Looking to get a fixed gear. Any suggestions for a new bike or leads on a good used one?
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build yer own
craigslist+SOPO
can work both ways
there have been good cheap bikes built this way and lots of bad cheap bikes built this way. Be careful because I've seen way too many people who think they're getting a good deal on their $50 bike, then bring it by the shop and to make it ridable, they spend $300.
It can go well, but make sure you know what you're getting.
.
I have some good wheels for sale. Email address is in the profile.
What size frame are you
What size frame are you looking for?
Probably about a 56-58
Probably about a 56-58
if you're going to build it...
I have a complete track wheel set that I will be looking to get rid of in a week or so less than a year old. They would be cheap.
(Not to upstage Mr. Paul H or anything, just giving you another option. =P )
from someone who just did it
From someone who just did it, don't build one up unless you're willing to pay more. It is [99% almost] always cheaper to buy one than to build one up.
Doing it cheap:
Frame: Pake - $230
Fork: Pake - $80
Headset: $20
Stem: $30
Bars: $25
Bottom Bracket: $25
Cranks: $60
Wheels: $150
Tubes/Tires: $70
Chain: $12
Cog: $30
lockring: $8
That all adds up to $740. Skate Escapes sells track bikes for $450.
Now, if you already have some of these parts then you can maybe make it worth it (as was the case for me), but if you're starting with nothing, you'll just throw your money away. You can't get parts as cheap as bike manufactures get them.
EDIT: I forgot to add in the saddle and seatpost (another $60), pedals/cages/straps (~$50), and a brake/brake lever (~$50). So the total is up to $900.
what about yr front chainring?
you had one of those lying around? thems pricey, too.
very true
tho most cranks come with the first one.
eh
you can do it used and on the super-cheap.
my fixie build consisted of the following:
1980's panasonic touring bike = $100 or so (off of craigslist)
sandpaper and cans of primer and spraypaint = $15
flip flop rear wheel = $150 (i think... somewhere around that)
new seatpost = $30
kickass orange saddle = $15 on ebay
new chain, ball bearings, chainring bolts, etc. = $50
total = $360
i swap the front wheel with my road bike, and had some extra pedals lying around to throw on it. over time i have done things with the cranks, BB, headset, fork, and handlebars, but the stuff above was enough to get me started. (i also like tinkering, so i enjoy always having things to improve on the bike.)
the rear wheel was the most expensive component of the whole bike!
I am surprised no one
I am surprised no one brought this up yet, but for a track bike there is always bikesdirect.com. Cheap steel frames that roll for about the same price as just a frame from anywhere else. A good cheap way to figure out if you like bikes that won't coast.
Please be aware that down the road you are going to have to swap out the wheels and bottom bracket. Both parts are incredibly cheaply made on all the fixed gear models from bikesdirect.com (gotta shave costs somehow), and I'd be surprised if someone got more than a 1000 miles out of them on the street. I could see getting that much if you only rode on the track.
With that said, you will have to replace the parts, and when that happens get a Sugino 75 crank/bb from No Brakes, and a set of Soma wheels from Skate Escape and you'll be golden.
didn't know about that website
one thing to keep in mind though, you'll get the bike in a box and you'll have to assemble it yourself, which for a track bike is relatively straight forward. I would recommend taking the wheels to a shop and having them trued, which will greatly extend the life of the wheel. Otherwise, that site isn't a bad idea.
Tools I needed when I got
Tools I needed when I got mine:
15mm Wrench
5mm and 4mm Allen Keys
Those are tools you should keep in your bag anyhow.
The bars were already taped and the tires even had air in them.
Also, regarding the other bikes on the site (multi-gears)... not really worth it, as you'll need a tune up on the bike as soon as you pull it out of the box, and with aluminum frames... it's always best to have a warranty you know you can count on (IMO).
agreed
don't get a geared bike in a box unless you know bike mechanics or are willing to pay for a tune up (~$65). And I said assembling a single speed bike is easy, and I forgot to mention that it is as long as you have the right tools (or know someone who does). That's where SOPO would come in handy. Plus, I would like to think there would be atleast one person there who could tell you how to do it right (and maybe true your wheels for you).
