Off the Shelf?
 

I've been meaning to build/convert a fixie for a long long time, but it doesn't seem to be happening, probably because I am viciously lazy when it comes to that sort of thing. So I toy with the idea of some ready-made.

I don't really care for the looks of the Bianchi Pista, & it seems kind of pricey to me. But recently I saw the Gunnar website with their "Street Dog" or some such, which is a nice looking, clean, front-brake only fixie. Am I just being a chump, thinking about an off the shelf fixie? Would it be a waste of money & a total poseur move? (I don't actually know the price, so that's an open issue.)

I had never heard of the Seattle dealer, either, "Perfect Wheels" -- are they ok? I don't get up in that area much so I never ran into them; but I've never heard of them either; most people seem to talk about Recycled Cycles when they talk about fixies.

As fixies are becoming more popular, are there other off the shelf models that are ok?

again - the word "poseur"
get what fits your riding style and needs (functionality). asking what others think is cool is a far from truly enjoying something like cycling, and even more so, cycling on a fixed gear bike.
do you call other people before you get dressed to make sure they like you outfit?

Just trying to make a point that this is something for YOU, and no one else. Ignore all the "do this, buy that - to be cool" hype.
If the Bianchi is too pricey, the Gunnar is way out of reach. Bianchi, KHS, Mercian, and I am sure I am missing a few pre-builds - these are becoming the gateway into fixedgearedness to most newer gear riders. And there is also the school of the building/conversion - finding an appropriate frame (re: long horizontal dropouts OR track styled fork ends) and build it up as you see fit, piecing it with components comprised of form, function, and price. The latter style offers insight into the parts that make up most fixed gear set-ups regardless of the frame style and you will learn along the way. I have done my 3 bikes in the latter manner, each one close to my heart and riding style.
It is a personal decision - do you have the time and patience to build one up to meet your style? Or has the bug bitten you hard and deep and you need to pavement beneath a fixed gear pre-build NOW? Both styles of rides are well represented here, so check around using the "search" function as there are a lot of responses on this topic.
Either way, you are on a bike, enjoying the scenery and the ride. And maybe afterwards, a cup o' joe or something with a little booze in it. Or not. The choice, ultimately, is YOURS!

Take a look at a Fuji track bike if you can. There are two models. When I bought mine it was $100 less than the Pista. (The less expensive one) It handles like a dream.
It also has a set of bottle cage mounting holes.

i got an 04 pista on ebay WITH a chris king headset and easton ea70 seatpost for 400$. I would look for something used, there's deals to be had.

Bluejack's use of the word poseur really caught my eye.
I guess I fit into that category, in some ways.
But, y'know, I can't describe how much pleasure this fixed-gear project has given me, and so, perhaps labels don't matter.

I've flown helicopters for 36 years, this summer.
I love the machine; and, I love it as a ride, a concept, and as a job.
I identify with it.
When some old rich dude comes up to me (those old rich dudes have started looking younger) and wants to buy a helicopter and learn to fly it, I don't resent it.
I give him all of my expertise.
Yes, I could call him a poseur, but I also understand the appeal of the machine and the pleasure it will give him.
And, on the other hand, he has my sympathy, because he will never know the outrageous joy of fighting a fire with a helicopter and hearing his own primal voice screaming in the cockpit.

So, I can put on the costume, wear a messenger bag, and ride a Bianchi Pista; but I will never, in this life and in this 58 year old body, learn to make that Pista fly like some of the riders on this forum can make their bikes fly.
I can live with that.
And, like the rich old dude who buys a helicopter, I can buy a Pista and learn to ride it well enough to find the pleasure, even without the primal scream.
And I can live with that, too. :)

Please find the scream - even if you can live without it, it's something that everyone should learn. I don't think I could live without the adrenaline rush of a fix in traffic, especially a brakeless one. But I'm half your age, so maybe I'll mellow eventually...

To the original question, it takes nearly nothing but a wheel and a cog to make a fixie out of a suitable frame. I've converted bikes in less than an hour. $150 for a pre-built wheel with the cog and lockring is the cheapest you'll find. Then it's just some time with a chain tool. I always recommend that someone try converting before buying a prebuilt frame. I think dropping 4-500 bucks on something that you may or may not like is really stupid. But I don't have the disposable income of a lot of other people (it all goes to whiskey).

But in the end it is still you and the bike. 1 gear or 30 it really goes beyond the how and why question. If you are getting into the whole scene, and by scene I mean cycling, and are doing it for the look, chances are you will get out of it soon after. Have seen it many times. Cycling, love it or dump it, is a hard sport. There are much easier ways to look cool in life than riding a bike up a hill with snot running out the nose and gasping like a Hoover vacuum. But if, no matter the origianl intent of geting the bike, you become hooked, the love for the machine will never leave. Again 1 gear or 30. It is all about the feeling that YOU get from the experience. It is about getting outside and baring your soul. This feeling comes whether you ride exclusively by yourself or with a group.

