steve-in-kville 

Looking at my second bike purchase... and am leaning toward the SS/fixie bikes. Want something for winter riding... something on the simple side. Spec'd a Jamis Beatnik which is will ship in a few weeks. Also looked at what bikedirect had as well.

Would like to hear about the SS/fixies the commuters are using. As well as mods and accessories you've made to them.

bsyptak

Consider saving an old 70s-80s steel lugged road bike from the dump. There are millions of them and you can get most of them for less than $100. It costs about $20 to convert them, a bit more if you want to replace cables, tires, etc. I've got $160 in this Trek, $100 of which was the purchase price. A fine vintage ride that I could easily sell today for what I've got into it.

UberIM

I have two and am purchasing a third ss bike.

I have an old Lemond steel racing bike I converted to a ss-this spring/summer will make it a fg.
It has such tight geometry that it cannot accept fenders/thick studded tires.

So.........

I also have a ss Kona mtn bike.........bomber and great for the winter.

I have purchased a Fuji touring bike and am making into a SS-why? because I want to be able to have fenders/rear rack and thicker tires than my lemond and studded tires for the winter. And I want to be able to ride a little faster than my mtn bike allows.........

I would suggest going to the SS/FG forum.......lots of very knowledgeable and nice folks who know lots of stuff.......

I went to a touring bike instead of a cyclocross bike cause many people find with fenders there is toe overlap and I am a whiney rider and not very coordinated and just didn't want to deal with this.

I plan to do what was posted earlier: get an old fram which will allow thicker tires and make it into a ss cyclocross bike and not use fenders-----for fun and the carriage trails in Bar Hahbah........

HTH
Uber

spider-man

Mid-'80s Raleigh USA Grand Prix. Phil BB, Shimano 105/Stronglight Delta frankenheadset; Suntour GPX cranks, Phil front hub, Nashbar rear with a track cog on one side and a freewheel on the other.

jpearl

I'm rocking a stock '07 Specialized Langster, save for an ITM stem and Shimano pedals. I ride SS only, not fixed. I use it for my DC-area commute, which depending on the route, is anywhere from nine miles to near 30 miles for the morning, and a nine-mile time trial on the way home. My commute to work in the morning doubles as a training ride, so it's used from everything from recovery and endurance rides to interval training, and the commute home sometimes involves hill reps.

Otherwise, it is stout and sturdy, though the crappy Alex wheelset is getting swapped-out this winter for an new set of Mavics. As for the OP's inquiry to SS/FGs, I'd say stay away from the new Langsters - they're pre-fab pseudo-hipster toy bikes. From what I've seen, Surly makes one of the best SS/FG steel frames out there, though there are a host of new bikes being introduced all of the time, though I would keep a keen eye the Felt Breed.

datlas 

I needed something cheap that fits me. The dawes sst (no groaning about bikesdirect, that is another thread!) fit both criteria. I have had it for about 6 weeks for my 20 mile RT commute. The only upgrades needed were clipless pedals and a longer seatpost. Plus the usual lights, etc...and I am in the process of trying to put fenders on it for the upcoming messy weather.

So far I am commuting with SS but have tried FG around the neighborhood, it takes some getting used to. Eventually I might try commuting FG but for now will probably stick with SS.

Brad Walker

I spent a few weeks researching the same thing. A lot of new FG/SS bikes don't have fender/rack mounts or very little clearance for bigger tires. The Salsa Casseroll Single, Masi Speciale Commuter, Raleigh One Way and Bianche San Jose can take full fenders and up to 32mm tires. The Raleigh One Way comes stock with fenders and cantilever brakes. The Casseroll Single and Speciale Commuter frames have a rear derailer hanger.

I ordered a 58cm '09 Orange Creme Masi Speciale Commuter two weeks ago and my LBS had it ready four days later. I plan on adding some Honjo fenders soon and will take better pictures once it has more mods.

Sixty Fiver

I have a pair of Kuwaharas... these are among my favorite bikes due to the high build quality of the frames, slack frame geometry, and ride quality.

The Cascade is a 1987... this bike and I have logged some serious mileage.



The Shasta is a 1988...it is also my winter / messenger bike.



I have a 1973 Phillip's 20 folder that is now a fixed gear... this bike puts the f in fun and is a great riding bike.

Yan 

Here is the main thread. I only just got it yesterday. It's a fixed gear.

The rims are loaners from the bike shop until my backordered white Velocity Fusions get here.

Sixty Fiver

Nice !

rednek426

I bought a Motobecane Outcast 29er from Bikesdirect a few months ago... and have been commuting on it and slowly customizing it since. It's got almost 600 miles on it total, some of which are offroading miles. I ride it on the fixed side of the hub, I haven't ever used the freewheel it came with.

