Fixie Commute

Well, these pictures are the first day that I rode my fixed gear to work! I was great. One little glitch, I was so excited about getting the bike built, I didn't quite take enough time to tighten up my left side crank arm. I came loose. I tightened it as best as I can without any tools, only to have it fall of completely.

If you look closely at the pictures, you'll see that there is no nut holding the crank arm. I thought that since I was stranded anyway, may as well whip out the camera and snap away.

I went over the bike last night and made sure that everything was good and rode it to work again today. I must say that I love riding this bike! I'm hooked on fixed gear bikes! There is a purity and a simplicity in riding this thing that I've never come across on any other bike I've been on. You notice that there are no brakes on the bike? I think that it might stay that way too. I have not found it to be too bad riding brake less. It certainly forces you to read traffic better and make some wiser decisions.

I'm already starting to line up parts for my second fixie project. I would like to have something with mountain bike tires so I can run studs for winter. We'll see. I am looking into converting a disc brake hub. I think it'll be cheaper and I work at a place that has a laser cutter. All I have to do is make a drawing, send it down and they'll cut my a sprocket from whatever material I choose. I think that this will be a lot cheaper.

If anyone is thinking of or is even remotely interested in a fixed gear bike, I would absolutely recommend it.

Cheers,

Jerome

Fixie Project Bike Update

It's done!

I finally have my first fixed gear bike! I managed to get almost everything done over the weekend and with a few adjustments early this morning, It's a ridable bike.

I go over the parts in a little more detail another time, but I couldn't wait to get these picture up. I haven't even ridden the bike yet. I was going to this morning but it was snowing and sloppy, and I would hate to do that to a 'new' bike.

Anyway, I'll take a few nicer pictures outside and and get those up. I'll also be sending a few to fixed gear gallery, which is an incredible web site and great inspiration if you are looking at building a fixie!!

Cheers,

Jerome

Fixie Project Bike Update

Here is a picture showing the basic concept I want to achieve with this bike.

Right now I am sanding the bike and hope to have the frame painted this weekend. Then, I'll start putting it back together again.

I also need to order a new set of wheels. The rear obviously needs to be a fixed rear hub and the front wheel that is currently on this bike is steel, and that's just no good. Steel is especially bad in cold weather, as snow seems to stick to it more so than aluminum.

I am kind of second guessing going with no brakes. Some people that I've talked to said that riding a fixed gear bike takes a bit of getting used to. If you have any comments or pointers for me, please leave a comment.

Peace,

Jerome

Cool Car

Here is a quick pic of a car that one of my buddys took while on a project in Florida.

I want one of these just for the slime factor.

Crazy.

Fixie Project Bike

Here is a picture of a bike that I am going to turn into a fixed gear bicycle. A fixed gear bike is a bike that has no free-wheel hub on the back wheel, so if the back wheel is moving, your pedals will be moving. You can't coast on a fixie.

I think that I am going to go hardcore and run a brakeless bike. I can always resist the forward motion of the pedals to slow down and stop.

Making a fixed gear bike can be done for not much money. The most expensive part of my project is going to be the rear wheel with a fixed gear hub. There are cheaper ways to get around this, but this is the safest and the best. Also, the hub that I am going to use is a flip-flop meaning that on side of the hub is fixed to the wheel, and the other has a single free-wheel sprocket and can be changed by simply flipping the wheel around.

I'll keep you posted on the progress and some of the parts that I am finding for this project.

Cheers,

Jerome