Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - First fixed bike, can we do build threads?

Hey guys, new here!

My name is Alex and I've decided to buy/build my first fixed gear. I arrived at this decision by deciding to buy a bike so I can commute to work and ride around for fun/exercise. I had seen pictures of fixed gears online and they seemed fun, the idea of constantly pedaling appealed to my desire to ride for fitness too. I talked to a buddy of mine that lives in FL and he happened to ride a fixed gear bike so I've been bugging him, finally researched enough to buy my own.

I come from the modified car world (Honda's specifically) so the idea of customizing the bike really appealed to me as well. What can I say, I like to tinker.

Anyways, I was set on buying an Eighthinch Scrambler, but when I went to order they were sold out and it was 8 weeks to get more in. So I came here and read up on good starter bikes and arrived at the Mercier Kilo TT.

I'm not sure how often this happens on bike forums, but it's common in car forums and I always enjoy build threads.

Here's what I've got on tap!

- 53cm Kilo TT in (Grape soda):
- Weinmann Deep V DP18 Track Wheelset in solid white (machined front, non machined rear)
- Vittoria Randonneur 700x28 Tires (white)
- Michelin Bicycle Tubes 700c Long Valve Road Deep V
- Shimano Dura-Ace Track Cog Lockring
- Charge Bucket Seat (white w/ red letters/logo)
- KMC Chain Z-410 1/8" (white) (wasn't planning on it, but I needed something that was ~$8-10 to get free shipping)
- Odyssey Twisted Pedal (white w/ red end cap)
- HoldFast Foot Straps (black w/ red trim)

Wheels were the first to come in, so here's some pictures:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2740/4506809646_cb02fbf44b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ouhei/4506809646/)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4054/4506813646_e376dd3cbe_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ouhei/4506813646/)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2707/4506173633_4fb7cc0ced_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ouhei/4506173633/)

My Weinmann's sure have some large stickers on 'em, leaving them on for now since my bike won't be here till Monday.

Tomorrow I'm heading out to grab some tools so I can work on my bike as I need to.

The bike gets here on Monday, so that's when the real fun begins, I'll post up as things happen! Oh, if these threads are frowned upon please feel free to let me know or close it, just felt like sharing my journey into the world of fixed gear riding.

http://www.rpollittoilfield.com/images/HUMMING-BIRD-WELCOME.gif

Funny... I was wondering the same thing about build threads. Grats on getting your first fixed gear... the mod bug bites as hard on a bike as it does for a car... but at least the parts are cheaper :) Have fun!

Get yourself a bottle of Formula 409 to keep all the white bits clean. You can peel those stickers off the rims and use some Goo-B-Gone to get the adhesive off. Don't get that stuff on the tires, might damage the rubber.

Be sure to grease your threads on the rear hub and be careful putting the cog on. Get the cog tight, then the lockring. Get a bit of speed going then lock up the rear wheel. Hopefully, there's no play or give. If there is, the cog needs tightening and then also the lockring.

Those Randonneur tires might be a bit noisy. If so, try the Zaffiro Pro in white. A bit narrower and smooth for maximum road traction and silence.

Weinmann has new logos, I see.

Funny... I was wondering the same thing about build threads. Grats on getting your first fixed gear... the mod bug bites as hard on a bike as it does for a car... but at least the parts are cheaper :) Have fun!
Thanks, yeah I'm glad the parts seem to be cheaper for the most part :)

Get yourself a bottle of Formula 409 to keep all the white bits clean. You can peel those stickers off the rims and use some Goo-B-Gone to get the adhesive off. Don't get that stuff on the tires, might damage the rubber.

Be sure to grease your threads on the rear hub and be careful putting the cog on. Get the cog tight, then the lockring. Get a bit of speed going then lock up the rear wheel. Hopefully, there's no play or give. If there is, the cog needs tightening and then also the lockring.

Those Randonneur tires might be a bit noisy. If so, try the Zaffiro Pro in white. A bit narrower and smooth for maximum road traction and silence.
The guy at the LBS gave me a ton of grease for my new cog I bought, and I tightened everything as much as I could.

