I'm going to get in trouble for this... but I think it's worth it :)

[biggs682]

@ChrisEyles looking good , i used those tyres a few times and like you say they do the job

Keep us posted on how it goes , i have another likely contender in watching for a similar project as my winter bike

 

[ChrisEyles]

Tensioned up the chain again this evening to make everything a bit tighter, and went for another short spin. This time I tensioned the chain with the chain ring slightly off the tight spot, so the chain is probably a tad too tight in the tight spot, but looks much better most of the way around. Interestingly it seems to have loosened up a teeny bit during the ride - is this normal with new chains? Or perhaps I'm just being paranoid, it's quite hard to quantify how much play there is in the chain by hand and I think both my chain ring and sprocket are slightly out so might just be testing different points.

Anyway, the chain stayed on this time, and I had a lovely ten mile or so spin through the local quiet country lanes. I enjoyed the feel of the tighter chain line too, with a more immediate switch between putting in power and resisting going downhill. I had one moment going down a slightly iffy blind corner where I automatically tried to freewheel on applying the brakes, which was a little bit interesting - wouldn't like that to happen at 180+rpm though! The bike feels really nice to ride, and is very rewarding of a good hard grunt on the pedals. It's definitely a slightly racier fit than any of my other bikes. The saddle is also really quite comfy so may end up keeping it on the bike (it's not quite period correct, think it's a 1970s Selle Italia Condor, but still a nice saddle, and goes with the black and yellow paint job quite nicely).

I think I'm beginning to get what this fixed malarky is about

Will do another short spin over the weekend (well my weekend, which isn't at the weekend at all, but Mon/Tue anyway) and then tighten up the cotter pins and see how the chain tension's holding up. Then planning on taking the bike down to Exmouth for a (mostly flat) 40ish miler to see how I get on with it on a slightly longer ride.

@biggs682 what are you planning on using for your fixed gear makeover? I can see how they'd make a great winter bike, but I have to be honest, if I was commuting day in day out on one I would really, really, really miss having gears.

 

[Alan O]

Tensioned up the chain again this evening to make everything a bit tighter, and went for another short spin. This time I tensioned the chain with the chain ring slightly off the tight spot, so the chain is probably a tad too tight in the tight spot, but looks much better most of the way around. Interestingly it seems to have loosened up a teeny bit during the ride - is this normal with new chains? Or perhaps I'm just being paranoid, it's quite hard to quantify how much play there is in the chain by hand and I think both my chain ring and sprocket are slightly out so might just be testing different points.

Anyway, the chain stayed on this time, and I had a lovely ten mile or so spin through the local quiet country lanes. I enjoyed the feel of the tighter chain line too, with a more immediate switch between putting in power and resisting going downhill. I had one moment going down a slightly iffy blind corner where I automatically tried to freewheel on applying the brakes, which was a little bit interesting - wouldn't like that to happen at 180+rpm though! The bike feels really nice to ride, and is very rewarding of a good hard grunt on the pedals. It's definitely a slightly racier fit than any of my other bikes. The saddle is also really quite comfy so may end up keeping it on the bike (it's not quite period correct, think it's a 1970s Selle Italia Condor, but still a nice saddle, and goes with the black and yellow paint job quite nicely).

I think I'm beginning to get what this fixed malarky is about

View attachment 358423

Will do another short spin over the weekend (well my weekend, which isn't at the weekend at all, but Mon/Tue anyway) and then tighten up the cotter pins and see how the chain tension's holding up. Then planning on taking the bike down to Exmouth for a (mostly flat) 40ish miler to see how I get on with it on a slightly longer ride.

@biggs682 what are you planning on using for your fixed gear makeover? I can see how they'd make a great winter bike, but I have to be honest, if I was commuting day in day out on one I would really, really, really miss having gears.

I really do think that bike looks great, though I'd be wanting a black leather Brooks saddle on it - maybe a Swallow.

I should be building my first fixed-wheel bike before too long - I have an 80s Falcon frame, wheels, and a crankset so all I need is, well, all of the rest of it. Hopefully I'll get the malarky too

 

[ChrisEyles]

If money were no object I'd have a black Brooks B17 or Swallow on it already

Good luck with your Falcon build! If you take some piccies while you're at it it'd be great to see them on here

 

[Alan O]

If money were no object I'd have a black Brooks B17 or Swallow on it already

For that very same reason, I'll probably have a Charge Spoon on mine

Good luck with your Falcon build! If you take some piccies while you're at it it'd be great to see them on here

Thanks, I will do.

