Purple Kool-Aid

[K-Man]

Gotta hankerin' for some of that hip new fixie thirst quencher. Ummm, ummm good.

Had an old skool Trek OCLV 5500 road frame stripped down and ready to sell on flea-bay, then I got the notion that it might just make a good Franken-fixie.

Now mind you, I've yet to sup from the cup, so the plan is to ease into this brave new fixie world.

Step one is to singulate the beast, and experiment and see if I can find a suitable gear for grunting up hilly terrain that I call home – without spinning out on the (albeit rare) flats.

If that experiment is a success, then I plan to drop the coin for a White Industries ENO eccentric flip-flop hub, and build a dedicated wheel. I'd also purchase an appropriate-sized freewheel (and cog), based on the size that worked during my singulation experiment. Then cross my fingers and boldly go where I have not gone before.

Here's phase one of the Purple Kool-Aid machine:
Frame/fork: Trek 5500 OCLV (circa 1992)
Singulator: SRAM X.0 rear der.
Wheels: Bontrager Select/Race X Lite (f/r)
Crank: Shimano Dura Ace
Pedals: Shimano PD-R600
BB: American Classic
Seatpost: American Classic
Saddle: Avocet O2 Air
HS: Chris King
Stem: Ringle Zooka
Bars: Zoom Fastrack (with cork tape)
Brake levers: Paul
Brakes: Shimano Dura Ace
Tires: Panaracer Tserv (700x25)
Cage: King Cage

[robcycle]

Old skool kewl :cool:

-Rob.

[K-Man]

Old skool kewl :cool:

-Rob.

Thanks, yeah, it did turn out pretty kewl. I reckon hangin' onto some of that olde stock came in handy for this project. :cool:

[hairygrump]

You really just don't see enough $200 long-cage chain-tensioning devices out there these days.

Oh, and when you're trying on new gears don't forget that the easier it is to get up a hill with a gear the faster you're going to be spinning on your way down. Best to err on the side of more grunting, especially if you think you might be off-roading.

[K-Man]

You really just don't see enough $200 long-cage chain-tensioning devices out there these days.

Oh, and when you're trying on new gears don't forget that the easier it is to get up a hill with a gear the faster you're going to be spinning on your way down. Best to err on the side of more grunting, especially if you think you might be off-roading.

Yah, just happened to have the slightly bruised X.0 sitting in my "backup" bin. Pardon me, but would you have any Grey Poupon?

I've been running 39x19 for about a week. Gonna move up to the 39x17 and see how my knees deal with the hill grunting.

[bdee]

I just went fixed in January after riding SS road for ~ 2 years. I found that fixed turns out to be easier than SS for a given gear. Something about there not being a dead spot in your pedal stroke, it seems to give back what you put in and pushes you a little.

I ended up under geared at 40x16 fixed. I thought it would be harder than the 38x16 FW gearing. Turned out to be easier, almost too easy, in reality.

My top end on flats is ~ 18/19 mph, 20+ on false flats. Going down steep hills is not a ton of fun, but I did eventually get used to it and just kept it as is. Once the 40t is fried I'll bump to a 42t. Experimenting like you are doing is smart, just keep in mind the "push" you'll get riding fixed.

[rockyrider]

For some reason I expected there to be more purple ano hardware in this thread.

[K-Man]

Good point on the "push".

My experience atop a fixie amounts to one short test ride on a borrowed bike, but I'm not surprised that they do a better job of making use of momentum and "helping" you pedal.

After I decide on the optimum SS gear, I'll have to make some sort of "educated guess" and adjust the gearing for fixed.


I just went fixed in January after riding SS road for ~ 2 years. I found that fixed turns out to be easier than SS for a given gear. Something about there not being a dead spot in your pedal stroke, it seems to give back what you put in and pushes you a little.

I ended up under geared at 40x16 fixed. I thought it would be harder than the 38x16 FW gearing. Turned out to be easier, almost too easy, in reality.

My top end on flats is ~ 18/19 mph, 20+ on false flats. Going down steep hills is not a ton of fun, but I did eventually get used to it and just kept it as is. Once the 40t is fried I'll bump to a 42t. Experimenting like you are doing is smart, just keep in mind the "push" you'll get riding fixed.

