Track Bike Build (fixed gear)
#1
Track Bike Build (fixed gear)
Let me preface this with a couple definitions.
Fixed gear: One gear. Connected to the drivetrain. No coasting, always pedaling. You pedal forward, the bike moves forward, backward, the bike goes backward. You can opt for brakes, I did not. To stop you have to resist the pedals or lock your legs and skid.
Single speed: One gear. Its a freewheel. You can coast and you need brakes to stop.
Also yada yada steel track bike LOL. too heavy, blah blah.
I'm never really been into cycling. I was always a car guy, and have owned and "built" several Hondas. A coupe, hatchback, S2000, another hatchback and my current Si. At my last job, one of my coworkers wrecked his STi and started commuting to work on a single speed bike. I asked to ride it a couple times and I got hooked. I started watching documentaries on bikes. Mostly fixed gear. Something about the clean lines just attracted me. I decided I wanted to buy a bike and start riding fixed. I didn't do much research, and ended up buying a State Bicycle Co ABACABB 2.0. Its a steel frame, no name everything pretty much. Nothing super nice, but it rode fine.
Mind you this was straight out of the box, no adjustments had been made.
Right after this, I ended up moving to Atlanta. The bike kinda got put on the back burner. I didn't ride nearly at all for about a year. I rode it fixed one time and decided I'd go single speed and add a brake to the front of the bike. I'm not a small dude at all, I'm about 5'11 and was about 250lbs. It was a struggle thats for sure.
Stopped riding again, just lost interest.
The bike sat for a couple months. At that time I decided I was a fat and wanted to do something about it. I decided to make the change back to fixed gear and ride as much as I could. This is when I started buying some stuff. Mostly little stuff.
Moved the water bottle to the rear seat, no reason really, just always thought it looked better back there. I mean aero.
I decided I wanted a carbon fiber front fork. Ended up buying a State Bicycle Co carbon fork. No reason really, other then it looked cool. I can't really tell a difference between the steel fork and the carbon other then its lighter. Its supposed to absorb the bumps a bit better.
Went and visited some family in Illinois and took my bike. I still hadn't really learned out to stop other then resisting the pedals. I wasn't strong enough to skid yet. I continued to ride when I returned to Atlanta. I slowly kept getting stronger and eventually started breaking parts.
The first to thing to go was my right side strap on my pedal. I was heading down a hill with traffic at the bottom and it snapped! I was freaking out the whole way down, trying to stop! Well I didn't die, and since I broke the nylon strap, I decided to order some leather straps.
Replaced it with some Zefal Christophe Leather straps.
I continued to ride. Riding fixed gear started taking its toll on my Vans so I opted for some Chome's. Super high quality! Love them.
eventually I built up enough leg strength to skid and that ate though my stock rear tire in a matter of about 50 miles.
I decided against replacing it with another cheap tire so I picked up a Continental GatorSkin for the rear which is about a $50 tire but I've only heard great things!
I continued to ride just basically a couple times a week and 5-10 miles each time. Nothing major. Just enough to get out on my bike and enjoy it.
During this time I started noticing my drivetrain slipping. I took it to my lbs and found out my rear hub had stripped out along with my rear cog. Ordered an Origin8 rear track hub along with an All-City Track Cog and All-City lockring.
Christmas came and went and I ended up picking up a set of drop bars, some carbon fiber spacers and a FSA headset.
I was just happy to be back in the saddle! After the second or third time out my drive side leather strap snapped going down another hill about 5 miles out. I had had it with straps and decided to go clipless. Lucky for me Chrome was having a sell and ended up snagging some SPD shoes for fairly cheap along with some Crank Brothers Eggbeater pedals.
HUGE improvement over toeclips and cages. Its so much better.
That brings us pretty much up to date on where the bike is right now. Tax return money is here though. I've done tons of research and think I'm going to purchase either an aluminum frame or a newer, lighter wheelset. Right now my bike weighs 21lbs. A new frame would shed about 3 lbs and a new wheelset about 4lbs. I'm going to try to get this bike down to under 13lbs without buying a carbon fiber frame. There is a list of parts I plan on purchasing so I'll continue to update the thread accordingly
Last edited by Scott.; 03-06-2015 at 06:03 AM.
#2
Re: Track Bike Build (fixed gear)
Love the build! I used to ride fixie all the time around campus and as a delivery guy for a sandwich place. I didn't realize Chrome was making shoes with clips now! That's awesome! I have one of their citizen bags from back in like '06 that I still use all the time, they build very high quality stuff. I may have to look into those shoes if I start riding often again.
Those Conti gatorskins are pretty good, but I always found the Soma Everwears to last longer with skidding. If you set your gears up right though, you should be able to get enough skid patches that they last a good long while.
Those Conti gatorskins are pretty good, but I always found the Soma Everwears to last longer with skidding. If you set your gears up right though, you should be able to get enough skid patches that they last a good long while.
#5
Re: Track Bike Build (fixed gear)
Thanks for the kind words gentlemen. I wasn't real sure how this would be received on a car forum! Anyway, I took the bike for a spin recently. This was the furthest I've ridden fixed and the most I've climbed in a ride so I was pretty happy about it.
During the ride, I had a somewhat close call with a pedestrian. Not my fault, the cyclist in front of me decided to slam on her brakes at the last second and I didn't have enough time to stop. I decided to reinstall my front brake just for situations like that. hate the way it looks BUT it will give my legs a break on downhills.
During the ride, I had a somewhat close call with a pedestrian. Not my fault, the cyclist in front of me decided to slam on her brakes at the last second and I didn't have enough time to stop. I decided to reinstall my front brake just for situations like that. hate the way it looks BUT it will give my legs a break on downhills.
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#8
Honda-Tech Member formally known as TomsEF
Re: Track Bike Build (fixed gear)
Bike looks great! I've always liked the silver ring on the front wheel where the brakes have worn. Has a cool look on your bike. Anyway we need to get back out and ride now that the weather is getting nice
#12
Re: Track Bike Build (fixed gear)
Thanks! picked it up off eBay of all places! Only set me back about $30 and its full carbon. Weighs less then 100g's! Took me awhile of searching to find a seller not shipping from China. I didn't wanna wait a month for it LOL
Here are the new wheels!
They are Essor USA Bolt 31 Alloy Track wheels. Excellent quality! I've only heard great things about Essor. These are the only non-carbon wheels they offer and so far they are excellent! I haven't gotten to ride them hardly at all due to the weather but I'll chime in with a review in a couple weeks!
One thing I did do was take them to the local bike shop and have them switch the factory cog and lockring with my All-City track cog and lock ring and make sure everything was snug.
Here are the new wheels!
They are Essor USA Bolt 31 Alloy Track wheels. Excellent quality! I've only heard great things about Essor. These are the only non-carbon wheels they offer and so far they are excellent! I haven't gotten to ride them hardly at all due to the weather but I'll chime in with a review in a couple weeks!
One thing I did do was take them to the local bike shop and have them switch the factory cog and lockring with my All-City track cog and lock ring and make sure everything was snug.
#13
Re: Track Bike Build (fixed gear)
Looks killer man love the wheels!! Im about to order an Aventon Cordoba and that seat you just posted lol.. What ebay seller did you use if you don't mind me asking?
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