Fixie Project

[grayhamzyvicz]

Hi All,

I've just posted in the welcome page.

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/hello-all.97177/

I am wanting to build a fixed gear bike, keeping it as cheap as possible, and (hopefully) doing it all myself.

Pic of the frame
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77667089@N05/6959962829/in/photostream

I've done a lot of research online, but I am puzzled about some things. Basically I am wanting to buy my parts on ebay to keep it cheapish. Although I don't want to buy anything if it won't fit.

Some question that spring off the top of my head.

The crankset - do I need to buy a certain kind, for example, would this fit?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Single-Sp...ikeparts_SR&hash=item3a70298ace#ht_5309wt_994

I have read online that if i buy a fixed rear wheel it might not fit the frame and that i might have to bend the rear forks a few mm to get it to fit. Is it possible to get a rear wheel that will fit the bike easily?

Is there any other problems that I might encounter when I am doing this? I'm sure I have more questions, and will think of some when I start working on it, which I will post when they spring to mind.

If anyone can give me some of their spare time to give me a hand it qould be greatly apreciated

Cheers

Graham

 

[grayhamzyvicz]

Header should be 'Fixed Gear' project. Apologies to all the people that hate the word Fixie!

 

[colly]

Fixie ....schmixie. We know what it's about.

 

[colly]

A couple of very useful sites that I was pointed to in this thread:
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/new-project.92337/


http://www.velosolo.co.uk/

http://www.hubjub.co.uk/

I bought a bb, crankset, wheels, tyres, tubes and a sprocket or two for less that I was expecting to pay for the wheels alone from:
http://singlespeedcomponents.co.uk/.

Edit: and a chain.

 

[Pennine-Paul]

Most fixed wheels have a 120 mm hub and most old frames with horizontal dropouts are 126mm
I find if you fit a slim nut on either side of the axle it takes the spacing out to the right size

That chainset looks fine,The important thing to get right is your chainline,if it's out of line
and your spinning like crazy down hill it can throw the chain.

Make sure you dont fit a 3/32 chain if your chainring or sprockets are 1/8

I started out with an old Raleigh scorpio and had no great problems building it up

 

[grayhamzyvicz]

Excellent thank you both.

Had a quick glance at your thread. Looks very useful, I'll give it a full read tomorrow, when I'm in work . I jumped to near the end to have a look at your bike and it's looking very nice. I'm going to go for a subtle look myself.

I like the look of singlespeed components. I was thinking if my bike could cost sub £200 to get all the parts then I'd be very happy, so £160 for a deluxe package is very tempting.

I think I'll just get on and choose a package tomorrow and buy it, then deal with problems if and when they occur, with your help.

If getting the chainline is the most important part, then I think I'd be happy taking my bike to the LBS to make sure it is perfect.

 

[Pennine-Paul]

It's usually a matter of moving the chainring closer to the frame and fitting a spacer behind the sprocket,
Most lbs dont have much experience in Fixed wheel bikes from what i've found,however if you have a good
one by all means use them.

If you get stuck just ask

 

[colly]

Excellent thank you both.

Had a quick glance at your thread. Looks very useful, I'll give it a full read tomorrow, when I'm in work . I jumped to near the end to have a look at your bike and it's looking very nice. I'm going to go for a subtle look myself.

I like the look of singlespeed components. I was thinking if my bike could cost sub £200 to get all the parts then I'd be very happy, so £160 for a deluxe package is very tempting.

I think I'll just get on and choose a package tomorrow and buy it, then deal with problems if and when they occur, with your help.

If getting the chainline is the most important part, then I think I'd be happy taking my bike to the LBS to make sure it is perfect.

I gave Matt a call at Singlespeed to ask about the chainline. He was very helpful. I decided on the bb he supplied because he said it would offer a chainline of 42mm (I think) and with the rear wheel supplied to match my frame spacing between the dropouts it also give a line of 42mm.
It slipped in and fitted perfectly....................


Er? I could have phrased that more delicately.

 

[Smurfy]

Header should be 'Fixed Gear' project. Apologies to all the people that hate the word Fixie!

