I’m riding a gravel/adventure type bike at the moment - really enjoying it. I’m thinking of adding a fixed or single speed to my collection of this and my Elephant bike. I just fancy something with a slight retro look to it and always liked the idea of a fixed or single speed. I don’t want to spend a lot as it really is just a ‘fun bike’ - a bit frivolous perhaps. I came across this which seems to tick a lot of the boxes. What do you think? Could I run this as both a fixed and single speed? It seems like a cool looking bike at a decent price?? Thanks all in advance.
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Dave Davenport
Guru
- Location
- Hampshire
It's probably got a flip-flop hub (fixed/free), seems very cheap, put a link to the Amazon listing.
Cycleops
Legendary Member
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
Ive seen quite a few of these types of bikes. Typically they are supplied with mass produced heavy steel frames from the far East with cheap components and poor quality wheels made down to a price. If you want a SS buy a conversion from a vintage bike or one of the purpose built models from one of the big names brands like the Specialized Langster, sadly no longer available but can be picked up in the second hand market.
Note: A flip-flop hub is a rear hub which has a fixed sprocket one side and single freewheel the other which can be turned or 'flipped' over according to your preference.
For just a little more you can buy a better quality bike that will give you years of service. Here's a Langster on the EvilBay:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274540876934
There's are loads of others on there too.
Note: A flip-flop hub is a rear hub which has a fixed sprocket one side and single freewheel the other which can be turned or 'flipped' over according to your preference.
For just a little more you can buy a better quality bike that will give you years of service. Here's a Langster on the EvilBay:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274540876934
There's are loads of others on there too.
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Spiderweb
Not So Special One
- Location
- North Yorkshire
It has got a flip flop hub so swap the wheel around and you have a choice of Fixed or Freewheel.
Available for £209 here;
https://www.parkersofbolton.co.uk/p...Gv4ByPBrkEESi7dVNY_pKI2RUY0TtX-EaAsQYEALw_wcB
As @Cycleops says they are made to a price, poor quality frames with cheap components but I’m sure still plenty of fun to be had for not a lot of money.
Available for £209 here;
https://www.parkersofbolton.co.uk/p...Gv4ByPBrkEESi7dVNY_pKI2RUY0TtX-EaAsQYEALw_wcB
As @Cycleops says they are made to a price, poor quality frames with cheap components but I’m sure still plenty of fun to be had for not a lot of money.
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Dave Davenport
Guru
- Location
- Hampshire
That doesn't actually look too bad, especially at the discounted price, if you just want to give fixed riding a go.
All uphill
Still rolling along
- Location
- Somerset
This summer I rebuilt a cheap modern steel singlespeed bike (Madison), and also rode my 1973 Raleigh Grand Sport as a singlespeed.
The Madison was functional, but heavy and unresponsive. The Raleigh felt quick and alive. Worlds apart.
I'd recommend buying or building a secondhand bike.
The Madison was functional, but heavy and unresponsive. The Raleigh felt quick and alive. Worlds apart.
I'd recommend buying or building a secondhand bike.
Hi - wow- thanks for all the quick responses! I definitely get the point about the Specialized or a diy build but I like the idea of buying new without the Phaf - lazy on my part I know. This won’t be my main bike so the parts won’t get too much of a hammering - probably a spring/summer fun bike. Thanks spiderweb for the alternative supplier. I certainly may start with a single speed before taking the plunge with fixed speed! Can I show my ignorance and ask if all fixed speed bikes come with a flip flop hub?
Chris S
Legendary Member
- Location
- Birmingham
No, they don't.
SkipdiverJohn
Deplorable Brexiteer
- Location
- London
The cheap minimalist SS/fixed bikes are built around low-end frames. That's not to say such a frame will break or won't ride well, because plenty of miles ridden on very low end machines tell me a cheap frame can ride well, and also take a lot of rough treatment.
Where they fall down is weight. One of my leftovers from a donor is a 21" Apollo welded hi-tensile 700c hybrid frame. Stripped of everything apart from the BB and headset, it weighs 9.6 lbs. Compare that to my 23 1/2" Ian May tourer frame, in the heaviest ST variant of 531, which weighs 7.8 lbs with BB and headset. My other 531 frames will be marginally less than that, so the difference between a cheap plain gauge hi-tensile frame and a quality double butted one is going to be around two pounds or more - which is roughly the weight of the gears you haven't got on a SS. So put it like this, a cheap SS will weigh roughly the same as a quality steel ten speed, but be much less versatile!
