Singlespeed Bike Thread

Nice paint job, is that spray.bike?

Yes, you can see the progress of it here: The story of this bike | Fixed TTing
I didn’t really spend enough time sanding the base layer, so the finish isn’t perfect, but it’s good from a few yards.

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Looks great, I’m about to have a go with spray.bike too.

The cans and the colours are really good. Preparation is the key to getting a really good finish - take your time and make sure it’s all right before you start doing the colour stuff. Also, plan how you are going to do all the masking beforehand. I think the paint is a bit temperature sensitive, so now is a good time to do it as it’s nice and warm.
I tried to spray the paint into the can so I could do lug lining with a brush - that was a complete disaster - don’t do that! :slight_smile: I’d be happy to paint my next bike with spray.bike, though I might keep the paintjob simpler.
When it’s done, post some pictures up here.

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So my cheap commuter has been stolen and i’m considering getting a cheap single speed to replace it as my commute is mainly flat.
My roadie is fun and nice but i don’t want to make my carbon bike (which is my race, training, longer ride bike) my commuter bike

Anything i should avoid? Wifey think i’m making a mistake by looking at single speed whereas i see it as a challenge i gotta conquer ahah. I gotta say I really love seeing the bikes on this thread.

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Depends first what you want it to be - more road bike, more MTB? Also depends if you like wrenching or not. If so, you can buy a oldie but goodie steel road bike from the 70s (you can get one for basically free) and convert it, all for minimum dollars.

Yeah looking more at 99% road use. As for wrenching, i have a lot of learning potential but left to my own demise i might not be able to git’er done properly/safely lol.

I’m guessing converting from several speeds to single speeds means removing cables and shifters., Removing cassette and replacing it with a single sprocket…or is it the whole rear hub that needs to be replaced?
Changing front chain ring/ crank to single sprocket. Might need a different sized chain…

I guess i could do it, i did change the sprockets/chain on my motorcycle so this should be easier/simpler

There are a bunch of options for the rear hub, but the name of the game is chainline, and the second is chain tension.

The simplest thing to do is to put a load of spacers on the hub and just have one cassette sprocket wherever gives you the best chainline (depends on chainring, cranks etc). Then remove all the cabling and use the set screws to position the rear mech. Once you’ve done that, see how much slack you have and cut out a few links so that the mech has a lot of tension on it - job done.
It won’t look pretty, but it should work well enough, and if you like it you can spend some money and do it properly! :slight_smile:

If the bike is real old and it has a freewheel, you can just screw a single speed freewheel on. You’d probably need to space the axle and re-true the wheel to get a sensible chainline and still have brakes (or you could cold set the rear triangle).

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Bingo.

And if you really like the whole thing, then go whole hog, buy a flip-flop rear wheel (fixie one side, single speed the other), and join the real weirdos.

The real weirdos are the fixed both sides and brakeless :wink:

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:face_with_raised_eyebrow:
If by weirdo you mean havin’ tons o’ fun on mah bike…then yes, I’m a flip-flop weirdo! :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

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CX race bike in its chubby configuration:
IMG_1045

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Very nice! What saddle is that?

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My Niner on Nine - still in shop condition when these photos were taken a few years ago :wink:

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Brooks B-17 narrow that’s been cut down, nice and springy.

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My old clunker, running in fixie mode. Gitane frame (late 70’s), old MTB crankset, 3/8" chain, brakes.

This is actually my first road bike - purchased new in the 70´s - except there isn’t a single part left from the original. Including the frame (original one had an intimate encounter with a car door). That forged aluminum Campy seatpost is the result of my first lust for a bike part. It’s still a work of art today.

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Damn near convinced I need a SS bike, convince me otherwise.

So here’s my situation. I found a couple cracks around the rear triangle on my geared CX bike and it’s a $250 fix. My other bike is a geared gravel bike. I could either repair this bike or strip it and sell parts to fund a new project. I have a buddy who sings praise about riding and racing cyclocross on his single speed.

I figure that I can sell the frame, Force 1x groupset, Force 1x crankset, and disc brakes for a total of $350-400 in profit and put that toward building a single speed frame. I would keep the cockpit, saddle, post, and wheelset and use it on the single speed.

After racing CX on a gear bike for 3 years I’m really intrigued by the simplicity and challenge of racing SSCX, as well as having a low-maintenance daily commuter. I have a second geared bike that can do it all, so there’s really not a reason to not go single speed. Not having to maintain two geared bikes would be a stress reliever.

I’m currently looking at building up an All City Nature Boy 853 or one of the newer Trek Crockett’s with the sliding single speed dropouts. Any other CX frames I should look into that easily convert or are intended to be built as single speed?

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I’ve got two fixed gears. The go fast one and the townie. I m thinking of changing the townie into a gravel-path capable commuter with 48-18 gears and 32C tires.