_hollister_

That's a fancy one. BMX specific. There is probably a box at your LBS that has the washer/welded ones for $2-$3

https://farm1.static.flickr.com/201/4...13166c9e_o.jpg

1jacktripper

Hello All,

Thanks for the various responses. I'm learning quite a bit. Just to answer/address and comment on a few posts:

1. I've stripped out (and sold, unfortunately) the components already. For what it's worth, it was all Shimano 600, except RD, which was a RD100.

2. Here's what the frame currently look like:



3. I would indeed like to do the build-up myself, but I'm stumped when it comes to being mechanically inclined. I wish I could find a list (perhaps borrowing from the lists accompanying all those fixes on velospace?) of components and tools to buy/find , and then a local fixie wrench-guru who'd not mind walking me through the process of building up this guy one step at a time (having a work-stand that I can borrow would be great too ).

4. I think I will indeed go with this horizontal drop out, warts and all. I do appreciate the comment about safety concerns, but it seems that a mechanically catastrophic event due to the horizontal dropout is rather tolerable, so I'll take a chance. Perhaps the first slippage will scare the crap out of me and shrink the size of my testicular spheres fast enough that I'll change my mind.

5. I think someone mentioned about the tire clearance. I couldn't quite understand how that plays in the overall scenario of conversion. So, when in doubt, post a picture and ask the question: is the width/clearance of my drop-outs cause for concern in this conversion/build-up?




Thanks very much again, guys.

1fluffhead

Or you can get even fancier and have the NJS ones

iamtim

Ah, I see.

So if I said, "It seems to me that bigbris1 is talking out of his dirt-chute and it also seems to me that bigbris1 doesn't know his dirt-chute from a hole in the ground when it comes to bike safety," I'm not bashing you? I'm just... sharing my thoughts and feelings? And that's not a bash?

Ok, dude, you and I are from different worlds.

I don't hate you either. I do think you're a bit skewed on some things, but who isn't? I mean, if you're going to be pro-safety, then be pro-safety. If not, don't. *shrug*

1fluffhead

OP, read some sheldon, he will be able to answer a lot of the questions you have asked here as well as give you the answers to the question you have not thought of yet.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed-conversion.html

joetotale

I would've kept the Shimano 600 gear. D'oh!

There won't be slippage; all this back-and-forth in the thread is between one guy who thinks it's possible (based on silly reasoning), and the rest of us who claim that it is extremely, remotely, 99.99% unlikely to ever occur.

Also, if you're feeling handy, a workstand can be built with about $35 of material and a little time: https://www.instructables.com/id/PVC-Bike-Repair-Stand/

dutret

which will be very very hard to make work.

1fluffhead

^^^Of course, but what chain tugs have you seen for a conversion yet that didn't need filing/modification of some sort. Chain tugs are not made for forward facing drop outs. We both know that.

FWIW I don't support the use of them anyways. All you needs is to make sure your bolts are tighten down properly and all will be well.

dutret

Big mistake. Most of the components would have worked well on a conversion and now you're just going to have to buy them all over again.

erichsia

Why wake up and get out of bed in the morning? A comet might just fly throught the air and blow up your front porch as you step outside for your morning death commute. Nothing in life is definite, not even a track end. Just be prepared, know what you're doing before you do it and you should be fine. OP seems to getting all the info he needs, & more. So hopefully he'll be alright. As for taking chances, riding brakeless, no matter how skilled you think you are, is taking a much bigger chance than horizontal dropouts.

andrewro

That will make a sweet conversion but I agree with joetotale - if you sold everything, you sold some things you could use for the conversion that you'll now have to buy all over again.

caloso

The inanity of some of the posts on this thread makes me miss Sheldon all the more.