Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Singlespeed & Fixed Gear
Reload this Page >

Fixed Gear.... with a front disc brake?

Notices
Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

Fixed Gear.... with a front disc brake?

Old 02-01-08, 06:06 PM
  #1  
Gone Tarcking. Back Later
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Posts: 502

Bikes: Iron Horse Warrior Team (tricked to high heaven), Jamis Coda Sport (frame and fork, built into CX commuter), Gary Fisher Opie Dirt Jumper,SE Lager tarck bike

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Fixed Gear.... with a front disc brake?

I had a daydream today about a fixie with a 203mm Avid Code DH brake in the front. Behold my new faceskid-stop technique!

Then I wondered... why don't we see more fixies with a disc brake? Or is that the ultimate in jackass?
geeknerd99 is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 06:10 PM
  #2  
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
 
Sixty Fiver's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: YEG
Posts: 27,272

Bikes: See my sig...

Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 67 Post(s)
Liked 128 Times in 95 Posts
My friend has a disc on his Miyata 1000 conversion... it is an excellent setup.
Sixty Fiver is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 06:11 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
jimisnowhere's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Lynn, MA
Posts: 472

Bikes: 60's lowrider, 80's Cavaletto Centurion, 94 Specialized Rockhopper sport

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I'd do it but I'm incredibly not cool.
jimisnowhere is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 06:12 PM
  #4  
Beausage is Beautiful
 
Fugazi Dave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Saitama, Japan
Posts: 5,504

Bikes: Nabiis Alchemy

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times in 8 Posts
I plan to run a disc up front on my next build, actually...
Fugazi Dave is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 06:22 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
doughboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
Posts: 267
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
crazy stopping power! everyone is going for that vintage conversion look that newfangle stuff is shunned!
doughboy is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 06:26 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Van BC
Posts: 3,744
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Disc brakes are not jackass. I am strongly considering front-discing my new Crosscheck. It makes a lot of sense for an all weather commuter that sees a lot of braking---discs are a lot cheaper to replace than rims.
mander is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 06:47 PM
  #7  
<3s bikes
 
Re-Cycle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: CA
Posts: 1,063

Bikes: lots

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
disc hub laced to non machined leopord print deep V. I can smell it already.
Re-Cycle is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 06:47 PM
  #8  
Gone Tarcking. Back Later
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Posts: 502

Bikes: Iron Horse Warrior Team (tricked to high heaven), Jamis Coda Sport (frame and fork, built into CX commuter), Gary Fisher Opie Dirt Jumper,SE Lager tarck bike

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
With Avid's proliferation of mech. disc brakes for both road and v-brake levers, it makes sense to me that we'll start seeing more and more discs show up.

Hydraulic though..... I pitched the idea of running the Avid Code to a buddy of mine. He then suggested that I replace my rear wheel with a fan and nose-wheelie my way around town.
geeknerd99 is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 07:02 PM
  #9  
F'ing A
 
shasta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: SJ
Posts: 321

Bikes: 08 tommaso augusta, 88 specialized sirrus, random cruisers and stuff

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
07 was the year of no brakes. 08 will be the year of max braking power. A fixed gear with a front disk would probably give you the most versatile and powerful stopping system ever devised. I wouldn't spend the money on it myself but if I saw it on someone else's bike I would probably think it was cool.
shasta is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 07:02 PM
  #10  
veggieburglar
 
ryanlovesyou's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Santa Barbara/San Jose, CA
Posts: 647

Bikes: 60s Peugeot conversion, 2002 Santa Cruz Heckler, 2007 Bianchi "Everyone has one" Pista, Beat up Beach Cruiser

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
There was once a picture of a Merlin track bike with a front disk... sexiest thing I've ever seen.
ryanlovesyou is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 07:07 PM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
barba's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,083
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
A good dual pivot with decent pads gives plenty of stopping power for my purposes for good road conditions. You also would need a fork with tabs to mount the brake.

Disc brakes are really nice of wet or muddy conditions, though. The sand a salt they use in the winter here can scour through a rim faster than you would guess. Post a pic of your Crosscheck, mander. I am considering picking up either that or a Soma cross frame this spring.
barba is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 07:15 PM
  #12  
hello
 
roadfix's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 18,675
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 184 Post(s)
Liked 100 Times in 43 Posts
I've considered a front disc on my long distance fixed gear which sees a lot of long tiring descents.
Or simply having both front and rear calipers may be just as effective......as far as braking arm fatigue is concerned during these long descents.
roadfix is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 07:26 PM
  #13  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 854

Bikes: Surly CrossCheck, Miyata 310 (conversion)

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
i was having the same thoughts of running a disc on my bike today
Metricoclock is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 07:36 PM
  #14  
my bike Owns me+my wallet
 
Kol.klink's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Sudbury, Ontario
Posts: 709

Bikes: Px-10 singeld, 2007 KHS filte 100

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Disc is good for all weather

My winter rig next year is going to rock a Drum brake, Even better than disc for snow. You don't have to worry about brake fade when its -5
Kol.klink is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 09:12 PM
  #15  
Post-modern sleaze
 
JohnnyDoyle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 259

Bikes: Fuji fixed, Browning fixed, MTB

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Well, I've never seen a track fork with disc tabs....I think you'd have to run either a cyclocross fork or some sort of clamp adapter...or maybe something really cool, that I don't even know about.

