Bike Forums - Fixed Gear Intro.

I decided to take the plunge into fixed gear because of a deal I couldn't pass up. I've been interested in the concept for a while, just never had a good, cheap opportunity to try it out. I didn't really want to spend a bunch of money on a fixed only to find out it wasn't for me...

Anyways, it is. I really like the feeling and simplicity of riding this way. I do a ton of road riding, so fixed is really a breath of fresh air. It's nice to hop on a bike in normal clothes (especially when cold) and hop around town. Plus, I'm a lot less paranoid about leaving this locked up or accidently scratching/breaking something compared to my much nicer road bikes.

Needless to say, I'm keeping the bike but I also regret buying something so basic.

Well, enough talk, here's the bike.

2010 Felt Brougham Raw

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...8/IMG_5526.jpg
http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...8/IMG_5524.jpg

Now I know this bike has gotten some heat here in the past and I admit that a lot of the components are crap. But, I only paid $250 for the bike shipped to my door and I knew this would leave me room for upgrading.

The frame is really solid and I love the relaxed geometry. I have a huge drop to the bars on my road bikes and riding upright is VERY nice from time to time. That said, the frame is really the only thing I like...

I want to upgrade a couple of parts at a time. Shaving a ton of weight or having the coolest parts isn't a huge concern. I just want solid, simple good looking parts that work better than some of the rubbish I've got.

I'd like to keep the total budget under $600. So that leaves me $350 to work with on upgrades. I could sell the parts I replace, but these wont be worth much.

Some priorities:

The Pedals: Easily the worst component on this bike. Weird shape, always get turned upside down, ugly, etc. I want some foot retention, but need a break from clipless. I have a set of power grips which I've tried before and enjoy for the simplicity so I just need a decent set of pedals to attach them to.

Stock unbranded taiwanese wheels: Not so hot. The mix-match theme isn't working for me and they don't seem too sturdy. Good rims will probably be out of my budget though.

Tires: The white tire needs to go asap, but I'll probably get a set since they aren't very high quality. Nothing fancy needed here. Durable, black tires is all I need.

Saddle: The rivets on this saddle (silver, luckily not the gold that come on some broughams) are fugly and the saddle isn't too comfortable. I want a sleek, comfortable black saddle.

Some things for later.

Crankset/BB: This combo isn't terrible, but it does feel pretty archaic compared to my road bikes. A mid-range upgrade would be nice.

Bars: I like the riser bars for now, but I think I'd like to try something else eventually. I'll stay away from drops for a change of pace, but some bullhorns might be nice. Plus the white bar grips are going to get nasty quick!

Stem: big ugly white stem. Something a little stiffer would be a welcome change.

Cog: I have a 16 on now and while it feels okay, I wouldn't mind upping to a 17t or 18 because of the hills around these parts.

Brake: I removed the back, but I'm a wimp/smart and wont ride without the front. The stock tektros should keep me alive, but I think I could get a superior brake fairly cheap.

So yeah...looks like the frame will be the only thing left when I'm done.:lol: If anyone has advice on parts, it would be most appreciated. So far I've looked into some stuff from eitgthinch which I'm impressed by but would like to weigh a lot of options.

I'll be sure to post photos of my progress along the way and give my feedback on any parts I do try out. Build logs seem like the cool thing to do on BF, so I wont disappoint.