Which frame to fix?
 

Hey so yeah, I've been flipping (ok hoarding) vintage bikes for a few years now and I'm ready for a fixie conversion. Out of my herd I have a few bikes that I could use, but some help from the been there done that crowd would be awesome.

So, here are the options:

1) 1988 Cannondale SR500 Criterium
2) 1987 Trek 560 EX Pro
3) 1986 Miyata 710
4) 1990 Miyata Carbon Tech 3000

The Cannondale and the Trek are awesome riders but hurting cosmetically, the Cannys paint is hurting and the Trek has a small ding in the top tube.
The Miyata 710 is awesome but I have racier race bikes and comfyer sporting bikes.
The Carbon Tech Miyata has a Carbon wrapped aluminum main triangle and aluminum fork and stays. It's in great shape and rides fine, by the RX-100 group it came with is a cost concession group. Also it would be a very unique build.

Thanks!

Do any/all of these have horizontal drop-outs? While it's technically not a requirement for a fixed gear build, it makes things a lot easier.

Yep, and the traditional horizontal dropouts like Campag 1010 or their Japanese equivalents are the best for conversions with a decent length to try various chairing/cog/chain length combinations. Stubby horizontal dropouts limit options and verticals require an expensive/fiddly eccentric BB.

120 spacing makes life easier too as that is track standard. You are going to use a proper track-style rear hub w/ a lockring?

-Bandera

The Cannondale does not, but I've looked at Sheldons page and while it would be more of a pain than the others it's been done before.

http://vintagecannondale.com/year/1988/1988.pdf

http://www.vintage-trek.com/images/t...rekCatalog.pdf

img103.jpg (image)

img227.jpg (image)

Here are links to the catalog pages for each bike. The Cannondale is stiff and very aggressive with steep geometry and it's noticeably the lightest. Will only fit 25mm tires. Aluminum frame with a Chromo fork (I replaced the manganese fork when I got it) so it has the stiffest ride but a modicum of comfort.

The Trek is the grey to black fade paint scheme, with Reynolds 531 main tubes and Chromo fork and stays. It's not quite as responsive as the Cannondale but close, an the ride is just sublime. Really well balanced between stiffness and shock absorption. This frame will take 28mm no problem and possibly 32's.

The Miyata 710 is a little heavier and a little stiffer than the Trek, it rides a bit harsh at lower speeds but when you get up around 15mph or more it comes into its own. It's the only bike I've ridden that has such a sweet spot for speed and feel. It's Miyata's in house triple butted tubing and Chromo fork and stays and it might fit 28mm tires but it would be a squeeze. This bike is the most traditional and classic looking bike. The Cannondale has the phat toobs, the Trek has the cast lugs, and the CT-3000 is lugged carbon.

Speaking of the CT-3000, it's light compared to everything but the Cannondale, has a ride that's compliant yet snappy, and it really kills off road chatter. If I raced on cobblestone this would be the bike. It also might take 28mm but I'd have to double check.

They're all spaced at 126, I had planned on a track hub/lock ring and spacers to make up the 3mm difference in either side. I guess I could squeeze the triangle if need be.

If I need to respace the dropout widths or really even squeeze them that leaves out the cannondale. It's aluminum doesn't like being manipulated, and it has the horizontal drops, so I'm going to pull that option. The carbon Miyata also has an aluminum rear triangle, so respacing is out. I'd prefer not to hand squeeze it either.

So it's looking like the Trek 560, or the Miyata 710. Unless you can use spacers than the CT-3000 remains in the running.

Converting my '77 TX900 to FG in the early '90's was a doddle, it's been in service since including LD/FG riding.
To me a quality road FG frameset needs to be light, compliant, lively and equally poised standing to power up grades and spinning down them on rough secondary roads. With no ability to coast and ease out of the saddle over bad surfaces a FG machine and the rider take more of a beating than FW bikes, ride quality and neutral predictable handling are something to consider on a FG machine ridden for distance.

edit: 3mm spacers on a 126 & good to go if the axle is long enough.

You have lots of choices, enjoy.

-Bandera

I miss my '77 trek 930, it was a competant climber and rode great, it didn't fare well against a jeep though.

That being said I'd probably go Miyata 710.

Going fix gear on a bike that doesn't have horizontal drops is living life the hard way. Yes the hay in the loft of a barn makes a soft mattress but there is a reason we live in houses with bedrooms and beds. Limit yourself to those bikes that make the transition easy. Not only will it save you money and hassle now, it will allow you to make gear changes easily in the future and all options are open.

Not trying to sound superior. This just been a way of life for me for 40 years. I've picked up a little experience and wisdom along the way. Welcome! It' s a great journey.

And on topic - my latest ride is my namesake, that 1979 Peter Mooney I had made. I sec'd horizontal drops just so I could run it fixed but knowing I probably never would. Last winter I saw the Cycle Oregon route for this year and say that it was a great one for a fix gear set up to be able to stop and chnage ratios for mountain up, mountain down and flat. But there was also to be something like 30 miles of grave. I stopped being young a few years back, so I only have half of the requisite "young and crazy" for riding that much gravel on skinny tires. My other fix gears were out. But this one was possible.

