So, I'm finally riding a road bike, for the first time in at least 10 years, and I got to thinking about fixies, and how nice it would be to have less crap to break on my bike. I love 700c wheels and while I'm not sure I'm in good enough condition to ride up and down the hills where I live, I'm tempted to build one as my winter project. But I don't know where to start. I'm going to try to get as much off of Craig's List as I can. But what do I need? What am I looking for in a frame, what crank/rear cog size should I get? Please teach me oh wise fixie people.

Thanks.

www.sheldonbrown.com

Start here and report back. This site covers more than you need to know.

hahaaha

if you're just trying to get a fixie just look on craigslist for one you like.
no need to know anything about them.

build it. Its worth it.

there's also a lot of budget-priced complete options as well if you don't want to go the conversion route. conversions can be a lot of fun to do, but they can also be a huge headache. sometimes its nice to just have something that works out of the box. This thread is helpful if you're interested in that route.

https://bikeforums.net/showthread.php...t=budget+fixed

Ditto on the Sheldon Brown site. Your situation mirrors mine. I found a decent 80s vintage Schwinn World Sport 12 speed at a thrift shop for $11 and converted it. Works great, I'm happy.

To determine your gearing, ride your road bike without shifing in a single gear you find "do-able" for a typical ride. Use the gear calculator on the Sheldon Brown site to find the equivalent (if, say, your fixie's chain ring differs from your road bike's) combination for your fixed gear. I'm an aging boomer in the flatlands and I ride 40/15.

Riding fixed can help make you a better, smoother, and stronger road biker, and is also simply enjoyable in itself. I do club rides on my road bike, but when I just want to go out solo, more often than not I take the fixed gear.

Finally, this bit of wisdom passed on to me by a longtime velodrome racer: "...as I was trained to do by an ex-pro 6-day rider, you never, ever backpedal a fixed gear to slow down. It's bad for the legs, and in a pace line, it really, really disrupts the rhythm."

Some here may take issue with that last bit, but if you value your knees...

Definately thinking about building my own, first because I think it would be a great learning experience, second, I don't want to spend a ton on something I may decide I don't like and third....because I think it will annoy my wife.

And thanks for the advice for saving my knees. After 10 years as a baseball catcher and 2 surgeries, I have to think about my knees a lot. I need them to chase my kids around.

Based on my experience, you will accomplish that. ("Are you STILL working on that bike?? How much have you spent already on that so-called cheap bike??")

The first and third are valid reasons, but if you build it yourself you WILL spend more than you counted upon which will of course further enhance reason 3 for doing it, so hey I guess it works

blaaaaah...whatever

edit: oh, fuk a pace line

If your knees are shot, (Mine are) start with a spinny gear and a brake(s).
Spinning is winning.

Thats easier to accomplish in a velodrome where you can take a few laps to slow down and have somebody catch you at the end. Harder when you actually have to worry about running into things.

ditto on the wife comment. My wife was not too pleased when i told her my second was a "winter" project that I'll sell. Its currently sitting in the house being babied.

Redish and Rotafix the rear wheel. If you like it...you got yourself a fixed gear if you hate it, throw on a SS freewheel and use it to go get coffee, run errands, etc.. (and not worry that someone will steal it) Although.. like me, you'll probably end up obsessing over it.

You must have a bug planted in my house.

Original budget for Mander's first fixed conversion: $400 CDN
Eventual cost of Mander's first fixed conversion: $14mutter CDN

It's educational and fun as hell to build your own bike but if you rack a disiprine like me it can be cheaper to get a Rush Hour or Pista or something like that.

That's what brakes are for.

So I did my commute yesterday in one gear, and it was pretty comfortable, although I did have to work really hard coming up the final hill. But the thing I noticed is that I have to deal with a lot of traffic on the way home and I'm thinking it might be better for me to have freewheel so I don't get killed. I know that some bikes come with the flip flop hub. Can I just do one of those myself? That way I get the best of both worlds.

you can buy a flip flop (or, as i prefer to call them with my endless amounts of class, duplex-style hubs) and build it to a rim, or buy one premade (i suggest www.irocycle.com - smooth hubs, solid rims, exceptional wheelbuild), to have the option of fixed and freewheel. but honestly, i find fixed (with a bit of experience) to be really helpful when traffic is tight. i just lean against the pedals and slow down enough to slide between that bus and that cab. getting really precise control over a fix does take time (i've been riding daily for two years and by no means consider myself to be Captain Awesome), so i'd suggest you make the transition and work up to it, especially if you like it. however, if you want to have both options on one bike, go for a duplex style hub.

Flip flop hubs are good. they give you more options. I thought I would want the option to flip to a freewheel, but honestly I've never had the slightest temptation to put a freewheel on one of my fixed gear bikes. If you get a flip flop hub make sure it's fixed/fixed. You can still put a freewheel on one side, but it's probably more useful to have a second cog for 2 different fixed gear ratios. A fixed/fixed just gives you more options, and (say it with me now class) options are good.

I'd call Tony at IRO and let him build you a ss/fg bike. Or you can do a search to find all the cool and inexpensive ss/fg bikes companies are selling these days.

If you are going to go the conversion route, here are a couple of tips re what to look for in a frame:

Excellent fit (duh).

Horizontal dropouts (duh).

Commonly used dimensions in the bb shell --- to tweak chainline you will probably wind up swapping out the BB for one with a shorter/ longer spindle, and this way you can just get one over the counter at your LBS instead of scouring the internet for some farked up NOS Moldovian unit. Japanese, American and English bikes won't steer you too wrong, there are others too.

Cranks that will work with a cheapo square taper BB like the one you'll get to tweak chainline.

A working, non "notchy" headset---this will save you a little money.

If you don't wan't to spend the money on a flip flop you could always pick up a spare wheel and set it up with a freewheel if you decide you want the option of coasting sometimes. Just a thought.