My first fixed gear
02-12-07, 11:48 PM
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Shin Banger
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My first fixed gear
Well, Ive been wondering about fixed gear for awhile. I bought this 80's Schwinn Varsity for $15 today. It was in clean original condition, with true wheels. I stripped off the bars, brakes, shifters, derailleurs, lights, reflectors, and a bunch more crap. Added a flat bar (cause I'm a mt bike guy) and a old brake lever I had laying around. Now I know, those tires are suspect, and rotting, but hell, I dont care. (Took me about 3 hrs, most of the time spent peeling stickers)
I just took the thing out for a ride in the the neighborhood, and not too shappy I tell ya!! I know its a beater, but its my first Fixie!!! In case you are wondering, my main bike is a 1989 Merlin. I like em old, what can I tell ya!!!
I just took the thing out for a ride in the the neighborhood, and not too shappy I tell ya!! I know its a beater, but its my first Fixie!!! In case you are wondering, my main bike is a 1989 Merlin. I like em old, what can I tell ya!!!
02-13-07, 12:12 AM
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see below for pics and details on the fixed cog and freewheel..............
Last edited by wrey; 02-13-07 at 01:42 AM.
02-13-07, 12:21 AM
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Dude, did you just loctite your freewheel or something? Good luck with that...
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02-13-07, 12:31 AM
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If you are running platforms and a loc-tited freewheel, maybe you should think about a rear brake. Just in case.
02-13-07, 01:23 AM
#7
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Ok----------this Schwinn is wierd.........that is not a freewheel hub. That Cog set is fixed like on a normal fixed gear bike. On this particular setup the "freewheel" mechanisim is integrated into the bottom bracket allowing the bike to coast. So once I swap over to a standard crank/bottom bracket I will have an actual fixed gear. I forgot to mention that in the original post.
02-13-07, 01:36 AM
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Sorry for the confusion. The rear cog is fixed. Here are some close-ups of the free wheel mechanisim which is integrated into the Crank/bottom bracket. I am pulling this off tomorrow and putting a standard crank on the bike to then truly have a fixed gear machine. So as it sits, its a just Singlespeed untill the crank swap.
Last edited by wrey; 02-13-07 at 01:44 AM.
02-13-07, 01:42 AM
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well thats still a freewheel hub I saw a few of those coming through my shop last season, I thought the same thing that the hub was fixed but it still has a super ****ty freewheel in the back and the crank freewheel is horrible the thing will rip your pants straight off your legs.
02-13-07, 01:49 AM
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The thing that scares me is while coasting, the chainring is spinning right next to my ankle. I can see how it could remove pants!!!
02-13-07, 02:43 AM
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Originally Posted by wrey
Ok----------this Schwinn is wierd.........that is not a freewheel hub. That Cog set is fixed like on a normal fixed gear bike. On this particular setup the "freewheel" mechanisim is integrated into the bottom bracket allowing the bike to coast. So once I swap over to a standard crank/bottom bracket I will have an actual fixed gear. I forgot to mention that in the original post.
Waitaminute, I coulda used it for a fixie too!
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02-13-07, 07:18 PM
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Ahhh, the good old front freewheel system.
Be careful, I think those rear clusters have a failsafe mode where they will spin free if something happens to the front bits.
Be careful, I think those rear clusters have a failsafe mode where they will spin free if something happens to the front bits.
02-13-07, 08:28 PM
#16
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Its a Schwinn Varsity, I peeled 6 sticklers off the frame that said it proudly. Notice the crown of the fork..........
02-13-07, 09:17 PM
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Do not try to use that rear cluster as a fixed gear, it is a for a front free (FF) system, an amazing shimano bad idea from BITD. They were often paired with another bad idea, early indexed shifting which used a solid shifter cable. As someone else said, these things have a failsafe mode where they will freewheel (sort of). Even if it doesn't freewheel, the cogs will often shift backwards about 10 degrees from light backpressure.
02-14-07, 07:08 AM
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Definitely put some toe clips on it once you get it fixed. Unless you really want to either kill yourself or crawl along.
