Mountain Bike Fixed?
 

I was thinking of making a fixed gear mountain bike to ride in the winter. Is this a good Idea? What frames would you recommend? What should i do? Is it even possible?

ss 29er with midge bars

are you talking about actually riding on mountain bike trails? or just a "mountain bike" for use in urban settings?

yes, it's easily done with any number of SS mountain bike frames. i find riding fixed on the trail to be quite scary, but if you are just looking for a winter commuter then knock yourself out.

http://littlecirclesvt.com/wp-conten...1/IMG_9591.JPG

i'm switching between fixed and ss.

http://63xc.com/

Yes

Any that would fare well as an SS (EBB, track ends, Paragon silders...)

Insert a fixed rear wheel

Very much so

Bolt-on cog, i.e. Tomi Cog makes it very easy.

OK, I am thinking about getting this one from bikesdirect.com

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...tcast29_08.htm

Good?

what about : http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...tcast29_08.htm

edit: damn beat me to it.

would work just fine, might want to double check about the rear hub though. it says "flip-flop" but doesn't say whether one of the sides is fixed or if they are both freewheel... even still you can just get another wheel.

Just my opinion, I didn't really get what I expected out of riding fixed MTB. I found that most of the enjoyment I got out of MTB was the coasting and "going fast" and on mountain bike gearing it's difficult to go "fast" fixed. I can say that riding by myself was fun, simply because it wasn't important for me to go fast. But riding with my fiance' on her geared hardtail had me struggling to keep up. Climbing is nothing, I actually like fixed for the technical sections, it's just the descents and high speed cornering that I missed. I would say go for it, but keep your mind open to single speeding.....way more fun, and honestly that's why I MTB...cuz it's fun.

http://velospace.org/files/Monocog.jpg.JPG

I ride a Surly Karate Monkey as a fixed gear winter bike, and, with studded tires, I call it my "Ice Bike."

It looks a lot like the Bikesdirect bike.

I also ride the Karate Monkey sometimes in the "good weather" months with Schwalbe Big Apple tires (2.35") and I think of it as my Explore In Comfort Bike.

The fixed gear attribute of this bike makes it much safer and more controllable on ice.

I have a front and rear brake on my Ice Bike but I consciously refrain from using them.

Using the front brake on icy surfaces can bring you down without warning.

Learn to brake with back pressure on your pedals; and, at the Bikesdirect bike's gearing you will find it easy to do so.

If you are planning on road riding/commuting, a set of (metal/carbide) studded road tires will fare better than knobby mtb tires in most situations. That being said, a fixed mtb (with studs) would be fun.

depends on conditions, for sure.
fat, gnarly, knobbies do well in snow.
studs do well when things clear up and there is ice.

you could of course get both, like these monsters:
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/imag...Exttopview.jpg