# Buy a "cheap" fixie, or build up from an old road frame?



## Johnny LaRoux (Jun 29, 2006)

Ok, I've been riding SS for a few years, and I've got the urge to try fixed! I've been cruising this forum for a couple of weeks, checking out some of the offerings from Bikes Direct, and ebay, and now I'm ready to go for it.

I've got a mid 80's 531 lugged road bike, was originally hand-built by a small builder here in Canada. It still fits me well, is in great shape, and has horizontal drop outs. I've switched it back and forth from SS to geared a few times, but I had a new Marinoni frame built last summer, and now the old 531 is mostly used as a singlespeed. From what I can tell, I'd need to get a flip/flop wheel (I still want the option of running freewheel) and track cog, but my cranks are old Dura Ace 175mm, which is too long for a fixie...right? So I'll have to spring for new/used cranks. Grand total - about $200-$250 if I get decent stuff.

So, for $319 I can get a new Dawes SST on BD...and I just can't decide! I know some of the parts on the Dawes are throw-away, and the stuff on my road bike is Dura Ace / Ultegra level....

Suggestions? Past experiences? Help?


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Only you can answer that question... The Dawes a fine for the price but it lacks individuality...If that's OK, get the Dawes... If you want something different, convert your 531 frame..

just my .02 cents


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## Johnny LaRoux (Jun 29, 2006)

*Agreed...*



Dave Hickey said:


> Only you can answer that question... The Dawes a fine for the price but it lacks individuality...If that's OK, get the Dawes... If you want something different, convert your 531 frame..
> 
> just my .02 cents


True.

I'm far too old to be seen as a "poser", but a stock fixie certainly may seem that way to some. 

I did see some nice anodized deep V rims on ebay that would look really cool with the old frame....it would certainly be different!:thumbsup: 

Thanks Dave.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

I vote wheel... you can find rears, and if you don't like you can prob sell for close to your purchase price, there's always demand. for cranks, try the 175s first, there are no rules. you'll want a bling bike later, after you get hooked


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## Kram (Jan 28, 2004)

Why no 175's? That's what I use. I'd go with the bike w/ a soul, rather than a cheapo off the shelf soul-less mass-produced bike. But that's just me.


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## brandongouge (Jan 9, 2009)

For the money you cant beat a BD bike..My girlfiend rides the Mercier kilo tt and hasnt had any problems since she got it. Comes stock with a solid crank and nice geo. And as far as a 175 crank, if you convert the older bike it should be fine but on a newer track geo frame it would probably rub the front tire when turning.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

brandongouge said:


> For the money you cant beat a BD bike..My girlfiend rides the Mercier kilo tt and hasnt had any problems since she got it. Comes stock with a solid crank and nice geo. And as far as a 175 crank, if you convert the older bike it should be fine but on a newer track geo frame it would probably rub the front tire when turning.




the crank ain't gonna rub on the tire, come on...


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

Johnny LaRoux said:


> I'm far too old to be seen as a "poser", but a stock fixie certainly may seem that way to some.


At 54, I'm certainly not ashamed to be seen as a poser. I pose every time I go riding.....and I've been doing this (posing that is) for a very long time.


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## Johnny LaRoux (Jun 29, 2006)

*No tire rub...*

No, I've never had toe rub problems on this frame. The geometry is very typical of the early-mid eighties road frames.

I just thought that 175mm cranks and fixed gear was a bad combo, due to pedal strikes on cornering. Especially with a newbie, and taking corners like I have a freewheel!

Maybe I'll just go the rear wheel route and keep everything else the way it is. Then if I like it, and I'm hooked...oh baby!


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## Johnny LaRoux (Jun 29, 2006)

*You go...man!*



roadfix said:


> At 54, I'm certainly not ashamed to be seen as a poser. I pose every time I go riding.....and I've been doing this (posing that is) for a very long time.


If you've got it...flaunt it!


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## brandongouge (Jan 9, 2009)

FatTireFred said:


> the crank ain't gonna rub on the tire, come on...