[K-Man]

Dang Rocky, if I had a set of those purple Popsicles, you can bet they'd be put to use on this project. :eek:

[rockhound]

Dang Rocky, if I had a set of those purple Popsicles, you can bet they'd be put to use on this project. :eek:

I've got purple barends and a brake arch just waiting to be utilized again...

[bdee]

I've got some purplish/pink SRP crank bolts. Let me know if you'd like them and I'll pop them in an envelope. FYI - They're the bolt head type - not hex. I'll never use them.

[K-Man]

I've got some purplish/pink SRP crank bolts. Let me know if you'd like them and I'll pop them in an envelope. FYI - They're the bolt head type - not hex. I'll never use them.

Thanks, that would be a nice touch. You can send them to Karl Rosengarth, Dirt Rag, 3483 Saxonburg Blvd, Pittsburgh PA 15238. Include name and your return address, and I'll send back a random goody from my swag bag.

[Family Guy]

Fancy looking rig you got going there Karl.

I don't have any current fixed bikes, but 42-16 always treated me well around these parts.

I've got one of these for test. I will probably be trying 40-16 fixed once I get around to putting on my personal fixed wheel.

[K-Man]

Fancy looking rig you got going there Karl.

I don't have any current fixed bikes, but 42-16 always treated me well around these parts.

I've got one of these for test. I will probably be trying 40-16 fixed once I get around to putting on my personal fixed wheel.

Kool. I plan on trying out my 39x17 option today, and taking it one step at a time (down the staircase of smaller cogs).

[davkatreb]

Gotta hankerin' for some of that hip new fixie thirst quencher. Ummm, ummm good.

Had an old skool Trek OCLV 5500 road frame stripped down and ready to sell on flea-bay, then I got the notion that it might just make a good Franken-fixie.

Now mind you, I've yet to sup from the cup, so the plan is to ease into this brave new fixie world.

Step one is to singulate the beast, and experiment and see if I can find a suitable gear for grunting up hilly terrain that I call home – without spinning out on the (albeit rare) flats.

If that experiment is a success, then I plan to drop the coin for a White Industries ENO eccentric flip-flop hub, and build a dedicated wheel. I'd also purchase an appropriate-sized freewheel (and cog), based on the size that worked during my singulation experiment. Then cross my fingers and boldly go where I have not gone before.

Here's phase one of the Purple Kool-Aid machine:
Frame/fork: Trek 5500 OCLV (circa 1992)
Singulator: SRAM X.0 rear der.
Wheels: Bontrager Select/Race X Lite (f/r)
Crank: Shimano Dura Ace
Pedals: Shimano PD-R600
BB: American Classic
Seatpost: American Classic
Saddle: Avocet O2 Air
HS: Chris King
Stem: Ringle Zooka
Bars: Zoom Fastrack (with cork tape)
Brake levers: Paul
Brakes: Shimano Dura Ace
Tires: Panaracer Tserv (700x25)
Cage: King Cage
Karl, you'll find that fixed will want abit higher gear than freewheel. I'd go around 70 gear inches.

And I wouldn't muck about with a chain tensioner. A halflink and a little jockeying around of cog/chainring sizes will get you fixed, pronto. Just experiment with different chainring/cog combinations until you get the chain tension right. Remember, if, say, a 53:11 gives you good chain tension, you can still have the the gearing you want as long as the cog/chainring combination yields the same number of teeth. Plus that way you doan' need no steenkin' ENO. Another benefit: Old 700 freewheel wheelsets will let you rotafix.

[K-Man]

Karl, you'll find that fixed will want abit higher gear than freewheel. I'd go around 70 gear inches.

And I wouldn't muck about with a chain tensioner. A halflink and a little jockeying around of cog/chainring sizes will get you fixed, pronto. Just experiment with different chainring/cog combinations until you get the chain tension right. Remember, if, say, a 53:11 gives you good chain tension, you can still have the the gearing you want as long as the cog/chainring combination yields the same number of teeth. Plus that way you doan' need no steenkin' ENO. Another benefit: Old 700 freewheel wheelsets will let you rotafix.

Thanks for the gearing advice.

