Any fixed-gear cyclists here?

[Cream Soda]

Uncle brought home a busted bike, and I wanted to see what I could do with it in terms of having a spare in case my main one has any complications.

That being said, it's a shift gear, both tires inflated, derailleur has been ripped off, shifters are completely gone, and half of the cassette has fallen off (3 of the 6 discs or w/e you call them are gone).

That being said it'd probably take less effort to simply make it a fixed-gear than trying to get it back up to speed as a shift gear (could probably get a used bike cheaper than it'd be to get it back to a fixed gear).

Has anyone here ever converted a shift gear to a fixed gear? Just wanted to see how expensive of a process this is and if it'd even be worth doing. (as well as how difficult it is)

Has anyone ever had it done in a bike shop? If so, how expensive was it there.

[xerodok]

What kind of bike/frame is it? Does it have all the parts to function besides the stuff that you said?

[Cream Soda]

older steel peugot and yes

[Howie Roary]

I'm told converting geared bikes to fixed gear is often not worth it

I currently ride a single speed wabi lightning with a flipped rear hub, I've yet to go full fixed gear, but I considered converting some nice racing bikes I saw (made by Algon and Cervelo and whatnot) to single speed but I was advised on the forums over at bikeforums.net not to bother

here was the main response I got:

Converting a modern geared bike is not a good idea for many reasons. Vertical dropouts don't allow for chain adjustment and road frames have low bottom brackets which limit cornering clearance (remember that you can't coast through turns on a fixed gear bike). It will also cost a lot more in the end and you'll end up with something that doesn't work as well as a track frame base fixed gear bike.

that being said there are youtube vids to walk you through it

[Cream Soda]

Well I actually prefer geared bikes since speed is my main concern since I cycle for transportation, but since this one would probably cost more to get the gears back running with all the broken gear components and the fact that I already have another shift gear and just want this for a back up bike, was thinking fixed wouldn't be so bad

[Howie Roary]

mmm, "I prefer geared bikes since speed is my main concern" is a strange statement to me personally, and someone over at the other bike forums said it well when they said "I don't see why anyone in good health under age 45 would need to ride a geared bike"

You seem like a pretty frequent cyclist, I'm sure a single speed bike would be fine for you, so long as your city doesn't have ridiculously steep hills. Single speeds are great for flat, downtown riding. Even on steeper inclines, I work through my single speed while fellow riders on geared bikes struggle on whichever gear they chose to use. I end up riding slowly with them or wait at the top.

[Cream Soda]

By speed, I mean how fast you can go in max gear as compared to what you can do on a fixed gear.

I hear that when you pedal so fast that your feet can't keep up so you really can't do much to improve your speed at this point occurs earlier in a fixed gear than on a shift gear. Wasn't really concerned about down shifting for hills and stuff.

[Howie Roary]

keep in mind there is a difference between single speed and fixed gear, I think you might be using the phrase fixed gear in place of single speed

Fixed gear means the gear is fixed in place and there is no coasting (no tic tic tic tic when you stop pedaling while the bike moves forward). With fixed gear, your pedals move so long as you wheel is moving, and you stop similar to a BMX style of stomping back on the pedal like on kids' bikes (except you need to push forward with your other leg as well as stomping back with your one leg)

[Cream Soda]

No no I got you there. I know what a fixed gear is. I'm just saying that from what I hear, and what I've seen is that top speed on a fixed gear is slower than top gear in max gear on a shift gear. I kinda botched that analogy but it wasn't my own, got from this post on another forum, but seems to make sense to me, and I've yet to have anyone on a fixed gear come close to me.

I'm always mashing hard, since I don't bike for leisure and just trying to get to the place I'm trying to go, I'm always concerned about my speed.

If you've experimented with your road bike on a downhill the answer is simple. When you have multiple gears on a bike and are speeding down a hill in the largest gear you have, at some point you reach a neutral state where you can no longer pedal any faster because the gearing is maxed out. In other words the bike is traveling faster than you can pedal.
Now consider the rider on the fixed gear bike, they have only one gear. That gear is what you might call a universal size. Its one that allows them to get started from a stop with minimal effort and also affords a limited amount of top speed on the flats or downhills. Because its a lower gear than the one you would normally ride in on those same flats they can out-accelerate you at lower speeds. That advantage disappears quickly at higher speeds because they will reach that neutral state of pedaling at a lower speed than the rider on the road bike.
Put another way, the advantage the single speed has at lower speeds can be equaled by the rider of the road bike by shifting down to the smaller front chain ring and a larger cog on the cassette. The road bike rider will always be able to out-speed the fixed gear rider at higher speeds.

[Howie Roary]

By speed, I mean how fast you can go in max gear as compared to what you can do on a fixed gear.

