Noob questions....

[stoatsngroats]

I'm possibly gonna end up with a large steel frame peugeot racer, from the early 80s, and I'm considering making it fixed.....

I've read some of Sheldons stuff, and have much more to read, but I've got a couple of Q's for you here...if you don't mind sharing your wisdom...

I'm wondering how you decide which ratios to choose - I have some long hills around here, and lots of flat, and ride each equally, so would it be possible to get something which allows me to ride fixed on both?

I can climb the hills on my Carrera 8 speed double, but things like Ditchling beacon are still untried, (I think it's too much for me ), so would I be better off trying to gain more fitness first, or would the fixed bring greater strength..?

That's it for now, no doubt more to follow.....

 

[Joe24]

I'm possibly gonna end up with a large steel frame peugeot racer, from the early 80s, and I'm considering making it fixed.....

I've read some of Sheldons stuff, and have much more to read, but I've got a couple of Q's for you here...if you don't mind sharing your wisdom...

I'm wondering how you decide which ratios to choose - I have some long hills around here, and lots of flat, and ride each equally, so would it be possible to get something which allows me to ride fixed on both?

I can climb the hills on my Carrera 8 speed double, but things like Ditchling beacon are still untried, (I think it's too much for me ), so would I be better off trying to gain more fitness first, or would the fixed bring greater strength..?

That's it for now, no doubt more to follow.....

Well, basicly talking to people. Around here, where there are hills, alot of the club riders were on mid 60" fixeds when most people used to ride them in the winter. 65" is what i started on, and id go up any hill with that. A mate used to go around Derbyshire on 65" fixed, and up Winnets pass on that.
65" i think will be good for you. You will spin, but it will get you fit, and make your legs supple. No need to get fit before riding that gear, just go for it and your fitness will just rise.
I ride 72" now. Its good on hills(im fast up hills anyway) and good on the flat, but i ride with people on geared bikes, so i like the gear because i dont have to spin as much to keep up with them, like what i had to do on my 65" gear.
You could also get a fixed/fixed hub, and have a small gear for hills on one side(if you often just go on rides with lots of hills, and not just one or two) and a gear on the other for flat rides.
Im guessing you know how to work out gear inches. If you dont, its chainring(tooth number) divided by sprocket size(again, number of teeth) divided by the wheel size in inches.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I used to ride 42/15 somewhere around 71" I think around London and Surrey, including several grunts over Ditchling amongst the L2B throng... and I smoked roll-ups then!

So something around 68" would probably be fine for getting going.

 

[stoatsngroats]

Thanks Joe, and FF,

I've read some more!

The main reason for thinking about this project is cost. The Sachs Huret rear mech is bu&^%ed!

The Peugeot (it's a Magnalloy frame) I'm thinking of using for this fixed project has a double CR, 42 being the smallest. The big ring is revetted on, so I'll possibly leave this for the time being.
The rear wheel is crap too, so it'll be a replacement single or fixed wheel - I'm not decided completely yet!

I like the idea of fixed, but reading about throwing the chain off, and wheel locking has made me think a bit harder.

I've got a month or so to consider which way I'll go....

Come on, convince me....

 

[Oddjob62]

I like the idea of fixed, but reading about throwing the chain off, and wheel locking has made me think a bit harder.

Just need to make sure your chainline is good and your chain is tight. Plus i guess if you learn how to skid properly you won't have to worry about it.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Thanks Joe, and FF,

I've read some more!

The main reason for thinking about this project is cost. The Sachs Huret rear mech is bu&^%ed!

The Peugeot (it's a Magnalloy frame) I'm thinking of using for this fixed project has a double CR, 42 being the smallest. The big ring is revetted on, so I'll possibly leave this for the time being.
The rear wheel is crap too, so it'll be a replacement single or fixed wheel - I'm not decided completely yet!

I like the idea of fixed, but reading about throwing the chain off, and wheel locking has made me think a bit harder.

