Converting Standard Racer To Fixie
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: London
Posts: 9
Bikes: Giant Racer, Raleigh Racer
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Converting Standard Racer To Fixie
Hi all,
I have recently been given a new racer by a friend and have decided to convert my old one into a fixie. It is a Giant OCR 4 (https://www.giant-bicycles.com/uk/030...6&model=10252).
My main concern though is the fact that it has vertical dropouts, which as far as I know can be a bit of pain when wanting to convert it? This could be easily resolved by getting a rear mech hanger though I was told? (https://www.wiggle.co.uk/default.aspx?cat=cycle)
Another question is which hubs are the best to get at a reasonable price? Up to this point I think I would probably go with goldtec, as I have heard that they can actually last a while. But getting a front and back one would cost me a good £130 (https://www.betd.co.uk/product_list.asp?CategoryID=15)
Does anybody have any advice on what would be best to do? Does one require an expensive front hub or is the back one more important?
I would be grateful for any advice.
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: London UK
Posts: 107
Bikes: ugly touring rig
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
if you actually manage to do this, it'll look like a porche with a civic body kit hot glued on.
#4
going down...
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: South London
Posts: 357
Bikes: Custom Raleigh track steel, Ron Kitching frame, given a budget single-speed job, Saracen Nzyme frame with most components upgraded
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
check sheldon browns website, he has comprehensive info on conversions, also try searching this forum- many people have asked the same question and the answers aren't about to change anytime.
for vertical dropouts you can't run a tensioner, best options are magic ratio (again, do a search) or the white industries eno hub.
best of luck
for vertical dropouts you can't run a tensioner, best options are magic ratio (again, do a search) or the white industries eno hub.
best of luck
#7
going down...
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: South London
Posts: 357
Bikes: Custom Raleigh track steel, Ron Kitching frame, given a budget single-speed job, Saracen Nzyme frame with most components upgraded
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Originally Posted by GetOutOfNJ
if you actually manage to do this, it'll look like a porche with a civic body kit hot glued on.
if the ocr 4 is a 'porche' then it is damn good value..
#8
MFA
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Denver
Posts: 1,186
Bikes: 1973 Italvega Nouvo Record; 1965 Hercules; 1982-83 Schwinn Mystery MTB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by salmonchild
for vertical dropouts you can't run a tensioner, best options are magic ratio (again, do a search) or the white industries eno hub.
#9
going down...
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: South London
Posts: 357
Bikes: Custom Raleigh track steel, Ron Kitching frame, given a budget single-speed job, Saracen Nzyme frame with most components upgraded
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Originally Posted by jjvw
I thought the point of a tensioner was so that you could use a frame w/ verticle dropouts.
will work for ss but not fixed.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: SoCal
Posts: 942
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
It is, but only for a single speed with a freewheel. You can't run one with a fixed gear, because you would screw everything up when you backpedaled.
EDIT: Somebody beat me to it.
EDIT: Somebody beat me to it.
__________________
Simplistic Ideologies R Coffins
Simplistic Ideologies R Coffins
#11
MFA
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Denver
Posts: 1,186
Bikes: 1973 Italvega Nouvo Record; 1965 Hercules; 1982-83 Schwinn Mystery MTB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Placid Casual
It is, but only for a single speed with a freewheel. You can't run one with a fixed gear, because you would screw everything up when you backpedaled.
EDIT: Somebody beat me to it.
EDIT: Somebody beat me to it.
#12
Bulldozer
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NYC
Posts: 2,846
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Also, you don't need to buy a new front hub, your old one will work just fine. If the parts you have on there are all in decent shape you should be able to salvage pretty much everything but the rear wheel.
If you go singlespeed you should be able to keep your old hub and use a chain tensioner, but if you want to go fixed on that frame you'll need an Eno eccentric hub (someone else already mentioned it) in order to adjust chain tension.
Read this first, in case you're too lazy to search for it (apparently most people are) https://sheldonbrown.com/fixed-conversion.html and then ask questions.
If you go singlespeed you should be able to keep your old hub and use a chain tensioner, but if you want to go fixed on that frame you'll need an Eno eccentric hub (someone else already mentioned it) in order to adjust chain tension.
Read this first, in case you're too lazy to search for it (apparently most people are) https://sheldonbrown.com/fixed-conversion.html and then ask questions.
#13
dirt farming in a gulag
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Sleepy Hollow, OR
Posts: 17
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
probably not worth converting. Vertical dropouts means you'll need to find the magic gear ratio, as others pointed out, and your rear triangle is almost certainly not spaced 120mm (I'm guessing the bike is a 24 or 27 speed), which will make getting your chainline straight a pain in the ass. It could be done, but you would probably need to spend a bit of money to do it. If you really want a fixed on the cheap the best thing to do is to find an old 10 speed frame with vertical, I mean horizontal, dropouts, 120mm rear triangle and replace the rear wheel, bb, crankset, and chain.
Last edited by egbert; 09-10-06 at 07:15 PM.
#14
Banned
Join Date: May 2005
Location: GA
Posts: 5,317
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by egbert
and your rear triangle is almost certainly not spaced 120mm (I'm guessing the bike is a 24 or 27 speed), which will make getting your chainline straight a pain in the ass. It could be done, but you would probably need to spend a bit of money to do it. If you really want a fixed on the cheap the best thing to do is to find an old 10 speed frame (vertical dropouts, 120mm rear triangle) and replace the rear wheel, bb, crankset, and chain.
Buy an eno hub or sell the whole thing and get something easily convertible or already fixed.