It took some ingenious finagling to get it all to work but I am a retired engineer who thrives on weird challenges.

End result: a fix gear that has a range in the 90-100 gear inches (GI), 63-78 GI and 40-54 GI. Fine tuning requires a cog wrench, a spanner
and cogs. The two tools are tools any fix gear rider should have. Yesterday I went for 30 mile recovery ride on the 44-18. Today I ran in town and up the hill home on a 17 tooth cog. The change takes 5 minutes. That same change would be far harder on any of the systems designed to not require a horizontal dropout or track end.

Ben

I'd probably go with the Trek or Miyata. Also, it's worth noting that a lot or all of the parts are probably going to be interchangeable if you build one of them up fixed. You'll probably be able to swap between different frames pretty easily as long as you have the tools.

What sizes are the frames? My personal preference for a fixed-gear is a frame that's one size too small, easier to whip around. All things being equal, though, I'd pick the Trek. Having ridden a couple from different years, I found them very stable at any speed and real fast on climbs. You might find you're able to run a higher gear ratio. The short dropouts would be challenging to get the right chain length, but half-links are miracle workers.

The Cannondale (which is now out of the running) is 56cm
The Miyata CT-3000 is also 56cm
The Miyata 710 is 57cm
And the Trek is 22 1/2 inches

So, I'm thinking Miyata 710. It has the longest drop outs, and the Suntour shifters are attached to a brazed on fitting on top of the top tube, and I can remove them without things looking too odd. It'll be my intro to fixed, so going with the easiest frame makes a lot of sense. Thanks for pointing out drop out lengths, I hadn't thought they would be different.

My plan as always is to patiently follow Craig's and the Bay for a fixed wheel set and go from there. I'll read through posts and if anyone has any wheelset input I'll gladly listen.

Thanks for the help!

Most of the inexpensive fixed gear wheelsets that you'll see are marketed to the fixie-fad customer and leave more than a little to be desired for FG road riding in terms of weight, build quality and durability.

I can recommend the Wabi wheels that my LD/FG riding partner has used for several seasons with good results.
A powerful ex-trackie putting in long miles at pace on our rough chip-seal roads tests components well, these pass:

Wabi Standard 700C fixed gear wheel set:

https://wabicycles.com/collections/c...speed-wheelset

If you have a good QR front, which is what I use on my FG, you only need the rear wheel. ;)

-Bandera

That seems like a good deal actually. I had figured a decent used set would be about a hundred bucks, so another 48 for a known and tested rear wheel seems like a no brainer. Thanks!

I think I'm going to use both sides of the flip flop hub with fixed gears and leave the double on the crank so I can have up and downhill options. This will be fun.

A fixed/fixed flip/flop is what my buddy did after the sorta-annual FG century ride turned into the now infamous "Death March". :eek:
He now runs a 48x17/18T for 75/70 GI, doesn't sound like much difference but the legs feel it.
You'll be limited by dropout length to how much cog difference between flip and flop so test thoroughly and carry a few wet wipes in your flats kit. ;)

Time to decide on 1/2 x 1/8, track standard, or 1/2 x 3/32, road standard, chain.
I run 1/2 x 3/32 my buddy with big trackie power uses what he trusts, 1/2 x 1/8.
Quality machined steel cogs, not cheapo stamped, won't mess up hub threads, run true and last a long time.
Same w/ chains, quality matters when giving it all you have to get over that grade or spinning down it near hamster-in-wheel speed. :twitchy:

PS:
FG machines have a single chainring for good reasons, "leave the double on the crank" simply isn't feasible unless you plan on changing chain length mid ride to swap from 52 to 42 or whatever, which also poses chainline issues. Settle on a reasonable chainring size & rear cogs with the proper chainline and have it.

-Bandera

Is it not possible to adjust the rear cogs distance from the hub? My thought had been to have a smaller driven/larger drive and then a larger driven/smaller drive combo that would use the same length chain. Then line them up each accordingly.

I mean, that's the idea. I haven't researched if it's a) possible or b) would result in useful gearing.

Uh, No. :twitchy:

"Track hubs have a stepped thread. The main thread that the sprocket screws onto is the same as that of a normal freewheel hub. Outboard of this, is another threaded section of slightly smaller diameter. This thread is a left (reverse) thread, and a special lock ring screws onto it."
-Sheldon Brown

It might be worth reading the article below and then go to look at a set-up FG machine to see how it functions, in particular chain line & tension.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed-conversion.html

-Bandera

A dingle cog might suit what you're trying to do. Gearing options are probably kinda limited though.

A Surly Dingle cog in 17x21 with a 49-45 would work. The 49-17 makes 76 GI and the 45-21 makes 57 GI.
A Surly Dingle cog and lock ring is about $65 and I have found a 17-21 freewheel for $40 on ebay