Here is my next toy, a fixed gear mountain bike. I bought the frameset for $50 and although it's an XL, riding it around in the driveway this evening felt pretty good. For one thing, I don't have to jack the seat up as high as my other bikes and I am using my FUBars that sweep back making the cockpit similar to my other bikes, in act I can't event tell the difference! I am going to ride with FUBars for awhile and then I am going to try the FMe bars.
The frame color, a light baby blue with a hint of grey goes nicely with the orange accents with include chain, headcap, grip lockons, and bottle cage. This will actually be my third fixed gear mountain bike having tried the Fetish Fixation and Qball already fixed using the Tomi Cog but I am going to definitely ride it a lot more.
I am going to start off riding the bike on some of the local rail trails, where I can ride slowly and not worry about having to stop too quickly. I might even try some dual and single track this weekend at Collis P Huntington SP. Riding the Big Burn will be a blast. Eventually, I am going to put brakes on the bike but it's so clean right now I just want to enjoy it this way for awhile. I will probably start out by putting a front brake on it while it's fixed and eventually go to front and back and just run it as a singlespeed, rigid mountain bike.
I got a helluva deal on this frame: $50!
Granted, it's an XL so it will be interesting to see how it fits.
I have just enough stuff laying around to build it up.
If you were looking for a gelded ape, you have come to wrong blog. Found this Monkey on a blog called Bedrock & Paradox, in a post titled Mountain Fixie Ride. The first thing that caught my attention besides the obvious fact that it's a mountain fixie and a 29er, was the drop bars. In particular, the placement of the levers. I think one of the problems I have with the demi Monster Cross is that the levers are too far down into the drops but if they were higher up I might be more comfortable and get more leverage for climbing.
The other thing I find interesting on the bars is how the rider used bar tape up to levers, and then did a split option with Oury grips. I believe the BikeSnobNYC talked about a similar development in the Hip Fixter Community in which he found a bike on the Fixed Gear Gallery where Oury grips were regulated to supporting role, or spacer.
Although, in this case it appears the spacer is really being used to fill the gap between the lever and the rest of the Oury at the end of the bars. I might have to try this. Of course, and I don't mean to be synnical, but the mismatched color between the skidmark brown of the frame, the green King headset and the blue and gray grips make me want to vomit. Since this is an older picture maybe that has changed.
Update on my 1975 Raleigh Super Course MKII, finally got the fixed gear wheel along with another one that I ordered from the Bicycle Center in Brookfield for a mere $50! The new one came with an Alexrim but didn't notice the hub and a 14t cog (that will be fun for climbing hills in New England). The used one that I am going to use on the Raleigh is a Sunrim with a Quandro hub but it didn't come with rimtape and the valve stem is sized for an newer/thinner(?) schraeder or presta. The old schraeder tube I tried wouldn't fit so I need to hit the LBS on the way home. Hope to have it done this weekend.
A couple of Redlines recently appeared on FGG that are just mouth watering because they are 29ers, of course! Something that I have to try at some point. Probably not on the Qball, rather some other frameset.
I love this MC Flight with the sliding rear drops! I think if I could find one in the right size and right price that this might be the way to go!
Love seeing the TomiCog getting used! An excellent way to have your cake and eat it to!
While there are a few fixed gear bikes not much on Cyclofiend's Singlespeed Garage in terms of mountain fixies. Did find this one. Love the saddle!
Twenty-five new fixed gear and single-speed bikes in stock. 40 % off list price. 2008 closeouts. $195 to $365. E-mail for a list.
Why is fixie-mania sweeping America ? Five reasons.
1. There are still lots of great ole’ steel road bikes on the road. Fixie/ss is the best way to keep these bikes rolling for decades more.
2. Fixie/ss bikes are simple, clean, and give you a powerful stroke with a direct chain line.
3. The bicycle manufacturers are currently producing horrible road bikes The wheels are flimsy, the components, finicky. Parts are incompatible or proprietary, so it costs a fortune to fix the bike.
4. The Shimano monopoly makes garbage components – their shifters and derailleurs clatter, clink and scratch like Stockhausen’s Kitchen-Sink Concerto ! Why does Shimano make such over-priced crap ? They are a monopoly; - THEY CAN !
5. The bike industry caters to the yuppy element - The carbon cowboys, in their silly spandex fairy outfits. The profit-margins on these high-end weenie bikes are astronomical. The industry could give a flyin’ fiddlers’ f--- about producing a well-made, reasonably-priced commuter bike for ‘Joe and Joan Six-Pack’ !
Stick it up the bike industry’s keister. GO SINGLE SPEED !
This guy is a radical bordering on lunacy because how else is the industry going to stay in business? I'd say they are doing a pretty good job at producing bikes for both ends of the spectrum. Yes, there are people that will drop some heft coin on equipment they really don't need, there are those like myself that appreciate a quality bike and will try to get the biggest bang for my buck, and then there is 'Joe and Joan Six Pack' whose first thought will be to hit a big box store and buy buy something that looks cool and flashy, is really cheap, from a salesman (or woman) that doesn't know the difference between quality and crap. When you say stick it up the bike industry's keister you are really cutting off your nose to despite your face.
