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

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Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

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

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Old 07-04-10 | 08:34 PM
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Bikes: Surly Cross-Check, '85 Giant road bike (unrecogizable fixed-gear conversion

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

Before ....



After ...

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Old 07-04-10 | 08:43 PM
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Before: no foot retention?

After: that handlebar set up makes me think too much.
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Old 07-04-10 | 09:02 PM
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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.
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Old 07-04-10 | 09:21 PM
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Bikes: Surly Cross-Check, '85 Giant road bike (unrecogizable fixed-gear conversion

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.
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Old 07-04-10 | 09:33 PM
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I've seen many really nice vintage road frames that should be converted back to road.



COUGH
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Old 07-04-10 | 09:53 PM
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That colnago needs saving. If you are going to **** it, make it a fixie, not some half a$$ed SS.
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Old 07-04-10 | 10:38 PM
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Someone should break his femur for destroying a Colnago...
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Old 07-04-10 | 10:43 PM
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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?
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Old 07-04-10 | 10:51 PM
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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.
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Old 07-04-10 | 11:03 PM
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Bikes: Surly Cross-Check, '85 Giant road bike (unrecogizable fixed-gear conversion

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.
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Old 07-04-10 | 11:06 PM
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Before:



After:



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

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Old 07-04-10 | 11:15 PM
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Bikes: Surly Cross-Check, '85 Giant road bike (unrecogizable fixed-gear conversion

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



COUGH
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.
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Old 07-04-10 | 11:30 PM
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Found another horrible conversion...



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




Guerciotti.
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Old 07-04-10 | 11:34 PM
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Ha, my conversion looks like crap, but I love my bike.
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Old 07-05-10 | 01:27 AM
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holy hell, that colnago would be so amazing with some campy 8 speed NOS.
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Old 07-05-10 | 02:35 AM
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Originally Posted by Dr. Banzai
That colnago needs saving. If you are going to **** it, make it a fixie, not some half a$$ed SS.
:/
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Old 07-05-10 | 02:58 AM
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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
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Old 07-05-10 | 05:45 AM
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Ron Cooper frameset. Went from geared to fixed to geared. Total vintage restoration.
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Old 07-06-10 | 12:58 AM
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Why did you settle on non-aero hoods?
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Old 07-06-10 | 04:19 AM
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Originally Posted by squeegeesunny
I've seen many really nice vintage road frames that should be converted back to road.



COUGH
i believe that colnago is less than 5 years old. agreed though, should stay geared.
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Old 07-06-10 | 01:51 PM
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Originally Posted by WoundedKnee
Why did you settle on non-aero hoods?
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.
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Originally Posted by Dcv
I'd like to think i have as much money as brains.
I see the light at the end of the tunnel, but the tunnel keeps getting longer - me
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Old 07-06-10 | 02:47 PM
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Cool. I'm getting these because I like the way they flow with moustache bars. https://cgi.ebay.com/New-Old-Stock-Di...item5ada90d8e3
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Old 07-06-10 | 02:52 PM
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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.
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Old 07-06-10 | 05:04 PM
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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.
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Old 07-06-10 | 05:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Triple8Sol
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.
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Originally Posted by Dcv
I'd like to think i have as much money as brains.
I see the light at the end of the tunnel, but the tunnel keeps getting longer - me
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