Anyone else ever un-convert one of their fixed gears?
 

Before ....

http://velospace.org/files/miyatafg.jpg

After ...

http://velospace.org/files/IMG_1300miyata.jpg

Before: no foot retention?

After: that handlebar set up makes me think too much.

Good for you. The whole idea behind a bicycle is joy and functionality. You tried SS and for whatever reasons you decided gears where more enjoyable and functional for you. You exemplify how we should all behave. Make the tool what you want/need it to be. Outstanding.

As a fixed gear, I didn't really ride it that much. I already had another fixed gear that was far more functional. And someone gave me a bunch of old but quite nice parts.

As for foot retention, I've always found that with front and rear brakes you don't really need it. Never really had a problem.

As for the bars, someone gave me these old Cinelli aero bars that I mounted real low more for an extra narrow hand position. I may keep them on, I'm not sure yet.

I've seen many really nice vintage road frames that should be converted back to road.

http://www.roadbikeaction.com/conten...lnagoFixie.jpg

COUGH

That colnago needs saving. If you are going to **** it, make it a fixie, not some half a$$ed SS.

Someone should break his femur for destroying a Colnago...

Just wondering out of curiosity and because I've been thinking to un - convert my old restored peugeot (sentimental and because it had campy parts where it could); what was the hardest part?

Might be hard if you are trying to obtain period-correct parts, but it shouldn't be too hard if you are going to use modern parts.

That was the thing about my Miyata. It was a low-end bike when it was born. Now it's as if someone bought it in 1986 and upgraded it with nicer parts some time in the early 90's. So I didn't really worry much about making it period-correct.

Before:

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...rest09new4.JPG

After:

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...rresttour1.JPG

The 4 extra gears I added made the last 200 km much more enjoyable.

Before:

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...whitedoor1.jpg

After:

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...010touring.JPG

What sad here is that the owner of this bike probably removed a lot of real nice parts in order to make it a singlespeed. In my opinion the only legitimate SSFG bikes are either built from actual SSFG frames or converted from bikes that would otherwise have gone to a landfill or were un-rideable as unrestored road bikes.

Found another horrible conversion...

http://velospace.org/files/mikesvelospace2.jpg

1972 Paramount P13-9 turned into conversion that looks like crap. -sigh-


http://velospace.org/files/47e83b26-1.jpg

Guerciotti.

Ha, my conversion looks like crap, but I love my bike.

holy hell, that colnago would be so amazing with some campy 8 speed NOS.

:/

i have 2 bikes with gears, and 1 that is fixed, for one reason or another, with the type or riding that i do, i ride my fg more, each has their own different scenarios, lets not turn this to a conversion bashing thread, the OP furnished his bike the way it suited him, and only him...ride on

Ron Cooper frameset. Went from geared to fixed to geared. Total vintage restoration. :)

Why did you settle on non-aero hoods?

i believe that colnago is less than 5 years old. agreed though, should stay geared.

Assuming you are refering to my restoration of the Ron Cooper, I wanted it to be period correct with Campy Nuovo Record and Cinelli componentry from the early 1970's, when the Ron Cooper frameset was made. Also, the Campy levers are much higher end and classier than the Aero Grand Compe aero levers from the mid 1980's. I had all the components except the rear derailleur in stock when I built it. You'll also notice toe clips/straps, downtube friction shifters, quill stem, horizontal dropouts, which are all consistent with the period. That bike has the sweetest velvety ride of any of my many steel framed bikes.

Cool. I'm getting these because I like the way they flow with moustache bars. http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Old-Stock-Di...item5ada90d8e3

Haha!
Funny to find this thread. I am planning to "unconvert" my fixed 72 Raleigh Supercourse back to a multi-gear commuter/light touring/errand bike. I love riding fixed but need more of a utility bike for now. I plan to keep my fixed gear wheelset and build a steeper/faster tarck bike this fall.

I've been contemplating running my FG as a SS for awhile. Problem is, my rear hub is fixed/fixed so not worth the trouble/expense of getting another rear wheel or wheelset.

Don't need to; you can use a SS freewheel on a fixed hub.