Home made fixie?
 

Hi!
I'm new to this thread, but had some general questions about building up a fixie.

1. I saw...months ago, a link to some dudes site that explained how to make a fixie out of standard parts. Anyone know a good resource for that?

2. I see cool old steel frames all the time, with long horizontal drops, and 27" wheels. I'd like to make a fixie out of one of these type frames, and perhaps throw 700cm rims on it. Does this sound possible? I don't have the cash to buy a nice fixie flip/flop rear, so would like to experiment with building one up myself.

This wouldn't be a trainer or anything...just something to cruise town and go on the leisure rides with the GF on her cruiser(usually like 16 miles of easy flat bike paths on the weekend). My roadie is just too easy to ride, and I want something funky and harder/fixed to ride to get a better feel of cycling. I thought a cool home built fixie would fit that bill nicely.

Any feedback is welcome! Feel free to fire me a PM as well on this one!

Lufty

1. I saw...months ago, a link to some dudes site that explained how to make a fixie out of standard parts. Anyone know a good resource for that?


Probably this: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html
Should answer most any question you have.



2. I see cool old steel frames all the time, with long horizontal drops, and 27" wheels. I'd like to make a fixie out of one of these type frames, and perhaps throw 700cm rims on it. Does this sound possible? I don't have the cash to buy a nice fixie flip/flop rear, so would like to experiment with building one up myself.


Usually no problem switching from 27" to 700c rims. There is only 4mm difference between a 27" rim and a 700c rim. You might just want to stay 27" wheels because tires are readily available.



This wouldn't be a trainer or anything...just something to cruise town and go on the leisure rides with the GF on her cruiser(usually like 16 miles of easy flat bike paths on the weekend). My roadie is just too easy to ride, and I want something funky and harder/fixed to ride to get a better feel of cycling. I thought a cool home built fixie would fit that bill nicely.


Sounds like a fixie might be just right for you. Check out the Sheldon Brown link and let us know if you have any questions.

It's called a bumbike fixie set-up (or suicide wheel).
The dangers of riding suicide wheels are many but if you live on the edge...then yes it is possible (just not reccomended)

Enjoy

The "bumbike" wheel as many put it is fine as long as you use brakes. I too would stay with 27" wheels. Just remove the freewheel and screw on a track cog. Yank off the other chain rings and shorten your chain. That's it.

And add a bb lockring.
And re-dish the wheel.

Enjoy

todays hipsters dont realize that prior to the currend fad, the vast mojority of FGs on the road over the last century were 'bumbikes' (though not dubbed such until the current trackbike fad). neither suicidal nor dangerous. 16 years without incident.

empiricism over theorism.

"And add a bb lockring"

prolly would w/out brakes

"And re-dish the wheel."

prolly not necessary, though looks nicer, no doubt.

I have yet to build a bumbike that didn't need it.
Chainline man......chainline.

Enjoy

Thanks, forgot about that :)

I ride with a front brake on my "bumbikes". I used a bottom bracket lockring to follow the track cog on the hub - adds a bit of resistance against the cog unscrewing, but it's not a track hub. I also bought a cheap cog so I wouldn't care much about it, then I used lots of loctite and some jb weld (maybe it helps, maybe not - peace of mind!), and I really cranked those suckers on there. Redishing and truing really isn't that hard - just read what Sheldon Brown has to say about it and you'll be set. I'm not going for perfection, I'm going for usability, so I don't have any special tools for the job.

27" wheels are plentiful and dirt cheap, so if I want a different gearing I'll just do the same thing with another wheel -- goodwill here ALWAYS has a 27" complete bike for under $10 - that should get you a rear wheel, bottom bracket lockring, and another spare tire salvaged off the front. If it were a decent frame in my size, I may just convert that bike and go buy another bottom bracket lockring for the hub -- then ya don't have to swap any parts to change gearing, just grab a different bike. My 2nd bike was bought for parts, but I ended up liking the ride.

Even buying from a pricey LBS (cog and bb lockring), I'll bet you could do a build for under $60. My last one cost $30 total, thanks to eBay.

Good luck!

" I have yet to build a bumbike that didn't need it.
Chainline man......chainline."

ok; i'll give....Since I've only ever needed one bike, I havent had varying BB/chainring width issues. But I can say that the many wheels which have all been on the bike have all had perfect chainline (though some have needed a spacer). Never 'needed' to redish, though I have for cosmetics. Prolly would redish more often if I were a clydesdale.

Did anyone mension the Locktite yet? There are lots of reports of that stuff doing a fine job keeping cogs and rings together.

WOW! Thanks guys! I was afraid that it may cost me a bundle, but with labratmatt and Slackers info I think I can do this! I'll post a pic of what I've got completed!

Again, thanks to everyone for the posts....awesome!

27" tires are much harder to find than 700c tires (at least if you're trying to get decent or new tires, and not just whatever is on the POS at goodwill). if you're going to spend money on something, spend it on a new wheelset. iro (irocycle.com) has one for $150, and harris (harriscyclery.com) sells a set for $100 i believe.

A $100 NEW wheelset will be crap (or, at least at some point you will find this to be true). I'd be open to using a suicide hub with loctite- old thread-on wheelsets are almost given away at swap meets - even with nicer hubs. Postage will be a huge percent of the cost if you buy wheels on ebay. When I tired of my sucide hub, I purchased a decent Nashbar track hub for $30 and rolled my own. It was easier than I imagined.

I agree with running 700c tires.

Is this a joke? My LBS has tons of good 27" tires for sale, ranging from the $12.50 cheap taiwanese touring tire knockoffs, to $30 contis.. Nashbar also sells cheap 27" tires.
I run the cheap tires, and they have worked very well for me for over 2 years. No flats.

^ yea you can pretty much get 27's anywhere at least in the US.

Not to mention the 27's are dirt ****ing cheap.

finding 27inch tires that don't completely suck was one of the biggest hassles of my life...

Sorry to hear that -- my LBS carries lots of 27" tires.

And on the bright side, you must have a pretty sweet life if THAT'S what you consider one of your biggest hassles :D

Panaracer Pasela's in 27" are pretty nice, cheap too

you can find 27's, but it's so much easier to find nice 700c tires. the selection isn't even comparable!

those $100 wheelsets aren't so bad. i wouldn't trust them out of the package, i'd want to retension the spokes, but i'd guess they're just as good as a whatever rim laced to a nashbar track hub!

Or, if you have $100 to spend, you could just as easily get a back wheel from IRO and use the stock front wheel. Later, you could get front wheel when one's on sale (Nashbar does this sometimes).

I think the bumbike setup will get you by for now, but a brake is advisable. Also, make sure your track cog is wide at the base. Skinny little cogs make for stripped hubs.

I have seen 27 inch tires at walmart and Nashbar carries them.

Specialized Tri-Sports (27x1 1/4) hold 100 psi and have a puncture resistant lining. $9.99 each at my LBS. I run a set on my old commuter Raleigh. Great stuff