Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - To convert or not to convert

I have a 78 Trek road bike that i really like, pretty nice old handmade frame(back when they were a 3 man or so shop and hand built everybike) mostly campy/suntour superbe stuff on it, but it would be such a nice winter fixie, and save me from riding my track bike in bad weather. Super nice looong dropouts, tons of tire clearance and laid back geometry. I like having a road bike for going on long rides, and when i just feel like a change from my fixie, but its just so tempting. What should i do????

Convert it for winter, then put the gears on again in the spring?

As HereNT said, convert it to fixed for the winter. Keep the gearie parts in a box and label it "DO NOT OPEN UNTIL SPRING!" Come spring, I doubt you'll want to open that box up.

Thats the conundrum, i like having the option of riding my road bike if i want to, but this bike would make such a great fixie frame. I guess i could always convert it, then get ANOTHER frame. Hmmmm. This is a tough decision. And i mean, i really dont need a winter fixie here in Texas, it would just make for a great badweather bike, and for longer rides and and stuff. Stick some moustache bars on it, iro backwheel, fenders. DAMMIT!

it sounds to me like you've pretty much already made up your mind... ;-)

I understand your dilemma. God, those old Trek frames are nice. I'll be flamed here for this, but I'd keep it as is, find another Trek from slightly later (the frames were really nice up until about mid-eighties) and fixie it. The 410/412 frames from the early eighties tend to undervalued, but the Ishiwata tubing is as nice as the Reynolds or Columbus used on the higher-end stuff. (410 was the frame alone, 412 is built with a melange of mid/low end parts).

Yeah, mine is the lower end model made with I****awa tubing. I got Frame, fork, headset, stem, bars, brakes, seatpost, bb and cranks for like 60 bucks, then my uncle who used to race hooked me up with the rest of the parts. It would just be so easy to convert, then find another road frame later. I'm gonna think about it. This is what having a little spare money will do to you.

If it's a 410, I'd convert it if you're so disposed.

The Ishiwata tubing is not low end (nor is the bike). It just cost a lot less than the comparable Reynolds and Columbus stuff. Thus, cheaper bike in dollar terms, but not in quality. Even today, they're undervalued (410s), at the time they were a ridiculous bargin.

Its actually the TX300. Still a great bike. Just for kicks i just checked ebay and theres a 510 going for like75 bucks right now. 250 bucks and id have and id have another fixie and a nicer road bike than the current set up. Ha.

Fix it!!! Fix it!!! Fix it!!! Fix it!!! Fix it!!! Fix it!!!

And may I add...Fix it!!!

You're asking the fixed gear guys if you should convert your bike to a fixed gear. Of course we're all going to tell you to fix it.

i wouldn't...but then, i'm a sucker for vintage road bikes...especially vintage road bikes with suntour superbe/campy mixes.

To convert or not to convert...

If you do, my understanding is that the most difficult time will be during the holidays.

come on man, just do it already.