Fixed fixation

MSeries <[email hidden]> wrote:

: I am close to taking the plunge and getting a fixed for training on. Do
: I get a £300 Fuji or do I cobble together one using an 80s steel frame.
: My preference would be the latter but I am not sure if I want the hassle
: with chainlines and new wheel etc. Thoughts from fixed owners
: appreciated.

I'd get the £300 Fuji if it doesn't have toe-clip overlap.

I run a 80s steel frame, re-spaced at the rear to 110 OLN. Took a fair
bit of buggering around to get the chainline right. It has to be exactly
right as well - it's possible to get it so that it looks correct but
isn't. The main symptom being that the chain will fall off at high
cadences. This is a bad thing.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org
"Technolibertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

MSeries <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I am close to taking the plunge and getting a fixed for training on.

Funny you should post that. I've just been looking at a few fixed web sites
and have the urge to go for one more trip round the streets to see if I can
pick up a frame which I could convert. It's council pickup time round here
and there's loads of old bikes (as well as sofas, fridges, TVs etc.) lying
by the road side. There's a bike across the road that is going to kindly
donate its tyres to help restore the Raleigh Record Sprint that I picked up
the other week.

Graeme

The message from MSeries <[email hidden]>
contains these words:

Quoted message said:

I am close to taking the plunge and getting a fixed for training on. Do
I get a £300 Fuji or do I cobble together one using an 80s steel frame.
My preference would be the latter but I am not sure if I want the hassle
with chainlines and new wheel etc. Thoughts from fixed owners
appreciated.

My thoughts:

If you can get your hands on an old road bike with a steel frame with
horizontal dropouts and a reasonable set of wheels with a screw on hub
then building a fixie is a matter of recentering the rear hub on it's
axle; redishing the rear wheel to be central between locknuts (careful
you don't cause the spokes to stick out far enough to endanger the inner
tube); replacing the cassette with a 3/32 sprocket (42x16 gives a fun
71"😉; putting your chosen chainring on the inside of the chainset which
may involve filing down the stack bolts a bit (this usually achieves a
good chainline but you may need to fiddle a bit with the rear hub
spacing and redish again) and removing all the excess bits. An 80s 531
12 speed can end up under 20lbs!

You'll find a lock ring is not needed with 2 brakes so long as you make
sure you honk up a 1 in 7 before putting any backward pressure on it
(I've ridden Audax up to 400km fixed without a lock ring). Chain must
have minimal slack (and back wheel must be tight) as you're in trouble
if it comes off spinning downhill at 180rpm. I get away with using the
quick release to secure the wheel but if you are strong/heavy then one
of those allen key skewers may be better (or even a solid axle nutted
hub).

If after a few thousand km you find you've really got the bug then it
may be appropriate think about dedicated frames, hubs etc.

Nik

On 26/7/04 11:35 am, in article [email hidden], "Nicholas

Windle said:

An 80s 531
12 speed can end up under 20lbs!

My 1990 653 is under 20 pounds, even before taking the brakes/gears/bottle
cage etc. off. Be somewhat heavier now that I have just swapped the saddle
for a brooks..

...d

In article <[email hidden]>,=20
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

=20
I am close to taking the plunge and getting a fixed for training on. Do
I get a =A3300 Fuji or do I cobble together one using an 80s steel frame.
My preference would be the latter but I am not sure if I want the hassle
with chainlines and new wheel etc. Thoughts from fixed owners
appreciated.

Sorting chainline took me a little while and some grief, but this was=20
largely my own fault. My tips are:

a) Do not try to space the chainring by using an ordinary bolt and=20
spacers instead of the original stack bolt. This results in sheared=20
threads and an exploding bolt. I discovered at the end of ride home that=20
the chainline problems I was having were due to the chainring only being=20
attached at three points and only one of those was actually secure.
b) Sturmey Archer spacers cost Not A Very Lot of money and will move=20
your sprocket out by about 2mm. Between one of these and an ordinary=20
washer for the chainring I have a near-perfect chainline (It is closer=20
than I can adjust for without custom made extra thin spacers!).
c) If you are not using a lockring, use a chain whip, some loctite and=20
use a gorilla to put it on. Someone did the maths a while back and=20
showed (IIRC) that you cannot possibly exert enough force on the pedals=20
to undo one put on like this. Alternatively, if you fancy your hand at=20
wheelbuilding and the existing wheels are not of exceptionally high=20
quality the Suzue basic flip-slop hubs come in at something like =A335 for=
=20
a pair from SJS.

