Converting to fixed query

"Paul D" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi all

I've picked up a fixed rear wheel to swap for my single speed one for a
crack at fixed commuting (and improving cadence/pedalling style etc ready
for the start of the TT season). I got a track sprocket & lockring with
the new wheel, which is 1/8", and of course all the rest of my bits are
3/32" (campag chainset with choice of 42 or 48 rings, SRAM chain).

So, as I will soon need a new chain anyway, do I buy another cog sized
3/32" and a new standard chain, or stick with the 1/8" cog and buy similar
sized chain & new chainring (I guess campag track chainrings will fit a
mirage chainset?). Is there any benefit to using 1/8" over 3/32" for
evryday fixed use (stronger?)? Are track rings & chains more expensive
than standard road ones? The new kit will be used exclusively outdoors, no
track use.

Ta in advance.

No real reason to change the chainwheel IMHO (assuming you are OK with the
gearing) - I have a 1/8 sprocket and 3/32 chainwheel with a 1/8 chain on my
fixed ... works fine.

Cost is probably least for the 1/8 chain option (they're just BMX ones
really!) - you should be able to just take the bigger ring off the chainset
(you'll need new, shorter, bolts) and bolt the small chainring on the inside
of the spider to get the right chainline. 42 x 17 will give you about 67"
which is probably a good place to start with fixed ( 42 x 16 will give you
about 71"😉

Rob

inline

"RG" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Paul D" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi all

I've picked up a fixed rear wheel to swap for my single speed one for a
crack at fixed commuting (and improving cadence/pedalling style etc ready
for the start of the TT season). I got a track sprocket & lockring with
the new wheel, which is 1/8", and of course all the rest of my bits are
3/32" (campag chainset with choice of 42 or 48 rings, SRAM chain).

So, as I will soon need a new chain anyway, do I buy another cog sized
3/32" and a new standard chain, or stick with the 1/8" cog and buy
similar sized chain & new chainring (I guess campag track chainrings will
fit a mirage chainset?). Is there any benefit to using 1/8" over 3/32"
for evryday fixed use (stronger?)? Are track rings & chains more
expensive than standard road ones? The new kit will be used exclusively
outdoors, no track use.

Ta in advance.

No real reason to change the chainwheel IMHO (assuming you are OK with the
gearing) - I have a 1/8 sprocket and 3/32 chainwheel with a 1/8 chain on
my fixed ... works fine.

Never thought of that - great idea as i've just found wiggle doing a miche
1/8 chain for £6.99

Quoted message said:

Cost is probably least for the 1/8 chain option (they're just BMX ones
really!) - you should be able to just take the bigger ring off the
chainset (you'll need new, shorter, bolts) and bolt the small chainring on
the inside of the spider to get the right chainline. 42 x 17 will give
you about 67" which is probably a good place to start with fixed ( 42 x 16
will give you about 71"😉

As mentioned in the OP i've been running my commuter as a single speed (it's
an 80's 531-framed Raleigh with horizontal dropouts) and have already
removed a chainring (using washers to pad out the double bolts). Had a play
with gearing originally, which I settled at 72" 48x18. The new sprocket's a
16 so I was going for 42x16 as I've got an unused 42 ring kicking about -
just the chain sizing problem that got me thinking today. Thanks for the
advice.

Quoted message said:

Rob

btw, those of you who care about classic bike look away now - my 126mm OLN
frame has sucessfully completed it's year and a half sprung to 130mm for
shimano 9spd and single speed duties with no ill effects, and is now
starting its new life clamped down to 120mm OLN for my new track hub!

Paul D said:

Hi all

I've picked up a fixed rear wheel to swap for my single speed one for a
crack at fixed commuting (and improving cadence/pedalling style etc ready
for the start of the TT season). I got a track sprocket & lockring with the
new wheel, which is 1/8", and of course all the rest of my bits are 3/32"
(campag chainset with choice of 42 or 48 rings, SRAM chain).

So, as I will soon need a new chain anyway, do I buy another cog sized 3/32"
and a new standard chain, or stick with the 1/8" cog and buy similar sized
chain & new chainring (I guess campag track chainrings will fit a mirage
chainset?). Is there any benefit to using 1/8" over 3/32" for evryday fixed
use (stronger?)? Are track rings & chains more expensive than standard road
ones? The new kit will be used exclusively outdoors, no track use.

Campag track kit uses an extra large BCD, 144mm these days (was once
151mm) but TA make very nice 1/8" track chainrings in "road" drillings.

Track stuff tends to be expensive - TA is the exception - because of the
limited market, and because for Shimano and Campag it's only available
as the top-of-the-line groupset (DA or Record).

1/8" is my preference, and is the only way to go if you want a "proper"
track chain with full bushings - although I use a cheap SRAM PC-1 chain.

In the referenced article said:

"Paul D" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi all

I've picked up a fixed rear wheel to swap for my single speed one
for a crack at fixed commuting (and improving cadence/pedalling
style etc ready for the start of the TT season). I got a track
sprocket & lockring with the new wheel, which is 1/8", and of
course all the rest of my bits are 3/32" (campag chainset with
choice of 42 or 48 rings, SRAM chain).

So, as I will soon need a new chain anyway, do I buy another cog
sized 3/32" and a new standard chain, or stick with the 1/8" cog
and buy similar sized chain & new chainring (I guess campag track
chainrings will fit a mirage chainset?). Is there any benefit
to using 1/8" over 3/32" for evryday fixed use (stronger?)? Are
track rings & chains more expensive than standard road ones? The
new kit will be used exclusively outdoors, no track use.

No real reason to change the chainwheel IMHO (assuming you are OK
with the gearing) - I have a 1/8 sprocket and 3/32 chainwheel with
a 1/8 chain on my fixed ... works fine.

I used to run with exactly this setup on the fixed I used for
commuting. I thought it ran smoother than the completely 3/32 setup
I used on the fixed bike I used for time-trialling.

One of the advantages of 1/8 chains is that you can[1] get what's
called half-links for fine adjustment of the chain length. Very
useful if you want to convert a bike with vertical dropouts to
fixed.

[1] Not sure if you still can. I know I've seen and used them and
probably still have a few lying around.
--
Dennis Davis, BUCS, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
[email hidden]

Dennis Davis said:

One of the advantages of 1/8 chains is that you can[1] get what's
called half-links for fine adjustment of the chain length. Very
useful if you want to convert a bike with vertical dropouts to
fixed.

[1] Not sure if you still can. I know I've seen and used them and
probably still have a few lying around.

They are still available. There are also 3/32 versions, and even a 1/8
chain made entirely of half-links.