acraig

I know nothing about bikes but I am realizing more and more that I need one in order to get around town easier. I know I need/want a fixed gear but has anyone ever built one on a BMX frame? Any suggestions? Like I said, I'm completely clueless.

Santaria

PlatyPius

I've wondered how long it would be before someone did that. Makes more sense to me than hacking bits off of a cool old vintage road frame.

Best, I would think, would be a BMX cruiser frame.

Something like this:

https://cgi.ebay.com/2008-SE-Racing-F...%3A1|294%3A200

xMadTurkx

i dont think you would have fun riding bmx fixed.

acraig

The reason I am looking to build this particular kind of bike is that I am small and find BMX bikes more comfortable to ride. I also love the ease of pedaling a fixed gear so decided I'd try combining the two.

rotharpunc

it has been done, most people disliked it for a variety of reasons. you might try an old rigid mountain bike, they usually have lower stand over height than a road bike. or just get yourself a BMX and have a new hub laced up and try it out. it cant hurt and you might like it. how tiny are you? they make some pretty small track frames, and bikes direct is coming out with a kilo in 44cm this summer apparently. that should be comfortable for someone under 5ft tall

gnome

I don't have a BMX fixie, but I do have a small wheeled one which is fun. The frame is a locally made copy of a Raleigh 20 and it makes a nice little commuter.


I do have to be a bit careful cornering as I put ERTO406 20" wheels on instead of the original ERTO451 20" wheels.

Geordi Laforge

a fixed bmx would only really be worthwhile if you're doing flatland and want to expand your tricks. for riding around town, it would suck.

acraig

Why would it suck? I'm not really understanding the cons...

peabodypride

you're in a hunched down position or standing and you have to pedal constantly. Unless you're 9 again, where a bmx bike actually comfortably fits.

gnome

A smalled wheeled fixed bike is fun, but you need to have space to run a big chainring or you will be spinning like heck to get anywhere. With 52:14 ratio on my fixie is only 70 gear inches.

Geordi Laforge

I dont see how it would be comfortable not coasting on a bmx and having to always pedal. you would have to always stand up to get a full leg extension which means quicker fatigue while only traveling a shorter distance. sitting down and pedaling on a fixed drivetrain (with your feet strapped in) would be murder on your knees as well. I'd expect serious knee troubles if you did this long enough.

when I ride my bmx a distance, I stand up and pedal but coast when I get momentum going.

and if you're planning on this being some sort of commuter bicycle, you'd be better off with a road bike, conversion, or a track frame. but if you're set on a bmx frame for this kind of riding, just put a freewheel and a chain tensioner on there & be done with it.

rotharpunc

we're not taking into consideration that this person may only be three feet tall, in which case a bmx would be great for fixed gear riding. otherwise, it will suck. plus, smaller wheels equal more revolutions to cover the same amount of ground as on a bike with larger wheels(thats simplified, im tired)

PlatyPius

Aye, that's why I suggested a BMX cruiser (24 or 26" wheels)

peabodypride

If the person is 3 feet tall they have bigger worries.

martinus

Note all the anti bmx/fixed coments are from people that their seat all the way down & the nose @ a 45 deg. upward angle .

Get long seat post, donno how it would be any different than a road or mtb frame ???

You dont need a special-y laced wheel either... just weld the freewheel AND flip the entire drive on the other side. ( ie. LHD. )

: o)

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Geordi Laforge

no, my bicycle is dial-in just fine.

and have you ever ridden a bmx before? sounds like you havent. because a bmx is not really that practical as a "around town bike" unless the original poster lives in the middle of nowhere with only 4 streets or doent plan on traveling far. sometimes I take my bmx out for a long distance ride - what would normally only take me 10-15 mins ends up taking 45 to an hour on the bmx and is quite inefficient and definitely takes more work. and making the drive train a fixed gear would only add to the impracticality for all the reasons mentioned already. also, cars see you even less on a bmx, so if he's planning on riding in heavy traffic, he should invest in about 10 tail lights.

if he's doing flatland tricks, I say hell yes.
if he's looking for transportation, get a road bike.

helloamerican

this would suck- bike is too small.

rotharpunc

WTF are you talking about?

peabodypride

Haha, kid, few of us even have BMX bikes. Go back to the BMX forum, people like you would suggest "welding a freewheel" as a valid solution.

helloamerican

Must have been a butt joke.

MandaMarie

I don't know how small you are, but I'm a little smaller than 5'2" and I have an awesome frame that fits me perfectly. It takes a little longer to find but I think you'll be happier in the long run if you get one that's the right size for you.

To measure yourself for a frame, put a book against a wall and straddle it (not a HUGE book obviously...have it be about the width of a normal bike seat), and measure from the floor up your leg to your crotch in centimeters. Do it like 4 or 5 times and take the average length and that's the size frame you should get. I'm a 49cm and it took me like a month to find a frame that fits me.

blickblocks

I made this in photoshop, I combined a Pista Concept with a Big Ripper. Even with a 700c BMX frame, the seatpost needs to be crazy long to get a decent fit.



I think if you can overcome the issue of getting the thing to fit properly, I don't see any problem with making a fixed BMX.

martinus

LOL @ "kid" ... don't assume anything . Just incase you are looking at my join date... nice friendly welcome tho, thanks. Not gonna lie . I still have a couple of old bmx bikes , I used to race them just like some other lurkers around here. I think you ment to say "Alt. bike forum" when you where making the joke about welding stuff ... I did learn to swap the drive "line" , since my 14 y.o. son kept spining the freewheel off the hub, no matter the amount of high temp threadlock ...

I purdy sure if you make a bmx look like this 20in. "folder"



Keep in mind that dude is like 6ft. tall, so the seat and stem dont need to be that extreeeeeem, but you get the idea.

its just the same as a road bike, but keep saying it isnt ... because then, it must not.

I do agree that a bmx like this ( rando google img ):



would be a horrible idea for a fixed ... and your knees will def. let you know.
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Geordi Laforge

I dont think that's what the OP was asking about.

^^^ nice edit.