The question is, will they appreciate a quality bike or not? There is nothing wrong with those bikes, provided they are not pushed beyond their limits. They serve a purpose, too, and maybe that purpose is really just a way for 'Joe and Joan Six Pack' to sample the water without getting overally committed. Once they do, then they should head to their LBS and get some quality.
I think if you want the Fixie movement to grow it just has to be promoted as much as possible. There are some that are doing their best to promote and at the same time criticize all the posers like BikeSnobNYC and there are the fan sites like Fixed Gear Gallery and the Single Speed Garage. The movement is there, it just has to gain more momentum.
The other night I was watching Law & Order and one of the perps, characterized as an ex-NY bond trader who has gone from the high life to low life in the wake of the financial meltdown had a Fixie in his room as a prop. Cleary, the trend is gaining momentum if the casting people pay that much attention to detail.
The Fix has been lacking recently in gratuituous Fixed Gear Mountain Bike Porn so here is what I have found recently. Keep in mind, mountain fixies are pretty obscure so finding new material is always tough and now that it's winter in most parts of the country mountain fixies get mixed into fixed gear winter commuter bikes. Still, if it has wide tires and it's fixed gear it fits my definition of a mountain fixie.
This is an early 80's mountain bike. I built it up to bang around town and for my annual trip to Mackinac Island. I wanted a fixed gear bike for the roads, but I also wanted a mountain bike with lower gears for the single track trails up there. Sheldon Brown provided the inspiration for the drivetrain setup. He has a couple of bikes set up similarly. This bike has a cog bolted where a brake rotor would normally go for its fixed gear. When I flip the wheel around, I have two cogs on the freehub that line up with the two front chainrings. The bike is technically a three-speed. Most of these photos were taken on Mackinac Island (which is in northern Michigan) where cars are not allowed.
I like the set up of this bike which may lead me to do something radical with the Nishiki. I have a wheel in which I can do this, too, so it might be worth a try. Looks like TomiCog, too.
This Green Hamburger Surly 1x1 is pretty unique with a left side drive train and both front and rear disc, which look like 185mm rotors. A bit overkill for road riding but still Geil!
And finally some Vimeo Fixed Gear Mountain Biking Action (drool):
While trolling in the Singlespeed forum on MTBR I came across this sweet fixed gear mountain bike. A Redline 'cog flight fixie (currently with a cf sp & cf cross fork).
Two new mountain fixies have recently popped up on the FGG, but by the time you read this post, they'll probably be old news. This first one, a converted Haro Mary, combines everything that I love about this sport because not only is it fixed but it's a 29er. This is truly a unique build. If you click on the picture it will bring you to the details page on the bike on FGG. Check out the rear hub on this baby!
Once again my favorite bike graces the pages of the FGG, the Kona Unit. I would love to build one of these up as an SS/Fixed Gear ride. My friend Pete (iBike) is selling his but it's a bit too small for me. Steel and Paragon style drops make me salivate.
Which reminds me, I need to take my Fetish 69er Fixed out for a spin. If I can't replace this frame with a Kona that fits me, I might try for an Evil Sovereign.
Found this 1988 Rockhopper fixed gear mtb with 700c wheels and a centerpull brake on Bike4More, a Cali, Bike Commuter Blog. The bike belongs to Jon Grinder.
There is a new search feature (maybe it's just new to me) on FGG that I tried that lets you narrow down by bike manufacturer. For example, I put in mountain and got three examples of Rocky Mountains, one of which was an actual fixed gear mountain bike: 127 Asoka Mendis' Rocky Mountain; Deep in the FGG archives. Using the search feature looking for Konas I found this one that I might have missed on my original search through the FGG: 4,512 Brent Wegscheid's Kona; What's interesting about this one is that it's a 26er frame with a 700c wheelset. Nothing new there, did that with my Fixation in my attempt to make it into a commuter.
The other search feature is even better, look at this vintage Bontrager Fixie. Nice! Funny thing though, you do get a lot of false positives from people who talk about mountain biking, still it's nice to look at bikes.
You might recall an earlier Friday Fix post where I was talking about conversions and I showed you another 69er, well here is the latest build from Tom. Well, here is yet another 69er and it's a Steel Bianchi! I would gladly replace my Fixation in a heartbeat if I could find any of the "SS" models for the right price and size. Of course, I would say that about the Kona Unit and the Evil Sovereign or DOC. Still, nothing beats the feel of real steel!
Check this out! A fixed gear Schwinn for $4 Hundy? Anyone buying this would have to be out of their mind. I am surprised, however, that the seller didn't offer the Brooklyn Bridge for free as an incentive to buy this bike. Paid $1000? He must be really stupid if that much was paid for this bike. Invariably this is just a scam/ripoff. Hope no one falls for this. If you click on the image it will bring you to the actual posting - however by the time you are reading this post I am sure it will be pulled.
