Fixed my Tri Bike
 

Figured some of the folks here would find this amusing (cross posting from the Tri Forum)

Why?, because I could. Mostly for giggles and to get me motivated to ride my Tri bike more.

Had an eccenric hub made for me, it allows the use of vertical drop outs by rotating back and then locking down. This gives you room enough to get the chain on and then take up the slack. I left the front derailleur on as a guide and to ease the conversion back gears come race season. Hub and wheel build was under $200, good to have buddies :thumb:

I'll likely get an old Velocity Deep V front wheel I have lying around rebuild to match the rear wheel too. For now my trusty training wheel is fine. This bike mostly sees duty on the CompuTrainer this time of year anyways.

Running 50x17 in the Pic (that's about 71 gear inches). I normally have a 55t front ring and will put that back on now and then. I have a Raleigh all steel fixed gear bike that I love to ride too. I did this conversion as a winter project and to motivate me to ride this bike more often. During the late Fall thru early Spring months I tend to ride my CycloCross bike kitted up for nasty weather commuting (we live out side of Seattle and half way up the local mountain pass) and my Raleigh on nicer days.

I may end up keeping this bike like this, striping it down further and moving most of the parts over to an other frame. Just leaving the basics for the conversion.

Before and After pics...

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/di...chmentid=31978

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/di...chmentid=31979

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/di...chmentid=31980

Before pic:
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/di...chmentid=31977

wow, nice. I am a big fan of tri bikes as fixed gears


once my kuota k-factor gets bars it is done

is your handlebar upside down? honest question

Looks like you used a hub other than the widely known ENO hub from White Industries. Care to elaborate?

looks like a magic gear to me

But this is because you lack reading comprehension skills...

Bars are set slack right now, more comfort for trainer time.

Gearing is 50x17 (71") right now, I have a 55t front ring too (78.5"). It's on 650c wheels. I did that 17t rear because a brand new chain (like in the pic) just fits with a little slack and the rear hub forward. Gives me room for some stretch and no need for a 1/2 link. The 55t front fits pretty good too. If I was doing track time or racing a flatter course, I'd change the rear cog. For my purposes, the 71" and 78.5" combos work just fine.

Hub was made for me, it's a mountain bike hub (disc) so the cog is bolted in and the internals where machined custom.

Pic of the hub by its self.

http://inlinethumb05.webshots.com/31...500x500Q85.jpg

Awesome. Aside from the aero bars I'd ride the hell out of this thing.

Touché :)

Played around with gears and chain tension, ya that 50x17 works really well with a SRAM chain. The hub is set forward right now and that chain is just loose. As it stretches out I can rotate the hub back if needed (doubt I will, I want some more slack in the chain any was).

Re, the areobars, I want to ride the as a fixie in some local sprint distance tris, so I'll likely leave them on. They come off in about 1 min each so no worries there. Plus, my focus this year is Ironman Cozumel in Nov, so I do need to do areo time for training. Bike is getting gears back on it before I do that Ironman though.

Since it's a tri-bike it has 26" wheels...

makes it look bigger!

Ya, it's an old school tri bike, so it's running 650c wheels on a 59cm frame. I'm 6'3" by the way.

Chain line was easy to get straight, 46mm (standard outer ring distance).

Trick hub man, congrats, looks like a ton of fun!

really interesting hub! looks like a regular hub modified? who made that?? :thumb:

Geared>Fixed x1000. Some things shouldn't be converted, still looks cool though.

About the hub, a guy I know via an other Forum (non-cycling) related, his brother is really into bikes and rebuilding them. He had fab'd up one for his own use and I asked for one too. No, he's not looking to make them in bulk, he has a day job...

About gears vs fixed, I'll put the bike back for my serious races. Otherwise, what a hoot to ride and I'd rather ride and smile more than not! :)

This looks like a LOT of fun! I've thought about having someone make me a fixed frame with the geometry of my tri bike. I really like the feeling of the steeper seat tube.

650c wheels are so goofy looking on big boy frames. Is that an old Zipp 8xx series on the before pic?

Don't let the aerobar hate get you down, they're just jealous of our speed.

No idea on the disc (which model, yes it is a Zipp) Got it off of ebay for $150 (if I remember right). One of the benefits of 650c wheels, you can score deals on them used.

but never tires

Tires will always get you.

Watch www.chainlove.com and bonktown.com for 650c tires (tubulars), i picked some Contis (Competitions I think) for under $20 each a while back. I wait on deals from Probikekit for Chinchers. Rest of our bikes are 700c, so the Litespeed is the only odd one in the stable.