So now what? Off-self or build your own......it does not matter. What are your means and do you have the ability to do it yourself? You decide that question. I have bought full out ready to ride bikes and have built others from the bare frame up. I get more joy out of the build because of the ability to put your fingerprint (mentally and physically) into the end result. The easy way is to buy a off-shelf and see if you first love the feeling the bike gives you. Later if you want to dabble in the build up types, go with it. Both are rewarding.

Now, go get a bike. :)

........and post pics......

Well... I guess I was more concerned about being a "chump" as in paying too much for something that the big bike manufacturers are just cashing in on. I did, for example, find out that the Gunnar starts at about $1000 -- possibly their most expensive bike. Pay the most money for the simplest machine??? I mean, I am sure the volume is lower, but still, it runs against my grain.

There do seem to be some used ones for sale in the area on craigslist, so maybe one of those will work out.

The problem of converting isn't the work itself -- I am very happy getting my hands greasy; I enjoy cleaning, degreasing, and doing the other fairly simple adjustments on my road bike, and look forward to the occasion when something breaks because it means I get to figure out how to replace it. However, converting something to fixed gear means finding something cheap, with horizontal dropouts, to be worth converting, and then the parts, and then there's all the stuff that makes it elegant simplifying out the cabling eyelets that are no longer required, etc. etc. So, I look at the whole project and somehow never get started. Mind you, the first thing would just be finding the frame to convert, which I haven't looked too hard for yet. The occasional stroll through Goodwill.

But, like I say, maybe one of these used bikes will be available. I would be happy to pay $200 for a fixed gear of the right size to find out whether or not it's for me. (But I suspect it is. The very first moment I heard about the idea, I fell in love with it. But you never know; the practice could turn out to be less attractive to me than the principle.)

Anyone know anything about that guy who sells tons of fixies on EBay, all starting at $49? I think they're from San Diego. I often see those go without bids; does that mean they're junk? Or there just aren't that many people who want to pay shipping on a bike?

I hear you, but I think there is something legit here. Part of the *attraction* of the fixed gear is the "close to the machine" aspect of it. You're part of it because you build it; you ride it like you're part of it. So, buying some mass produced standard get-up misses a substantial chunk of that particular experience.

On top of that, there's the idea of simplicity. Remember when ripped jeans were a fad, and people would pay top dollar to buy jeans that had been pre-ripped to look like an old pair of jeans? That's what I'm talking about here. Artificial simplicity, which is what I conclude something like the Gunnar must be, rubs me the wrong way. For a finely tuned track bike, made of top-quality ultra-light parts, ok, I can understand that that particular simplicity is not cheap. However, that's not the fixie I want. I don't race; I ride the streets. I want something that's sturdy and doesn't mind jumping rails, potholes, and curbs; something that doesn't mind a week of mud between cleanings.

I understand the helicopter analogy, and I have no shame about getting into the "fixed gear craze" at the height of its 15 minutes of fame -- I don't feel like a media ***** just because I'm late to the party.

But neither do I want to miss the best part of the experience, and simply toss a bunch of cash down some manipulative corporate maw.

So, like I said in the last post, maybe a used bike will come through; or maybe I'd just better bite the bullet and start scrounging for something to convert.

Here we go. If it suits you more to buy a bike off the shelf, and if you can find one that you like in your price range, I'd say do that. Getting close to it will come with time--everyone has to have something to start with. Personally, I wouldn't mind having an off-the-shelf fixie. I think a Fuji, an IRO, or a KHS would be pretty cool. Mine is built the way it is because of cash flow and because I found an old road bike that I liked anyway.

If you want to be close to the machine, just do your own work. Part of the appeal of a fixie is that it's so simple that doing your own work isn't that difficult. Also, for some it's nice to look at a bike and know that every scratch and every bit of wear is a result of the owner's trials, triumphs, and meanderings.

whatever you do .. get a whole bike.. and spend the extra to get what you want... i cant even count the times i bought a cheap bike then replaced the parts one by one and ended up spending way more then i should have..oh.. and get an IRO.. i just did.. andd i love it.. a 550 you cant go wrong with.. and the guy is really nice.. and helpful and would never call you a poseur

oh and helicoptor guy.. i really like what you wrote.. i think thats going to stay with me for a long time.. well said.. not everyone can live the dream.. so its o.k. for them to just grab a taste..

For some, half the fun is building the bike yourself. You get to know the bike intimately and have a feeling of accomplishment when the job is done. If you can't or don't want to buy a complete bike, and don't want to buy all the necessary tools, join a co-op where you can go use the tools there.

And Mr. Cox, well said.

Ken Cox - excellent post.

I've built five bikes now (or rather converted 5 bikes). Two were mine, the other three were friends. All were good times. My most recent build was Gretchen, a bike I loved a lot. I upgraded parts, bought wheels and so on, swicthing things out as money came to me or the need arose. In the end I spent a good 500 bucks on getting nice stuff. Then a car hit me. Gretchen was not salvageable. I've always wanted a track frame so I bought a Pista to replace her. The Pista felt right, and the geometry was just "on". I didn't have to adjust.

I had the money this time so I did it. I've been slowly replacing parts (because I enjoy having quality components on the bike) and by the time I'd done, the only thing stock on it will be the frame. Funny but that's the way it is. I enjoy both sides.

