Hip's Next Machine - Road Fixie

Hip

They all look good to me. Anything looks better than my recently
converted Repco Traveller. However, my total cost was $65 to buy the
bike from a mate and $85 for the LBS to do the conversion.

Feel like a dorc when riding to work on the bike track, especially when
I pass one of my road cycling friends. But I'm getting a good workout
and learning how to handle the damn thing.

When I get a bit more competent I might go for a better quality bike
like the ones on the link and even give the track a try (on my own of
course). I can hear "she who must be obeyed" bleating about it now.

I tried to get a 2nd hand fixie (under $500) over the web but there
wasn't much interest in anyone selling me one. Need a big frame (58 to
60). Any ideas?

Spider

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hippy said:

Any comments so far? 😉 hippy

You'll blow your knee young man.

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Quoted message said:

Originally posted by Spider1977 They all look good to me. Anything
looks better than my >recently converted Repco Traveller. However, my
total cost was $65 to buy the bike from a mate and $85 for the LBS to
do the conversion.

I was going to originally do a hack job on a $50 bike, but decided I
wanted something a little nicer because like the SS I'd probably get
addicted to riding it.

Quoted message said:

I tried to get a 2nd hand fixie (under $500) over the web but >there
wasn't much interest in anyone selling me one. Need a >big frame (58 to
60). Any ideas?

That's funny - I bought my track bike for $500 with a selection of gears
a second set of wheels (Campag Record singles). It was in a fairly
common size too (55cm). I found mine on www.tradingpost.com.au.

I know there was a MASSIVE frame for sale at my LBS but I think it was
bigger than what you are after.

You could try asking any trackies or the club at the track. I also
emailed the bike shops I knew that specialised in track racing about
bikes. Keep an eye out on ebay too. One will pop up eventually.

hth hippy

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ooh nice, fixies are cool. Not saying I'd have the guts to ride one
myself off the track...

There's a couple of crazy couriers in the city with fixies and only a
front brake, they came into Cecil Walkers a fair bit when I was doing
work experience there.

Sorry, this post is being rather pointless. :p What sort of wheels would
you have on the bike? Obviously track wheels with the Surly frame (which
looks nice, btw, but you'll be struggling to find one in Australia;
possibly order from the US? I do have a review of a Surly 1x1 in a
Bicycling Australia from 3 or so years ago which should have the
distributor's name, but I'm not sure I can be stuffed getting out of bed
at 11.35 😉) but with any other frame, would you just build up, say,
some Mavic CXP's with the White Bros. ENO hub?

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Etxy said:

but I'm not sure I can be stuffed getting out of bed at 11.35 😉

The sacrifices I make, kiddo... :p Who needs sleep anyway. In the space
of 8 months, it seems, Bicycling Australia did two reviews of single
speed bikes.

November 2001- A review of an On-One Inbred, single speed mountain bike.
On-One, quoth BA, is an English brand with Reynolds steel frames.
Distributor is- On-One Oz Ph. no- 03) 9431 5844

April 2001- A review of a Surly 1x1. Surly was the brand you were
interested in, so I'll cut to the chase. It says the distributor was-
Dirt Works Ph. no- 02) 9679 8400 Website- www.dirtworks.com.au

Might be worth giving Dirt Works a ring or email; even if they're not
still distributing Surly stuff, they could probably give you a pretty
good idea of who to turn to next.

And as for me? I'm going to sleep. 😄

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Surly's are carried at Spoke(n) in the CBD

Hey Hippy. you mentioned Bicycle recycle

Do you go there often and if not how did you know what they had
currently?

Been meaning to wander down there and poke about for bits for my SS
(and possibly my next 700c/rod SS - no comments on buying bits, from
you either!)

What are prices/stock/anything like???

AH-FlyingDutch

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cfsmtb said:

You'll blow your knee young man.

Knee? What knee? They both disappeared when I found out what a
singlespeed was ;-)

hippy

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Quoted message said:

Originally posted by Etxy
The sacrifices I make, kiddo... :p Who needs sleep anyway.

I do at the moment :P

Quoted message said:

On-One Inbred

Yep, I've lusted after these bikes for quite a while now but I'd decided
to build a road frame rather than mtb. BUT, you've reminded me about
their Il Pompino cyclocross frame which could be a nice option. I think
there was a review of this in one of my mags.. must look..

Quoted message said:

Surly 1x1

This was going to be my alternative to the Inbred. Now that I'm onto
road frames the Steamroller is the model o' choice. I believe DirtWorks
still do Surly - I should ask...

Thanks dude!

hippy

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Quoted message said:

Originally posted by wassupdawg Surly's are carried at Spoke(n)
in the CBD

I think most LBS's can get access to the DirtWorks catalog. Do you know
if they have any of the frames in the store? I should get off my
backside once in a while and head into all the cool city bike stores..
just for a look...

