fixed ss conversion

[alecstilleyedye]

my daughter has taken a fancy to my old '58 carlton fixie and, as she really wants a frame with thin tubing (thus ruling out any mainstream bike built in the last 15 years), i've decided to let her have it, to get her cycling again as much as anything else.

i'm going to have to make it a bit more user-friendly, so i'll be making it single speed rather than fixed, and i'll also be upgrading the brakes (including adding cross brakes to the tops) and, of course, putting a ladies' saddle on.

other than consumables, anything else i should have thought of?

 

[fossyant]

Gosh you are a good Dad. What a nice bike ! I assume this is one of the older daughters.

Drop the gearing ratio ? Won't the brookes be OK ?

The other thing is looking for 531/653 etc etc on ebay but they fetch stupid money.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

it's not that old '51 claud butler you've seen foss, just another one that i acquired through the club as a more 'everyday' fixie. dd in question is 13, so i guess i'll have to look for a 23 tooth freewheel sprocket…

 

[Zoiders]

I say let her have a go on fixed.

I bet she adapts quicker than grown ups do to it.

 

[fossyant]

it's not that old '51 claud butler you've seen foss, just another one that i acquired through the club as a more 'everyday' fixie. dd in question is 13, so i guess i'll have to look for a 23 tooth freewheel sprocket…

Ah right.... phew... I've seen that one.

 

[fossyant]

I say let her have a go on fixed.

I bet she adapts quicker than grown ups do to it.

She'll be pullin a 'skid'..........

 

[alecstilleyedye]

fixed is out of the question as she won't ride clipped or clip less. not wanting to wear lycra of any description…

 

[Zoiders]

You don't have to be clipped in to ride fixed.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

You don't have to be clipped in to ride fixed.

with the hills around here, it's advisable on the descents…

 

[alecstilleyedye]

totted up what's needed and it comes to about £160 (sourced variously from ebay, usual online retailers and lbs) and the 22 tooth sprocket looks huge.

stripped the bike down so she'd better not come home with a change of mind

 

[Zoiders]

with the hills around here, it's advisable on the descents…

No just make sure it's has brakes front and rear that work and don't gear it too steeply and it will be fine.