Is this a good Fixed candidate?
 

Hello,

I just finished rebuilding my first bike a 1987 Schwinn Le Tour that I kept stock. I had so much fun taking it apart, cleaning it and putting it back together that I am already looking for a new project. This time I want to build a Fixie though.

Today while scanning CL I saw this:
1973 Raleigh Grand Prix. Red and black. Chrome is good. 23-1/2" frame. Made by Gazelle in Holland. See link http://www.jaysmarine.com/raleighgrandprix_holland.html Great starting point for a 10 or single speed project. Frame is in good condition. No bends, dings, or rust. Bacoma ornate lugs. Missing front Simplex derailler. All original except saddle. Asking price is $60 this is the second time for this post first time was at $75.

To me this sounds like a great candidate to become my first fixie project. What are your thoughts.

I'd say its not a bad deal especially if you can get that price down to almost $40-50 and check the headtube for ovalization. I have a early 70s bianchi that I converted and quickly realized my headtube was ovalized pretty bad and I couldn't get the headset cups in correctly. That led to me buying a newer frame and building a bike all over again. the bianchi is hanging in my garage until i feel like trying to fix it.

I'm going to look at it on Sunday. Guy told me he would take$50 for it. Any other opinions on this ride?

I also have a few general questions about Fixed geared with this old of a bike. It has cottored cranks if they are in good shape will I be able to use them? Also the owner told me over the phone that it has steel rims, and while I know they are not the lightest but are they acceptable for a budget build fixie?

Thanks

my old steel frame that I used as a conversion had a kind of ovalized headtube and I was able to shim it pretty successfully with a strip from a soda can and fit my new headset in there pretty well and had no issue with it and it's pretty easy to do, you just have to be precise

If you can, get rid of the cottored cranks. If you're building a conversion you'll probably want a BB with a narrower spindle to get a better chain line. Trust me, I used to ride a super janky conversion with cottered cranks and it ultimately caused me to wreck the bike and led me to nothing but trouble. Also, when building a fixed gear you're going to want to get a new wheel with a fixed hub so you can properly secure the lockring instead of riding what the head mechanic at the lbs I used to go to called, "ghetto fixed" which is basically just putting a fixed cog and lockring on a freewheel hub.

$50 is a good deal for the bike if it's in good working order. Cottered cranks are fine, just heavy. Inside ring is probably a 42T so use that. If you want to go singlespeed you can keep the back wheel, just have it redished. Once you start replacing wheels and cranks, you're better off with a Kilo.

The extension levers will slow you down but don't rely on them to stop you quickly. I'd get some new Kool-Stop brake pads. Braking in the wet on steel rims is not good, give yourself plenty of time. If you plan on skidding, this doesn't matter. Just make sure the wheels are true and the spokes have even tension and they'll work fine for your project.

/I had bought a '76 red and black Grand Prix for $40. Put new tubes/tires, brake pads and bartape on it. Sold it to a friend for what I had in it. Bike rode decently, wasn't dead like an old Gitane I'd found.

DJayhawk - www.sheldonbrown.com is a great place to learn all about ss/fg.

http://sheldonbrown.com/deakins/how-...onversion.html

if you cut corners to save money on building this it's going to end up a pretty sketchy build so you might as well go with a Kilo or something similar for about the same price, it will be worth it.

Also, cottered cranks are a pain to work on as they require a very specific tool and not everyone has that tool anymore. Plus said tool isn't always super effective and can mess with the cranks later.

You can use a track cog on the original wheel. I call it a suicide hub. If you do it make sure you use lock-tite on the threads and if you can fit a bottom bracket lock ring on there put one on. Don't skid on it though It will loosen up and very bad things can happen. You can also use the cottered cranks they are heavy and you won't get a good chain line but it should be close. I have never needed a special tool to remove cottered cranks I just bash out the cotter pins with a hammer and the arms come right off.

What is the Kilo? Can someone give me a link? Thanks

There's a few Kilo options on this page: http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/trackbikes.htm

Never heard of it. Must not be any good.

if you keep doing that then you'll ruin the pins thus making it near impossible to remove, I've done it before. Also, I had a super sketch conversion in high school that had cottored cranks and one day when riding down a hill somehow the crank caught on the edge of the chain because the chainline was off with such force it bent the back triangle causing me to wreck really hard. Honestly, I will never stop advocating against cottored cranks

A raleigh that old most likely has weird bottom bracket threading, so you will need a threadless bottom bracket (like http://store.velo-orange.com/index.p...-brackets.html). I had one of those frames at one point, it was really heavy and I ended up just giving it away to avoid a headache.

How do the threadless bb perform?

Those Kilo's are nice looking bikes, and reasonably priced but I'm looking for a budget type of build. Something that I can paint myself, take apart, and put back together. How much heavier do you think this frame is going to be than something like a Kilo?

I may not end up with this bike this is the type of older frame I'm looking for, what are some other good candidates for these builds?

Thanks again for all the help

I built a conversion as my first fixed gear, and I still ride it today. Its a schwinn world sport from the 80's. Its nothing special, but the only reason I did it was because I had all the bike already, along with all the parts and tools to convert it except for a chain ($10) and rear wheel, which I got from a friend for $20. If I had to buy wheels, crank, bottom bracket, tires/tubes, cog, lockring, and a chain just to put them on a frame that weighed as much as that raleigh, I would much rather buy something new.

If you're not dead set on keeping the LeTour a geared bike consider converting it. My LeTour conversion (original front brake, nitto RB-021s with a cross lever, omniums, a surly cog, and american classic track hubs laced to some alex rims) is awesome.

That sounds a lot like my friend's fixed conversion -- a 23" LeTour Luxe, also with dropped bullhorns of some make. I would consider it a success. :)