Quoted message said:

Hey Hippy. you mentioned Bicycle recycle

No, no that was another hippy... not me, no way ;P

Quoted message said:

Do you go there often and if not how did you know what they had
currently?

Never been there before. The reason I know what they have is that I
called and they checked their stock of 56cm frames. They had 2 in stock.
They also said they had plans to put their stock online - but I've heard
that from shops before 🙂

Quoted message said:

Been meaning to wander down there and poke about for bits >for my SS
(and possibly my next 700c/rod SS - no comments on buying bits, from
you either!)

Buying parts for an SS.. NOOOOOO!!! 😉 It's ok man.. I'll probably end
up spending large $$ on this next bike anyway 🙂

Quoted message said:

What are prices/stock/anything like???

All I know of is the two 56cm road frames. $200 and $250, but I can't
remember the manufacturers.

hippy

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Quoted message said:

Do you know if they have any of the frames in the store?

Yes they have a few 1x1's (and mentioned an anniversary model in bright
pink! not for this liddle bwack duck, mifter!)

All I know of is the two 56cm road frames. $200 and $250, but I can't
remember the manufacturers.

horizontal dropout jobs? Oh, hang on. you mentioned the white Bros
eccentric number, didnt you. The Melb Uni bike shop apprently is very SS
orientated and has one on display - droooool!

seeing as I have an entire Veloce grouppo sitting about doing nothing, I
guess I can use the BB, cranks, Headset, forks (wicked chromed straight
numbers :-) ), stem, ergos and brakes for the project. BB and headset
may not be up to it (PS how much stuff do you keep lying around?)

then its just a matter of getting the handlebars and seatpost and
rearhub/cog and built up into my Campag Atlanta aero rims (know you'll
like that!)

PPS is there any rule of thumb cranklength wise re SSing? Do you
stay the same, go longer for greater leverage or shorter for
better spinning?

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flyingdutch said:

PPS is there any rule of thumb cranklength wise re SSing? Do you stay
the same, go longer for greater leverage or shorter for better
spinning?

Shorter is good, both to improve spinning (which is what it's all about
anyway) and to improve ground clearance (especially with non-track
frames). I use 170 on mine, though I'd go to 165 on my red one if I had
them, as it's a road frame with a typical low bottom bracket.

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hippy said:

At the moment, it looks like I'll get a White Industries ENO eccentric
fixed/free hub from aussie distributor Atomic Industries and fit that
to a used frame. Bicycle Recycle have some frames in my size I want to
look at.

For my first road fixed gear, I used an '80s steel road frame, with a
rear end spaced for 5/6 speed (120mm). I simply laced a new rear wheel
using a Suzue Pro-max track hub (from Sheldon) and Open Pro rim. I used
a road 49 tooth chainwheel that I had banging around with a 19 tooth
3/32 cog from Sheldon, and rode. Very cheap, and very satisfying.

A pic is at http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/suzyjackson.htm

Regards,

Suzy

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Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I would fit shorter cranks (165mm) to a road fixie because I know I
will be pedalling around >>corners. For an SS though, you don't have
that problem so any >>length will be fine.

huh? wont I have to pedal round corners on a SS? or is SS the generic
term for 'freewheeling one-geared' whereas 'Fixed' is what I should be
saying, yeah?

my Veloce cranks are 172.5's

maybe some of those 'stoker' style bars like one of the gals bought at
Moore's (or was it ebay?) would be cool. was only gonna use the ergos
cos that's what I got (and they have adjustable cable pull so way off
into the future when road-discs are all the go i can use a mechanical
disc on the front😉 )

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Quoted message said:

Originally posted by flyingdutch

Quoted message said:

I would fit shorter cranks (165mm) to a road fixie because I know I
will be pedalling around >>corners. For an SS though, you don't have
that problem so any >>length will be fine.

Quoted message said:

huh? wont I have to pedal round corners on a SS? or is SS the generic
term for 'freewheeling one-geared' >whereas 'Fixed' is what I should be
saying, yeah?

A fixed gear bike forces you to pedal through every corner. An SS
(singlespeed, not necessarily fixed gear) will not generally be pedaled
through a corner. You usually drop the outside foot and coast through
(well, I do).

I thought you were building up an SS (freewheeling singlespeed)
not a fixie?

Quoted message said:

my Veloce cranks are 172.5's

Ahh, they'll suit me fine. Just drop them off at my place will
you? Ta. ;-)

Quoted message said:

Maybe some of those 'stoker' style bars like one of the gals >bought at
Moore's (or was it ebay?) would be cool. was only

Yeah I want to at least try them. If I like - they stay.

