28 January 2007

project fixie: intro


i've been thinking a heap about putting together a fixie. seriously. the catch here is i have to do it with very, very little money because i have almost nil to spare. haarrr!

why a fixed gear? trend? fashion? maybe but i don't think so. simple fascination, most likely. i mean, look at that picture above. no shifters. no brake levers. so very basic. you pedal, you go. you stop pedaling, you stop. so simple.

edit: the pictured bikes are not mine. they're there to show what a fixie is. i wouldn't mind having those bikes but they're on the high side of the cost bell curve and i'm staying on looow side.

but i do imagine that it does take time to get used to the fact that you're constantly going through the motion of pedaling even when slowing down. no coasting on this one. and i can also imagine that it will also take a while to master stopping a fixie.

i already have a picture in my head of how the bike would look. nothing really brand names or anything fancy — a road frame, 700c x 25 tires, eggbeater, flip-flops on the rear, the usual seatpost, '7' road stem, road bike saddle, pedals with straps, bullhorn handlebars and a front brake. yes, a front brake. ideally, one would rely on the "foot brake" to stop but do you really think a fixie noob would know how to stop on the first try without getting hurt?

i already have a few items in the project pot that i could probably use. they were all set aside as a result of upgrades to my current bike. they're hidden somewhere so i still have to find them:
  • shimano 105 bb; cone and cup
  • shimano 105 cranks with biopace rings; i forget if its 52/39 or 52/42 or how long the cranks are
  • steel cage pedals; is that the correct name for it?; i have to get straps though
the next step is to try getting the rest of the stuff for free or for a minimal cost or in exchange for services (me computer guy). i'd rather get them for free even if they're second hand or third hand.

anybody care to donate their throwaways to me? i'll link back you. promise. please?



photos are from kalavinka

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