Vintage bike going Fixie

[Squashfest81]

I’ve been keeping watch for a vintage 10 speed to add to the bicycle fleet. This 1971 Raleigh Super Course followed me home last summer. I recently stripped it down to its frame to get it ready for spring.

Then a nicer 1978 Motobecane Grand Record fell into my lap. That will get cleaned up and become the vintage 10 speed of the fleet.


Just last week I came upon a Fuji fixie. She’s bright. Like way to hip for me bright.


So, let’s make the Raleigh a Vintage Fixie.

 

[RivennHewn]

All you need is a messenger bag , and a disregard for traffic rules.


Sorry, when I hear fixie, that’s where my head goes

 

[RPH]

I have a Schwinn La Tour that I bought new in the early eighties.

 

[ndnchf]

Flashback to the Schwinn Continental 10 speed I bought new in 1972. Thanks for the memories

 

[BPJOOP93]

I also had a Schwinn Continental. Wiped it out at about 50 mph. Never the same after that.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Vintage means different things to different people...I'm still riding my Schwinn LeTour from the late 1970s. I guess it means I'm vintage myself.

 

[joe49]

1976 Beacon here, oops dating myself.

 

[Squashfest81]

All you need is a messenger bag , and a disregard for traffic rules.

Ha. I like to think that I have a modified set of traffic rules. I’ll roll through a stop sign and even take the bike up on the sidewalk if I need to. Gasp!
Luckily I live in a small town with little traffic.
No messenger bag though. Guess I could stick some beers in it for the beach.

I’m liking the listing off of past bikes. Feel free to toss any bike related pics and talk in here.

 

[Squashfest81]

Vintage means different things to different people...I'm still riding my Schwinn LeTour from the late 1970s. I guess it means I'm vintage myself.

Stuart, if you are rocking an over 40 year old bike, than yeah, I’m calling vintage.
This Raleigh is pushing 50 and she needs to get back out on the road.

 

[Squashfest81]

Here she is with the 700c wheels, flip flop hub, and the cranks from the Fuji. I knew the reach on the brakes would be an issue with the 700c wheels, but they aren’t even close. So, we need to figure that out.

 

[Squashfest81]

Thanks to Boiler for the Fixie knowledge. Those guys look down on brakes. I’m not that hipster cool, but I’m trying, so I’ll run just a front brake.
A little googling tipped me to a solution by slipping a tube that sticks out the bottom of the fork to lower the brake mount.
Let’s toss an aluminum handlebar stem in the Atlas bandsaw.

 

[Squashfest81]

A lot of shaping later we have this. It clamps, but not as easily as I was hoping for. My next one will be better.

 

[Squashfest81]

Little trim on the end, sand, shorten the bolt, drill some holes, and fight it in and out like a dozen times.
Mounted up. Should work.

 

[bonneyman]

All you need is a messenger bag , and a disregard for traffic rules.


Sorry, when I hear fixie, that’s where my head goes

And a copy of "Quicksilver" starring Kevin Bacon. Great bike flick!

 

[RivennHewn]

And a copy of "Quicksilver" starring Kevin Bacon. Great bike flick!

“Breaking Away“

 

[Dumber than lumber]

I have a Schwinn La Tour that I bought new in the early eighties.

My son has a La Tour that belonged to my dad. Guess it is from the 80s.

 

[catalytic]

You'll do what you want of course, but my strong advice would be make it a single speed and add a brake. If it were mine, I'd add 2 brakes (not as cool, but have had pedestrians and car doors jump out while doing 20+MPH on my front-brake-only bike and it did not end well).

Fixies are all fun and games until a passing car makes you get close to a high curb. You can't stop the right pedal from going forward and down into the curb and lifting/crashing you.

I've ridden a lot of single speed though and really love the simplicity. No rear derailleur means the bike can go through hell and everything stays tuned up and aligned. Hills keep you in shape, too.

 

[El Bicho Malo]

Funny, first one I picked up was a Raleigh (cream colored pic- all I had on phone), and next I nabbed was a Fuji (green bike pic).

Was on a kick with some buds. We had more fun finding cheap old bikes and fixing them up than we did riding them.

 

[bonneyman]

Funny, first one I picked up was a Raleigh (cream colored pic- all I had on phone), and next I nabbed was a Fuji (green bike pic).

Was on a kick with some buds. We had more fun finding cheap old bikes and fixing them up than we did riding them.

That's what I found out, too!

 

[SlappyWhite]

Check out my thread here.... Did this to an old Bianchi...

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=397278&highlight=bianchi+fixie

BTW, the paint still looks perfect (Belton Molotow Rattle Cans).

 

[pelletman]

Single speed (57") fixed gear...

 

[ericm]

They make offset brake bolts to adapt short reach brakes to long reach frames.

 

[Squashfest81]

Home with the kiddos dodging the Coronavirus and enjoying the sunshine.
I’ve been trying to find a minute to switch in the bottom bracket of the bright Fuji as the bb I had was tossing the cranks too far out. The chain would not have been happy.
Nice little sealed unit.

