Project Fixie Fun

Hi guys,

I thought i'd post some photos of my project that i've been working on for a few weeks. It might be of some use and motivation to anybody thinking of attempting they're own project.

To date I've spent €115 and hope to finish it for less than €200. The original budget was €150 but I want to paint it properly so will spend the extra €€s to get the last bit right. I've learned so much during the project and would encourage anybody to give it a shot!

The bike's purpose will be a mess around/poser bike just for spinning to college and friend's houses. Something with a bit of me in it that hopefully won't attract thieves. Its not a very serious bike so I'm not too worried about your comments as long as they're some bit constructive.

First off I needed a good bike to start with. I wanted something cheap and light. My LBS here in limerick came through with an old Viking with reasonably straight wheels and reynolds 531 steel frame. I've been told some of these were made in Northern Ireland. The bike had a very old shimano 600 derailler and shimano cranks too. Not sure of the crank group set. Maybe someone recognises them. Is the logo a match for the "600" series? It was light too and all for €30 including two new tubes to get the bike rolling. Sadly the bike didn't come with a seatpost or saddle. Here's the bike the night I got it home:


Derailler: http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/jollylee11/P1020247.jpg?t=1224029413

Shimano crankset logo: http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/jollylee11/P1020246.jpg?t=1224029365

I reckon it was fantastic value. Took it out that night cautiously (I couldn't help myself) down my estate for a few hundred metres in the dark after fitting the two new tubes. Brakes and gears worked, axles had no play. Delighted! A seatpost, saddle and a set of fresh tyres was all that was really needed to go back racing again!!

Weighing scales proved it was light enough too. Almost exactly equal in weight to my 2007 trek 1500. Old skool cool bikes are fantastic really! The trek has tri bars fitted so a little heavier than standard!

First job was the rear wheel. You guys kindly discouraged my welded freewheel idea. When i had the wheel off and the bmx freewheel in my hand beside it the rediculousness of the idea became clear. So off I went to cycle pursuits and got a 13T track cog (small i know but running on a 42T chain wheel) and some bearings to install while i was swapping around the spacers on the axle anyways.

Chainwheel all cleaned up: http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/jollylee11/P1020260.jpg?t=1224030697

Track sprocket and new bearings: http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/jollylee11/P1020263.jpg?t=1224030801

Here's a pic of the new sprocket on the wheel and secured with blue loctite (I couldn't find the red stuff). I must admit I may have over done it with the threadlock. There was not enough thread left on the hub for a BB lockring so suicide hub it is! I used the rotafix method to tighten the sprocket on. Thanks again to the member here that suggested it!
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/jollylee11/P1020274.jpg?t=1224031878

Spent ages getting chain line right. What a pain! Fairly sure its bang on now. Then had a go re-dishing the wheel. I won't claim its perfect but its straight at least and I only broke one spoke during the process.
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/jollylee11/P1020288.jpg?t=1224033165

Meanwhile, on the side I was organising parts to personalise the bike. Here's a suede blue saddle I have to put on it: http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/jollylee11/P1020256.jpg?t=1224031243

I got a friend to grind down the teeth off the 53T chainwheel to make a perfectly functional and stylish chain guard: http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/jollylee11/P1020261.jpg?t=1224031368

Also was donated these campagnolo brake levers by a customer at work who wanted a straight bar and MTB style brake levers fitted on her president cycles ladies racer. I know they're white but I really like them and its another reason besides cycling on a suicide hub to have brakes. They were also free campagnolo parts so i don't think i have a choice. It'd be a shame to throw them in the bin.

http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/jollylee11/P1020278.jpg?t=1224031563

http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/jollylee11/P1020279.jpg?t=1224031596

http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/jollylee11/P1020280.jpg?t=1224031621

I also bought a cheap and cheerful blue BMX chain from ebay to match the saddle:
http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq14/jollylee11/P1020281.jpg?t=1224033212

So that was enough to get me rolling (still without a seatpost mind you)! I took it for about a 5km spin slowly around the area tonight. I was tired when i got back after standing and pedalling continously for the 5km roundtrip. Did my very best to break the sprocket loose but neither that or the quick release lever(expected gasps from the safety concious here haha) caused any issue. The chain was still tight when i got home too. I still have the original brakes and levers on the bike so was relatively safe plodding along at slow speeds. I had expected the track sprocket to unscrew but even a couple of quick stamps backwards while standing with the brakes held firmly didn't seem to have much effect. I fear i've damaged the threads on the hub while rotafix'ing:o

I weighed the bike again and its around nine kgs. The seatpost and saddle will ad a bit more but by all accounts its a light bike for the money!

Here's a picture of the bike just before I started dismantling it for prep and painting:





The bike is gonna be shot blasted in the coming days and then will be painted. The plan is a few coats of primer with wet sanding in between, a few coats of silver, several coats of ford Focus ST orange and finished by a few coats of lacquer. Painting is the bit I don't enjoy so will probably take a while. I should have a seatpost and some fresh blue bar tape by the time thats all done.

I'll get some more pictures of the finished bike when it gets painted and re-assembled or if i get new parts to add to the bling. I'm looking out for a second-hand 25.4mm campy seatpost and some decent brake calipers, both vintage to suit the bike of course:cool:.

Thanks for reading all that if you got this far. All feedback welcome.

Joe.