I have not. It's an old sealed Joytech.

if they aren't spinning well, maybe it's time to replace the cartridge bearings?

you still haven't provided any further information about your Raleigh...

ha ha! i'm gonna' paint my windsor pink an yellow. we ride koola than lawrence fishburn and bacon.

The Raleigh was an old rusted 3-speed beach cruiser from the late 70's to early 80's. I striped her down to frame and fork, and build her up with the following:

*Sun M13 rear wheel with formula hub
*Old used Joytech front wheel with that sealed hub (the wheel/hub I am considering replacing)
*Some $30 Shimano cartridge bottom bracket
*Sugino RD crankset 48t with a 19t rear cog

(Also, the chain tension is not too tight). I'll post a picture of the bike in case it helps with any of the details...

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/237/mywhipuq5.jpg

sweet reflective spokecard

replacing the old cartridge bearing would seem to be a cheaper alternative?

bike looks decent... if it's hi-ten maybe it's worth just getting a Windsor or whatnot and keeping the Raleigh as a beater/loaner bike... if it's Cromoly I'd stick with the Raleigh.

You seem to have pretty decent parts. I think that formula rear would be better than the stock windsor hubs. If your frame is hi-ten, and you want an upgrade, you could just get one of the kilo framesets before they're gone and move the parts over.

Its not croMoly, it's a tank.

if you've got the money and are sure you want to ride fixed... go for the upgrade.

Muzzymuz makes a good point... I suppose you could either get the Windsor and swap some parts from one bike to the other, or go Muzzymuz's suggested route and get new cartridge bearings for the front wheel.

You have everything you need except a decent front wheel (and maybe a headset). Just get a Bikeisland Kilo TT frame for $200 and swap it all over. Sell the Raleigh frame/fork for $60 and use that money to buy a decent front wheel.

I didn't see any Kilo TTs on Bikeisland. They did have a "Finally!! IN STOCK!!: 2008 Cro Mo Steel Old School Fixed Gear /Single Speed Frame Set." Is that what you were talking about? When I click on the link to "Geometry" it shows the specs of the Kilo bike. Is this the Kilo?

Isn't the 520 Cromo stronger than the 4130? I cant find any info about the 520 compound. Whats the difference?

yep...

I don't really know anything about 520... elsewhere someone said it was standard 4130... make of that what you will.

Edit- mmm, might be double-butted 4130

Well the raleigh is a "Carbon Steel." Renolds 520 should be much lighter than that, correct?

yep.

All 4130 is double butted afaik. The name (if I'm right) refers to the brand of tube---with its characteristic composition and butting profiles. Yes it's the same as 520 (I think). If someone can confirm all this or correct me, i would appreciate it.

Any butted tubing will be a nice improvement on gas pipe.

sounds like you just need to do some work on your wheels

this just in. the "the hour" is the same as the motobecane messenger. but the messenger comes with brakes and a freewheel for $50 more

If you do a search for straight gauge 4130 you'll come up with some frame builders who use it... so... it exists anyway; although from my very brief perusal of the search results it looks like it's mostly used in BMX and MTBs...

Somewhere on here someone talked about what 4130 means exactly...

I thought Pakes were straight guage 4130

4130 refers to a material (some certain steel alloy) not tubes. 4130 can be made into tubes, butted or not.

you guys are such a-holes for being a dick when he's trying to learn.. i'm sick of the constant 'search function' bull things change over time don't fault him for wanting to double check things current.

that said, don't buy a langster or a pista.

you just wake up from a long nap or something?

Durr, I just remembered that the rear triangle of a crosscheck (like mine) is straight gauge 4130. Durr. thanks for straightening that out. Well I'd be very surprised if the main triangle of a production road bike was made of the straight gauge stuff, but I guess anything can happen.

pretty sure the pake is straight 4130 as the dude said up there.. ^

I googled; it is. Hey everyone, I don't know **** and I got a big butt and i like to sniff my own butt.