 

[biggs682]

@ChrisEyles there's a couple on e bay i am watching or if neither of them come up i might convert my The Pollard has arrived to fixed

 

[ChrisEyles]

@biggs682 that Pollard is gorgeous!

 

[biggs682]

@biggs682 that Pollard is gorgeous!

And so far this year it has not made it to the top of the pile

But it needs to soon

 

[ChrisEyles]

Had a lovely ride down to the coast and back today, a mostly flat forty-odd miler with a few short and sharp climbs thrown in along the way. It's sort of satisfying knowing I pedalled every single inch of the way around

The bike rode beautifully the whole way and was very comfortable on a slightly longer ride. It's pretty much a perfect fit and handles very nicely - I can never suss out exactly what it is that makes a bike feel "right", but this one's definitely got it. It "fixed" a big grin on my face the whole way around!

I'm planning on taking it out to the local velo park with a friend next weekend, which should be a good laugh. I'm also rather tempted to try and find a nearby velodrome, fit a 14t sprocket on the rear and see how quickly I can hoon it around the track.

I crumbled this morning and bought a (rather delapidated) Wrights leather saddle on ebay. Hopefully it will come up all right with a bit of proofhide, a polish, and a bit of work on the rails, should finish off the bike nicely.

 

[swee'pea99]

Just stumbled across this thread - I don't usually stray much outside the cafe! - nice bike! Do be aware that riding fixed can get very addictive. Two quickies before I go to bed: first, if I were you I'd sort out that chainline. It really ought to be a lot straighter. It's actually very easy to redish a wheel - and quick. You could probably sort that out in 20 minutes. Just tighten/loosen alternate spokes all the way round. Then if it's not quite there, do it some more. Just don't get lost over which side's which, or everything will go pear-shaped. (There are quite a few vids on youtube if you don't know how it's done.) Second, the chain tension is right when you can hold the chain half way along and wiggle it up and down about an inch - half an inch each way. Something like that. It's not an exact science, but that's the rule of thumb I use. Good luck! Have fun.

 

[biggs682]

@ChrisEyles it's still looking good and glad to hear you are enjoying it so much

 

[ChrisEyles]

@swee'pea99 thanks a lot for the tips, that's really helpful. In that case I think I've got the chain tension about right at the moment, albeit a bit tighter on the tightest spot and a bit looser on the loosest.

I've re-trued wheels often enough so re-dishing should be do-able. Is there an easy way to measure the chainline? I've tried eyeballing and it looks pretty straight to me, and have also tried lining up a beam of wood against the chain ring and seeing where it contacts the sprocket, and again, looks alright to me. How close should you be aiming for, something like 2mm accuracy?

And yes, I can see how riding fixed could quickly get addictive!

 

[swee'pea99]

@swee'pea99 thanks a lot for the tips, that's really helpful. In that case I think I've got the chain tension about right at the moment, albeit a bit tighter on the tightest spot and a bit looser on the loosest.

I've re-trued wheels often enough so re-dishing should be do-able. Is there an easy way to measure the chainline? I've tried eyeballing and it looks pretty straight to me, and have also tried lining up a beam of wood against the chain ring and seeing where it contacts the sprocket, and again, looks alright to me. How close should you be aiming for, something like 2mm accuracy?

And yes, I can see how riding fixed could quickly get addictive!

I'm no kind of an expert, and this is all a bit rough 'n ready, but I just took a photo of mine and it looks like this:

My theory was that by standing a few feet back from the rear of the bike and using a line-up of the back tyre and seat tube/frame, I could get a notional 'centre line', running through the centre of the bike frame, front to back, then I dished the wheel until as far as I could judge it by eye, the chain line was running parallel to that line. Hope that's some help.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Thanks, that's all useful info. I'll have another look when I'm out in the garage with a more critical eye and see how it looks.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Had a cracking afternoon's riding at the local velo park with a friend today. Set the single lap spring record for a vintage fixed gear bike

..... OK they might have made that category up especially for me