Well on the old frame of course it wont.
I was talking in terms of buying a new bike.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

brandongouge said:


> Well on the old frame of course it wont.
> I was talking in terms of buying a new bike.




it won't on either... now if it was the dude's toes you were talking about you might have something


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## Kram (Jan 28, 2004)

Just take your turns wider than you normally would. But then, I'd do that anyway with a fixie. I've had this happen maybe 2x? And that's over thousands of miles.


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## Mambeu (May 19, 2007)

I faced a similar dilemma earlier this winter: convert an old Panasonic 12-speed I had scored from a friend, or buy a complete bike. I converted the Panasonic and couldn't be happier. I ended up replacing everything except the fork, headset and seatpost, as well as repainting the frame. It fits me like a glove and there's not another like it.

You've got a handbuilt, lugged steel frame that fits you well? I say convert that.


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## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

Johnny LaRoux said:


> Suggestions? Past experiences? Help?



531 + 175 = GO :thumbsup:


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

brandongouge said:


> Well on the old frame of course it wont.
> I was talking in terms of buying a new bike.


Toe overlap has almost nothing to do with crank length. The difference between "short" 165 cranks and "long" 175 is a silly centimeter. Toe overlap is a function of frame size and geometry. And it's no big deal, anyway. Lots of riders live with it.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Build up the old frame. To me, that's much of the appeal of having a fixe/SS. But I'm an old fart and love steel lugged frames.


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

tarwheel2 said:


> Build up the old frame. To me, that's much of the appeal of having a fixe/SS. But I'm an old fart and love steel lugged frames.


From another old fart, I couldn't agree more.

As long as you don't remove the braze-ons and rear hanger, you've got nothing to lose.

Tig welded, off-the-shelf fixies are a dime a dozen.


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

I agree.
Vintage lugged steel frames are fine as long as the folks over from the vintage & classic forum don't hear about it....


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## lonesomesteve (Mar 26, 2008)

Do you really think you're going to be switching back and forth between FG and SS frequently? I converted a road bike a while back with a Fixed/SS flip-flop hub thinking I'd switch back and forth all the time. But after a few months I realized it was too much hassle since I had to do quite a bit of messing with rear brake adjustment (and you really should have a rear brake if you plan on ever running SS) every time I flipped or flopped due to different cog sizes. Eventually a decided it made more sense to have a dedicated FG bike and a dedicated SS, so I bought a second hand Mercier Kilo TT as my FG and now I leave the converted Bianchi as a SS. Way less hassle, and the Kilo only cost $300.

So, get the Dawes and have one of each.


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

^^^^ Exactly. Have separate bikes if you like both, a fixed gear and a dedicated SS with both brakes. Life is so much easier this way.


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## Johnny LaRoux (Jun 29, 2006)

*Already have a SS...just not a road bike*



roadfix said:


> ^^^^ Exactly. Have separate bikes if you like both, a fixed gear and a dedicated SS with both brakes. Life is so much easier this way.


I have an old Kuwahara 26" wheel cruiser /early 80's MTB with horizontal drop outa that I'm running SS as my grocery / errand bike, so yes, I will probably leave the roadie as FG in the end.

I happened to stop at a bike shop today to pick something up for one of my son's bikes, and they had a Kona Paddy Wagon hanging there. That was tempting! Just those yellow wheels with the grey frame! Oh man!:aureola:


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

roadfix said:


> ^^^^ Exactly. Have separate bikes if you like both, a fixed gear and a dedicated SS with both brakes. Life is so much easier this way.


Got to agree. SS commuter and a fixie for the pure fun of it.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*and...*



JCavilia said:


> Toe overlap has almost nothing to do with crank length. The difference between "short" 165 cranks and "long" 175 is a silly centimeter. Toe overlap is a function of frame size and geometry. And it's no big deal, anyway. Lots of riders live with it.


Factor in foot size and foot placement on the pedals?

If you have overlap at all, doesn't matter how much you have. Overlap is overlap.