Mods/addons are:
-Planet Bike fenders, with custom made aluminum stays. (The original ones wibbled too much)
-Custom built aluminum rear rack (Tested to 220 pounds so far)
-dropped the 42t chainring, replaced with a Blackspire aluminum 34t chainring for the hills
-mounted bar ends inside the grips (until I break down and buy a set of H bars, though the bar ends are very comfy)
-lights, panniers, clipless pedals, so on so forth...

And I need to wash the poor thing someday, but now it looks well loved!

TheatreME

I have been commuting on an old Falcon San Remo FG conversion I bought because I was bikeless after a wreck in August and that is a horrible feeling. I am actually putting together my next commuter together tonight. The Falcon is a sweet ride, but there is one tough hill on my route that I cannot climb spinning 72 gear inches. (44/16)

Luckily I do have fender mounts on it and HUGE tire clearence (at least for a FG) but with this new build happening I thing I will just keep the little saddle bag on it and use it for fair weather rides and let the steel MTB commuter take all the abuse

Footstinker

Here is my FG. I built this bike to commute to school on and just generally love.
Its some old Rampar frame built up with almost all new components.
I look forward to riding it every day. Looks like today is gonna be my first ride in the rain!

frymaster

man, i never pegged sixty-fiver for a member of the tube protector set.

cg1985

I'm working on my Single Speed for winter cycling right now.

No pics, It's currently disassembled. Need to finish overhauling the Hubs, but I don't have the proper Freewheel puller thingy, It's an old two-notch sun-tour freewheel.

Still a bit to get done, have to get spacers, and figure out what Gear Ratio I want. Something easy, it's going to be my rain/snow bike. So I want to keep it simple and easy. Have to get the wheels trued, and overhaul the bottom-bracket. The goal for the week is to finish the Hub and Bottom Bracket Overhauling. the weekend goal is to take the wheels to get re-trued, and buy the spacers/cogs/fenders.

Hirohsima

Here are my two SS commute bikes. I ditched my FG wheelset on the road bike as it did not suit my riding style and I like to keep up with traffic in downtown and having to pedal when coming up to lights wasted energy and did not let me catch up.

I enjoy riding my SS bikes more than my geared bikes for the most part. Each has their purpose, but for commuting in a flat town, I can think of very few drawbacks.

funrover 

Great looking SS's

caloso

'89 Trek 660. Had it powdercoated last winter and never replaced the Trek decals but right now it's featuring some political stickers.

kwrides

I have a Windsor the Hour that I no longer commute on. You'll want to replace the cog right away unless you cycle at 10rpms. I've made other mods over time, saddle, handlebars, stem, clipless, front brake and lever, tires. Not a bad bike and I like riding it, but for the money I have in it now, I wish I would have bought a complete package locally.

DataJunkie

Mine is camera shy.
It is a 2008 salsa casserole that I built up after being hit by a car while recovering. It has a mix of new parts and old POS components from my 07 langster that was terminated in that accident.
I am slowly converting everything to silver components.
42X16 is the gearing. For winter I just flipped it to FG from SS. One of the few FG\SS around here with fenders and a rack.

fender1

My 1981 Trek 710 w/flip flop rear. Just geared down to 42x18 and loving it!

[IMG][/IMG]

JeffS

Started riding fixed with a Cannondale Capo.



Switched to a S-works Langster, custom built by someone else and purchased by me for about 40% of what they had in it.


I then purchased a used Lemond Fillmore and moved my higher-end parts to that bike. I loved the langster, but decided I wanted something with at least rack mounts - though long-term I would like rack and fender capability.

I also purchased a singlespeed Salsa Casseroll on sale, but it's been backordered for over a month now. The plan was actually, to make that a 1x9 bike, but it could still be ridden fixed since I have a number of geared bikes as well now.

Current Fillmore build is:

- Phil hubs (double fixed (16/17) in rear) on DT Swiss 1.2 rims
- Dura-ace crank (48T)
- front brake (campy veloce)
- FSA k-wing handlebar
- campy brake levers

Future plans involve adding a rack, possibly fenders, and experimenting with the handlebar. I have a nitto mustache bar that I'm going to try, though sort of expecting to ditch that and move to WTB dirt drop.


--------

Anyone want a 62cm langster frameset? Best riding fixie I've owned.

kwrides

Nice bike, love the color... but OUCH on that saddle angle!

Metricoclock

'08 Surly Cross-Check
Open Pro's laced to phil wood hubs
Flip/flop rear
SKS Fenders
Rear Rack

famelec

Swobo Del Norte. I like the steel frame and wide tires (32) for commuting. Pretty much stock except for:

Flip-flopped to fixed gear (42/16)
Different chain (the original was red)
Original road brakes levers removed and replaced with one in-line front brake
Planet Bike Fenders
Topeak MTX rack and tankbag. They're incredibly convenient for quick and easy mounting and dismounting of the bag.

Brian