Road Cycling - Singlespeed Time-trial Bike?

Anyone riding a singlespeed bike with time-trial geometry and aerobars? The idea seems cool to me, since you can just spin away without bothering about gears. Is there any cheap frames that have time-trial geometry, yet not too bulky in size and weight, hopefully with aerodynamic properties as well? Any ideas? I do feel like building one myself.

Want a track bike? I don't have one, but here's a pic...

Want a track bike? I don't have one, but here's a pic...

that was gonna be my exact suggestion :D.

Not to mention without gears your bike will be lighter, which might lend itself to faster riding.

Phil

Will it be able to stand up to the harshness of the roads like potholes, cobblestones-like surfaces, with those bumps very now and then? I need something that I can trash, yet fast and light if possible.

I ride a FG everyday to work, and go over quite a few potholes and whatever else finds it way into my path. With the weight savings over the geared bike, you can afford to get a few extra spokes to help out with the "harsh" situations you speak of. With a SS bike it is important to choose the proper gear ratio according to your riding style. I happen to ride city mostly, which means I stop and start almost every 1/4 mile. For this reason I ride gear inches in the 70's which I find about perfect for my style. If you are worried about pure speed and have stong legs, kick your ratio up into the 90 gear inches and if you can push it, you will be flying....

Phil

If you're dealing potholes and cobbles do you really want to be really aero?

How about a fixed gear road bike? Since you're into building your own it can be done at a reasonable cost by taking a nice, older steel road bike with vertical dropouts adding a fixed rear wheel and stripping off all of the unnecessary derraileurs and stuff.

Start here: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed/index.html

If you're dealing potholes and cobbles do you really want to be really aero?

How about a fixed gear road bike? Since you're into building your own it can be done at a reasonable cost by taking a nice, older steel road bike with vertical dropouts adding a fixed rear wheel and stripping off all of the unnecessary derraileurs and stuff.

Start here: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed/index.html

Actually, there are not too much of those, but I do want it to be durable, and in times when I do pass those hazards, I know my bike won't break down.

As for spokes on the wheel, can I go with fewer spokes because I'm a light rider, 54kg in weight, about
120 pounds. Also, about a time-trial geometry bike, is there anything cheaper or better than a Cervelo? The Cervelo seems to be a good bike. What about the fork? Is there any aero steel fork or do I have to go with carbon?

anything aero AND steel is going to be pretty darn heavy, or custom designed, and still heavy. there are a few aluminum aero forks still kicking around out there (kinesis airfoil for one), and they're not too harsh...but yeah, you'd probably want to go with carbon.

find an older steel road bike with HORIZONTAL dropouts and shorter chainstays...or check out the KHS flite100 for super tight geometry in a complete track bike. it comes with a flip-flop hub so you can run a freewheel, or a fixed cog. it's also drilled for brakes both front and rear. i believe they retail for somewhere around $550, depending on where you get it. the bianchi pista is nice, but i think it has more road-oriented geometry...and a ton of people have them. nothing wrong with the bike for what it is, i just see fewer KHSes around, and it's just a tighter bike (short top tube, short chainstays, looks super sexy in person).

i'm about 120lbs and run 32H wheels, 3x rear, radial front on one bike, and 32H 3x, 700c rear, and 32H 3x 650c front on another. i'm a big fan of 32H, but i could probably get away with 28 in the front, especially on the bike that uses the 650. i tend to beat the crap out of my bikes though, so i think i need the extra spokes. i think 32 is definitely necessary in the rear if you're going to ride on the street. the more spokes (to a point), the stronger the wheel is, and the easier it's going to be to true and maintain. high flange hubs with an aero rim, 32H is going to be the best way to go for the best strength:weight. don't skimp on the hubs either! suzue promax high flange are good bang for the buck, as are surly hubs, but they have more of a "medium" flange. personally, i ride phil wood's and the no-longer-made dura ace high flange 7600 hubs. a lot of people swear by the phils, and the surlys. i've had no problems with either of my hubsets...my rear has been going strong for 4 years now.

check the SS/fixed forum for more suggestions, and answers to questions, if you haven't already. the world of fixed gear and singlespeed bikes is repleat with possibilities and solutions to fit damn near any budget. ebay is your friend; search "track."

Check out www.fortframes.cz. I have one of their (now dis-continued) steel track frames, it's gorgeous. They do a couple of alloy track frames and a very tasty TT frame (but it's not singlespeed). All are fairly cheap too. Luckily singlespeeds and fixed gears are very popular, and many companies offer a relatively cheap complete (Fuji, Bianchi, KHS), and many others selling bare frames (Surly, Fort, the list goes on). Any decent TT or track frame will do though. The thing you really have to worry about though is the drivetrain. You'll either need horizontal dropouts (track ends), or a White Industries ENO hub (this has an eccentric axle, so you can adjust the chain tension. You'll need on if your frame has vertical drops). You could use a chain tensioner like a DMR Tensionseeker or Surly Singulator, but only if you have a freewheel. Have a read of Shledon's page, and get yourself down to the SS/Fixed forum, they're all very helpful in there.

Fuji make excellent value fixies that are usable on the road.

Fuji make excellent value fixies that are usable on the road.

having worked on a couple fuji track bikes, i gotta say, yeah, they're a good value. but...the hubs are super cheap. much like the hubs on the KHS flite100 that i reccommended. but with the KHS, you get much tighter geometry (shorter top tube, shorter chainstays), AND you get the sugino75 track cranks, which are much better than the truvativ cranks on the fuji. the big points for the sugino cranks for me, BTW come from the fact that it has a 144BCD, so finding actual single speed/track chainrings is a whole lot easier.

all in all, i was pleasantly surprised by the fuji track, but i still prefer the KHSes.