Unca_Sam

Considering that a fixed gear bike is frame, wheels, drivetrain, and cockpit...

I just joined the local co op as a volunteer, since I figure that suitable frames will come through frequently enough. Again, requiring green OEM paint seems like a good restraint on impulse buys, since there are a number of completed bikes that are suitable.

Ideally, I'd like the nicest recreational frame I can get, since it's less likely to have a derailleur hanger and lots of braze-ons. I'm not going to turn down a nicer lighter frame just because I 'have' to cover downtube bosses though.

Mikefule

Where did I start? Mid to late 1960s as a kid, riding a mile or so of country lanes each way to and from school, on my own on a small bike which had only the one speed.

Then as I reached my teens in the 70s, I was given a deeply unfashionable "granny bike" with a Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub. The gaps between the gears were so big I always found it hard work: top gear was too high for anything but down hill or down wind; middle gear was too low for cruising; and bottom gear was too high for much hill climbing. This was before I knew about "spinning", and before I knew you could alter the gearing by getting a different sprocket.

Then I went through my 20s on various derailleur-equipped bikes, doing regular 100-plus mile days with the Cyclists Touring Club and the Tandem Club. I bought a 2nd hand "King of Mercian" frame and built it up into a "12 speed" (as we said in those days) 2 x 6. However, I found I was only ever using the larger chainring so I converted it to 1 x 6. Then I realised, me being me, that I was commuting 6 varied miles (canal towpath, city streets, cycle paths) every day without ever changing gear.

Older riders in the CTC told me about "fixed wheel" as we used to say. I never actually saw one, but the idea fascinated me.

I drifted away from bicycling and did a lot more cross country and road unicycling (which is of course fixed wheel) for a few years, but I always had a yen to try a fixed bike.

I finally bought a fixed bike online: my Pearson Touché, completely unaware that it was about to become a fashionable thing. Had I waited another year, I may well have bought a different, cheaper, one with wider tyres and and frame clearance, but the Touché was all I could find at the time.

It was a bad choice at first, because I lived in a steep sided valley. It was like living in the middle of a capital M. Every ride started off with a hard climb, and there was no reward because I had to ride down the other side of the hill feathering my brakes. If I chose a low ratio to help me up the first climb, it was too low to spin comfortably down the other side. If I chose a higher ratio, then climbing out of the valley became almost impossible. I converted the bike to freewheel with a massive sprocket, but never found much fun in it.

I have since moved to Lincolnshire, where there are gentle rolling hills, long flat stretches, and the occasional stiff climb, and there are also miles of rough bridleway and footpath to explore. I converted the Touché back to fixed and started to enjoy riding it.

Me being me, I always found myself venturing off road, getting mudded up to the eyeballs, and sometimes having to carry the bike because it was choked with wet clay. The Touché has tight clearances and I was riding it on OE 23mm tyres which punctured regularly.

What I (thought I) needed was a gravel bike, and I bought the Giant Anyroad 2 x 10. I soon found it was way too much like hard work on the tarmac, and far too easy off road.

The situation now is I have 25 mm puncture resistant tyres on the Touché and I ride it pretty much everywhere. The Gravel bike now has 28mm smooth tyres on it and it is my bike of choice on longer rides with my wife on her geared bike. Me on fixed and her on derailleurs was frustrating for both of us.

The Touché has gone from being "a bad choice I regret" to being a faithful friend.

SoccerBallXan

I always enjoyed cycling as a kid, but during my high school years transport to-and-from school was either going to be the cost of multiple public transport passes or a bike. The bike was clearly the best choice I have ever made.

During my third year, State Bicycle became a rising phenomenon here in AZ. Locally branded, decently equipped, and semi-reasonably priced CroMo bikes? Sold! I received my first single speed from their popular Xmas “random” bike sale. A solid black state bike, white nice white logos.

During this time I also got hired as a bicycle courier. This job has changed my life and made fixed gear riding my passion! I rode my State Black Label for thousands of miles all across the greater Maricopa area. After a while I found it was time to upgrade.

Over the years I’ve also put thousands of miles on my Leader 725 (before the brand ran into issues) and now am racking up miles on my Mercier Kilo TT Pro. I have a passion for riding, especially fixed (maybe it’s the lack of crazy hills). As I’ve grown and have learned to appreciate cycling more I’ve transitioned into owning some bikes with gears (shocker!)... but I still plan to ride fixed until my knees fall off!!

Cheers to good beginnings!

BicycleBicycle

Sometimes it's the addition of crazy hills that gives you passion .

JohnDThompson 

Maybe copying them to a Bike Forums album will work? I'll be damned if I can get them into chronological order, though.

https://www.bikeforums.net/g/album/15938101#

Unca_Sam

Chronological order is quite the challenge here, isn't it?