If you just want a very simple single speed beater to ride a couple of miles to the pub on without doing much maintenance, the heavy frame might not matter, but to me the whole appeal of SS is not only mechanical simplicity, but also lightness - and to achieve that you have to start out with a nice light steel frame, preferably a lugged one with a 531 sticker on it.
Where they fall down is weight. One of my leftovers from a donor is a 21" Apollo welded hi-tensile 700c hybrid frame. Stripped of everything apart from the BB and headset, it weighs 9.6 lbs. Compare that to my 23 1/2" Ian May tourer frame, in the heaviest ST variant of 531, which weighs 7.8 lbs with BB and headset. My other 531 frames will be marginally less than that, so the difference between a cheap plain gauge hi-tensile frame and a quality double butted one is going to be around two pounds or more - which is roughly the weight of the gears you haven't got on a SS. So put it like this, a cheap SS will weigh roughly the same as a quality steel ten speed, but be much less versatile!
If you just want a very simple single speed beater to ride a couple of miles to the pub on without doing much maintenance, the heavy frame might not matter, but to me the whole appeal of SS is not only mechanical simplicity, but also lightness - and to achieve that you have to start out with a nice light steel frame, preferably a lugged one with a 531 sticker on it.
If you can get at the £209 price you'll have a bargain. Viking were a "name" once and sponsored a pro team, although this will be a budget bike.
You should look to changing the brake levers to standard levers. You don't want to be descending at 30mph with your hands on the drops and not able to reach the brakes or descending with hands on the top.
Also budget for clip less pedals. Getting feet into the clips on a fixed gear bike is a knack and bending down to tighten toe straps is an art on fixed. Still tricky with clip less, but much easier when stopping.
Fixed or SS, both are fun, but I now run SS on mine as there are too many descents here in kent. And yes, it is the descents, not the climbs that you will dread!
Good luck and get it.
You should look to changing the brake levers to standard levers. You don't want to be descending at 30mph with your hands on the drops and not able to reach the brakes or descending with hands on the top.
Also budget for clip less pedals. Getting feet into the clips on a fixed gear bike is a knack and bending down to tighten toe straps is an art on fixed. Still tricky with clip less, but much easier when stopping.
Fixed or SS, both are fun, but I now run SS on mine as there are too many descents here in kent. And yes, it is the descents, not the climbs that you will dread!
Good luck and get it.
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Cher’s guys - I’m pretty much there with taking the plunge! Yep, I know it’s bottom end of the market but for a couple of hundred quid I think it’ll give me a good intro to fixed/single speed.
cheers - expert advice and comments form all is greatly appreciated!
cheers - expert advice and comments form all is greatly appreciated!
SkipdiverJohn
Deplorable Brexiteer
- Location
- London
It's a much better low-end choice than a nasty full-sus BSO. I reckon it's possible to build a better SS for the same money or less, but you can't go badly wrong at the price and it at least looks like a proper road bike with a horizontal top tube - which is more than you can say for 99% of modern bikes. SS gear seems a bit high though with a 16T sprocket. If I had no other gears available I would run it a bit lower than that. Comparing gearing with 3-speeds I reckon 46/18 would be a better general purpose freewheel ratio.
12boy
Guru
- Location
- Casper WY USA
After the big fixie craze a lot of cheap fixies appeared here in the US. Many were made with all matching parts colorwise. Basically crap in my opinion.
Almost any bike with horizontal drop outs, a chromo or Reynolds 531 frame and in decent shape in so far as the frame isnt rusted or warped will make a fine fixie or SS. It will be lighter than a hi-ten frame and probably will have a longer wheelbase and be able to fit larger tires which provide comfort and a smoother ride. Some early chromo mtn bikes frames were actually light as well. I made up a nice one for my nephew from a Raleigh Technium for very little and he liked it very well.
Almost any bike with horizontal drop outs, a chromo or Reynolds 531 frame and in decent shape in so far as the frame isnt rusted or warped will make a fine fixie or SS. It will be lighter than a hi-ten frame and probably will have a longer wheelbase and be able to fit larger tires which provide comfort and a smoother ride. Some early chromo mtn bikes frames were actually light as well. I made up a nice one for my nephew from a Raleigh Technium for very little and he liked it very well.
