Fixed/Single Speed Commuting

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  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    cjcp wrote:
    Dear all

    I have a spare frame in my shed which I can either sell, use to build up a geared bike or possibly convert into a FG/SS. I'm not particularly bothered about the second option because I already have two of those and the next geared bike I buy will hopefully be a cross bike. A FG/SS build could be reasonably cheap too.

    The drop out on the frame is pictured below. If I want to build up a FG/SS to pootle to the grocers etc round by me, do I need chain tensioners and what not? Grateful for any pointers. :) (This does not mean I'm becoming a fixer :wink: )



    3297744700_bf593abeaf_m.jpg

    Filthy traitor. :evil:
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • mcrmc
    mcrmc Posts: 5
    reeet. take one old frame with vertical dropouts and apply a drill to lengthen the dropouts horizontally. Use marker and a tape measure to ensure that you take equal amounts of metal from each dropout. Use an old axle to check whether your drilling is straight. This is vital as you dont want a wonky wheel. Use washers to fill up the spare space on your axle, as track frames are narrower than road frames track wheels require a little bit of spacing to get them right. DO NOT bend the dropouts by tightening them willy nilly as you will get wonky wheel syndrome again. Next, pick your gear. I use 40/13 as it is right for me and more importantly keeps the chain tight. Using this method you are limited in your gear choice but with a bit of experimentation you will find the perfect gear. The biggest proble is sorting out your chainline. I use a 40 because it will fit inside the crank spider without rubbing on the chainstays, but every frame is different, so experiment.

    This is a bodge, its not perfect, but my bike has been running for a year like this with no problems. The only downside is that mechanics wont touch my back wheel, insisting that I put it in myself for insurance purposes.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    cjcp wrote:
    Dear all

    I have a spare frame in my shed which I can either sell, use to build up a geared bike or possibly convert into a FG/SS. I'm not particularly bothered about the second option because I already have two of those and the next geared bike I buy will hopefully be a cross bike. A FG/SS build could be reasonably cheap too.

    The drop out on the frame is pictured below. If I want to build up a FG/SS to pootle to the grocers etc round by me, do I need chain tensioners and what not? Grateful for any pointers. :) (This does not mean I'm becoming a fixer :wink: )



    3297744700_bf593abeaf_m.jpg

    Welcome to the club and about time, you'll be needing a HUGE RING for that project and a tensioner not a tug nut like CP/Jash - no need for drilling etc etc.

    Do you have a flip/flop rear wheel yet :wink:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    mcrmc wrote:
    reeet. take one old frame with vertical dropouts and apply a drill to lengthen the dropouts horizontally. Use marker and a tape measure to ensure that you take equal amounts of metal from each dropout. Use an old axle to check whether your drilling is straight. This is vital as you dont want a wonky wheel. Use washers to fill up the spare space on your axle, as track frames are narrower than road frames track wheels require a little bit of spacing to get them right. DO NOT bend the dropouts by tightening them willy nilly as you will get wonky wheel syndrome again. Next, pick your gear. I use 40/13 as it is right for me and more importantly keeps the chain tight. Using this method you are limited in your gear choice but with a bit of experimentation you will find the perfect gear. The biggest proble is sorting out your chainline. I use a 40 because it will fit inside the crank spider without rubbing on the chainstays, but every frame is different, so experiment.

    This is a bodge, its not perfect, but my bike has been running for a year like this with no problems. The only downside is that mechanics wont touch my back wheel, insisting that I put it in myself for insurance purposes.

    :shock:
    Thanks for the advice :). But I ain't that gifted mechanically!
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    @ITB - the tensioners are funny looking things, aren't they? I thought SSers were supposed to be nice looking bikes. :wink:

    I've since had, IMO, another idea: upgrade the race bike's groupset and ove the existing groupsets down the line, so that this bike gets fited out. :D But, wife unlikely to agree to that if I want a cross bike this year, so, since some bits on the commuter or race bike will need replacing soon, just chuck them - and other bits and bobs in the shed - on this frame. That will then do away with the need for a different wheelset for any SS, which I can't afford if I want some IRCs.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Greg66 wrote:
    Filthy traitor. :evil:

