Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - No street cred for the vintage conversions? My contribution to keep steel real.

Many geared bikes later, I'm doing up my first SS.

Rode a new SS for a bit commuting and decided this was the best use of the old Columbus frame Schwinn Super Sport.

It seems to be all about the high dollar company bikes now, but here's a shout to vintage steel :lol:

Original cinelli stem had fatigue crack, and cinelli bars were bent. Trying the risers first and made chop-flops from the Cinellis.

Wow, I love it. I've been dying to get a late 80s high quality Schwinn to convert to FG/SS but haven't found one yet. The Super Sport was right near top of the line, no? It should make an excellent conversion. I'm jealous!

I believe only the Peloton was higher. My perfect size too 55cm x 55cm, Shimano 600. Will probably go back to a nicer stem and drop bars as that's my comfort zone but not spending money is also my comfort zone.

Shout out to my schwinn conversion brother :P
Mine definitely wasn't the top of the line though but I still have fun with it. I'd love to get my hands on an old tarck model.
Magnification of my sig pic:
http://i.imgur.com/d2jen.jpg

No hate for conversions here, I often enjoy looking at them more than others.

more conversions
http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu132/gavriel_bucket/bike/DSC_4255.jpg

Lookin good, both. That teal is a cool original color. That's a big frame hairnet, is it a fixed rear?
I'm trying to just use the wheels that came with the bike so only SS for now. Wondering if I really need the rear brake for my relatively flat 9 mile commute. A front is probably sufficient. I have cross top levers I'll use as opposed to MTB levers.

Well, you have the rear brake don't you? You should have one for SS.

There is no good reason to not have a rear brake.

There is no good reason to not have a rear brake.
Ummm how about stoping?
The OP said single speed, not fixed gear.

We should have a post your conversion thread.

Yeah, I guess I'd better do both brakes. Anyone have any trouble using only the cross top levers? They are nice and small but have only been collecting dust in my parts bin.

Those work just fine.

Heres my slightly-out-of-focus Schwinn World Sport, I've gotten a new/not stretched chain since this picture.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5188/5639418976_e7853c2e84_b.jpg

Those is purty.

yea there's an easier way to keep steel real: KILO TT~ because vintage conversions make me cry in a corner.

This is the only time I will probably ever agree with Mucky. Converting a nice working vintage bike is kind of pointless. Seen so many sweet, working, still original vintage geared bikes go on the chopping block/get tarcked.

Here is my old Schwinn World (now retired after several hard winters), picked it up sans wheels with a busted derailleur for 3 bones.

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/3143/20080105004bg2.jpg

Stem was cracked, bars were bent, brakes had been replaced with turkey lever crap, rear wheel hub loose, paint is bad, lots of gloppy white nail polish that doesn't show in photos. I've built up my share of vintage geared bikes from teh frame up and I agree that its nice to save them. I'm not going to drew the frame so I'm ok with some SS action.
Besides, this will be ridden many days on my commute and may make it to the cyclocross course come October so it'll get the use it deserves. If it was in better paint shape it'd be geared and sold.

yea there's an easier way to keep steel real: KILO TT~ because vintage conversions make me cry in a corner.

I'm sorry, spending $360 for near the same thing makes me cry more. ;)

Better to convert and use them than see them rot away.

Mine is a LeTour.. :)

This is the only time I will probably ever agree with Mucky. Converting a nice working vintage bike is kind of pointless. Seen so many sweet, working, still original vintage geared bikes go on the chopping block/get tarcked.


There is a difference between converting and tarking out. I enjoy conversions that still look like road bikes they were

yea there's an easier way to keep steel real: KILO TT~ because vintage conversions make me cry in a corner.

I picked up an '84 Trek 460 cheap. It was originally equipped with friction DT shifters, and the infamous Malliard Helicomatic rear hub. Why bother keeping such a terrible system geared? It made a much better FG conversion.

I agree with hairnet: as long as they don't get tarked out with colorful everything and stubby riser bars, why not? They can always be converted back.

My '71 conversion was not taking something good and changing it. The poor old thing had seen lots of road use and the wheels were shot. I recycled the brakes and have kept all the parts I took off. So for me, it was not taking something minty and hacking it, it was taking an old friend and giving it new life.

Tom

yea there's an easier way to keep steel real: KILO TT~ because vintage conversions make me cry in a corner.

My colnago, my rules; = NO rear derailleur hanger; NO braze ons; NO rear brake bridge; hobo barz; stickerz everywherez

There is a difference between converting and tarking out. I enjoy conversions that still look like road bikes they were

I agree, but there is a point where I just cringe. The point where you cannot convert back... Like cutting off braze-ons, spraybombing over a beautiful original finish, tossing out the shifters/derailleurs/wheels, etc. You don't see it too often these days, but several years ago it was the norm.

yea there's an easier way to keep steel real: KILO TT~ because vintage conversions make me cry in a corner.
cool story bro.

yea there's an easier way to keep steel real: KILO TT~ because vintage conversions make me cry in a corner.

Coming from mister seatube-brake.

Nice, but is there anything wrong with it? every time I've cannibalize a bike i end regretting it.

I'm all down for conversions they're cobbled together for very near Zero $, converted due to a drive-train that's fubar or some such.