 

[Squashfest81]

Shortened a chain. Tossed on the cranks with some old school pedals. Fitted a single brake lever. Cleaned the wheels.
Even aired up the tires. Yes, Boiler, I bought a presta valve adapter, as drilling those tiny wheels would be crazy.
She rides really smooth. I’m used to the weight of the fat bike, so this thing leaps off the line.
I’ll post the weight when I scale her.

 

[matt stott]

Nice work, and nice bikes!

 

[SlappyWhite]

Looks really good, that is the same BB I used for my Bianchi, should get your chainline in the near perfect track 40 to 41 mm range...

 

[Squashfest81]

They make offset brake bolts to adapt short reach brakes to long reach frames.

Eric, I would grab an offset bolt, but they are over 40 bucks. Also, it could be argued that the post out the bottom of the fork is more elegant.
Already have a plan to machine one when I get the lathe spinning.

 

[Squashfest81]

Thanks Matt Stott.
Official weigh in. 22lbs even! I’m happy.

 

[Squashfest81]

Grabbed this sweet saddle, cause all the cool kids rock Brooks saddles.
It’s been cleaned and mink oiled.
Anyone know how to date them?
Plus these cool pedals.

 

[Squashfest81]

And on! I like the old look.

 

[macgee]

Been lurking for a long time and been meaning to post in your other thread. I have a ton of bikes that I rebuilt or built up that I can post?

Here's a fixie I made to use as a guest bike, for the appopriate guest. A very fun bike to ride back from the bars (Well not this year). First pic is how I found the bike for $80 and then converted it.

 

[macgee]

Here's an old British MKM that I converted to a fixie

 

[acer66]

Fixie is not for me but those bike are beautiful.

 

[Squashfest81]

Agreed, macgee, those are gorgeous.
What do you use for for the single speed cranks? Just polish up some old stuff or new? I’ve got a Mixte project coming up.
I’m up for dropping bike talk anywhere, but the other thread definitely has more traffic.

 

[macgee]

Fixie is not for me but those bike are beautiful.

Agreed, macgee, those are gorgeous.
What do you use for for the single speed cranks? Just polish up some old stuff or new? I’ve got a Mixte project coming up.
I’m up for dropping bike talk anywhere, but the other thread definitely has more traffic.

Thanks guys, and as suggested by Squash I posted on your other thread.

I use to do a lot of road racing and velodrome when I was a kid, so I had a huge accumulation of parts laying around and frames shoved up in the parents rafters. I also later did a lot of mountain biking in Santa Cruz in the mid eighties and fillet brazed some of my own frames. For bikes in the pics, I almost always used old Campagnolo cranks in either Pista and Super Record road cranks. I would convert/mill the Strada marked road cranks into Pista cranks, They're virtually almost identical to Pista's except the Strada has 1mm of more offset (Q factor) on the drive side which is to dial back in with the BB and also that they're stamped Strada and not Pista. Where I lived, you were able to buy a complete cherry campy bikes for pennies as they were usually in a very petite (mini me) frame sizes or gigantic for some 7' tall dude that no one wanted or could ride. I would part it out and donate the frame to a local bike repair coop and used the parts to build a frame I liked.

I've also used a lot of vintage sugino and SunTour track cranks. I'm also trying to remember what cheap track cranks I would use to build up cheaper bikes with, it escapes my mind as it's been a long while but I would try to keep it simple as BB threads and offsets on frames could make things difficult. It's all about having a good and straight drive line and a straight aligned frame to make a bikes ride a stand out performer and fun to ride with no hands.

 

[bonneyman]

Very nice work, gentlemen!

I discovered this leather conditioner on a cobbler series from Utube. I've used it on shoes and wallets, and wouldn't be afraid to use it on any kind of leather. Might be perfect for that Brooks saddle and toe clip straps.

https://shopbickmore.com/bick-4-leather-conditioner-8oz/

 

[macgee]

Very nice work, gentlemen!

I discovered this leather conditioner on a cobbler series from Utube. I've used it on shoes and wallets, and wouldn't be afraid to use it on any kind of leather. Might be perfect for that Brooks saddle and toe clip straps.

https://shopbickmore.com/bick-4-leather-conditioner-8oz/

Thats good info Bonney,

I have several old Brooks and Ideale (French) saddles that need some help and conditioning. I also have a beautiful old vintage Brooks (new old stock) saddle but its rock hard (solid rock) and far from comfortable, been afraid to condition it but it maybe time to do it.

 

[Robo]

I also had a Schwinn Continental. Wiped it out at about 50 mph. Never the same after that.

You or the bike?

 

[Dutch01]

My Humber that dates somtime in the 70's.

 

[slowtwitch73]

Single speed (57") fixed gear...

That's a fixedwheel.

And actually any bike that has one gear up front and one in the back is a fixedwheel even if it has a freewheel, because you are fixed in one gear ratio.

All these so called fixed gears and fixies of the last 10-15 years are all fixedwheels, but the incorrect terminology has won out.