cabrilo

I am considering trying out a fixie on a cheap. So far the cost is $0. Old schwinn varsity. The wheels are in bad shape, and would like to ditch them. What are the CHEAPEST 700 wheels that I can get - either complete or to build myself? what else would I need? New crank and a chain? what are the cheapest options on that one? I do not care about how decent the quality is, all I want is the bottom line for testing. Then maybe down the road I might get bianchi san jose...
Thanks


BTW. I love (was it Johnnys?) green scwhinn varsity! Mine is a beautifull poop brown

Pipebomb

The Varsity is a good start ive seen them built with only the rear wheel(and related parts) changed. I think the whole thing only cost the guy like 10 bucks. Watch ou though those things wiegh almost 40lbs.

chicagoamdream

First off, the Varsity's got 27" wheels on it now, not 700c. For your purposes, you're going to want to stay with that size, lest you have pedal strike/brake reach issues. Thus:

The cheapest, easiest option I've seen is a pair of Suzue Basic hubs laced to 27" Weinmann rims from Harris Cyclery. $89.95. You might be able to build them yourself for a tiny bit less, but if you don't have the tools or experience, don't bother.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/fixed-hubs.html

Pick up cheapo tires and tubes from Performance or your LBS. Free--$25.

Don't mess with the crank on this one...Varsities are kind of proprietary and it's going to be a pain. New chain is $8-$10.

So, there you go. However, if you decide you like riding fixed, you're going to get sick of this setup in about two hours. Can you borrow a bike from a friend for a couple of days? Can you go to a store, buy a Pista, and return it?

Old Schwinns are NOT the easiest or most rewarding bikes for conversions. At least not Varsities. If you had a fillet-brazed Super Sport, that would be another issue.

humancongereel

hmmm, that's exactly the bike i'm going to start on here in a bit, and exactly the setup i have (free bike + desire to test the whole fixied gear thing for cheap before deciding). they are heavy...and it is an idea, to try one out at a store and return it. i wish i'd thought of that before i bought my new bike and don't have money for a new track bike.

what about the schwinn le tour? that's my other option for conversion.

and as far as the 700 cm vs. 27" wheel situation, on the varsity, all you need to do is adjust the brake pads a little bit. a pair of pliers will do the trick.

IchbinJay

Putting new wheels on it would also lighten the load too. 700s shouldn't be a large problem. I think your best bet might be just to run it a single speed, afterall, that is the cheapest and easiest way to do it. Just shorten the chain and put it on the middle gears and there you have it! Easy single speed!

humancongereel

see, i'd want to do that with mine (and i'll probably single speed my grocer getter), but i want to learn the mechanics of stopping on a fixed gear, using your feet as the brake system.

humancongereel

don't mean to hijack the thread. sorry.

cabrilo

Thank you all for comments. You did not hijack the thread, that was my point as well. I wanted to test it for as cheap as possible, see if I can live with fixie , or if I like it at all! Honestly, once I am done with that experiment, I know I can sell it on ebay for the price of parts I got for it, for someone else to test it on cheap, then I could decide what I realy want.

humancongereel

i actually should just suck it up and get a nice fixie or a track dedicated bike...as i've decided track racing looks like a lot of fun, and talking to a track rider the other day pretty much convinced me it's what i want to do.

i don't know, that sort of weakens the whole "testing it out" idea. the only reason left for me to convert my varsity is money. you have my sn, so you can pm me as we go along, since we're working on the same bike and all...

Smorgasgeorge

I just now learned my lesson on building a fixie with "cheap" parts. I had a 27" coaster brake conversion that I decided to go fixie with about 3 weeks ago. I got some cheap Alex rims laced to a Cuando flip flop hub which I thought would do the trick. After about my 5th skid, the hub stripped and I racked myself while trying to start back up.

I just ordered a Surly hub and a Mavic ma3 which should be in on Monday. With hope this setup will hold.

mattface 

I bought the Harris 27" wheel for mine (It's got a formula hub by the way) If I had left it at that and a cog and lock-ring it woulda been cheap, but I was having too much fun with the project, and wanted nice cranks, seatpost, bars, new chain, brake pads, short stack bolts, bar tape, tires... I could still sell it for more than I've got in it for parts. Not that I would want to I love it, and I loved the project of building it. Now I wanna build MORE! Careful... it doesn't "have to be expensive" but it has a way of getting that way

chicagoamdream

Le Tour is a much lighter frame. That's a conversion you could ride happily for quite a while.

humancongereel

yeah, after a series of dreams (no, seriously) telling me to use the le tour and just find a new wheelset for it, that's what i've decided i need to do. i don't tend to put much stock in dreams like that,but hell...it seems like a smart option.

Canuckiadian

If you steal the wheels they're nearly free, can't beat free! The only thing you'll need then is a soul.

Huehue

at the store i work at, you can get 27" wheels pre-built for about $30, canadian
(bear in mind, that cheap, they'll be steel rims, and as i've learned the hard way, when steel rims get wet, you can't brake)
(but you can break)

cabana 4 life

this is my poop brown varsity

https://www.bikeforums.net/singlespeed-fixed-gear/101040-my-new-25-riide.html