I don't get this spending time and money to make an existing bike SS/fixed, when it could be invested in a Whole New build project! then you'd have two bikes! a cool old vintage road bike and custom conversion for near the same cost.

Here's my old conversion, an '87 Schwinn Tempo that I literally received as just a bare frame, fork and headset.

http://i55.tinypic.com/auwdbt.jpg

I like conversions because they ride nice on the street, where I ride my bikes.

'79 Fuji Gran Tourer, a frame that I adopted from my father in really excellent condition for its age, so I made a conversion out of it.
http://www.travismui.com/Art/Fuji-Gran-Tourer-Fixed/tmuipic-1000/1226369058_VbARs-L.jpg

'79 Fuji Gran Tourer, a frame that I adopted from my father in really excellent condition for its age, so I made a conversion out of it.
http://www.travismui.com/Art/Fuji-Gran-Tourer-Fixed/tmuipic-1000/1226369058_VbARs-L.jpg

That is sexy!

Seconded. If those albino Rasta twins from the second Matrix movie rode, that's what they'd have. And I mean that in the best way possible.

http://ithuglife.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/matrix_twins-212x300.jpg?w=212&h=300

Vintage conversions for the win. I have a '70s Raleigh that I converted, because all the parts + paint were totally shot. Man, I really need to get some pics up here...

'79 Fuji Gran Tourer, a frame that I adopted from my father in really excellent condition for its age, so I made a conversion out of it.
http://www.travismui.com/Art/Fuji-Gran-Tourer-Fixed/tmuipic-1000/1226369058_VbARs-L.jpg

chunky stem!

Huffy-era Free Spirit. It was in terrible shape when I got it, but it's fantastic as a SS. Bad paintjob and innertube bar tape = theftproof.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5187/5638217945_3dae2611b2.jpg

One of my conversions:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5283826919_0f87dd2e2e_z.jpg

Conversions...

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/2011path1.JPG
1951 CCM - saved the frame from the dump.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/confetti2010a.JPG
1973 Raleigh Gran Sport - paint was pretty faded and decals all but gone.

Like the CCM! Original MTB style

Like the CCM! Original MTB style

Drew inspiration from those early track racers who rode bikes with ridiculously slack angles... the bike was originally an upright coaster equipped (utility)model but as I just had a frame built around that.

http://prollyisnotprobably.com/3b08381r.jpg

Huffy-era Free Spirit. It was in terrible shape when I got it, but it's fantastic as a SS. Bad paintjob and innertube bar tape = theftproof.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5187/5638217945_3dae2611b2.jpg

Plus any potential thieves would get entangled in the brake cables. A diabolical trap!

chunky stem!

haha yeah, it was a last-minute grab from the co-op since my old quill ended up being too small for the bars. planning on getting a threaded-threadless converter and stem from veloorange soon.

This poor thing rusted away for 20 years in a damp barn in Michigan until I rescued it and converted it to a SS. The only new parts are the pedals (authentic original Lyotard with French thread), seatpost, bar tape and brake cables.

Nicely done.

TejanoTrackie - That is truly a great rescue, classy and useful.

yea there's an easier way to keep steel real: KILO TT~ because vintage conversions make me cry in a corner.

Some of us don't have the funds to or any interest in spending $400+ on a beater or any bike for that matter. And there are some of us who really just enjoy riding.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/13deluxe/IMG_9670.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/13deluxe/IMG_9671.jpg

one time a guy was riding beside me down a side street on his fuji track and he says 'maybe its time to buy a REAL track bike' and i said 'yea man, go for it.'


i'd like to mention that while this bike was brakeless a few years ago when the pic was taken, i currently feel that if you can run a brake[you have a brake hole], you should. ALL conversions should really have at least one brake on them. otherwise its obvious you are on your bike for fashion. obviously my jeans were too tight back then and crushing my brain.



*edit: i just noticed the pedals and lack of foot retention. i cannot remember why its like that in the pic but it was never ridden this way. i think back then i had black mks streams with mks clips/straps. meh

another few pics

with my oldest boy
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/13deluxe/beansbike.jpg

SS foul weather commute mode
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/13deluxe/P1030266.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5213/5511052622_265605bf5b_z.jpg

Custom Steel, vintage campy. I kept the derailleur hanger for a reason, and of thinking about restoring it into it's former beauty.

Had the rear deraillieur fail on me and the front deraillieur was on the end of it's last legs, it was cheaper to convert than it was to put new deraillieurs on it.

http://i423.photobucket.com/albums/pp313/dkasper0/100_1494.jpg

it was cheaper to convert than it was to put new deraillieurs on it.

Really? They must have really cheap rear wheels or really expensive olde road derailers in your town.

Really? They must have really cheap rear wheels or really expensive olde road derailers in your town.

Try finding Suntour Cyclone deraillieurs when you don't do online shopping. ;)

Had the rear wheel already, was the stock rear wheel from the track bike and had a track cog on hand already, the front wheel was the only thing I had to buy when I originally converted it.

one time a guy was riding beside me down a side street on his fuji track and he says 'maybe its time to buy a REAL track bike'

You should have backhanded him right off his crappy "track" bike.