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## blakcloud (Apr 13, 2006)

I would convert your frame which I am guess is your Procter and not buy the cheaper bike. In the end you will have a much nicer bike. A 300 dollar bike is just that a 300 dollar bike. Nothing great but works. Plus, and correct me if I am wrong, the Dawes is 329 American which is 405 Canadian, then taxes to bring it back into Canada and or shipping costs if you go that route. Even bringing it back over the border is time and money spent. Not worth it in my opinion. That money can be better spent on parts for your frame. 

BTW I have that Kona Paddy Wagon from last year, (thank goodness no yellow wheels) and the bike is good for the money but it is still a budget bike, there is nothing spectacular on that bike. The best part of that bike is the frame and the rest is mediocre at best. My opinion fix up what you have.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*bucking the trend*

I have two track end fixed gear bikes and one road bike conversion, using an ENO eccentric hub. My recommendation would be to go with a real track end type frame, because the function in chain tensioning is far superior -- easier to set and more reliable.


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

Fixed said:


> I have two track end fixed gear bikes and one road bike conversion, using an ENO eccentric hub. My recommendation would be to go with a real track end type frame, because the function in chain tensioning is far superior -- easier to set and more reliable.


The OP already has a frame with traditional horizontal dropouts which would be perfect for what he plans on doing.


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## commutenow (Sep 26, 2004)

I think you should conmvert your old frame thats what I did and it is powder coated black with everything about the same. Because I like color I am having Velocity rims with black background and polkadots with Surly hubs for my wheels. Mine is a singlespeed, however after reading this post maybe I will run a fixed/free on the rear.


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## Johnny LaRoux (Jun 29, 2006)

*Convert it will be!*

Thanks for all the input everyone! I've decided it's a cheap endevour to buy a fixed/free wheel, pull all the gearing and extra chainrings off and give fixed a go with the cranks I have. If I get hooked...well I'll worry about that then. If not, no big deal!

One question I have is regarding gearing. I live in a relatively flat area, but my house is in the highest point of town, so I have to go down and then back up a fair hill to get home. My singlespeed is running 38-16, and that gearing is fine for climbing. If I was to just use the 39 ring on my current crankset, what cog would you suggest? I see a lot of people recommend 42-16 on the forum...would a 39-15 give me about the same gear? Maybe it would be best to pick up a 15 and 17 cog and see which works best, or should I just go right to a 42 tooth chainring?


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

Johnny LaRoux said:


> One question I have is regarding gearing. I live in a relatively flat area, but my house is in the highest point of town, so I have to go down and then back up a fair hill to get home.



I am in the same situation. I live on a very steep hilltop but it's a rather short climb. I don't gear my bike for that one hill which I happen to live on. If I did, it'll be geared too low for the 99% of the terrain I ride on in my area. 
Whenever I take my fixed or SS out, I have to walk up this one hill to get home....


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## lonesomesteve (Mar 26, 2008)

Johnny LaRoux said:


> Thanks for all the input everyone! I've decided it's a cheap endevour to buy a fixed/free wheel, pull all the gearing and extra chainrings off and give fixed a go with the cranks I have. If I get hooked...well I'll worry about that then. If not, no big deal!
> 
> One question I have is regarding gearing. I live in a relatively flat area, but my house is in the highest point of town, so I have to go down and then back up a fair hill to get home. My singlespeed is running 38-16, and that gearing is fine for climbing. If I was to just use the 39 ring on my current crankset, what cog would you suggest? I see a lot of people recommend 42-16 on the forum...would a 39-15 give me about the same gear? Maybe it would be best to pick up a 15 and 17 cog and see which works best, or should I just go right to a 42 tooth chainring?


Play around with this. It will tell you how the different chainring/cog ratios compare.
http://software.bareknucklebrigade.com/


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## Johnny LaRoux (Jun 29, 2006)

*That's cool. Thanks!*



lonesomesteve said:


> Play around with this. It will tell you how the different chainring/cog ratios compare.
> http://software.bareknucklebrigade.com/


It looks like my 39 tooth ring with a 15 tooth cog gives me 69.6 gear inches, which seems about right.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Agree...that's my ideal gear inch


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