I hear that when you pedal so fast that your feet can't keep up so you really can't do much to improve your speed at this point occurs earlier in a fixed gear than on a shift gear. Wasn't really concerned about down shifting for hills and stuff.

well you can always tune your chain to a more more difficult setting, it will just take more to start up from rest. If I had to guess what "speed" my single speed is comparable to, it would be like riding around in 12th gear or higher all the time on an 18 speed bike. I think I am set to 16 x 48[?]

[Howie Roary]

yeah fair enough, I have definitely reached a point downhill where I can't pedal faster than I am going or in a way that will make my bike go faster

that being said I ride exclusively on city roads and the occasional trail and I never want to be going faster than that point, for safety concerns

[Cream Soda]

I'm pretty much in the top gear all of the time. When I'm at a dead stop I click it back twice. 5-10 secs to get it to a decent rev/sec to click it up once, and 5-10 secs to get a decent rev/sec to put it into top gear and then can ride that until the next light/stop sign. Basically use it as cardio and transportation so I put in 100% whether I'm going 14 miles to school or a mile up to dollar general

[Howie Roary]

do you have a working geared bike? I would suggest finding a bicycle co-op in town, Toronto has at least 4, and have them oversee any tune-ups and changes you are unfamiliar with.

It's nice when they have a bike tree and all the wrenches and handsaws that you might need, plus easy advice on chain settings and while you're at a trueing wheel to get your wheels perfectly spinning straight. You pay with your own time, maybe throw in a donation and meet some cool people. it's a great feeling to fix/build your own bike

[Cream Soda]

Yea I have a Cannondale r500

Spoiler: show

as my working shift gear. This one stays shift gear. The one I was trying to do fixie with is the one in the garage. I'll take a pic of it when I get back from the store. It's currently inoperable though


Edit: this is the one that'd become a fixed gear

Spoiler: show

[Howie Roary]

that should be no problem, you'll obviously have to shorten the chain, I don't see anything in the frame itself that should be any kind of problem

try this for a basic run-through of what you'll need, I've never done it personally

[Tajin]

My top speed while commuting is 26 mph using a single gear bike with rack, mudguards, carrying my backpack and lolwind resist

Average is 12mph

[Cream Soda]

That seems way beyond my mechanical prowess (which is none lol)

[Cream Soda]

My top speed while commuting is 26 mph using a single gear bike with rack, mudguards, carrying my backpack and lolwind resist

Average is 12mph

hmm now is that average 12 total, including stops (time at lights and stop signs etc.) or the average of riding only, because that'd change everything. Was holding 20 for a good while and never dipped under 18 today unless I had to come to a stop for a red light for my 14 mile ride to school today, backpack is about 30 lbs and was wearing my 10 lb weight belt lol

[Tajin]

Yes its the average given by the app, it includes stops because of light, retarded drivers, etc.

[Senji]

mmm, "I prefer geared bikes since speed is my main concern" is a strange statement to me personally, and someone over at the other bike forums said it well when they said "I don't see why anyone in good health under age 45 would need to ride a geared bike"

You seem like a pretty frequent cyclist, I'm sure a single speed bike would be fine for you, so long as your city doesn't have ridiculously steep hills. Single speeds are great for flat, downtown riding. Even on steeper inclines, I work through my single speed while fellow riders on geared bikes struggle on whichever gear they chose to use. I end up riding slowly with them or wait at the top.

Geared bikes will always be faster for the sole ability of always having the most efficient gear available.

Though sometimes its nice to ride a superlight flickable bike around.

By speed, I mean how fast you can go in max gear as compared to what you can do on a fixed gear.

I hear that when you pedal so fast that your feet can't keep up so you really can't do much to improve your speed at this point occurs earlier in a fixed gear than on a shift gear. Wasn't really concerned about down shifting for hills and stuff.

You can train to pedal at a higher threshold; generally to be able to sustain 120-130 pedal rpm, at load. Hold onto the bar as close to the stem, with chin low, elbows in and tucked as however smooth your pedaling is.

From there [on downhills] you can figure out where you aren't aerodynamic enough in a pedaling position anymore for gains, you'd switch into the fastest aero tuck of; hands all the way to stem, ass hovering over rear tire, sternum on seat, pedals level, knees and forearms together, eyes just to see above the bar. Lean to take the turns like a moto GP rider.

For a faster in and out tuck, go infront of the seat, with hands in drops or on the tops.

Edit: this is the one that'd become a fixed gear

Spoiler: show

Free/super cheap: Pick your favorite gear, have bike shop shorten chain with derailleur still on, but with it stretched out towards the crank.

Like so:

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Keep the leftover chain piece if you ever want to go back or adjust.

If derailleur is totally broke/gone can ask shop for an old crap one or buy one of these chain tensioners

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If the cassette is screwed, easiest to swap a wheel or have shop transfer one from a donor wheel. Im assuming its actually threaded on instead of one that slides on with a few individual gears and a locknut?