Hi. I am trying to start a nonprofit bicycle shop in my community, and joined to ask questions about that ... but my first real thread comes before the shop is started.

The other day, a friend asked me to help them find a bicycle with removable dropouts, viz: a bike that they can quickly convert from a fixed noncoaster (EDIT: with trackend dropouts for wheel adjustment) to a bike with a functioning derailer. I have never thought about this, so I did some research and found pictures from a person who is making a bicycle like this; the below picture is from the web site of their bike shop which is based in Oregon and makes custom bicycles. The picture is attached.



Are bicycles like this usually expensive if bought? Would it be cheaper to build one, since I maybe have the right knowledge? Is there more or different stress on the frame (EDIT: from having these and not just trackend dropouts with a derailer hole)?... since (EDIT:, if I frankensteined a frame,) I would, most likely, attach the dropouts similarly to how the dropouts on the bicycle in the picture are attached.

Any thoughts about this which I failed to mention are welcomed. Thanks.