Do what you feel you want to do. I suppose if you buy off the shelf, you could always sell it back out and get some decent money back.

Oh, and don't buy those converted $49 ebay fixies - applecart2 is the seller I believe. Do a search, read the horror stories. I mean, they're not bad but they're just old frames stripped, cleaned, redished and ghetto rigged.

oo thats nice.. i have a klein roadbike... and since lemond and klein are pretty mcuh the same co now.. its a lot like that bike with the same componants...and its so smooth.. i bet that lemond is is a nice ride.. i vote for that

building bikes is great.. but you cant beat a companies bulk savings they get on the individual parts.. if money is an issue.. you'll save big on the complete set up.. im all for knowing your bike.. when it shows up.. take it apart and put it back together if you must (and is prob a good idea unless you got it from a shop)..headset, seat clamp, chain, bottom bracket.. it adds up

Nothing wrong with off the shelf as far as I am concearned.

But, then again I ride a "Lamester."

I don't build all my other bikes....Why should I start now?
I don't buy the statement that "chances are you'll get out of it if you buy it"
It seems like you'll save time and money buying a good bike with decent components.
I have a road bike, mountain and hybrid and I spend time riding all three.

I had my mind set on a modest Steamroller, but I couldn't put it together for much less than a thousand dollars, and even then I would have had to build the wheels myself (an awful lot for a first-timer).
Anyway, my wife put a ceiling price on my fixed gear project that put me below the Steamroller.
Now the Bianchi Pista looks awfully good, and much better than I could presently do for myself given my budget.
I'll save the Steamroller for a later project.
Since the Steamroller will accomodate much larger tires than the Pista, I can justify it (makes sense to me).
This really hurts to postpone it, though, because aebike.com has a Steamroller frame in my size and color for a ridiculously low price.
I wrote and asked them if they'd made a mistake.
They said they'd honor the price but I'd have to hurry.
My son says the Pista makes a good starting place for upgrades, and I can ride it now (it worked for absntr).
So my LBS made me an offer I couldn't refuse and I took it.
I should see the bike in the second week of February.
In preparation, I ride around town in an 81" gear and try to imagine how I'll handle intersections on the Pista.
Great fun.

Good luck. I think you'll find 81" is a pretty tall gear to push day to day. I run 78" on a good day and I think that probably runs on the high side. Anyhow, ride what you like. That's my motto.

Personally, teh best deal I have found is if you can manage to find a used track-for-street frame that you can build up with decent parts as they all come with pretty entry-level or even trashy bits. I was lucky enough to lay my hands on a 2001 Fuji Track frameset (which has a more aggressive geo than later years) for $90 and added the rest of the pieces to end up with a better ride than what I would have paid retail for a complete. Rare for sure.

You may have already rejected the Gunnar (I haven't really read that thoroughly), but if you haven't --and for any others who might be considering it-- you should know that it's not "front brake only". I was surprised when mine arrived to discover that it has cable routing bosses for a rear brake. Nothing in their decription indicates this, but they're there, and I wish they weren't.

Bostontrevor wrote:

"I think you'll find 81" is a pretty tall gear to push day to day. I run 78" on a good day and I think that probably runs on the high side."

Really?

I had gotten the 81" figure from the GeRZ Bicycle Gears Table.
The table lists the typical (or so I thought) 48X16 chain ring and cog combo as producing 81" with a 700c/27" wheel.
I happen to have a gear combo on my commuter that matches that, and I had spent the past few months working up to 81" thinking everyone rode an 81" bike.
I don't know now where I got that idea, but somehow I assumed...
I guess I should have asked.

I started at 63" and spent hours with my physical therapist working on my body mechanics.
Then I went up to 68", then 72", then 78" and now I can do about 15 miles a day, and an ocassional 30 miles a day in 81".
In fact, I can do all except about 50 yards of my 15 mile round trip commute in the saddle with an 81" gear.
Yes, my legs have gotten much stronger. :)
Still, I suppose my body would last longer in a lower inch gear.

I probably do a lot fewer miles that Bostontrevor.

I sure would like to know how many inches everyone else pushes.
Maybe I should do a search or start a new thread.

"I think you'll find 81" is a pretty tall gear to push day to day. I run 78" on a good day and I think that probably runs on the high side."

really? according to that chart i ride an 89 and it seems fine to me.. maybe i should try something a little lighter

I run a 47/16 on 700c (there's an appreciable diff between 700c and 27") which is about 78". Much more common in my experience are gears in the range of 42-44/16-17.

Generally most folks seem to run a high 60s to mid 70s gear.

Yeah, that's what I figured it would have to be for the price, and it seems to be any frame/ any geometry, impossible to tell from his listing what the fit would be, unless I happen to have a similar frame at hand, which I don't. Thanks for the tip!

And to those of you who are talking up the pista, you're making me rethink it. For now, I have a bead on a possible used fixie or two local, but I also found an old lugged Campagnola frame (they made frames?) this afternoon that might be worth a shot at converting... Frame is nice steel... Would give me something to tinker with anyway, while I keep other options open...