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




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. 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.

Well, toss this idea out the window if you're going to start upgrading everything

DP18 wheelset from Velomine: $130
MKS Pedals + steel toe cages + generic leather straps: $50
Good tires: $60
Saddle: whatever fits your butt... Fizik, Selle Italia, Selle San Marco, etc
Brakes: Tektros are generally pretty good brakes. What's wrong with yours?
Cranks: SRAM S300 or Sugino Messenger/RD2 would be adequate crankset upgrades for you, I think.
Cog: Dura Ace for anything 13-16t, Soma/Origin8/EighthInch for anything 17t+

Or or or ...

Sell the bike.

Get a complete IRO.