# First fixed build - Q&A



## redjedi (25 Feb 2010)

I'm starting on my first fixed project so I'll need a bit of advice as I go.

I've got a cheap frame, a white/grey Peugeot "Le Tour" bike which is in fairly good condition. As it's my first go at riding fixed I didn't want to splash out too much on a nice frame but I do want to put decent components on it. 
Then if I get into it, I'll get a better/new frame and move all the new parts over.
I rode it 10 miles back from the train station and it feels quite nice. Headset and bottom bracket is smooth so will do for now. Seatpost moves freely but yet to try the quill stem.
Brakes definitely need replacing.

I'm not on a huge budget, but I don't want to cut corners if I can help it. I'm also prepared for it to take a few months as I buy a few bits at a time.

My first stop I think should be the wheels. I'm un-decided about which way to go. 
Do I buy a pair of cheapish pre-made ones like the on-one wheels for about £130 or shall I get my LBS to build a set?
My LBS (Wizz Bikes, Brentford) are really good people so would be happy to pay a little extra to help support them and I've seen some wheels the engineer has built and they are really good quality.
He's suggested some Halo hubs on Halo or Mavic rims for about £170 set. They only charge for the parts and put them together FOC.
The Halos look and feel nice and come in a selection of colours  (I would probably go for black as I don't know what colour frame I'll get in the future, although the purple looks nice.)
But then do I get the matching set done or just the rear for now and chuck a cheap front on?

I'll be back with more questions on the other parts later, but I'll leave it at that for now. Although if you have any nuggets of information I'd be very pleased to hear it.


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## Theseus (25 Feb 2010)

Why not get the hubs, rims and spokes separately and build them yourself using Sheldon's Guide. It will teach you a lot about wheels and spoke tension. Useful for when you come to do maintenance like replacing a broken spoke.

Last time I rebuilt my fixed wheels I used Black Halo Aerorage rims on the existing Formula hubs and a new set of spokes and nipples.

If you want the cheap option, keep the ones you have and convert the rear to fixed. Again, Sheldon will take you through the needed process although his comments on the availability of parts has changed for the better.


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## chris667 (25 Feb 2010)

Why not do it yourself? 
Buy a spoke key, a freewheel remover, a cog, a lockring and a chain. Remove the freewheel by placing it in a vice, sliding the wheel on and twisting.
Fit cog and lockring on the thread.
Rearrange the spacers so the cog is in a straight line with the chainwheel.
Redish the back wheel; try a quarter turn on each spoke at first, then try again if a quarter turn isn't enough to centralise the wheel in the frame.
Fit chain, and have an adventure.
Total cost - £60? Your LBS will still make money, but you get to save some.


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## chris667 (25 Feb 2010)

I see Touche and Sheldon beat me to it!


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## swee'pea99 (26 Feb 2010)

Is it just me who finds it a bit weird to propose putting £170 worth of wheels on 'a cheap frame'?


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## Hacienda71 (26 Feb 2010)

[quote name='swee'pea99']Is it just me who finds it a bit weird to propose putting £170 worth of wheels on 'a cheap frame'?[/QUOTE]

+1 I have a steel frame I want to turn into a fixed, but i don't want to spend that much on a set of wheels. Seriously thinking about building my own, components on the net seem cheap enough.


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## GrasB (27 Feb 2010)

[quote name='swee'pea99']Is it just me who finds it a bit weird to propose putting £170 worth of wheels on 'a cheap frame'?[/QUOTE]
Depends why really, for my road fixie I wanted a very specific frame geometry & setup, I already had a lovely steel frame to this spec so why change? The wheels are equally to my specific spec - Mavic CPX 33 rims & LeVel hubs laced with DT Swiss double butted spokes, that comes to an eye watering £300. Now this was a bike built for quick fixed gear riding but if I was to build a general hack fixie I'd go down to the LBS & get the cheapest set of wheel or rims/hub/spokes I could, in fact I just price up a cheap hack fixie & came to £320 from entirely new components


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## Landslide (27 Feb 2010)

Depends how much you want to spend really. If you do go for the Halo set but decide at a later date that fixed isn't your bag, there's a pretty healthy resale market on LFGSS.