    I know. I felt dirty for a moment. But I'm all right now. A momentary lapse of reason while scrapping round the shed. :P
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    Um, as of today I have joined the club. And it doesn't even have a flip flop hub...
    My Focus / My Bob Jackson
    Blog (incl. bikes)
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Oh no. Did you buy the Bob Jackson?
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    Yep. Please don't say things like "oh no" when I've just shelled out a considerable bit of cash!
    My Focus / My Bob Jackson
    Blog (incl. bikes)
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    As long as you paid no more than 250, it was worth it. I saw it. It's a nice looking bike. :)
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    £250 is less than the frame's worth you bugger!
    My Focus / My Bob Jackson
    Blog (incl. bikes)
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    :lol:

    Darn. You didn't bite. :)
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    Nice try - if you'd said something just a bit higher I'd probably be panicking right now and wondering if you can reverse a bank transfer...

    On the other hand, can you value Litt's bike for me - wouldn't mind a hulk for spares :)
    My Focus / My Bob Jackson
    Blog (incl. bikes)
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    You're getting carried away already!
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    biondino wrote:
    Yep. Please don't say things like "oh no" when I've just shelled out a considerable bit of cash!

    Oh no!

    AND you're £300 down.

    You poor s0d. :twisted:
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    cjcp
    depending ot the gear ratio you go for you may not need a tensioner, you may get away with a half link.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    Well done biondino you know it makes sense, cjcp shame on you :roll:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • steve-m
    steve-m Posts: 106
    TopSpin wrote:
    Steve-M I don't reckon Richmond Park the easy way would be much of a challenge for you at all then! Muswell hill on a fixed with panniers is pretty impressive! I've only ever done it on the granny wheel on a geared road bike :oops:

    Would definitely favour Hertfordshire over Richmond if you're in North London as there's so much traffic to get through to get out west.

    Well got this months metric century bagged on the fixed yesterday, to RP, 3 laps (2 hard) and back did it. Was a lovely day and I like the atmosphere, may do a duathlon trip there next time. Yes, that hill is nothing compared to what we have up here.

    First time with the cycle computer on that bike, 45K is a little fast on the legs at the moment
    Fixed, commute: Langster 08, FCN6
    Road : Aravis (byercycles) Shimano 105 triple
    Hybrid: Trek 7.2 FX, unused / unloved
  • TopSpin
    TopSpin Posts: 36
    steve-m wrote:
    TopSpin wrote:
    Steve-M I don't reckon Richmond Park the easy way would be much of a challenge for you at all then! Muswell hill on a fixed with panniers is pretty impressive! I've only ever done it on the granny wheel on a geared road bike :oops:

    Would definitely favour Hertfordshire over Richmond if you're in North London as there's so much traffic to get through to get out west.

    Well got this months metric century bagged on the fixed yesterday, to RP, 3 laps (2 hard) and back did it. Was a lovely day and I like the atmosphere, may do a duathlon trip there next time. Yes, that hill is nothing compared to what we have up here.

    First time with the cycle computer on that bike, 45K is a little fast on the legs at the moment

    I went out again yesterday too. Did 3 laps easy way and managed it alright this time. Would have been 45 miles in all. Saw about 4 other single speed/fixed riders going the easy way (all passed me!).

    Will have to try the north london hills next but I don't fancy my chances.
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    biondino wrote:
    Um, as of today I have joined the club. And it doesn't even have a flip flop hub...

    Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! That's great news. FG lap of RP when I'm repaired? :D
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • wgwarburton
    wgwarburton Posts: 1,863
    cjcp wrote:
    Dear all

    The drop out on the frame is pictured below. If I want to build up a FG/SS to pootle to the grocers etc round by me, do I need chain tensioners and what not?

    It would be easiest to build a singlespeed and use a tensioner. With a vertical dropout like this you can't easily adjust the tension by moving the wheel back & forth and a tensioner won't work for a fixed (the strain is way too high, the chain won't play nicely).

    That's not to say it can't be done. You can engineer enough play in most vertical dropouts to work out a solution, use a "magic gear" (a carefully calculated chainring & sprocket combination to get a useable gear that's exactly the right size to fit your frame) or buy an eccentric hub (White Industries Eno?). Check Sheldon Brown[RIP]'s site for a better explanation of the solutions than I can offer, here.

    So- three possible solutions: mechanical, mathematical or financial.... take your pick!