TugaDude

[QUOTE=JohnDThompson;21221681]Maybe copying them to a Bike Forums album will work? I'll be damned if I can get them into chronological order, though.

https://www.bikeforums.net/g/album/15938101#[/QUOTE

Very cool, John! Thanks for taking the time. I admire your skills.

Drynald

Well for me i start fixed gear using a local made fixie frame.
Not branded, horrible geo, but i give it a medium part while still learning about fixies

Good thing someone r making a tutorial video (what part on fixie, how does it cost, how to stay safe on public etc).

So with my basic knowledge, medium build fixie. i approach this guy, kinda scared first because he have a expensive build, maybe he's a jerk etc.

Turns out he's a good guy, humble, i respect this person.
not like other fixie rider who always showing their "rich guy starter pack" with their Thompson, cinelli, ellipse wheels etc

From him, i learned more about fixie,on how to skidding, difference beetwen each part, how to service your bike from his video.

Currently have 2 fixed gear, not high end part but i know how to taking care of it, can build a bike on my own (except trueing a wheel, thats hard!)

Unca_Sam

Thanks for your insight! Welcome to the forums!
I agree on the wheel truing part. I think that's why they call it an art, and not a science...

bwilli88 

I started here in Cambodia, I broke a few spokes on my 7 speed bike and took the wheel to a shop and they replaced all the spokes and did not dish the wheel. I did not know how to do that at the time so I just centered the axle and added a SS freewheel and rode it that way. I am not a fixed gear rider yet, would like to try it. Someday.

Masikup

I started by building my own with a vintage motobecane. I feel like that gave me a different appreciation for the fixed gear

stevel610 

80's Steel Schwinn Traveler. Bought a 27" flip/flop and a set of short chainring bolts.

Used the stock 39t chainring with a 16t fixed and 18t freewheel. Gives me 66" fixed and 59" single speed on the freewheel. Kept the front brake. I live in hilly terrain so it works well enough.

Miele Man

I started on single speeds as a wee laddie in Toronto Canada when I graduated from a kiddie's trike to a two-wheel bicycle.

Many years later I built up a lightweight single-speed for use when I had to take the bus out of town a lot or the city buses. that was because there were no derailleurs to get knocked out of alignment or bent.

I saw the movie QUICKSILVER and like the tricks performed in it especially the riding the bicycle backwards/reverse. So, I bought a used track frame and tried it as a built up fixed gear. I liked it a lot but not in traffic or having the stop suddenly on a downhill. Therefore any of the other single-speed bicycles I've built have NOT been fixed gear.

Cheers

Velognome 

Bought a vintage British frame because it was beautiful. It was Road/Path. Built it up, and got hooked on riding fixed gear, never looked back.

Unca_Sam

I'd have a hard time turning that down too. Buy a beautiful bike with track ends, and the rest takes care of itself.

Lazyass

I started road cycling in 1987. A couple of years ago I had an urge to try a single speed just for something different. I knew I wanted a decent chromoly butted frame, two bottle cage brazeons and brakes. I live in the country, I'm not a city boy hipster. But I didn't want to spend a lot of money.

Ended up getting a Swobo Accomplice for cheap in 2017 because they had gone out of business and converted it to drop bars the day I got it. I was hooked within the first couple of miles. What surprised me was that hills and headwinds didn't hurt as bad as I assumed, and I was really surprised that my average speed was about the same as on my geared bikes. Going on a 40 mile ride with one gear gave me a bigger sense of accomplishment than doing it with 22 gears. It does toughen you up.

Upgraded to a Wabi but still have the Swobo, kind of hate to sell it. I think I'll mount fenders on it and make it my rain bike. Does anyone know if those skewer mounted fender eyelets fit on axles?

Unca_Sam

I'm still working on my start, and I hedged with the gearing, which is what I was most concerned about. I grew up in the foothills of the Pocono mountains, and I still remember standing up to pedal my 24" 5 speed Giant bike up those hills, even with a bailout ring (which I might not have used appropriately...).

To answer the fender question, the skewer mount eyelets will need to be drilled to the axle diameter to fit, and I'm not sure how much material that leaves. SKS Raceblade Pro fenders attach to the frame with bands, but are not famous for their ability to keep your feet and the drivetrain clean. Still better than nothing.

79pmooney

I moved from single speeds to gears in 1964 when I got my first 3-speed at 11 years old. Moved up to a 10-speed 3 years later, a Peugeot UO-8. Over the next 4 years I had so many derailleur disasters that the right dropout was mangled enough that I couldn't get good shifting so I took the derailleur off and shortened the chain. My first "single-speed". A couple of years later, I bought a sew-upped raceable bike. Started racing. The vets in my club said I needed to take my beater (the Peugeot) and set it up fix gear to learn good pedaling. Sewups and the fix gear went on. 1976. Tried to coast and crashed first ride but I was sold. That bike is still in my stall, just with every part including frame replaced at least 4 times. (The Peugeot seat pin is still in use but on my Peter Mooney. 53 years old in June and in use almost the entire time.)

Still sold on fix gears. I now do more fix gear riding than geared. Half my lifetime's mileage is fixed. (Had a fun day 3 years ago. Went out for a 25 miler on one of my geared bikes. Rode in town that evening fixed. Passed lifetime mileages of 100,000 for both modes that day. I knew 18 months before I was close enough to be able to do that so I just started choosing my rides so that would happen.)

For many years I had my good bike and my fix gear. During some of my racing I had 2 geared bikes. 2004, after my divorce, I started collecting older frames and fixing them up as fun rides. First the "Team Dumpster", a ~1990 sport Peugeot that I set up as a light road fix gear. Fun! A series of frames that were road specific geared bikes. A custom ti geared bike. I stopped trusting Team Dumpster (it saw a hard hit from probably a SUV before I owned it) but loved it so much I had a ti version made. Basically a pure road racing late '80s fix gear for a fictional world where gears and freewheels were never invented. Fun, fun ride! (Just need to put sewups on it. When I do that, it's all there. Pure race. Pure ride. It's going to happen and in the not too distant future.)

I also converted my Peter Mooney to fix gear 3 years ago for the Crater Lake Cycle Oregon with its promised gravel. Loved the new ride so much it has stayed. That bike is now a classic English fix gear road bike like they have been riding for the past century. (Except I cheat. 3 chainrings. Three chainlines. Three very different gears - flat ground and small hills, mountain up and mountain down.) So currently 3 fix gears in my herd of 5 bikes. (The other two will never go fixed. One has a BB way, way too low! and the other, vertical dropouts.)

Ben

Unca_Sam

I'm willing to bet a lot of thought, or trial and error went into that. I'd love to see your cheat!
Vertical dropouts aren't impossible for fixed riding with an eccentric BB or Hub! I considered it for a Trek 2120 as a dark horse candidate for a conversion, then looked at the cost of the build (I try to keep to shoestring budgets).

79pmooney

No pics. at lest not yet. Think flip-flop fix-fix hub with an 1/8" cog on one side, an 1/8" "dingle" on the other. (2 Eurasian cogs brazed together, inside flipped to lie against the spokes, outside with the center cut out and a steel spacer between. Goes on and takes a lockring just like a regular cog. A little dish was added to the axle spacing so each of these three cogs sit a different distance from the bike centerline and line up with its respective chainring.

Yeah, I could go eccentric for vertical drops, but that is living life the hard way. Fine tuning chain slack, great. But changing cogs? Can you even? Would you do this on the road? And yet another wheel standard if its the Eno hub, for me, #5 . (Geared in 126 7-speed and 130 9-speed, track standard fixed and the dished, 126 Mooney already.) My geared TiCycles has a high enough BB to go fixed but it was a conscious decision to not go three when I ordered the frame. My new fixed is likewise a TiCycles but fixed from day one. No hanger. Road horizontal dropouts but much longer and they open down at the front, not forward so the wheel can be almost touching the seattube (23 or 24 tooth cog) and still pull out easily with the tire inflated. No hassle with fenders except I had to modify the rear to make it a full 2" longer. On that bike I can run any cog from 12 to 24 with the same chain. Made a super chain whip that weighs 16 ounces, has a 22" lever and straps cleanly to the top tube. 2 minutes to flip the wheel, 5 to change cogs.

Things you dream up over 5000 hours of road fix gear riding, mostly alone.

Ben

Unca_Sam

Out here in the flatland, I'm not concerned about changing gearing on the fly, other than to 'bail out' to the 20 tooth Shimano freewheel on the other side of the hub. I'm certain that many, having read your description, would scratch their heads wondering why someone would take 2 minutes to 5 minutes to change gears. We could always reply, "Why ride your bike when a car can do it faster?"

caloso

Just lovely.

drlogik 

I worked in bike shops as a young teenager in the 1970's. Road my first "Track Bike", as we called them back then, but I just wasn't enamored with the bike. Not sure why. Roll the clock ahead a bunch of years and on a whim I decided to buy a Wabi. Got it, assembled it, pumped up the tires and got seriously hooked on cycling all over again. Maybe it's because the Wabi is a purpose-built bike versus my frankenbike I made back in 1975...plus the ride! The Wabi is just a dream to ride.

Velognome 

Thanks, I wish it was still as clean!

Senrab62 

Curious as to if you have a thread regarding parts list? I have a vintage British build too long in the making. What bars and fenders are you running?

Beautiful 😍 machine!