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## chris667 (27 Feb 2010)

At the risk of starting arguments...

Surely, the whole point of a simplified bike (no gears!) is it should be cheap?


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## Theseus (27 Feb 2010)

chris667 said:


> At the risk of starting arguments...
> 
> Surely, the whole point of a simplified bike (no gears!) is it should be cheap?



Nope. The point is that it is fun to ride. YMMV


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## GrasB (27 Feb 2010)

chris667, sure a hack fixie/SS bike is about cheap riding however I've not got a hack fixie. The thing is with a fixie/SS you either have to ride in that gear or walk. See I don't ride fixed for the cheapness, I ride fixed because it gives me no where to hide, no where comfortable to retreat too, no bail out gears are available; it's just me v's the prevailing riding conditions. For me riding fixed is about it making me a better rider.


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## MajorMantra (27 Feb 2010)

There's an ebay seller that showed up on my local search with a few decent looking wheelsets that might fit the bill - Halo etc:

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/halfbyeighth/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340

I assume he's building them himself (or herself) though I've no idea, might be worth asking. Any use?

Lots of people seem to like Halo rims but I've read some negative comments about the hubs. It'd be worth doing some research before making your mind up. 

Matthew


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## dave r (27 Feb 2010)

You could try here 
http://www.velomax.biz/content/vm-displaydetail.php?product_id=812
for a set of wheels
They also do these
http://www.velomax.biz/content/vm-displaydetail.php?product_id=1002


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## redjedi (28 Feb 2010)

[quote name='swee'pea99']Is it just me who finds it a bit weird to propose putting £170 worth of wheels on 'a cheap frame'?[/QUOTE]
£170 is probably the very top I would pay if it was worth spending the extra for hand built wheels. £120 would be a more comfortable price range.

It's a cheap frame at the moment, but if I like riding fixed I would get a better quality frame and put all the new parts on it. 
If I don't like it, I can strip all the new parts off and sell them to get some money back.


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## redjedi (28 Feb 2010)

chris667 said:


> At the risk of starting arguments...
> 
> Surely, the whole point of a simplified bike (no gears!) is it should be cheap?



Simple doesn't always mean cheap. 

I like the simple set-up of a fixed but I also want it to be good quality.


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## GrasB (28 Feb 2010)

chris667 said:


> Surely, the whole point of a simplified bike (no gears!) is it should be cheap?



Another point is that simplified may mean putting the same money in to less complicated, thus better quality for the same price, & make a bike which is more robust & lighter.


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## Radius (10 Apr 2010)

Halos don't have the best reputation, think you'd be better off building your own. Having said that, I wouldn't skimp too much on wheels, the last thing you want is a hub made of cheese where the threads strip as you're trying to slow down quickly...


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## GrasB (11 Apr 2010)

My experience is Halo rims are very robust, the same can't be said about their hubs however. I've got a pair of Aerowarrior rims laced onto Shimano XT M775 hubs for my B'man hybrid & bomb proof would be a rather good description.


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## rjm (17 Apr 2010)

I want to do up my first fixie and have been looking at an old Claud Butler 531 frame (about lat 70's, early 80's) that has been abandoned at my workplace. Assuming nobody claims it this week it will be mine. it has quite a few rusty patches on the frame so I would consider repainting it or even chroming it.

Is this a decent choice of frame?

any advice re: repainting/chroming

Rich


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## Hacienda71 (17 Apr 2010)

As Long as the rear dropouts are horizontal and not vertical (You need to be able to tension the chain by moving the wheel backwards and forwards) which is probable on a bike of that age it sounds a good choice. Good quality make and good tubing. 
Preparing the frame will depend on your budget. You get what you pay for though.


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