summer fixed project

[got-to-get-fit]

Im looking to start a summer project of building a fixed gear bike.

I have absolutely no experience of bike building and am poor at best at simple bike maintenance but i thought what better way to learn than building a bike from the ground up.

Does anyone know of any easy to follow web sites or videos that would help me?

Also im thinking of buying one of these frames as a starting point....does anyone have any experience of them?

The website link is below and also a picture of the frame
http://www.leaderbikestore.com/pd-ld.cfm

 

[4F]

I found buildling my fixed was very simple as it was more of a case of taking bits off rather than putting them on.

The Sheldon Brown and Bicycle tutor sites should have everything to need.

 

[got-to-get-fit]

Thanks FFFF i will have a peruse of said sites.

 

[MajorMantra]

No experience of that particular frame but do you really want a track frame? A road frame with track ends might be a better choice for comfort and control on the road. By the way, On One (Planet-X) is currently selling their Pompino frame and forks for £140:

http://www.on-one-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Il_Pompino_550.html

(I have no affiliation with them, I just saw this in their newsletter today.)

Matthew

 

[got-to-get-fit]

Thanks MM

I have seen that frame and fork deal and whilst its a very good deal.....and i know this sounds anal.....i dont like the rack and mudguard bosses or the decals........i think the thing that grabbed me about the leader frame is that its so clean and sleek looking. Even the decals are called ghost decals and are barely visible.

Why not the track frame though....is it purely the comfort thing that you think would be against it....remember this is all new to me so any comments greatly appreciated.

 

[Joe24]

My good fixed is my summer fixed, and will be my winter one when its winter.
It took me under an hour to put together.
I wouldnt go for a track frame, the handling of it will be very twitchy, so id go for a road frame with track ends.
My frame is a Langdale frame, which is a LBS own frame.
BB and headset was put on by the bike shop before i picked it up. The it was under an hour to put everything else onto it.
Building a fixed up really is pretty simple. Get the BB in, put a sprocket on back wheel and stick the chain on and see what the chainline is like.
With my good bike, i just had to put the back wheel in and the the crankset on and the chainline was spot on.
With my hack build i had to sort the chainline out myself, but it isnt a hard thing to do.
Things i think you shouldnt go cheap and crappy on if your building up a good one:
Crankset and backwheel.
Get a good strong crankset with a strong chainring on and it will last you.
Get a strong backwheel and it will cope with alot. I got one built up and its lasted me well, its been bounced off curbs, dropped and had alot of power put through it and its still going strong and true.
I had 3 cranksets on the old fixed.
On my new fixed, ive got an FSA track one on thats very strong. Its 1/8th and its solid.
The pompino is a good bike. Did you know that pompino means blowjob?

 

[Big John]

Here, here Joe. Likewise when I put mine together I had a decent wheel built up and got a decent chainset.By complete fluke I got the chainline right without having to fiddle. Chainline is everything - get it spot on and your bike should ride like a dream.

 

[MajorMantra]

Why not the track frame though....is it purely the comfort thing that you think would be against it....remember this is all new to me so any comments greatly appreciated.

Comfort and/or handling as Joe says. Road geometry is more suitable for the road, oddly enough.

Matthew

 

[Joe24]

I was also told once that track bikes sometimes arent ment to take the knocks and the rough roads that they will get when rode on the road because they are made for going around a smooth track.

 

[got-to-get-fit]

Thats all fantastic advice guys.

joe....great tips, thanks a million.
what does 'get the chainline right' mean....are you refering to the length?

 

[Joe24]

Thats all fantastic advice guys.

joe....great tips, thanks a million.
what does 'get the chainline right' mean....are you refering to the length?

No, getting the chainline right means getting the chain running straight. So you have your chainring and sprocket in a straight line. This means your chain isnt at a funny angle and wont just jump off, and it will make it quieter as you go along aswell.

 

[got-to-get-fit]

Ahhhhhhh

Nice one thanks mate.



Ive just had another look at the leader website and they do a courier/commuter single/fixed frame. This might be better than the track bike.
Also had another look at the Pompino on your recommendation and its growing on me. Great price as well.
Didnt know it meant 'blow job' but that makes me want one even more

 

[Joe24]

It depends how much you want to pay for a frame. You can get some steel ones that arent too expensive. My ali frame with carbon fork was something like £325 or something, and i could of got a more sporty one for something like £375, or was it £350

QUICK!!! Get a Pompino, they are only £99 for the frame!!!

The thing i dont like about the Pompino is thw mounts for the brakes. If you dont have a back brake then you have 2 silly mounts on the frame just sat there doing nothing

 

[Greenbank]

Not a fan of the industrial looking wishbone seatstays on the Pomp. It's a quality frame though.

If I was building one from scratch I'd probably go for the steel frame that Byercycles are offering for 179 quid. Saw one at the weekend (also doing the Elenith) built up as a fixed, very nice. Byercycles are a good old fashioned bike shop (I bought my Audax bike from them), well worth supporting.

For silly innuendo filled bike names look at http://www.covebike.com/bikes/index.html

 

[zimzum42]

Bob Jackson fixie frames are great. And they will do them without the decals too...