    Cheers,
    W.
  • wgwarburton
    wgwarburton Posts: 1,863
    biondino wrote:
    Yep. Please don't say things like "oh no" when I've just shelled out a considerable bit of cash!

    Nah... It's lovely. If it fits, and if you arn't immediately going to start changing stuff to make it into something else that was what you actually wanted to buy, then it's a bargain whatever you paid for it.

    You'd have to spend a lot of time & money to make this bike- the parts alone are expensive, plus the time to spec and find them, check that it all works together (chainline, brake drop, axle spacing, seat-post/stem/bar compatibility etc), build it up and bed it in...

    Be happy, ride it and enjoy it, and revel in the fact that it's not just another Langster, Pista or even Fixie Inc...

    Cheers,
    W.

    PS Feel better now?
  • Littigator
    Littigator Posts: 1,262
    biondino wrote:
    Nice try - if you'd said something just a bit higher I'd probably be panicking right now and wondering if you can reverse a bank transfer...

    On the other hand, can you value Litt's bike for me - wouldn't mind a hulk for spares :)

    I haven't left the country yet MonkeyBoy...them's is fighting words :evil:

    So come on, how much did you pay for the Bob Jackson
    Roadie FCN: 3

    Fixed FCN: 6
  • don_don
    don_don Posts: 1,007
    Well, I 'Dingle-d' my fixie over the weekend and it works perfectly :D I was running slightly too low a gear for commuting, so that's now sorted by the smaller 17t cog. Its also just a 30 second job to move the wheel forward onto the lower 'hill-climbing' gear.

    I was a bit worried the chain-line might be a problem but not a bit of it. Next stop, another Dingle on the other side, a double chainset on the front, and I have 8 fixed gears - wahaaay!!!

    BTW - Biondino - gorgeous bike, well bought :D
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    don_don wrote:
    Well, I 'Dingle-d' my fixie over the weekend and it works perfectly :D I was running slightly too low a gear for commuting, so that's now sorted by the smaller 17t cog. Its also just a 30 second job to move the wheel forward onto the lower 'hill-climbing' gear.

    I was a bit worried the chain-line might be a problem but not a bit of it. Next stop, another Dingle on the other side, a double chainset on the front, and I have 8 fixed gears - wahaaay!!!

    BTW - Biondino - gorgeous bike, well bought :D

    Do you have pics of this set-up?
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • don_don
    don_don Posts: 1,007
    I can certainly take a pic later this evening if you like?

    The 8 gear thing was a joke by the way :lol:
  • el_presidente
    el_presidente Posts: 1,963
    Bored with Fixed?

    I've been commuting fixed for a year now, loved it to start with but tbh I think the novelty is wearing off & I am contempalting going back to gears. My knees seem stiff, I've had a couple of near misses, mainly my fault, but i thought that maybe fixed contributed to each. Should I give it a rest for a bit?
    <a>road</a>
  • don_don
    don_don Posts: 1,007
    el_presidente wrote:
    Bored with Fixed?

    I've been commuting fixed for a year now, loved it to start with but tbh I think the novelty is wearing off & I am contempalting going back to gears. My knees seem stiff, I've had a couple of near misses, mainly my fault, but i thought that maybe fixed contributed to each. Should I give it a rest for a bit?

    Why not? :)

    Its just another way of getting round, despite the enthusiasm of some of the posters here :wink:

    The only thing I would say is you might be mashing too high a gear, but then spinning lower gears can be a drag sometimes. Its taken me ages to find just the right gear for my riding.

    If you are fed up, just get the geared bike out and forget about fixed (ducks from sharpened sprockets being hurled in his direction) for a while.

    You may decide to go back to it eventually, but if not there'll probably be plenty of takers here if you want to sell :)
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    I'm not bored with it, no, in fact I'm looking forward to being able to spin all the way to work without my ankle hurting so I can get back to my fixed sprocket and ditch the freewheel!

    But if you are then just go back to gears.

    We'll still talk to you. :D
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • el_presidente
    el_presidente Posts: 1,963
    I did a long ride on the geard roadie at the weekend and enjoyed it more than the fixie I think. Hmm maybe I will have to add a geared commute bike build to the queue, behind my full-sus MTB build ;)
    <a>road</a>

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