Need your fixie wisdom guys..

[clefty]

Yeh I think it will be a bit strange so prob wont use it on my 20 mile daily London commute at first, I already feel a bit bad at the prospect of neglecting my much loved Dahon Jack and I havent even bought the thing yet! I'm just hoping it isnt a complete lemon when I go see it tonight and I havent built up my hopes for nothing..I am quite excited tho

 

[zimzum42]

I wouldn't get it just because of the tubs.

It takes 5 minutes to repair a clincher, but can be forever with tubs.....

Otherwise it's OK, but seriously consider those wheels, tubs can be a real arse.....

 

[Christopher]

Assuming the rear hub is re-laced onto a clincher rim that would be:
rim £20
spokes (good ones): 36 at 50p each: £18
rim tape £1
so you've got £39 in parts already without tyre, inner tube or labour.... of course you may get a nice fixed rear wheel for less than that but..

 

[clefty]

I hear what you're saying guys, this is a 'toe-dip' for me, If I get into riding fixed then i'm quite happy to spend some money improving it, I just dont have the money to shell out on a ready to go fixed when I might not even get into it, I dont really have the time or the knowledge to spend time building up my own, and while I have had a look at the amount of info around on converting bikes to fixed, I find a lot of it rather confusing and dont have any 'fixed' friends that I can rely on to help me out.

 

[Christopher]

Fair enough Clefty. Let us know what you do...

 

[clefty]

Seems i'm out of luck anyway he's just sold it. oh well. guess it wasnt to be...

this has made me think about the whole fixed thing in general actually, maybe I should spend some time and have a bit more patience, get a frame and attempt a build, I know bugger all about how to go about it, although admittedly you guys already taught me a shedload I didnt know before.
Maybe thats half the fun, If I got hold of a second hand frame what do you reckon is an ok ball park figure for building something thats ok and wont break the bank? Langsters are all well and lovely but I dont want to spend 400 quid on something that is rather nickable, especially in London. I dont actually care if it looks like a pile of crap, as long as it runs nice.

 

[xroads]

Sounds like a good plan to me clefty. Buy an old 80s racer and convert it into a fixed for starters. You will learn loads and will enjoy the ride just as much. Plus it wont stand out as bike bait. Whereabouts in London are you?
I "fixed" my old 12 speed racer for under 60 quid (new BB, crankset,chain,sprocket,tyres,rattle can paintjob, bar tape, respaced and redished rear wheel)

 

[Christopher]

& in the meanwhiles, Clefty, havealookat:

http://fixiefaqs.xwiki.com/xwiki/bin/view/Main/

 

[Blonde]

You dont mention rear sprocket teeth count. 42 front, 16 rear should be bearable for a beginner (42/16x27=71"). Any higher than this, and you may wish to replace rear sprocket with a larget 17 or 18 tooth. Try it and see.

I just started fixing it on Tuesday, on a 48 x 19 gear. Is that considered 'high' then? Seems about right to me on my undulating 13 mile each way commute. The last couple of miles home is uphill all the way to the house and it's a bit steep in places too, though I'm actually about 3-4mph quicker up this now than I was using the free hub and gears. I've yet to try any really serious hills on it, though I don't think I'd get down the other side again if the gear was any lower!

Edit: Ooops - I just counted - actually it's an 18, not 19!

 

[Christopher]

Point taken Blonde. I seem to be the only fixed rider in the village who can't seem to get on with proper hills (proper being >= 10% grade), yet can climb well enough on a geared bike. I ride 38x15 (67 inches), all because there is a small sharp hill on a 3.5 mile commute - that gear is a touch low for the flat, but I can live with that.

 

[Blonde]

.. the only fixed rider in the village

I hope that was said with comedy Welsh accent and whilst wearing the cropped string vest and skimpiest PVC cycling shorts!

 

[peejay78]

don't buy a wrongster.

 

[Christopher]

.. the only fixed rider in the village

I hope that was said with comedy Welsh accent and whilst wearing the cropped string vest and skimpiest PVC cycling shorts! [/quote]
The really worrying thing about that statement is that I more or less possess those items! I have the high-tech version of the vest, and many-times-ripped lycra shorts from my dismal attempts at mountain biking

 

[gkerr4]

don't buy a wrongster.

do buy a wrongster - er, I mean langster!

They are a wonderful introduction to fixie-world without faffing about with rusting steel tubes.... or something.

peejay hates em, I've just got one - I think it's good and has opened my eyes to fixie-dom.
don't pay full retail on them though. some of the parts are pretty poor quality - the freehub for one - awful and the wheels feel pretty cheap too...

 

[peejay78]

wrongsters and bromptons.

must.....destroy.....arrrghhh