N.V.

I've got a 1983 Fuji Monterey frame I'd like to build as a single speed (or perhaps SS/FG with a flip-flop hub). I only have the frame/fork/headset and original brakes, so every other component will need to be purchased. I'm bound to be asking lots of questions, but thought I'd start with wheels.

The frame has 126 mm spacing in the rear with nice horizontal dropouts. I've seen numerous pre-made wheelsets with 120 mm rear hubs, and a couple available with 126 mm rear hubs. My basic question is this: Is there a functional advantage to getting a 126 mm rear hub vs. using a 120 mm rear hub with spacers?

Seems like it would be smart to get 27-inch rims so the original brakes can be used easily. However, I'm not opposed to buying newer brakes and 700c rims if that's especially desirable. Thoughts on that?

Lastly, is there conventional wisdom about the desirability of these four approaches?
(I have a good set of bike tools, but do NOT have proper wheelmaking equipment.)

I'm definitely not opposed to hunting around on ebay/craigslist and I'm not in any particular rush. I don't need to pinch pennies 'til they scream, but any money saved is money that can be thrown at my kayaking pursuits! My main bike is an old but still wonderful Trek 5200 and this will be a fun/alternative bike for me, so I'm not looking for a dream bike. With that said, I want to end up with something well-made and beautifully functional. It will be ridden almost exclusively on the road, btw.

Thanks very much for any advice you can offer!

SquidPuppet

Where did you see a single speed hub that was 126mm? SS/FG hubs are 120mm. Maybe what you saw being sold as 126 was actually 120 with spacers already.

700c affords you bazillions of tire choices. 27 inch offers a hand full of meh options.

That would be my first choice. Second choice would be to build all new wheels.

seau grateau

Maybe OP was looking at older road bike hubs that take a thread-on freewheel?

N.V.

First, thanks very much for your reply, SquidPuppet. As for the 126mm hub, I was referring to something like the Velo Orange Grand Cru High Flange 126mm Freewheel Hub. Obviously, that's not specifically made as a SS hub, but I believe it could be used with a SS freewheel. Is that incorrect?

You make a great point about tire selection! Now I'll need to look into making the original brakes work with a 700c rim... or maybe I'll just need new brakes.

As for lacing vintage hubs to new rims, I still have the basic question about 126mm vs. 120mm - assuming I'm correct about the ability to use a SS freewheel with a 126mm hub.

hairnet

Building a wheel or repurposing an old road bike wheel is great and all but you need a few tools, and you say you don't have wheelbuilding equipment. You can get away with using the bike's fork and brake as your truing stand but you will need a dish tool and spoke wrenches. For a dedicated SS wheel you will also want to rearrange the axle spacers for straight chainline, this will require cone wrenches(typically 15mm on a rear wheel) and an open end wrench for the locknuts(typically 17mm)

I would just get a SS/FG wheel and space it to 126mm.

SquidPuppet

There is no strength advantage to either one. Personally, I'd go with a dedicated SS/FG 120mm hub. Chain line will be correct without the need for spacers and/or funky dishing.

TejanoTrackie 

The OP has a road frame with 126mm dropout spacing, so he/she will still need to add 3mm worth of spacers on each side of the hub. Just make sure you buy a hub with a longer axle that permits adding spacers. There will be no need to redish the wheel.

EpicSchwinn

You've mentioned "so I can use the original brakes" several times. Most brakes from back then are very weak compared to what you can buy now. Switching to a 700c wheel and buying a modern set of long reach brakes would likely be a huge improvement over using the originals.

I can say that confidently from my experience building a Schwinn Traveler conversion that went from [27" fixed wheelset w/ original brakes] > [700c wheelset w/ original brakes] > [700c wheelset w/ long reach Tektro brakes]. It got better every time. The Tektro long reach brakes weren't even anything fancy or expensive but the difference was crazy compared to the stock Dia Compe brakes.

