cohophysh

So forgive my ignorance. Is there a reason that folks build up old steel frame road bikes into fixies? Is it more difficult to build them up with modern components?
Thanks

Chrysiptera

A few reasons..

1) getting rid of derailers, cassettes, shifters, (etc) makes the bike significantly lighter
2) It makes the bike simpler, and consequently more reliable.
3) it looks nice and is the cool thing to do

HillRider

To adjust the chain tension on a fixie it is usually necessary to move the rear wheel back and fourth in the rear dropouts. Most older frames, particularly steel frames, have horizontal dropouts which make this easy. Newer frames, unless they were specifically made for fixie, single speed or track use, have vertical dropouts and no significant wheel adjustment is possible.

It is possible to use a frame with vertical dropouts by a fortuitous choice of cogs and chainrings so the chain tension comes out just right or by adding a chain tension device, which sort of defeats the purpose of the ultimate in simplicity.

filtersweep

You left out the most important reason: it is fun. It is like rediscovering biking.

Another facet--- it is cheap and easy to build a beater commuter that you can ride in all weather, lock anywhere, and it is worry-free.

And finally, it is a reaction to all the crazy advances in technology.

I really don't care about the weight, since I suffer riding up and down hills.

Sheldon Brown

See: https://sheldonbrown.com/fixed

Sheldon "Misses Fixed Gear Riding" Brown

roadfix

I don't think it's a question of building them up with modern components. Sure, most any old frame can easily be built using new components. They're simply into riding fixed gear bikes and often modern fixed gear or track specific components are used on these old steel frames.

San Rensho 

Main reason. Its the hipster thing to do. Instant cool if you fix an 80's Colnago. Go to the fixed gear forum for a comprehensive education on coolnes level if fixing certain road bikes.

Sixty Fiver

I am not and will never be a hipster but the young guys at the shop do tell me I'm the coolest old guy they know... perhaps that's because I don't care what people think is hip or cool and do my own thing.

My thing is riding and building up bikes and I love my fixed gear rigs because they are simple, efficient, and beautiful and we have a few hipsters that come to our shop and have made negative comments about how their "real" fixies don't need brakes (all the fixies I build and ride have brakes).

These guys really piss me off as I know they ride for show and not go.

Retro Grouch 

So does a golfer need two putters? I suspect a big part of the reason is because they already have a nice geared bike and they want the second bike to be something different.

papercutninja

Yep. So they can color-coordinate everything, give the bike a name (THOR, BLACK DEATH, HIPSTER ****** ROCKET) and post pictures on velospace.

Sixty Fiver

My fixies have killer names like Bridgette, Reg, and Yuki.

HillRider

Uh guys, the OP specifically asked, "Is there a reason that folks build up old steel frame road bikes into fixies?" The question was why do they use old steel frames. Short answer; because they have horizontal dropouts.

I don't think he really asked about the social motivation, image, coolness-factor or other aspects of fixies.

operator

+1

All the posts below #12 is entirely a waste of space.

roadfix

I think the second question somewhat confused us.

lukeC

I built up two old lugged steel rames into fixies. why? they were cheap and easy to obtain and they are "suitable" for turning into fixes.

most people do add modern components to their steel frames though. ie new hubs and wheels.

cohophysh

Thanks for the responses

cohophysh

maybe my question should have been is the reason old steel bikes are built into fixies because they are harder to rebuild with modern components, ie triple or double chainrings, different cassettes, forks, etc.

operator

Not really. Unless it has some oddball stuff like french BBs which isn't really all that common.

Bikedued

It's not because they're harder to build with new components. It's because they spend several hundred bucks on the latest fixie hipster wheel sets, so they cannot afford the rest of the bike,,,,BD

Scooper

^^ +1

Gurgus

Its also a nice way to give a (usually) neglected old bike a chance at a second life. I recently built myself a beater out of an old Bottechia road bike I had lying around in my garage for years. It was actually the first "road" bike I ever bought. For ten dollars. The bike rides much better as a fixed gear than it ever did as a road bike. Poor thing was beaten into submission before I ever got it. Now it even looks happier.

Sixty Fiver

Or shop is the only one in the city that caters to folks who need oddball parts and when I say oddball I mean Peugeot.

My favourite bike is a 1962 Peugeot criterium that I converted to a fixed gear... the bb issue was easily solved by replacing the cottered axle with a #5 spindle and re-using the bb cups which were in excellent shape.

Converitng modern / standardized bikes is a little easier as you can just buy new parts off the shelf.

TimJ

This is why.

But you can't ask a question about fixed gear bikes without getting a baker's dozen of yahoo's chime in with their version of "I hate hipsters/hipsters are people who ride fixed" comments because, how can a day pass without broadcasting your emnity?

Bikedued

Who's to say the fixed riders aren't the yahoo's, and we are the "normal" people with gears. It sounds stupid that we're yahoos for not wanting vintage steel to be wiped clean of all identity and filed down. Pretty comical if you ask me. Try looking at it from the other side for once.,,,,BD

top506

It's a quick way of turning a dump pick or $5 yard sale bike-boom bomber and a $20 track cog into a $200 craigslist sale.
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