Fixed gear on the cheap

Anonymous

For those interested, I've given my 18 year old apollo 12-speed racer (hack bike) a face lift, and a new life as a fixie! Prior to this the bottom bracket and cranks were knackered, and was heading for the skip. But I still needed a hack bike so I decided to fix it.

Original colour scheme was green, white and pink! Now resprayed as flat black. Its also got a new shimano bb-un26 bottom bracket, and cheapo double crankset. I originally intended to make it a single speed, but the cassette would not budge and was butchered. So I welded the freewheel to the sprockets so that I could use the chain whip to yank it off. Before I did this, I thought Id try it as a fixie, and boy Im addicted to it now.

When I get time, I will respace and redish the hub so I can put on a proper fixed sprocket with lockring. But then it will probably get nicked, so maybe I should just leave it as is! The cassette still hasnt budged whilst riding and attempting track stands. The zebra bar tape certainly pulls heads.

http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j61/p ... /Hackster/

The Endorser

Looking good! I find that satin black is a good colourfor old hacks - cheap, looks cool, and is easy to repair.

<i><b>Taking the moral high ground since 1969</b></i>

Unknown

Neat job on a tight budget, I reckon! Seem worse chain lines on expensive stuff.

Don't know about fixed being suicidal, but those auxillary brake levers weren't dubbed "suicide levers" without good reason as I recall.

d.j.
"Like a true nature's child,
We were born,
Born to drink mild"

Anonymous

Tried yanking off the welded freewheel cassette using a chainwhip, and it wasnt budging. Didnt want to vice it up, so left as is for now.

Got my SPDs today, will be sticking them on tonight. Im used to SPDs on my hybrid, so hopefully wont be too bad a transition.
Im currently using the 48x17 which equates to 76" gearing. Feels a bit harsh. The other usable combination is 48/19 which equates to 68" gearing (chainline offsets same distance the otherway). Will give that a try to see if feels better.
Alternatively I could switch to the 40T front chainring, but I think that brings it down to mid 50", possibly too low for town use.

Is it okay to use a SRAM powerlink on a fixed gear chain?

mashtonian

Nice one, glad you're enjoying the fixed feeling.

As for your gear ratios, I run 48x17 as my daily gear and find it a good compromise around town. And I can do hills on it too, with enough warming up. Stick with it for a bit as your legs will be getting stronger daily now that you can't stop peddaling.

I have also got a 19t on the other side of my hub and will swap over if I feel knackered or am doing something slow speed, like critical mass or a ride with buddies on junk heaps.

Funnily, I prefer hill climbing on the 17t, I just attack the hill as fast as I can and try to keep my rhythm going.

YMMV.

Greenbank

Good work!

I'd bin the spoke mounted reflectors though, eventually they'll work loose and you really don't want them to slip sideways and jam in the forks (or chainstays).

If you want something reflective on the side then there are various tyres with reflective sidewalls.

--
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