Quoted message said:

gonna use the ergos cos that's what I got

Now you're getting it :P

Quoted message said:

(and they have adjustable cable pull so way off into the future >when
road-discs are all the go i can use a mechanical disc on >the front😉 )

I'd say "Yeah, in your dreams", but I know when people say that, 6
months later full ultralight hydro disc brakes come out for road bikes!

hippy

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nah, I wanna go fixie'd

can go with my soon-to-be-permanent hardcore 'sicklist' look (tat) and
being able to scoff at nancies on bikes with gears at the lights (who
settle for comfort, ease-of-use and other such loookserries!)

maybe i need one of those poles with a foxtail on it too. and one of
those horns that go.... nah-neh-nah..... oh bugger, cant figure how to
type it... )

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Quoted message said:

Originally posted by flyingdutch nah, I wanna go fixie'd

Ahh ok, call it a fixie then rather than SS so I know what you mean ;0)

Quoted message said:

can go with my soon-to-be-permanent hardcore 'sicklist' look (tat) and
being able to scoff at nancies on bikes with gears at >the lights (who
settle for comfort, ease-of-use and other such >loookserries!)

At least if you ever see me and bag me for riding a geared bike, I can
remind you of someone who owns a triple hehehe 😉

What's your tatt going to say/look like? Mine will say "That's not how
you spell Collnaggo".. or not 😉

Quoted message said:

maybe i need one of those poles with a foxtail on it too. and >one of
those horns that go.... nah-neh-nah..... oh bugger, cant >figure how to
type it... )

Don't forget all the chrome, the neons and the sick mate fully sub
woofer fully sick mate...

hippy "can I go home now?"

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Or http://www.rivbike.com/html/bikes_quickbeam.html. I bought one of
their Romulus bikes a few months ago. Very nice and pretty good value
even after paying shipping and import duties. Mind you, the $A has
dropped about 12% against the $US since I purchased...

Or get an 2nd hand bike with horizontal dropouts and freewheel hubs
(these are usually pretty cheap, even when of good quality) and convert
it to a fixed wheel by putting on a track cog in place of the freewheel
and using a cup-and-cone bottom bracket lockring as a lockring (lockring
not needed if you have brakes on the bike). Run the chain on the inner
chainring of a double crankset to get a good chainline. I converted my
20-year-old tourer to a fixed wheel in that way and now use it for
commuting on crappy days. The only parts I had to buy were the track cog
and a new chain.

Nick

hippy said:

Here's a ready made solution (if I was in the States):
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/bianchi04/pistase.html

Like the look of this one too: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/gunnar-street-
dog.html

from a list of a few: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/fixed.html

At the moment, it looks like I'll get a White Industries ENO
eccentric fixed/free hub from aussie distributor Atomic Industries
and fit that to a used frame. Bicycle Recycle have some frames in my
size I want to look at.

There's also the option of a Surly Steamroller which would negate the
use of the $225 ENO with its horizontal track ends. It doesn't appear in
a local google much though...

Other parts will be mishmash of new and stuff I drag out of storage.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

At least if you ever see me and bag me for riding a geared >>bike, I
can remind you of someone who owns a triple hehehe 😉

Low-blow!

do the Alpine Classic and get back to me matey 😄

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What's your tatt going to say/look like?

did some trials on weekend. you know how when you've been riding a bike
and you stop and get on-off the bike and you get home and realise you
have yet again managed to put a perfect print of your big chainring on
the inside of your calf? Well, mines gonna be permanent eek: :eek: :eek:

a few months back sitting round, beers in hand being philosophers
bouncin' round what would would you get as a tattoo? Well the only thing
I could concievably justify that was with me for life and coursing thru
me viens was bikes...

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Quoted message said:

Originally posted by flyingdutch

Quoted message said:

At least if you ever see me and bag me for riding a geared >>bike, I
can remind you of someone who owns a triple hehehe 😉

Quoted message said:

Low-blow!

Sorry, couldn't resist! :-D

Quoted message said:

do the Alpine Classic and get back to me matey 😄

Okay! <looks around for helicopter option>
Do (m)any non-racer people do that on a double? There's always the
push option 🙂

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What's your tatt going to say/look like?

Quoted message said:

print of your big chainring on the inside of your calf? Well, mines
gonna be permanent eek: :eek: :eek:

Noooooo! :P

Quoted message said:

tattoo? Well the only thing I could concievably justify that was >with
me for life and coursing thru me viens was bikes...

Yeah, I thought the same thing when I typed that question. Of course,
I've always been opposed to tatts (on me) so I'd never get one. An artsy
sprocket tatt would be nice. Or a wheel. Maybe if I was obsessed with a
single bike brand/model - it's logo?

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