Figured some of the folks here would find this amusing (cross posting from the Tri Forum)
Why?, because I could. Mostly for giggles and to get me motivated to ride my Tri bike more.
Had an eccenric hub made for me, it allows the use of vertical drop outs by rotating back and then locking down. This gives you room enough to get the chain on and then take up the slack. I left the front derailleur on as a guide and to ease the conversion back gears come race season. Hub and wheel build was under $200, good to have buddies
I'll likely get an old Velocity Deep V front wheel I have lying around rebuild to match the rear wheel too. For now my trusty training wheel is fine. This bike mostly sees duty on the CompuTrainer this time of year anyways.
Running 50x17 in the Pic (that's about 71 gear inches). I normally have a 55t front ring and will put that back on now and then. I have a Raleigh all steel fixed gear bike that I love to ride too. I did this conversion as a winter project and to motivate me to ride this bike more often. During the late Fall thru early Spring months I tend to ride my CycloCross bike kitted up for nasty weather commuting (we live out side of Seattle and half way up the local mountain pass) and my Raleigh on nicer days.
I may end up keeping this bike like this, striping it down further and moving most of the parts over to an other frame. Just leaving the basics for the conversion.
Before and After pics...
Before pic:
