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Building a 12 pound fixed speed bike. Possible?

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Old 11-23-17, 01:00 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by checoles
Reminds me of THIS BIKE

I can only find Pinterest links to the picture, but no details anywhere of anyone doing something like it. But it looks proper fun!!
That thing looks like it would be extremely difficult to NOT wheelie.
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Old 11-25-17, 08:55 AM
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Originally Posted by SquidPuppet
That thing looks like it would be extremely difficult to NOT wheelie.
it looks like great fun doesnt it??
I really want one, do a ten mile ride out to a camp spot, rucksack and a few bags on the bike, take my time enjoying the scenery. Or just something to ride around to the pubs on, be a right laugh.
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Old 11-25-17, 09:55 AM
  #28  
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Good source and mechanism of frame is holding me back

Hi Guys,

I'm going to do this! But what's holding me back is a good reputable frame supplier. The only sub $600 sub 1500g are from China and just reading through people's experiences its a minefield between dodgy sellers and the blame game if the item gets damaged in transit.

Can anyone suggest a good source and a good mechanism (I believe this should be Ebay due to its protection for buyers).



Originally Posted by TimothyH
Alibaba has sub 1500 gram Chinese carbon track frames for between $400 and $600 all day long.
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Old 11-25-17, 11:52 AM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by checoles
it looks like great fun doesnt it??
I really want one, do a ten mile ride out to a camp spot, rucksack and a few bags on the bike, take my time enjoying the scenery. Or just something to ride around to the pubs on, be a right laugh.
Fun? Yes. Ten miles? I don't think I'd last that long. I think the novelty would wear off by the time I got to the end of my street. It would be great inside a factory or warehouse.
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Old 11-25-17, 11:58 AM
  #30  
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1587g for the Aventon Diamond frameset with Carbon seatpost and full carbon fork.

Depending on color, you are priced from $299-$499.
https://www.aventon.com/collections/...d-frames-bikes
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Old 11-25-17, 12:06 PM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by UltraManDan
1587g for the Aventon Diamond frameset with Carbon seatpost and full carbon fork.

Depending on color, you are priced from $299-$499.
https://www.aventon.com/collections/...d-frames-bikes
I'm not 100% sure, but I think 1587 grams is for the frame alone. The fork and post would be extra. Worth checking it out since OP's goal is max lightness.
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Old 11-25-17, 12:19 PM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by SquidPuppet
I'm not 100% sure, but I think 1587 grams is for the frame alone. The fork and post would be extra. Worth checking it out since OP's goal is max lightness.
Yeah, you are probably right. They list the fork weight separately at 350g. The seat post probably weighs half that.

Probably as close as he will get for his price range and not wanting to go the China route...
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Old 11-25-17, 12:27 PM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by UltraManDan

Probably as close as he will get for his price range and not wanting to go the China route...
Either that or get used to the fact that $$$$$$ are gonna need to be spent.
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Old 11-25-17, 04:42 PM
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With modern lightweight CF road frames built w/ vertical dropouts, 13O rear spacing and press-fit bottom brackets how are you planning to accommodate adjusting/tensioning the chain on a re-purposed FG with those specs?

-Bandera

edit for spacing error

Last edited by Bandera; 11-25-17 at 06:29 PM.
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Old 11-25-17, 06:12 PM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Bandera
With modern lightweight CF road frames built w/ vertical dropouts, 135 rear spacing and press-fit bottom brackets how are you planning to accommodate adjusting/tensioning the chain on a re-purposed FG with those specs?

-Bandera
There's a couple different methods... White Industries makes a hub with an eccentric axle, it probably comes in 135mm but you could probably space it if needed. I think Sheldon Brown or someone has a "perfect gear" calculator that will match up gear combos for a specific chainstay length.
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Old 11-25-17, 06:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Moose
There's a couple different methods... White Industries makes a hub with an eccentric axle, it probably comes in 135mm but you could probably space it if needed. I think Sheldon Brown or someone has a "perfect gear" calculator that will match up gear combos for a specific chainstay length.
Meant 130, sorry 'bout that.

Getting an acceptable chainline on a FG conversion should be priority #1 in planning this project. If the drivetrain wont function it doesn't matter what the machine weighs. This used to be a simple task w/ steel frames that were, or could be cold set to, track standard 120 spacing, horizontal dropouts w/ the length needed to tension the chain and threaded bottom brackets w/ many spindle lengths available for a perfect chainline. Eccentric hubs and BBs are available but with the wide press-fit BB shell, short chainstays and 130 spacing on modern CF road frames I'd work all of those issues out before spending a $ on the project.

I'd certainly ride a 12LB FG CF road frame conversion on my LD/FG rides w/ all of the modern doo-dads if done properly.

Good luck, sounds interesting.

-Bandera
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Old 11-25-17, 06:56 PM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by Bandera
Meant 130, sorry 'bout that.

Getting an acceptable chainline on a FG conversion should be priority #1 in planning this project. If the drivetrain wont function it doesn't matter what the machine weighs. This used to be a simple task w/ steel frames that were, or could be cold set to, track standard 120 spacing, horizontal dropouts w/ the length needed to tension the chain and threaded bottom brackets w/ many spindle lengths available for a perfect chainline. Eccentric hubs and BBs are available but with the wide press-fit BB shell, short chainstays and 130 spacing on modern CF road frames I'd work all of those issues out before spending a $ on the project.

