin bargain!

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x248/cyclaholic_album/cssfg06.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x248/cyclaholic_album/cssfg07.jpg

The chain is tighter, but not as tight as you would normally run it. It rides OK tho, completely silent with no slapping around. If it gives me any grief in the future I'll just go to an eccentric hub.

Time for a nice long ride :D

If you want to save a couple bucks on the Eno, just file a flat spot onto both sides of the axle(make sure you get them lined up)place the flats towards the back of the drop and it'll make up that little bit of slack. I did this on my Trek FG and it worked great, I didn't even have a prob removing the locknuts as it chased the threads as I spun them off.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=552995

Man, I wish I could buy that fork off you and give you my freakin ultra fork instead...
I've been hunting for a cannondale premium fork forever.

Not what I'd do with my 9, but it looks okay. Ride the snot out of it. Those are incredible frames.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=552995

:roflmao2:

that didn't take long....

It feels lighter than 17lb so I probably stuffed up the weigh-in, I'll double check it later.

Get it TRULY weighed.
Buy a lighter wheelset.
Roll up one pant leg.
Oh and add pink, b/c some people wont acknowledge fixie=gay....so help them understand

Get it TRULY weighed.
Buy a lighter wheelset.
Roll up one pant leg.
Oh and add pink, b/c some people wont acknowledge fixie=gay....so help them understand

I'm open to suggestions on what to get... they'll have to cope with my 240lb mashing hard at times on my commute.

Your bike weighs 7% as much as your body...
Your bike is plenty light already.
Dont get caught up in this crap!

Bars don't look too comfy with that angle, hard on the wrists?

Your bike weighs 7% as much as your body...
Your bike is plenty light already.
Dont get caught up in this crap!



truth.


your bike would definitely be faster if you lowered your rotational weight, but you'd be alot faster if you weren't 240 lbs too

Your bike weighs 7% as much as your body...
Your bike is plenty light already.
Dont get caught up in this crap!

this.

....

....

post in other forum

SOUL wheelset.

It is pretty much the answer to any wheel question.

My CAAD8 w/ENO hub:

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/9415/img2957copy.jpg

My CAAD8 w/ENO hub:

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/9415/img2957copy.jpg

Nice ride! :thumb: ...why waste time in the garden when you can be out riding on that :D

I saw that over in the road forum, I was going to compliment you on it but it's too much of a hate fest over there.

My new chainring arrived from Cycle Underground (http://www.cycleunderground.com.au/chainringdesigns.htm). I don't think the picture does it justice, this thing is a work of art!
...here it is the next day for $50 Aussie delivered, friggin bargain!
That does seem a nice price and c/ring. How have you found the roundness and quality of it? (i.e. do you get any tight spots on your chain when rotating the cranks?)



http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x248/cyclaholic_album/cssfg07.jpg

The chain is tighter, but not as tight as you would normally run it.
That chain tension looks fine to me. If you can't derail it with your fingers I'd be happy with that.