Weinmann has new logos, I see.
Yeah, big ones! haha

http://www.rpollittoilfield.com/images/HUMMING-BIRD-WELCOME.gif
Thanks for the welcome!

Hit up a LBS today and picked up some tools, ended up picking up a Soma rear cog (19t) to give me a nicer gearing.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2315/4508485135_5e5909b787_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ouhei/4508485135/)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2432/4508484237_0b6310d0a7_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ouhei/4508484237/)

Looks like you know what you're doing so far!

Pretty legit photography too, you made that dura ace lock ring look sexy!

looking forward to updates!

Thanks guys, I'm sitting here waiting UPS while working from home for a few hours today, hopefully they come soon so I can put the bike together and go in to the office.

I just got that Pedro's Trixie myself. Love that tool already. Have fun with the build!

ths build thread is a great idea. looking forward to more pics and the finished product

That grape soda is an awesome color, and this sounds like a bike you're going to really like, but you are definitely going to need white bar tape.

Also, good decision on picking up the tools and learning to do the work yourself. A bicycle is a simple machine (especially coming from a car), and it's nice to be able to take care of it yourself.




. . . so did the bike come today?

Scrod's... not a jerk.

Welcome to the forums.

Love that Trixie tool, but sometimes it can hurt the hands while using it to remove wheels.

Scrod's... not a jerk.

http://images.starcraftmazter.net/4chan/animals/awww.jpg

Love that Trixie tool, but sometimes it can hurt the hands while using it to remove wheels.

The Eighth Inch tool (http://www.eighthinch.com/tools.html) is great when you're out riding, but sucks for shop use.

Bike came in! Sorry if these aren't the best pics, I spent most of my afternoon assembling. I always get wrapped up in working on stuff and forget to snap pics.

A box that made me very happy!
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4515993931_d9a84a13f5_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ouhei/4515993931/)
Why, hello beautiful!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2771/4516630324_95789a7566_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ouhei/4516630324/)
Time to get down to business
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4516631172_406699420a_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ouhei/4516631172/)
Stock chain wouldn't work with the new rear cog, good thing I had another!
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4516631970_b62b4e8540_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ouhei/4516631970/)
Ended up ruining my white chain by removing too many links, quick trip to the LBS for a new one and she was complete
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4022/4516634418_212a0dab14_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ouhei/4516634418/)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4515997979_0fa8c5b038_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ouhei/4515997979/)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2773/4515997243_cf9ae8f679_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ouhei/4515997243/)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4515999799_96f74c6d27_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ouhei/4515999799/)
The only color they had that matched my scheme was purple, but it works nicely
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/4516636142_31f8fd6d1b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ouhei/4516636142/)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/4516001531_55004fae33_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ouhei/4516001531/)

I know, I know, FOOT RETENTION! I have HoldFast Straps on their way, they'll be put on as soon as they get in. I also really need to replace the black tape for white (maybe red?). Assembly was fun and a little frustrating when I ruined the chain, but I'm glad I did it.

Took her our for her first ride and it was a blast, tiring, but fun. Not being able to coast was a weird feeling but I'm getting used to it. You really do feel more connected to bike while riding. I'll be riding it to work tomorrow so we'll see how it goes. I'll be sure to be extra careful, especially with the lack of retention.

I'm also undecided on the wheel stickers, what say you forum?

Looks great so far! I'm digging the purple chain. Judging by what the little bits of red you've already got look like, I vote for red bar tape. Red/purple/white is a killer color combo, IMO.

This, however, is somewhat creepy:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v166/scrodzilla/creepy.jpg

:lol:

Looks great so far! I'm digging the purple chain. Judging by what the little bits of red you've already got look like, I vote for red bar tape. Red/purple/white is a killer color combo, IMO.

This, however, is somewhat creepy:

pic

:lol:
Your bike was one of my inspirations for my build, but holy **** I never noticed the bed behind it! HAHAHHAHA

my mercier build.

