I'm looking to get a steel frame and if necessary convert it to an SS/Fixed flip hub to use as a beater and to use on the track for training. Does anyone know anything about the Azukis? I know that they were sister brand to Nishiki and that they were decent, but I was wondering if anyone knew anything beyond that? Also, is this worth the money?

i wish i could answer. i'm curious to know from other people how to pick a good frame to convert. i figured anything with the right drops, appropriate size, and no visible flaws would work, but a couple more knowledgeable friends of mine have told me "not worth it" to bikes i thought about converting.

if you buy that bike, the only way you are allowed to convert it to fg/ss is to leave everything on that bike except the saddle(a brooks springer would look great) and the rear wheel(replace it with a chrome box section 27 inch like the front). you also must put lots of racks and leather bags on it. it'll also help if you wear wool knickers a tweed jacket with leather elbow patches, argyle sock....oh and be british.

A lot of it depends on compatibility with modern parts (normal seatpost, bar, headset sizes, no french / swiss threading , no cottered cranks, no 27" wheels) and frame quality (as much as people here go nuts over lugged steel, there's a lot of horrible straight gauge lugged frames that weigh over ten pounds and have slack, sluggish geometry, even if the paint's still good.).

There are a few rules-of-thumb for what is a decent frame and what is crap.

the following things are found a lot on low-end ten speeds from the bike boom era: stem shifters, suicide brake levers, cottered cranks or one piece cranks.

Indicaters of nicer frames could be tubing by Reynolds, Columbus, Vitus, Tange, etc.; forged drops as opposed to stamped. Also look at where seat stays meat the seat tube lug. On nice bikes this connection point is done quite well. I don't know lug terminology that well, but this is usually an obvious charecteristic.

When in doubt just ask over in C&V. They are an incredible resourse for this stuff.

I would put that bike in the "wouldn't waste my time" pile. It's probably hi-ten, so it's wicked heavy and weak. The bars on that bike say "cruiser", not "ride me fast", so I'd bet the geometry is probably slack as hell (can't really tell from the photos). Add to that the cottered cranks, steel rims, and chainguard, and that bike officially qualifies as the era's low-end hybrid.

How much money are we talking about? Anything is worth the money if it's cheap enough..

Do tracks even let conversions on for training?

edit: and if by "training" you mean getting decent so you can actually race, you might as well get a real track frame. AFAIK you can't use a conversion in any real race.

Queens is becoming so hip.

Kids are riding fixed gear all over Jackson Heights. Now Forest Hills?