Advice on new singlespeed build
 

Recently back into cycling and fell in love with singlespeed bikes and have never built up. I wanted to ask on this forum first before going to the singlespeed forum.

I got the Cinelli VIGORELLI aluminum frame which is delivering on this Thursday. Looking for advice on the wheelset:

- riding on paved city roads
- will ride 25mm tires
- freewheel hub
- will ride with front and back brakes
- dont care as much for the weight of the weels
- budget? $200 - $500

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7f0f6d783d.jpg

What is your rear dropout spacing?
Single speed or fixed gear?
If single speed, what are you using for brakes?

Singlespeed and will be using rim brakes. Dropout spacing = 120mm.

Do you have a bike coop or shop with a good selection of used parts nearby? At $2-400, you do not have the luxury of picking and choosing parts, but with some hunting you might find ones that work really well. Befriending the right person at one or more of these stores could get you a long ways.

Edit: old 5-speed rear wheels will work. You can shuffle the spacers from right to left and to get the freewheel to line up with the crankset, then "re-dish" the wheel to center the rim in the frame. With a little luck, you will be able to do that at zero expense besides labor. This does require wheel truing skills. That same coop could help here.

Ben

Check out the selections here - lots of urban FG/SS options.
https://www.retro-gression.com/colle...eels-wheelsets

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...77f7631f1b.jpg

$325 a pair.

I know this is not the purpose of this thread but . . . I've ridden quite a bit of singlespeed. I just don't shift my geared bike. Free singlespeed bike right there. Further advantage is that I never have to walk it, no matter how steep it gets. Sure helped my spin - pacelining at 135 cadence.

I owned the wheels pictured.

H+ Son Archetype laced to Gran Compe short flange hub. Weight was listed wrong on the website. Even so they were a decent value but made me feel dirty every time I rode them.

The owner of that shop was the most aggressive, belligerent, hate filled person I've every encountered online. He went out of his way to intentionally piss people off. I don't hate the guy but I wouldn't pour water on his shop if it was burning down either. People are free to patronize the site but my conscience bothered me and the wheels were just gifted to a friend.

Have you trawled velomine yet? The Phil Wood/ H Plus Son wheels are on sale right at the top of your price range, but they look like they'd give you excellent service for a long time ...

Thanks for the advice! I fell in love with singlespeed for the reasons mentioned above: my road bike cassette showed wear only in 1 or 2 cogs. Ever since I know that for 80% of my cycling I stay in a single speed/1 gear and admitting that has made my rides so much more pleasant.

I did go to velomine and called and talked to them about wheels. I bought Origin8 hub wheels, the price was just that good: https://www.velomine.com/index.php?m...oducts_id=3066

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0ff25c13da.jpg

Those are nice wheels.

Will you run them fixed or freewheel?

Please post your bike in the Fixed Gear/Single Speed forum when it is complete.


-Tim-

Freewheel as I have too many knee injuries from my youth. I will post in the Fixed Gear/Single Speed forum. Thanks to everyone for the advice.

+1 to those being really nice wheels. The Formula/Origin8/Your-name-here sealed bearing hubs are shockingly good for the money, and that is a killer deal with those rims!