145939

Whoa.

I mean, that pattern is creepy enough (blood!?), but the dopplebedder thing is just amazing.

"Dopplebedder"!

Seriously, who called the bar tape thing?

But I still vote for white. I like white/purple more then red/white/purple (although the little red bits here and there are nice).

This, however, is somewhat creepy:


I bet he doesn't have the Ikea kitchen set.

Great looking build you got there. I happen to like stickers, so i say keep em.

I bet he doesn't have the Ikea kitchen set.

I haven't got it anymore since we built in our 'breakfast nook'. :)

I'm moving in with you in 6 months Scrod. Please? My girlfriend can do the dishes all day. :roflmao:

Right on. You'd love it here in Beverly, especially in the summer. We won't make your poor girlfriend do dishes all day though. :D

The Eighth Inch tool (http://www.eighthinch.com/tools.html) is great when you're out riding, but sucks for shop use.

yeah i was wondering about that tool actually... neat idea, but having it right there on your bike -- isn't that kind of begging for your stuff to get taken? i mean, it's not like a 15mm wrench is hard to come by, but still...

For a ride where you're not leaving your bike unattended, it's convenient. But I'd throw it in a bag or pocket any other time.

Seriously, who called the bar tape thing?

But I still vote for white. I like white/purple more then red/white/purple (although the little red bits here and there are nice).
Haha, yeah I was pretty sure I wasn't going to like black, but I didn't want to buy tape if I ended up not liking the bars. I'm gonna go with white tape, but I think I'll use red electrical tape on the end of it to keep with my splashes of red".

I bet he doesn't have the Ikea kitchen set.
Actually, I do! Haha, Needed a dining set and it was cheap, but I love the store, buying new couches from there next month.

Great looking build you got there. I happen to like stickers, so i say keep em.
I like them and don't at the same time, I wish they were the smaller ones I saw on the rims in the auction. I think I'll remove them from the front wheel today (seems kind of busy up front with all those logos on there).

Rode to the office today, it's only about 1.5 miles but it felt good. Bike felt solid and I'm getting more used to the lack of coasting ability.

Next up is foot retention, which will hopefully come in today or tomorrow, then it's new tape time. After that I'll probably experiment with different bar styles to see what I like the most.

Actually, I do! Haha, Needed a dining set and it was cheap, but I love the store, buying new couches from there next month.


Scrod Jr...

:roflmao:

Scrod Jr...
I don't think there's much of a family resemblance though, lol!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4504469464_478f8e94ac_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ouhei/4504469464/)

Nope!

Cut out the personal hygiene for a year or so.

Cut out the personal hygiene for a year or so.

Crack all the jokes you want but as you can see, I clean up nice:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v166/scrodzilla/portrait2.jpg

My eyes need a laxative now.

I think that needs to be my new avatar. I legit look like I have Down's Syndrome.

I think that needs to be my new avatar. I legit look like I have Down's Syndrome.

Bob Pinciotti.

Can you guys carry on your lovefest in PMs or something? I don't mind a bit of banter here and there, but you're taking over my thread! Hahaha

Can you guys carry on your lovefest in PMs or something? I don't mind a bit of banter here and there, but you're taking over my thread! Hahaha

Don't get cranky, new guy. Post some fresh content for us. Your girl in a bra and panties with your bike is ok. You in a bra and panties with your bike is not.

Apologies! Brian and I have unintentionally derailed many a thread. Post another pic of your bike in my bedroom to get us back on track!

I'm at work, so the bike is with me at the office, sorry for the quality, didn't bring my camera with me.

Brian and I have unintentionally derailed many a thread.

That's truly quotable, mind if I use this in my sig? :roflmao2:

That's truly quotable, mind if I use this in my sig? :roflmao2:

Go right ahead. Can I point out that if I truly offended someone, I'm happy to publicly apologize?

That's truly quotable, mind if I use this in my sig? :roflmao2:

Yes.

I wish I had a vertical shutter release.

I wish I had a vertical shutter release.

Get a Canon.