Fixed, but not track

[Ted Bennett]

I plan to add a fixed gear bike to my stable this spring, but rather than a track bike, I want
something with a little more relaxed geometry and more tire/fender clearance. No, I don't want a
converted derailer frame for esthetic reasons. Such a bike is uncommon; the closest I've found is

http://www.surlybikes.com/frames/steamroller.htm

Sheldon Brown advertises it on his website as a close-out at a great price, but unfortunately not in
my size. (Sheldon, will you wheel and deal if I buy some of the rest of the components from you?)

Does anyone know of anything else I should be looking at?

TIA

--
Ted Bennett Portland OR

 

[Mike S.]

"Ted Bennett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I plan to add a fixed gear bike to my stable this spring, but rather than a track bike, I want
> something with a little more relaxed geometry and more tire/fender clearance. No, I don't want a
> converted derailer frame for esthetic reasons. Such a bike is uncommon; the closest I've found is
>
> http://www.surlybikes.com/frames/steamroller.htm
>
> Sheldon Brown advertises it on his website as a close-out at a great price, but unfortunately
> not in my size. (Sheldon, will you wheel and deal if I buy some of the rest of the components
> from you?)
>
> Does anyone know of anything else I should be looking at?
>
> TIA
>
> --
> Ted Bennett Portland OR

I've been hearing that the Cannonade track isn't as aggressive, but I haven't ridden one to confirm
or deny this.

If you go to www.drunkcyclist.com, he's got some links to singlespeed builders. I think Kelly builds
one, Vanilla may, and a few others that escape my mind.

Mike

 

[Qui Si Parla Ca]

ted-<< I plan to add a fixed gear bike to my stable this spring, but rather than a track bike,

http://www.somafab.com

for a 'Rush'-made to be a road fixie-

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[Mike Latondress]

Ted Bennett <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> No, I don't want a converted derailer frame for esthetic reasons.

I found a 10 speed in very good shape that had the components like the
D/T shifters etc as bolt on clamps so once I removed them and ground off the derailer hanger I had a
clean, good looking frame, all for $70.

 

[David L. Johnso]

On Sun, 09 Mar 2003 01:50:52 -0500, Mike S. wrote:

>> Does anyone know of anything else I should be looking at?

> I've been hearing that the Cannonade track isn't as aggressive, but I haven't ridden one to
> confirm or deny this.

I saw one of these, and they really seem to be fied-gear road bikes. Bottle bosses, brakes, etc. The
geometry is not a touring bike, but most road frames are as steep and short as a track bike anyway.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | "It doesn't get any easier, you just go faster." --Greg LeMond _`\(,_ | (_)/ (_) |

 

[Mike Prybell]

I did the same thing,used an old Trek 880. Seems any old road frame with 126 spacing and horizontal
dropouts will make a great fixed gear. The first time you "forget" you don't have a freehub and try
and coast is always interesting LOL.

Mike P

"Mike Latondresse" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Ted Bennett <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
> > No, I don't want a converted derailer frame for esthetic reasons.
>
> I found a 10 speed in very good shape that had the components like the
> D/T shifters etc as bolt on clamps so once I removed them and ground off the derailer hanger I had
> a clean, good looking frame, all for $70.

 

[Kinkycowboy]

On Sat, 08 Mar 2003 22:42:05 -0800, Ted Bennett <[email protected]> wrote:

>I plan to add a fixed gear bike to my stable this spring, but rather than a track bike, I want
>something with a little more relaxed geometry and more tire/fender clearance. No, I don't want a
>converted derailer frame for esthetic reasons. Such a bike is uncommon; the closest I've found is
>
>http://www.surlybikes.com/frames/steamroller.htm
>
>Sheldon Brown advertises it on his website as a close-out at a great price, but unfortunately
>not in my size. (Sheldon, will you wheel and deal if I buy some of the rest of the components
>from you?)
>
>Does anyone know of anything else I should be looking at?
>
>TIA

The On-One Pompino

http://www.on-one.co.uk/products/ilpompino.shtml

http://www.on-one.co.uk/graphics/products_f/pompino_urban_decay-800.jpg

has got good reviews over here as a go anywhere fixie, takes big tyres (700x28 with fenders, 700x35
without, depending on which fork you choose), and it's fairly cheap at £245GBP (about $400+ customs
duty) for the frame and fork shipped to the US. This makes it a bit more expensive than the
Steamroller, but you get fender and luggage rack eyes, and V-brake bosses at both ends so you can
use a flip flop hub with a freewheel on the other side if you want to. I think the powder blue paint
is nicer than the surly baked bean colour, but YMMV. Haven't actually seen many in action as I work
in London where the fixed wheel messengers favour cheaper track frames from the likes of Fort, Veto
and Fondriest.

Kinky Cowboy

*Your milage may vary Batteries not included May contain traces of nuts.

 

[Twobooglie]

There are a lot of older derailluer bikes around from the 1970s - many available for next to nothing
- that can be converted easily. Some of these older ones have clamp-on shift levers and cable
guides, so you don't have the ugly unused bosses when you convert to fixed gear. The only remaining
clue that the bike was designed for a derailluer is the right rear dropout - and you can fix that
with a hacksaw and a file. My personal favorite: early 70s Raleigh Professional.