Jon

MSeries said:

I am close to taking the plunge and getting a fixed for training on. Do
I get a £300 Fuji or do I cobble together one using an 80s steel frame.
My preference would be the latter but I am not sure if I want the hassle
with chainlines and new wheel etc. Thoughts from fixed owners
appreciated.

I would recommend at least 1 item from the following list:

* raised bottom bracket
* short cranks
* short pedals

Otherwise you may encounter the "fun" of grounding
a pedal when cornering, and with no freewheel this isn't
good.

BugBear

bugbear <bugbear@trim_papermule_trim.co.uk> wrote:

: * raised bottom bracket
: * short cranks
: * short pedals

Not really necessary on the road. Just corner slower.

I ride 170mm cranks (175mm on geared, but that's more to do with
what was cheap for the fixie), clip and straps (bluky, but good
for commuting) and a standard touring frame on the road.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org
"Technolibertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

Jon Senior said:

In article <[email hidden]>,=20
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

=20
I am close to taking the plunge and getting a fixed for training on. Do
I get a =A3300 Fuji or do I cobble together one using an 80s steel frame.
My preference would be the latter but I am not sure if I want the hassle
with chainlines and new wheel etc. Thoughts from fixed owners
appreciated.

Sorting chainline took me a little while and some grief, but this was=20
largely my own fault. My tips are:

a) Do not try to space the chainring by using an ordinary bolt and=20
spacers instead of the original stack bolt. This results in sheared=20
threads and an exploding bolt. I discovered at the end of ride home that=20
the chainline problems I was having were due to the chainring only being=20
attached at three points and only one of those was actually secure.
b) Sturmey Archer spacers cost Not A Very Lot of money and will move=20
your sprocket out by about 2mm. Between one of these and an ordinary=20
washer for the chainring I have a near-perfect chainline (It is closer=20
than I can adjust for without custom made extra thin spacers!).
c) If you are not using a lockring, use a chain whip, some loctite and=20
use a gorilla to put it on. Someone did the maths a while back and=20
showed (IIRC) that you cannot possibly exert enough force on the pedals=20
to undo one put on like this. Alternatively, if you fancy your hand at=20
wheelbuilding and the existing wheels are not of exceptionally high=20
quality the Suzue basic flip-slop hubs come in at something like =A335 for=
=20
a pair from SJS.

Jon

Mm, I do fancy trying my hand at wheelbuilding and am considering a 1 day course at EBC with excuse for a trip to Edinburgh. Its all these not unsurmountable issues that is making me consider a ready made machine. I just want to get out and ride but if I can recycle an old cycle for not much money then I'd like to do that, I like spannering but spacers and flip flop hubs and lockrings are whole new worlds for me. As for Gorillas I am afraid there are not many around my house bearing in mind MY heritage.

In article <[email hidden]>,
bugbear@trim_papermule_trim.co.uk says...

Quoted message said:

I would recommend at least 1 item from the following list:

* raised bottom bracket
* short cranks
* short pedals

Otherwise you may encounter the "fun" of grounding
a pedal when cornering, and with no freewheel this isn't
good.

To date I have only ever grounded a pedal once. That was on my first
racer and given the angle of the corner and the crapness of the tyres it
was a miracle I made it round anyway.

I run 170mm cranks on the fixer. I had considered buying some shorter
ones but couldn't justify the expense. I ride at slightly slower speeds
than on the Giant simply because I can't spin that fast!