We're gonna have to start a 'swear' box for people who use the word fix*e on here

Back on topic. There's an awful lot of useful information on fixed wheel bikes (and just about everything cycling) on the Sheldon Brown website:

Fixed gear bikes (watch out for the finger amputation picture!): http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html
Hub spacing: http://sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html
Chainline (V. important for fixed wheel): http://sheldonbrown.com/chainline.html
Bottom bracket sizing (to help get the chainline correct): http://sheldonbrown.com/bbsize.html

 

[Smurfy]

I bought a bb, crankset, wheels, tyres, tubes and a sprocket or two for less that I was expecting to pay for the wheels alone from:
http://singlespeedcomponents.co.uk/.

Looks like you got a good deal!

 

[Rahul Sapariya]

Check your double chainset on it and see if both chainrings are bolted on. If so then your chainset will be fine, just take out the smaller chainring.

The only issues you will find is lining up the rear fixed sprocket and the front chainring. Sometimes you can add a spacer onto the back to help but really it all boils down to the bottom bracket in my opinion. I'm actually working on a fixed project of my own at the workshop. If you need any advice, do ask.

Oh and regards to the rear dropout, if you have the wheel that went on it originally, measure the cone nuts from one side to the other, this is going to be what your frame is made for. If you don't have the rear wheel, then just measure the dropouts from the inside of each one from one side to the other. You can get away with bending the chainstays out by about 5-6mm while getting the wheel into the dropouts, but after that, it will be an issue.

Long story short, I'd do the measurements first, so the dropouts, bottom bracket, make sure your double can be turned into a single and that single chainring is bolted on and that your chainline is lined up alright (you can get away with 2-3mm but if it is out by like 1cm then it is definitely off and needs sorting tbh.

The reason I say that you need your single chainring to be bolted onto the crankarm is because I have heard of people who have single chainsets where the chainring is pressed on and that they have become loose over time (what that time frame is, I don't know) so it's best to plan for the future and make sure these problems don't arise.

Hope this helps you out

 

[Rahul Sapariya]

Just had a look at the ebay posting of the chainset, that looks good for the job.

 

[grayhamzyvicz]

I gave Matt a call at Singlespeed to ask about the chainline. He was very helpful. I decided on the bb he supplied because he said it would offer a chainline of 42mm (I think) and with the rear wheel supplied to match my frame spacing between the dropouts it also give a line of 42mm.

Is there any way of checking to see what chainline the current bb on the bike would give?

Back on topic. There's an awful lot of useful information on fixed wheel bikes (and just about everything cycling) on the Sheldon Brown website:

I'll have a look at lunch time!

Check your double chainset on it and see if both chainrings are bolted on. If so then your chainset will be fine, just take out the smaller chainring.

I'll check this out tonight. I'd like to use as many original parts from the old bike as possible.

Oh and regards to the rear dropout, if you have the wheel that went on it originally, measure the cone nuts from one side to the other, this is going to be what your frame is made for. If you don't have the rear wheel, then just measure the dropouts from the inside of each one from one side to the other. You can get away with bending the chainstays out by about 5-6mm while getting the wheel into the dropouts, but after that, it will be an issue.

I measured between the inside of the dropouts and it was 125mm

The only issues you will find is lining up the rear fixed sprocket and the front chainring. Sometimes you can add a spacer onto the back to help but really it all boils down to the bottom bracket in my opinion. I'm actually working on a fixed project of my own at the workshop. If you need any advice, do ask.

So, if i get a wheel that gives me a chainline of XXmm, and the bb does not offer the same chainline (does the chainset play a major part in altering the chainline?), the easiest way to rectify the problem would be buying a bb that gives me the same chainline?

Feel as if I've learned so much already and I haven't done anything to the bike other than remove the old brakes etc. To be honest I didn't even know what a bb, dropout, chainset etc were. But this is why it'll be such a great sense of ahievement when I finally build this thing. (although I probably will get the LBS to give it a once over before riding it, for the safety of me, and others!)

 

[Smurfy]

Stuff

Sheldon shows you how to make the necessary measurements. I don't recommend adjusting the chainline using spacers at the sprocket, you might not be able to get a lock-ring on*. That leaves you with BB size and spacers at the chainring to adjust chainline. You could also move spacers from one side to the other on the hub spindle, but you might need to re-dish the wheel to do that.

* Whether you need a lock-ring is an area of dispute

 

[Smurfy]

Are there any Mods reading this thread? Wouldn't it be a good idea to have a Sticky Thread along the lines of 'How to turn your ebay bargain into a Fix*e Fixed wheel bike'?