How to Build a Fixed Wheel Bike
Fixed gear bicycles, often referred to as "fixed wheel bikes," have gained popularity across the country, particularly in urban areas. A fixed gear bike does not use a freewheel, which, as the late bicycling expert Sheldon Brown notes, means when the bike's wheels are turning so are the pedals. You cannot coast on a fixed gear. A "fixie" has become a type of urban fashion statement, with teenagers to seasoned cyclists picking a frame and building a complete fixed gear bike.
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Instructions
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Decide how you will get your fixed gear bicycle built. If you are good mechanically with bikes and have access to the right tools, you should be able to do most or all of the work on your own. For the uninitiated, collect all of the parts you want attached to your frame and bring them to a bike shop. Most shops will build a bike for you. A labor charge is usually involved. Some shops, including Mission Bicycle Company in San Francisco and the Bike Biz in Sacramento, let you execute the entire process online.
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Pick your frame. Selection varies from shop to shop. As of summer 2010, you can pay as little as $200 for a standard steel fixed gear frame and upwards of $1,000 for higher-performance aluminum or carbon models that are designed for the velodrome--an indoor track meant for racing track or fixed gear bikes.
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Select your parts. A crankset is a good place to start. The crankset fits into the bottom bracket--another part you will have to purchase. It holds the front portion of your chain and your pedals, two other parts you need to choose as your build your fixie.
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Grab a wheelset. Along with the frame and crankset, your wheels form the foundation of your bike. As of summer 2010, a strong set of factory-built wheels generally cost between $150 and $350. Of course, as with anything in the bike world, you can spend a lot more. How much you spend depends on how often you ride, how you use your bike and your level of seriousness with the sport. Don't forget the additional expense of tires and tubes for your wheels, which, in total, as of summer 2010 will set you back between $40 and $150.
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Select a handlebar for your fixed gear bike. You can use drop-style road handlebars or mountain bike-style "flat" bars. Most fixed gear riders usually go with a mountain bike-style brake lever or two. You can choose to run a front brake or both a front and rear brake on a fixed gear. Since your fixie does not have gears, there is no need to worry about gear shifters.
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Get a stem and headset. The stem holds your handlebar and connects into the headset, which forges the union between the fork of the frame and your stem/handlebar assembly.
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Buy rubber grips or grip tape for your handlebar. If you have drop bars, you will likely use padded grip tape. You will probably slide rubber grips onto a flat mountain bike handlebar.
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Purchase a seat and seatpost. Many cyclists feel the seat is the most important part of the bike. If you ride often or for long distances, don't skimp here--shop around. Don't necessarily buy something soft and cushy. Narrower seats with seemingly inferior padding often are more comfortable.
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Accessorize your bike. Lights, bells, different color grips, grip tape, and chains and spoke cards are common accouterments used to personalize a fixed gear.
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Tips & Warnings
Ask the manufacturer of your frame or the shop you bought it at about the frame's specifications. For instance, different size seatposts and headsets exist for different frames. Compatibility between frame and parts and parts and parts is always an issue when building any bike, including a fixed gear.
Some fixed gear riders choose to ride without brakes. While riding a bicycle can be dangerous even with brakes, going "brakeless," as it is known in fixie terminology, increases your risk of a mishap. Some cities and states have laws against riding a bicycle without brakes.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Get it in gear! image by John Saxenian from Fotolia.com