I'd certainly ride a 12LB FG CF road frame conversion on my LD/FG rides w/ all of the modern doo-dads if done properly.

Good luck, sounds interesting.

-Bandera
130mm fixed gear hubs are available...lightweight? maybe not so much. The White Ind. hub is certainly not a lightweight at least not in consideration of attempting a 12lb build.

I will stay tuned to see how this pans out if the OP persists... I hope they keep us posted.
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Old 11-25-17, 08:53 PM
  #38  
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The Cinelli Parallax is pretty light (claimed 1500g for the frame) if you can still find one.
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Old 11-25-17, 09:18 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by seau grateau
The Cinelli Parallax is pretty light (claimed 1500g for the frame) if you can still find one.
Isn’t that the one with massive toe / front tire overlap ? Not the best choice IMO for general riding, especially for someone unfamiliar with fixed gear riding.
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Old 11-25-17, 10:03 PM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by TejanoTrackie
Isn’t that the one with massive toe / front tire overlap ? Not the best choice IMO for general riding, especially for someone unfamiliar with fixed gear riding.
Yeah, well a 12lb build is also not the best choice IMO, so I'm really just indulging the ridiculousness of it.
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Old 11-26-17, 08:42 AM
  #41  
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Late to the party again

Well, OP, as mentioned previously - the only thing holding you back is dollars (and imagination too, I suppose).

Try searching more around this subforum - IIRC there is(was?) a poster in this group who has the discontinued super-lightweight Gates-drive crabon Trek SS on which he spent a lot lightening it even more.

Admittedly, I have some weight-weenie tendencies myself and just for s***zngiggles, occasionally build-up my own roadified steelie track bike as a "lightweight". Not a single bit of crabon, and besides my slightly higher-end frame and fairly light wheelset, none of the other bits are particularly light or expensive, and it still comes in a hair over 15 lbs...


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Old 11-26-17, 01:11 PM
  #42  
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Originally Posted by UltraManDan
1587g for the Aventon Diamond frameset with Carbon seatpost and full carbon fork.

Depending on color, you are priced from $299-$499.
https://www.aventon.com/collections/...d-frames-bikes
See this what I don't get. That frame is 1600grams.

But my ALU CAAD 12 frame is 1100grams and a cheap CF roadbike frame from China is 900 grams (see https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycl...rame-bike.html 3rd post).

So why aren't there 900gram CF track framesets?
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Old 11-26-17, 01:32 PM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by raria
See this what I don't get. That frame is 1600grams.

But my ALU CAAD 12 frame is 1100grams and a cheap CF roadbike frame from China is 900 grams (see https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycl...rame-bike.html 3rd post).

So why aren't there 900gram CF track framesets?
It's been explained over and over again in this thread. Track bikes don't need to be that light. It provides no advantage for track riding. The engineers can and do use the extra weight to make the frame stiffer and more aerodynamic. What's so confusing about that?
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Old 11-26-17, 02:19 PM
  #44  
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Originally Posted by raria
See this what I don't get. That frame is 1600grams.

But my ALU CAAD 12 frame is 1100grams and a cheap CF roadbike frame from China is 900 grams (see https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycl...rame-bike.html 3rd post).

So why aren't there 900gram CF track framesets?
I don't even know why I am getting further involved in this thread, but here goes...

Why is it always roadies that get a bug up their ass for a FG/SS/Tarck bike who make such a big deal about having one that is ultra-light? Using the rationale that since their alu or crabon wunderbikes are so light to begin with, that a bike without gears or brakes should be proportionally even lighter?

First - Having ridden a buddy's Caad 10 (which was a nice bike), I doubt your claim earlier in this thread that your 105 equipped Caad 12 weighs 17 lbs is accurate and is more likely optimistic by at least a pound or two.
Second - I see that same 1100g weight claim you made for the frameset everywhere - but without substantation, and not being made by C'dale themselves...so perhaps your premise is not based in reality.
Finally - what TenGrainBread (and multiple others) said

All that being said - for your purposes, maybe you ought to look into a Caad 10 Track. It was pretty expensive, and apparently didn't sell very well so not long ago was being dumped all over the place for 1/2 price - but it seems right up your...alley.

Good luck...
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Old 11-26-17, 03:59 PM
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Originally Posted by raria
So why aren't there 900gram CF track framesets?
Because nobody wants them.
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Old 11-26-17, 04:09 PM
  #46  
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Originally Posted by raria
So why aren't there 900gram CF track framesets?
It may have something to do with the lack of mountain passes to climb on the average Velodrome.

-Bandera
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Old 11-26-17, 04:12 PM
  #47  
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Seriously, the sooner you realize that an ultra lightweight track frame is completely pointless, the easier this will be.
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Old 11-26-17, 04:43 PM
  #48  
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Just build a 15 pound track bike, then go on a diet and lose 3 pounds. Problem solved.
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Old 11-26-17, 08:24 PM
  #49  
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I really feel like there ought to be an event for these bikes - fixed-gear hill time trials so that people who want to put drillium in the titanium have a raison d'etre.
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Old 11-26-17, 08:28 PM
  #50  
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have the next red hook somewhere in the hollywood hills...
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