Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Brian Bauer on September 17, 2009 at 7:13am

Look for anything with track ends or at least horizontal as opposed to vertical dropouts. As always Sheldon Brown explains it best.

http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed-conversion.html

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Permalink Reply by JFred4 on September 17, 2009 at 7:28am

You can always try and buy a fixie on Craigslist or Ebay. I got my Jamis on Ebay for a couple hundred bucks. Then I tweaked it a little to my liking. I know its not the true hipster way but I probably saved over $500 in the end, plus the frame is ridiculously light.

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Permalink Reply by on2wheels on September 17, 2009 at 8:00am

How tall are you? I have a big frame that would work

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Permalink Reply by Chucko on September 17, 2009 at 9:40am

Horizontal dropouts, and a mid-80's steel with 700c wheels would be ideal. But there are lots of 70's steel road frames that are good candidates for conversion with 27" wheels.

What size do you ride, I might have a frame hanging around...probably a 58cm Raleigh, though it has 27" wheels.

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Permalink Reply by Moc Artsy on September 17, 2009 at 11:15am

Hello,
I just posted a 60 cm Raleigh frame that I am offering in trade for a smaller frame. Not sure how tall you are, but I thought you might want to take a look.
http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/60-cm-raleigh-frame-offere...

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Permalink Reply by Patrick M on September 17, 2009 at 12:38pm

My bad I should have posted that 56cm is ideal. I'm a little over 5'10." There is some leighway but 60cm is probably too big.

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Permalink Reply by Francis Buxton on September 17, 2009 at 2:16pm

I have a 56cm SE Lager--black; how much you planning on spending?

It's 'moderately hipster': tiny straight bars, but with MTB ends, white chain, straight-horizontal dropouts; 46T Sugino; nice condition.

Low miles; way too small for me; pix on my page if you want to look at it. It's SS now with a brake; flip flop for fixed gear--besides fixed and single speed may or may not be the same thing to you.

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Permalink Reply by mattbikes1 on September 17, 2009 at 5:29pm

Any frame will work, but some frames carry greater risks. Whatever you choose, use track lugs and tighten them good. The main issue is chain tension. I have lost my chain while riding, when I had a Fuji Royale frame, and it is not so good. You have to throw your heel into the back wheel against the seat stays, unless you have hand brakes. I was living in Minneapolis at the time and the traffic was tame, i.e not Chicago traffic. If you are serious about a fixed gear set up invest in a track frame. Otherwise, take your chances. Start out with a low ratio: 42/16 or 48/18. Just my advice. Use hand breaks too.

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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on September 19, 2009 at 4:50am

I guess if you want to get technical about it you could convert any frame and have it 'work' but in all reality not any frame will work if you want to build a nice, safe, bike that ends up being a reasonable value.

Vertical dropouts and fixed gear have no place together because there is no way to set the proper chain tension and you can not safely run a chain tensioner.

Look for horizontal drop outs and decent construction and you can find stuff all over the place.

mattbikes1 said:

Any frame will work, but some frames carry

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