Having to dig deep lately in my pursuit to find more fixed gear mountain bikes. Found a guy with a site that specializes in fixed off road riding, his site is called the BUFFAL0B1LL BIKESITE but it doesn't seem to have been recently updated. Still, there are some interesting bikes here. For example, check out his Schwinn Snow Fixie with the Rock Shox Metro fork. I might have to try making one of these if I can get the same fork on the cheap. www.NYCBikes.com had a bunch of these they were selling at a good price. They have the Rock Shocks for $49 and an RST for $20, hmmmm, the possibilities!
Here is his late 80s GT conversion. Pretty nice, only one brake for off road riding would make me nervous. By the looks of things the guy might live somewhere down in Virginia or Maryland so one brake is probably sufficient because they don't have real hills down that way. J/K. Means he probably does a lot of skidding to stop.
Here is the original incarnation of this bike. It's number 992 on FGG. I thought I might have gone that deep on FGG but maybe I didn't.
If you have a fixed gear mountain bike, ATB, or cross bike, and would like to have it included in The Friday Fix, at no charge, feel free to email a good picture of it with a short description of the build and what kind of terrain you like to ride it on. To me, if it's a fixed gear and hit has knobby tires, it's an off road bike.
Not too many fixed gear ATB rigs hitting the FixedGearGallery these days. It's really hit or miss over there. I used to try and guess Which post is a mountain bike but in the case of manufacturers that are no longer producing ATB/MTB frames anymore, e.g. Bridgestone, I might miss something. So, now probably like everyone else, I just click on the next set of bikes to appear when Dennis updates the page.
Speaking of frames no longer produced, there is a cool Bridgestone but labeled as a Diamonback. Marcello is using it as a winter commuter but plans to sell it and get another Bridgestone to build up. It's funny, when I did my original scouring of the FGG looking for ATBs I basically looked at all the known manufacturers that I knew that made mountain bikes, like Trek, Kona, Surly, etc... For some reason, I missed this one. I just love Konas.
This is Tim Heyes first fixie and I only came across it by looking at his second submission and he mentioned,
Here is the submission of my second fixie to the site. This time it's a slightly more sensible road going one as opposed to a mountain bike...
Unfortunately there was no link to the previous bike so I emailed Tim to find out where it was located and got his impression of riding off road fixed as well and he said,
Definitely fun – although my fellow riders didn’t think so as they casually freewheeled over jumps and berms and I’m left spinning wildy some distance behind! I’m not ruling it out though – I just need to get used to having a back brake and actually find someone stupid enough to do it with me…
Glad to hear that he is not giving it up which reminds me that I haven't tried my fixie on anything be fire roads and rail trails and it might be high time I give it a shot on some real single track...
Not sure if I mentioned this site before but 63xc.com The Offroad Fixed Gear Site. The site author of the site said after 5 years and 20 issues it was time to move on to something else. Still the site is up and there is quite a bit of good reading there if want to know more about riding fixed gear off road.
Found a site in the UK called the londonfixiebike shop that has one stop shopping for all your fixie conversion needs. I found this on Backcountry.com's blog The Goat. Obviously, the author doesn't think outside the box and probably thinks there is big money in every Nigerian Scam Note.
London Fixed Bike makes a converter that attaches a fixed gear cog to a standard disc brake rotor mount. Bike Magic says you can use it to convert a front mountain bike hub into a rear wheel, but you’ll run into some serious spacing and chain line issues unless you also swap out the axel. Of course, the London Fixed Bike setup is flawed from the start because you’d have to be insane to want to ride a fixed gear off road. Downhills would be an absolute killer and I can’t imagine uphills would be much more fun. If you want to turn a mountain bike front hub into a rear to build a road wheel, the setup costs about $60 (plus axel).
Check out the responses to the blog post. They are entertaining. Since Boone seems to be off the air, it looks like TomiCog has a little competition, or perhaps it's the other way around.
And speaking of conversions, I started chatting with a guy on MTBR who built up his own fixie 69er and he has a really good how-to on converting hubs to fixed gear. Check out Tom Chow's article on the fixed gear gallery (if you haven't already) on how to do this.
Here is his rig when he first built it:
He's using a TomiCog 19t. I run a 20t but the way I am now, I think I could move down to a 19t or 18t both fixed and single speed.
Here is how the bike now looks. According to Tom, the rear wheel uses a Shimano front hub with the axle replaced with a 10mm rear bolt-on one, and a cog bolted to the ISO disc mount.
Got this from Pete over at iBike, definitely some mad, off road fixie skills:
You might have already seen this if you have been to his site before mine, if not, I hope you enjoyed the show.
Here is custom bike builder out of the biking capital of the US, IMO, Portland, Ore. Ahearne Cycles. Check out the custom bike built around an Endo Morph 4.0! Holy smokes, I'd love to try a Pugsley fixed!
Looks like I am not the only one riding mountain fixed, check out his guy.
Well this bike is no mountain bike but I like the way the guy describes the build. Fixed Huffy. In my book, if it's got fat tires it's a mountain bike, even though this bike is touted as a winter commuter.