Note on tools: While writing this, a commercial for colbalt tools came on TV and it looked like a guy was using channellock pliers as a spoke wrench: don't ever do this unless you're prepared to immediately replace the nipple. This is a dumb idea.
Bike in a box
is okay if you're looking for something that's not available locally. Wrench Science in Berkeley has provided three rigs for me. All I've done is clamp the stems, insert seat posts (to predetermined heights), add pedals, and air up...I have been happy with my choices.
wow
I had never heard of them so I was checking out their site: they do some nice bikes! How long does it take to get a bike after ordering?
It depends on whether spokes
It depends on whether spokes are in stock (Ha ha. My current predicament.) The Club Racer took several months, but the frame was built to spec and we tweaked the brake selection because of frame clearances. I recall that the mountain bike and another road bike were shipped in three or four weeks.
In short, best to order from what's in stock. They can discount older frames and components.
I like their build a bike feature...dream on. And their fit guide is spot-on.
the vent noir from bikes direct
isnt a bad bike, i purchased one from them a few years back, rode it around for a bit. used to ride it one centuries every weekend for 4 months straight to train to ride from orlando to birmingham. havent ridden their fixes but i have hear they are a decent starting point.
but it is ALWAYS cheaper. and sometimes safer to buy a complete bike than build a conversion or build one up from than frame.
I was pricing one up trying to justify not buying the fuji track pro at skate escape, and so far I am having trouble slipping under 900 bucks even using crappy parts
what is your employee
what is your employee discount on a Track Pro anyways?
I have an aluminum track
I have an aluminum track frameset that will fit you. Are you looking for a street frameset or a frameset suitable for racing?
Looking for something to
Looking for something to tool around town on. Finances have gone downhill though, so I will have to hold off on any bike purchases for a bit it seems.
Not to be a contrarian
but are we using fixie to mean the same as track bike? I don't think they's the same, Sam, because of thing like BB height and fork sweep and the like. The concern here is that if you do want to race in the track, you may need to get a real track bike as some tracks will require your BB to stand at about a mile up (is that the rule at DL? I am not sure). Sooo, my 2 cents is to get a cheap track bike if you are going fixed. There may be a price difference if you go the ConJob way, but you may also end up in Greggland.
In fact, if you don't already have a frame, I would argue against buying one to build. Fiddling with chain length is mighty frustrating.
?
chain length or chain line?
The former's really pretty easy, while the latter requires some knowledge of the parts your using to make sure everything adds up to 42 mm (for normal fixed hubs).
length
for me, that is a bitch.
Length
Track riders change gearing frequently. When you are using different chainwheel/cog combinations you need to determine the chain length so that as wheels are repositioned your axles stay within the track ends. I have read that removal of one link changes the chain length by 1/8".
There is the question of where you want the wheel to sit in the frame. For track I think you want it as close to the seat stay as possible. This makes using a chain sized for this purpose tricky for larger cogs. Chains sized for various ring/cog combinations would be the solution to this problem.
It took me a while to make this determination when I built my track bike.
CL&Some Luck
I went with the super cheapo build, happen to land a $70 frame+BB+stem+fork+handlebars+headset+front brake about a year and half ago.
Slapped my old mtn bike crank on there, with some fix wheels ($120 cheapo's from ebay).
Rode on flats for a while, upgraded to clipless for $30 bucks.
~250 was the grand total after I repainted it and put some nice new cork tape on.
A lot of old raleigh or schwinns make for a good build up if you are willing to disassemble the old road 10spds. If you keep looking you can really score some good deals around. It also helps if you have any cycling friends who just have bikes laying around.
i may have to sell my bike
depending on the situation with my health.
it is actually getting worse.
my white fixie may be going for cheap in a week or so.
it will have brakes to. 300 or so. depending on the situation with the front wheel.
I would throw in a pretty suguino crank with it