Good point... I'll see if I can find a gear combo that works with "halflink and a little jockeying" before I spend on that fancy hub. Old 700 thread-on freewheel hubs should not be too hard to find. Oh, what's the trick to make them fixed, just a cog and lockring?

[davkatreb]

Thanks for the gearing advice.

Good point... I'll see if I can find a gear combo that works with "halflink and a little jockeying" before I spend on that fancy hub. Old 700 thread-on freewheel hubs should not be too hard to find. Oh, what's the trick to make them fixed, just a cog and lockring?
Several schools of thought on that one, Karl.

Some folks use blue LocTite. It's really designed to prevent stuff coming loose from vibration though. Some use the red LocTite, which won't come off unless you heat it to about 300 degrees. Good luck if you ever need to replace a spoke on the drive side.

I managed to strip the (left-threaded) lockring from my Suzue hub awhile back. I attribute this to using a different brand of lockring when I switched cogs. So I used the time-honored BB lockring approach on the freewheel side. Feels plenty solid.

Two key points when you use this method:

1-Make sure your threads are clean. You don't need to throw your hub in a parts washer, just make sure it's mechanically clean using, say, an old toothbrush on the threads.

2-Use plenty of grease when assembling. It may seem counterintuitive to grease something you want to stay put, but lubrication will allow you to tighten to the max. A chainwhip is the way to go here. A guy in Fixed Gear Gallery forum uses a bench-mounted cog vise which sounds like something worth looking into.

And I've heard arguments for and against a BB lockring. I say it can't hurt, so I use one. I've got a couple hundred miles on this setup. I run a front brake and don't do any hard skidding but normal resistance breaking has not put me in peril yet. So far, so good, knock wood.

Food for thought-Alot of track racers don't use a lockring. True, they don't ride in traffic or down hills, but they can hit more than 40 in a sprint. Just somedthing to think about.

[K-Man]

Dav, thanks for the details. I'll come back to your post when I'm ready to tackle the assembly.

Being a total newb, I don't plan to ditch my brakes when I start out on the fixie path. I hope to avoid rear wheel skidding and just go with "normal" resistance.

[ironspoke]

Karl,

Not to veer away from some of the technical aspects of your thread but dang that frame is beautiful. That ride is 16 years old? And you've been riding it around these parts even in the winter?

How about a work in progress picture????

[K-Man]

Ironspoke,

No winter riding on that frame, nossir. I've always had my mountain bikes for that. And I've got a large-economy-size bottle of Pedro's Bike Lust polish. ;)

The pics above show the current status.

[K-Man]

Got two quick rides on a 39x15 (freewheeling). I managed, but was starting to feel close to my limit on the longer/steeper hills. I'll give it a few more rides at that ratio and see how if feel (could have just been tired legs on those prior rides).

[rockyrider]

Some nice Phil Woods hubs in purple in the future?

[K-Man]

Some nice Phil Woods hubs in purple in the future?

Dems right purty hubs, fo sho.

But I reckon I'm gunna need me one'a dem ENO Eccentrics hubs ta do the deed on dis frame.

[rockyrider]

Dems right purty hubs, fo sho.

But I reckon I'm gunna need me one'a dem ENO Eccentrics hubs ta do the deed on dis frame.You could always have the Eno anodized purple...

[ironspoke]

KMan,

Good for you in riding the hills of the 'burgh on your new ride. Pics?

I am also in the process of looking for an older steel bike to convert (Raleigh, Nishiki, etc) but I plan on only riding it around the city or the oval. My question is are you the only crazy guy out there grinding up and down the hills on that purple ride or are there others of your ilk out there?

[K-Man]

KMan,

Good for you in riding the hills of the 'burgh on your new ride. Pics?

I am also in the process of looking for an older steel bike to convert (Raleigh, Nishiki, etc) but I plan on only riding it around the city or the oval. My question is are you the only crazy guy out there grinding up and down the hills on that purple ride or are there others of your ilk out there?

There are plenty of guys riding the hills on fixed. In fact I've been meaning to call the guys at Dirt Harry's who ride fixed in my neck of the woods (er, roads), and ask them what gears they are running. I wanted to try some unbiased experimenting first. Plus, most of them are younger bucks, so I may have to use a creative conversion factor to find my zone.

See top of this thread for pics.

[rockyrider]

purple Arcos stuff....