So i have been reading how everyone loves the fixed gear and single speed riding experience. I had an old Raleigh Rapide frame, so i built it up as a fixed gear/ single speed with a flip flop hub.

Now after about a year of owning it, I just really don't see the use.

So now I need to make the decision, what to do with the bike.
fixed side is not fun to me, single is kinda, but I am more at home on my more modern geometry geared bike. I do have the rear brake caliper i could put on as well, i thought about making it a single speed cyclocross bike, but I dont know i have a mtb for the dirty stuff.

is there enough demand for the parts to make it worth parting out? or do i just try and sell it on craigslist
what are these old converted bikes worth? I know I have about 300 in it. without the frame (i bought the bike as a project a while back, but almost all of the components turned out to be junk)

why not build it up as a regular road bike? your B-ride or rain bike...

If it fits, build up as a friction shift 1x7/8/whatever with fenders and knobbies for commuting/bad weather/fun. My 1x7 'cross-ish bike makes a great commuter in my hilly area.




[Insert obligatory "1x7 is impossible your chainliiiiiine" hating here. I ride it every day, and it works even with the nastiest rustiest cassette and chain known to man]

Good plan. All it really needs is mudgaurds for that duty.

My wife built a 1x7 from an old road bike of hers and some parts we had laying around. No chain retainer of any kind in front and she's never had a problem or dropped her chain when shifting.

Big frame, I want

They also make chain savers if chain dropping does happen to be a problem or just a paranoid fear that someone may have.

Good call. My commuter 1x7 is fine without anything (well, it has a bashguard, but that happened to be on the crankset already), but the N-Gear on my 1x9 monutain bike is a lifesaver. No issues with that and a bashguard on the outside (this is riding nasty singletrack, not like commuting on my 80mm travel 29er with 2.5" tires. People do stupid things). The N-Gear is a perfect, simple fix for an irritating problem. Don't be put off by the Geocities-esque site, the thing is legit.

just sell it. BUT if you really like the frame then hunt around for some parts to make it a geared bike again. looks like a nice frame and color. You ahve almost everything. I have a set of downtube shifter i could give u for free if u pay for shipping.

That's pretty big frame...might be hard to sell it on CL.

I think the real #1 most important question here is how well (if at all) the bike fits.

Well there's your problem!

There's a "what is my bike worth?" sub forum over in the Classic and Vintage section. Large frames like your Raleigh are hard to find; might be worth more than you think. eBay is another option.

Yeah it might be worth $10 not $5

Huge frames are hits on CL & Ebay.
Ain't nearly as many out there as small & med, so when they appear, us Lurch types are on'em quick.

yeah that is the thing, i can ride it, but its not any too comfortable.

i think i will probably just sell it. Hopefully craigslist will get it sold. and for enough to cover what i have in it. Thanks guys

What's wrong with power grips? I have the sport model and I find them a lot more practical then standard road strap clips (I ride with regular sneakers)

They're cheaply made compared to some other options and run diagonally across your foot instead of the more practical (and comfortable) horizontal. Not to mention they look awful... but that bit isn't really a good arguing point. I much prefer Holdfast straps if you're wanting neither clips and straps nor clipless.

If it doesn't fit, let it go. You could rebuild it into perfect vintage road race goodness, but you still aren't going to enjoy riding it if it doesn't fit.

Sounds like there might be a lot of interest in a bike that big.

I was reading the paperwork that came with mine and there was some justification as to why there are diagonal, not horiztial, but I forgot. Meh, I paid less than $40 for them (I got the slightly improved model with pedal) I do get some foot pain on long rides, not sure if this why. Im not to keen on the holdfast. Material is not something I want on my pedals, probably going to get all destroyed and warped pretty fast.

What kind of shoes are you wearing? Many non-cycling shoes (especially running shoes) are designed with flexibility in mind, which is what runners need. When you start using a flexible shoe to pedal, however (especially on bike with one ratio which can require a great deal of mashing), you can imagine how that flex can put a lot of pain on your midfoot right at the trailing edge of the pedal body. I've had this problem myself, and a friend swears this caused a stress fracture that later caused him to break his foot (although I think the sidewalk he was stomping on had a little more to do with it - he had a little too much fun at a birthday party). Regardless, orthopedic surgery and spending the summer in a walking boot is not what you want.

If you are going to ride with some sort of strap setup, stiff-soled shoes are a must.

I've been using Holdfast on my fixed gear since last November, all through the winter and now spring. I have had zero wear on them. They get dirty, but are holding up very respectably.

My friend had a set of Power Grips that I rode around a bit and didn't like. He doesn't have them anymore because they wore out, forcing him to finally go clipless.

I use clipless on my road bike, but ran clips and straps on them for years prior to that and loved them.

All this stuff is very personal, and I respect that. My best advice is to try things out for yourself and then make a decision. Speculation can lead you down the wrong path.

I ride with flexible shoes and have no problem, but it's so true that stiff shoes can make your life much better.

I love my Feiyue WuShu shoes with their thick rubbery soles, but I can definitely tell the difference when I put on some stiff shoes. Elemental is giving good advice.

My experience just shows how personal bike bits can be. What sounds awful to one person, is awesome to another. Keep your ears open for advice, try things out for yourself, and draw your own conclusions for doing what works for you.

Lol, hell yes, Vixtor.

Yeah my shoes for biking are indoor soccer shoes which are very stiff, I don't know any more could be 100 reasons why my feet feel messed up after riding for a while. I agree once the straps wear out I will sell the pedals and buy something better, rather than spend money on a new strap kit.