Fixie building, Update I have the Bike! Page 1 pics!

['Ross]

Hey guys,

Like many others before me Ive come up with the idea of buying or finding an old cheap road bike and converting it to a fixie commuter. Now, Im guessing quite a few people have done this so now Im asking your advice on the best way to do it. At the moment Im thinking buy a cheap old roadie, get a fixed wheel and cranks? Is there a better way of thinking like buying a bike that is already fixed gear?

Also to help out me and any others for the future, is there some good places to buy and find fixed bikes and parts? Preferably second hand.

I know of fixedgallery.com shifterbikes.com are good resources but is there anymore, or good places to find these seemingly rare parts. thanks :)

['Ross]

just had a read of the fixie thread, seems pretty helpful but everyone seems to take them seriously and spend lots of $$$ on them:( Anyone know where to get really cheap fixed wheels or cranks?

[Dicky]

You don't have to spend $$$ to get them up and running... hell, I know I haven't for my first fixie. A cog, chain, tyres, some elbow grease and know-how and it'll be sorted.

You're in mel-burn - good start. Hit www.fixed.org.au - most of the regulars seem to be down thataway.

Free stuff: http://searchenginez.com.au/freecycle.html

Read the fixie thread again, specifically the post about hub conversions.
If you find an old 5/6/7 speed roadie, just whip off the cluster, on with a cog and BB lockring, done up properly, and that's really all there is to it. ;)

[LordNikon]

Cranks can be tough to find on the cheap. But you can use a set of road cranks if you're willing to play around with chain lines etc.

For wheels, you can't go past shifterbikes, give Dan a call and he'll sort you out for around the $350 - $400 mark. That's for brand new track wheels, you can get cheaper second hand.

Abbotsford Cycles is a good source of gear aswell.

If you're after something a bit more bling then www.fyxomatosis.com is the place for you. Andy has very nice frames, cranks and other general fixed p0rn for sale.

I've had plans of building 2 cheap fixies so far, and ended up with 2 bikes that I wont leave locked up anywhere. :D Not through lack of cheap parts, just because I like shiny things too much. :cool:

Good luck!


Not sure about the whole "suicide" hub conversion Dicky, I have one and have never had an issue with it, but damn it makes me nervous, and that's running a brake!

[Dicky]

Not sure about the whole "suicide" hub conversion Dicky, I have one and have never had an issue with it, but damn it makes me nervous, and that's running a brake!
Just keeps you on your toes. :D

Yeah, it's not the best way to go about it... but with the rotafixing technique, a stack of loctite, and a thin (i.e. cut up soft drink can) spacer between cog + lockring, I reckon you're OK.

*complete lack of personal experience disclaimer - I'm still building the thing*

['Ross]

Thanks for the help, gonna stick with my plan of cheap roadie, maybe some new /old cranks and either get a fixed wheel or convert like Dicky suggested, keep the front wheel standard. Will update when I actually get a roadie:p

[idesa]

Bicycle Recycle out in Morrabin is a decent place to find stuff too. 888 I wouldn't worry about findin proper track parts, as thats where the big money is spent. Go with your original plan of using a 'cheap' roadie. If you can find some Shimano 600 cranks then thats a good start, pretty cheap.

What size frame are you after anyway, I've got an early 80's Peugeot @60cm...

Happy building :D

['Ross]

UPDATE: I HAVE A BIKE.

Well on my journey home I went past Albys house (local old guy who sells heaps of old bikes he finds or somehow aquires.) It was very hard to communicate with him because hes almost deaf but upon searching through the piles of bikes I found this little potential fixie. It even had a fixed rear wheel so I knew I was onto something.

Alby says it was a 'lightweight race winning machine' was 'in perfect working order' and wanted $50 for it. I pointed out to him the front wheel was destroyed, the rear rim buckled, the bike didnt have a chain, I didn't even bother commenting on the paint:o I knocked him down to $10. A fair price I felt.

The paint is derelict and something has to be done about that, the rear hub maybe salvageable but I dont know about the rim, theres spots of rust and scum but a bit of work should restore some pride into it.

Here are some pics of what it looked like when I brought it home, it will change very soon and become a pretty mean fixie that I can ride around:cool:

[Blas4me]

Well you do know red goes faster right? You're all set!

Are they 28" wheels? Because 28" tyres can be a pain to get your hands on, tubes aren't so hard to find but tyres you have to know where to go or get lucky (or both)

Post up how the resto goes :)

['Ross]

Not completely sure on the wheel size (I haven't bothered checking) but by my estimates the current rear wheel seems an inch smaller than what Id expect to be put on that frame. Who knows really, Ill have do decide what Im keeping and restoring and what Im throwing out and destroying first;)

['Ross]

Here is what I have done so far. (Not much don't get too excited)

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/tho072007/100_1776.jpg

Removed about 3 kilos of handlebar tape very time consuming and annoying.

Noticed reminants of a logo on the headtube:

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/tho072007/100_1777.jpg

Gave it a bit of careful scratching to reveal this:

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/tho072007/100_1779.jpg

And after some more scratching the only stickering not completely destroyed was this:

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t312/tho072007/100_1780.jpg

So its 'Shadow' brand bike. Thats all I know so far, more to come soon Im going to decide on whether to paint it or cover it in something eg pictures stickers then put 3m clear tape on it.