I'll also echo what others said about tire choices. 27" tires are very limited and also heavy. When you switch to 700c there's more awesome tires than you'll ever be able to try.

Good luck with the build!

SquidPuppet

Correct. if he uses a SS/FG hub. But, I was under the impression that he was looking at 126mm road hubs. Maybe I misunderstood. I've never done this myself, but I've read about it here in the mechanics forum. Using a SS freewheel on a road hub doesn't always give proper chainline and that can't always be solved with spacer(s) behind the freewheel. So I've heard of guys rearranging the axle spacers to move the hub closer to the DS dropout, which then necessitates a dishing change to make up the difference. Like I said, I've never done that and never would go through the hassle just to be able to use a vintage 126 road hub.

N.V.

Thanks to everyone for the input. It's a great start!

79pmooney

126 vs 120 doesn't matter as long as you can put the 3mm washers on each side of the hub and the axle is long enough. 120 gives you a stronger hub (less unsupported axle beyond the bearings and freedom to use true track hubs. 126 means 7-speed wheels and derailleurs can be used in the future if you want. Squeezing the frame (coldsetting) down to 120 isn't hard. The dropouts will need to be aligned after with the tools any bike shop has.

I did this to my brand new and beautifully built 1978 Fuji Professional frame that Fuji gave me as a warranty replacement. My '76 frame that broke was spaced 120, the old 5-speed. All my wheels were 5-speed. (This was the season after my head injury. KISS (keep it simple, ...) was the governing theme.)

700c vs 27". As others have said above - go 700c. Far more choices. (Also makes fenders and big winter tires easy.) Good long pull brakes. The old Mafac Racers work really well here, especially in front. (They are kind of squishy to be using with the long cable and housing runs of a back brake. My preferred winter/rain/city bikes share a Mafac set modified to two front brakes and a whatever Schwinn spec centerpulls likewise modified to be two rear brakes. THose bikes have really good, really predictable stopping power.)

As a no-brainer first approach, go 700c and stay 126. Get hubs you can remove washers from so you can go down to 120 so you can change your mind later. Wheels? Older hubs may not have the axle length to be good 126 hubs. You will need to watch for that. Brakes? As I said above or do EpicSchwinn's advice and get the Tektros. (KISS)

I have done exactly what you are doing many times. (27" horizontally dropped early '80s Japanese bikes to 700c fix gears. Current ride is an early '80s Trek, never 27" but the Miyata that it is wearing the parts from (and 2 of its 3 predecessors) were.

I have a place in my heart for those old Fujis. Ride the heck out of it!

Ben

JohnDThompson 

You may as well get a hub that fits your frame. At a minimum, it will save you the bother of installing spacers to make it fit.

seau grateau

It can be done without dishing. One of my bikes uses vintage Campy hubs with a SS freewheel, and the chainline is near perfect with the chainring on the inside of the spider. It's a bit off with the ring mounted on the outside of the spider, but not fatally so.

As others have said though, easiest route would probably be a prebuilt wheelset with extra spacers. Some sellers will even throw the spacers on for you (I believe Velomine offers this on their site).

SquidPuppet

My head would explode if I had to do that.

SquidPuppet

So does any hardware store.

seau grateau

I try to pedal really fast so no one notices.

Broctoon

In a frame built for 27" wheels, you can usually fit 700c with tires as wide as you want (or as wide as they make, in road tires). There is also plenty of room for fenders, if you want them.

The brake calipers you'll need to get are long reach, not long pull. Typically, you'll end up with about 60mm reach, but it's best to put your wheels on and actually measure. Standard road calipers, sometimes called "mid-reach" are about 47mm, and "short reach" go as short as 38 or 40mm.

N.V.

Thanks again to everyone for your help. Ben, I found your post very helpful!

I'll come back once I have more questions, which is sure to be soon.

solidtyres

the frame can be cold set to either size, a very minor item. Try to get the best wheel you can, and modify the spacing if needed.