Originally Posted by
Barnaby1
Hello all,
I'm a new member here and I just have a few questions about fixing up a fixed gear bike i just purchased from a friend.
First: I want to redo the paint job on the bike because it has terrible scratches all over it. What is the best and most efficient way to do this?
Second: Since this is a converted bike, it has those little notches with holes, for the brake line to the back. Do people ever saw these off and sand them down?
Third: I need a to get a new front wheel because it is larger than the back. What is a good priced yet dependable wheel i should get.
Thanks
P.S. Here is the bike, I love it so far.
First: You can go anywhere from a rattlecan job all the way up to having an auto shop do a professional quality custom paint job, how much you want to spend is up to you. Remember though, it is a bike and as such is going to accrue some scratches and chips if you actually ride it places, so don't be too attached to the paint job.
Second: No. It can be done, and frequently is, but don't.
Third: Do some shopping, cheap track wheelsets abound. You can usually get a decent set with something like Alex rims laced to Formula hubs for well under 200 bucks. However - and I'm not positive on this, older bikes aren't my thing - there's a possibility that those older wheels might not be the more common modern 700c size, they might be 27" or something. You can make new wheels work on an old bike, just be aware of it.