Jon

"MSeries" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am close to taking the plunge and getting a fixed for training

on. Do

Quoted message said:

I get a £300 Fuji ..

How do you track these Fujis down? I would at least like to look at
one. www.fujibikes.om doesn't seem to have a funtioning British
section

Jeremy Parker

MSeries said:

I am close to taking the plunge and getting a fixed for training on. Do
I get a £300 Fuji or do I cobble together one using an 80s steel frame.
My preference would be the latter but I am not sure if I want the hassle
with chainlines and new wheel etc. Thoughts from fixed owners
appreciated.

I bought an unused Fuji Track 54cm (current model) for £250 from eBay.
Hasn't arrived yet but the seller is a PowerSeller with tons of good
feedback.

Jeremy Parker said:

How do you track these Fujis down? I would at least like to look at
one. www.fujibikes.om doesn't seem to have a funtioning British
section

www.martynashfieldcycles.co.uk

MSeries [email hidden] opined the=20
following...

Quoted message said:

Mm, I do fancy trying my hand at wheelbuilding and am considering a 1
day course at EBC with excuse for a trip to Edinburgh. Its all these
not unsurmountable issues that is making me consider a ready made
machine. I just want to get out and ride but if I can recycle an old
cycle for not much money then I'd like to do that, I like spannering
but spacers and flip flop hubs and lockrings are whole new worlds for
me. As for Gorillas I am afraid there are not many around my house
bearing in mind MY heritage.

Cheap solution. Old five speed freewheel type wheel. Re dish (May=20
require new spokes). Fit sprocket (And spacer if needed). Ride.

If you're not happy about redishing the wheel then any of our local bike=20
shops will do it for about =A310 + the spokes (If needed). I doubt that=20
prices will vary that much your way (Though if you try the shops in=20
Sheffield, the prices may be cheaper).

Jon

Jeremy Parker said:

"MSeries" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am close to taking the plunge and getting a fixed for training on.
Do I get a £300 Fuji ..

How do you track these Fujis down? I would at least like to look at
one. www.fujibikes.om doesn't seem to have a funtioning British
section

Jeremy Parker

Cyclesense in Tadcaster list them on their website, I'm going to call them
to see if they have any in stock

Nicholas Windle said:

You'll find a lock ring is not needed with 2 brakes so long as you make
sure you honk up a 1 in 7 before putting any backward pressure on it
(I've ridden Audax up to 400km fixed without a lock ring).

Big girls' blouse. I've ridden 7000 miles on my fixer as described
snipped (ie 70s steel, remove the screw on block, replace with
sprocket, recentred solid axle, one front brake, rear brake
ineffectual. You don't need a lockring (and if you did, you need a new
hub as you need two threads threaded in opposite directions)....

In normal use (ie if you like your kneecaps) you only ease off on the
pedalling. You do your braking as God intended (with the front brake).

Quoted message said:

Chain must
have minimal slack (and back wheel must be tight) as you're in trouble
if it comes off spinning downhill at 180rpm.

Less than 1/2" play is good. A good chainline avoids such issues...

G

MSeries said:

I am close to taking the plunge and getting a fixed for training on. Do
I get a £300 Fuji or do I cobble together one using an 80s steel frame.
My preference would be the latter but I am not sure if I want the hassle
with chainlines and new wheel etc. Thoughts from fixed owners
appreciated.

Depends on how much you want to spend. Being tight, I cobbled
together a fixer from a donated 5 speed non descript "racer". Got the
rear wheel redished at my LBS. However I then changed chainsets
(diggig into the bits box) and the difference in taper meant I had to
fiddle the chain line some more. The sprocket I used has a step on one
side, so flipping it over changed the line enough. I haven't got a
lock ring on it and have ridden a few thousand km on it with no
trouble.

After I was sure liked it, I stripped the bike down and got the frame
resprayed.

I've got a suitable spare frame in the garage if anyone's interested.
Not sure what size though, and I'm watching taped highlights of Le
Tour so can't be bothered to measure it just now.

Tim