I've got a month or so to consider which way I'll go....

Come on, convince me....

I never in all my years threw a chain and I don't have a lockring either, just remember that you can't use QR skewers, you should use proper nuts.
Best thing is if you can get the rear cogs off, buy a fixed sprocket say 16 or 17 teeth, fit it on the crappy wheel, shorten the chain and give it a go. You've not much to loose. It's exactly how I got into fixed, for the price of a (then) £5 cog.

 

[Joe24]

Ive had a chain come off twice. It didnt lock up my back wheel any of the times, i just came to a controlled stop.
No idea what was up with it, i think the chainline was slightly out, and the crappy chainring with the tight slack ment that when i went over a bump the chain came off.
Back wheel never locked. If i did have the backwheel lock on me, i would just stop the bike using the skid of the wheel. Which is something thats pretty easy when your on fixed.
Make the bike up, you will feel good about making the bike so cheap and making it up yourself. And the lack of things to go wrong is good.
Chain being thrown off is nothing to worry about.

 

[Big John]

I've had the chain come off a couple of times. On all occasions it was self inflicted as I had too much slack on the chain. On one occasion the nightmare scenario happened and I wasn't expecting what happened next. I've never stopped so quick on a bike but managed to stay on - total lock out and yes it was scary. Fixed is worth taking the risk, though. There's nothing like it. Get your gearing right and it's biking at it's very best.

 

[stoatsngroats]

Fixed is worth taking the risk, though. There's nothing like it. Get your gearing right and it's biking at it's very best.

I'm almost convinced that it'll be a good move for me, and there's now a bit of competition with Joe and Montage to get this done as cheap as possible - so I'll give it a go!

Off to sheldon's site to grab as much info as I can....

 

[Landslide]

...a large steel frame peugeot racer, from the early 80s...

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Landslide]

Im guessing you know how to work out gear inches. If you dont, its chainring(tooth number) divided by sprocket size(again, number of teeth) divided multiplied by the wheel size in inches.

Fixed (ha!) that for you.

 

[stoatsngroats]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

B) Why not......?

 

[4F]

Why not......?

Mine is a steel frame from the 70's and is a great ride

 

[Landslide]

I've had bad experiences fixing up old (cheap) Pugs. They're just so variable in their "standards".
Funny (French/Swiss) BB threads, weird reach on the brake calipers (too far for modern short-drop callipers by approx 2mm, but not what you'd recognise as long-drop), one of them relied on what was essentially a bottle cage boss to keep the seatpost (which itself was a bloomin' odd size) in place...

By all means, go for it if you've no need to buy any spares for it, but IME they're one of those bikes that can quickly rack up a cost far in excess of their original value.

 

[stoatsngroats]

I've had bad experiences fixing up old (cheap) Pugs. They're just so variable in their "standards".
Funny (French/Swiss) BB threads, weird reach on the brake calipers (too far for modern short-drop callipers by approx 2mm, but not what you'd recognise as long-drop), one of them relied on what was essentially a bottle cage boss to keep the seatpost (which itself was a bloomin' odd size) in place...

By all means, go for it if you've no need to buy any spares for it, but IME they're one of those bikes that can quickly rack up a cost far in excess of their original value.

Ok...I thought you meant'Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
'

I'm just passing the time, and learning what I'm able to do, rather than build a fixed for showing off, and racing, and TT'ing, and general posing....
If it works, and I get it on the road for £0.00, or, possibly a £5, then I'll be happy...

It won't be pretty, nor fast, nor light, but if I can ride it on an L2B, IoW, or 'Round the Harbours' kind of ride, then I'll be over the moon......and then I might build a bigger, better, lighter, faster, prettier, bling machine, which I'll be able to blow Joe24's nuts off, and make him weep, gently; and montage will say, "Ss&Gs, YOU are the man".

Such is the British way, and such are the dreams of men