Conversion question?
 

Hey All,
I'm new here to this forum. I have used the search function. I have an old alum C'dale SR600 road bike that I use to ride in CP and around the city (NYC). I got this bike back in 1987, so it has 126mm OLD. It has the paint stripped and a nice rusty fork so no one will bother it when locked up. I would like to try fixed gear, but the frame has vert dropouts. I was thinking of buying one of those eno eccentric hubs to deal with the vert dropouts. They are pretty expensive @ $130 just for the hub. My LBS can build a set of wheels to mavic cxp22 rims with a eno and basic formula front hub for $325. I figure if I don't like it the rear wheel will be rare enough to sell on ebay. I've been keeping an eye on ebay and a used wheel with an eno hub is fetching $200+, shipped. Is it worth it or should I start looking at a track style frame. I'm not sure if I want to try a full track frame considering the twitchy handling tight geometry. What do you think?
Chan

have you considered some of the FG/SS options on www.bikesdirect.com? some are flip-flop hubs with slightly more relaxed, road geometry that might match everything you're looking for, and for $300-350 shipped, would be the same cost as that wheel and hub you're considering.

$325 does seem like a lot to spend on a pretty basic wheelset for a conversion. if i were you, i'd take that $130 you'd be spending on an eno hub, and put it towards a new entry-level track frame. there are a few to be had for around $200. then, you can buy any cheapo wheelset you want ($150 for formula hubs and decent rims), and build from there. that puts you around $350 for a frame and wheelset, instead of wheelset alone, and it doesn't involve ripping apart a perfectly good c'dale road bike.

another thought - look up "fixmeup" on google. It is a freeware program that will tell you what chainring / cog combos will work with your frame as is. Then look at some of the conversion articles on sheldonbrown.com. You may be able to do a conversion with out needing special hubs.

How about this as an option.
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?sku=14063

This was an old bike sitting in the garage for the last 10 years. The derailleurs, shifters, and rear brake were removed because they were either bent and/or rusted. I was just trying to get it running and added a tensioner to be able to at least ride it. It also has a biopace 42 ring running on the 14t rear cog of the freehub. I like it because it's stiff and quick, compared to my mountain bike. Anyway, my buddy is going to lend me his FG to test out and if I like it I may snatch up an IRO mark v. Like Judge_posner said, I can grab a frame and wheelset for around $350-$400. What do you think would be a good frame in the $200-$250 range? Anyone got and IRO mark v for sale?
Thanks for the help,
Chan