As for why/why not...there's not really any reason to. Not any reason not to either, besides overkill. I run discs on both my mountain bikes, but have zero use for them on my fixies, rim/no brakes are just fine.
JohnnyDoyle is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 09:17 PM
  #16  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 854

Bikes: Surly CrossCheck, Miyata 310 (conversion)

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
does anyone have any pics of bikes with this setup?
Metricoclock is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 09:39 PM
  #17  
Gone Tarcking. Back Later
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Posts: 502

Bikes: Iron Horse Warrior Team (tricked to high heaven), Jamis Coda Sport (frame and fork, built into CX commuter), Gary Fisher Opie Dirt Jumper,SE Lager tarck bike

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
^^^^^^^Exactly.

Rise and come out of hiding!
geeknerd99 is offline  
Old 02-01-08, 10:20 PM
  #18  
Banned.
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: santa clara, CA
Posts: 123

Bikes: 1979 motobecane fixed, 2002 GT LTS-3 street stomper

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
all I have is the surly steamroller fork so far, but I got the disc mount TiG'd on by my buddy (one of those "can weld a beer can" guys),...now all I need is the steamroller frame, and wheels, and,......

I have wanted a disc FG since I first thought of it, over a year ago

cool sheit
reckon is offline  
Old 02-02-08, 12:03 AM
  #19  
my bike Owns me+my wallet
 
Kol.klink's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Sudbury, Ontario
Posts: 709

Bikes: Px-10 singeld, 2007 KHS filte 100

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Any place that does frame work will braze on a set of disc mounts,

Or you could go with a lugged and bonded carbon fork so as not to disrupt for "vintage" look to much
Kol.klink is offline  
Old 02-02-08, 02:21 AM
  #20  
Senior Member
 
doomkin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: illinois
Posts: 549

Bikes: surly steamroller - towniefied.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
disc brake front wheel is gonna kill some cheapie headsets.

it was suggested to me by my fellow wrenches, that if you're gonna run anything stronger than caliper brakes, you better be rollin' on some chris kings.
doomkin is offline  
Old 02-02-08, 02:28 AM
  #21  
Senioritis Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 171
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I'd love that kind of stopping power. My puny little center pull almost didn't stop me in time today when some idiot mistimed the yellow and ran a red in front of me. It is only the ultimate in jackass if the brake isn't connected to a lever.
felldownthewell is offline  
Old 02-02-08, 06:32 AM
  #22  
Bike Builder
 
ruppster's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Marietta, OH
Posts: 265
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post


But it is a mountain bike. You can just see the disc at the top of the photo. Chainline looks odd because of camera angle. It is set up as a 26" rear / 29" front, but has a 26" front right now. Cog is bolted to the disc side. I may have to try a 700 rear wheel just to see...
Does it count as a flip/flop if you change cranks?
ruppster is offline  
Old 02-02-08, 07:21 AM
  #23  
Banned.
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: santa clara, CA
Posts: 123

Bikes: 1979 motobecane fixed, 2002 GT LTS-3 street stomper

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by felldownthewell
I'd love that kind of stopping power. My puny little center pull almost didn't stop me in time today when some idiot mistimed the yellow and ran a red in front of me. It is only the ultimate in jackass if the brake isn't connected to a lever.
my weinnman centerpull brake stops so freakin hard, I actually have to be careful, because it's actually rather easy to lock up the front end, great for nose wheelies (FG's make manuals impossible tho)

the disc is just for the "thats so freakin tender" factor
reckon is offline  
Old 02-02-08, 08:06 AM
  #24  
Senior Member
 
barba's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,083
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by doomkin
disc brake front wheel is gonna kill some cheapie headsets.

it was suggested to me by my fellow wrenches, that if you're gonna run anything stronger than caliper brakes, you better be rollin' on some chris kings.
It sounds like they are trying to sell you a Chris King headset. I don't believe that to be true.
barba is offline  
Old 02-02-08, 08:54 AM
  #25  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Van BC
Posts: 3,744
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by doomkin
disc brake front wheel is gonna kill some cheapie headsets.

it was suggested to me by my fellow wrenches, that if you're gonna run anything stronger than caliper brakes, you better be rollin' on some chris kings.
I find that hard to believe. How is decelerating to the point of lifting the front wheel going to stress your headset more than running over a little bump? Bike shop wrenches say some of the darndest things... one told me that running chains with slack on a fixed gear stresses the bearings because of the snap when the drivetrain switches between forward and reverse.


****


It's not forum relevant, but here's my Crosscheck because barba asked to see it (attached). It's a dogs breakfast build of things I had around... heavy 36 spoke touring wheels with Marathons, 11-34 mountain cassette, 53-39 road crankset, 9sp DA barcons, mismatched stem spacers... It's totally fun as a nukeproof all-weather commuter. With a disc in front it ought to work even better for that purpose. I might fixify it when I get around to not being poor.

The Crosscheck frames aren't pretty but they sure get the job done. I considered the soma but with this sale I was able to find, this frame was much much cheaper, and the horizontal dropouts sort of sealed it. The colour is misty mountain grey, which is a genius marketing term for primer grey.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg
crosscheck.jpg (33.7 KB, 156 views)

Last edited by mander; 02-02-08 at 11:01 AM.
mander is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.