Tag Archives: fixed gear

Kicks for fixies: the 661 Filter SPD shoe

Posted on by
2

661_filter_spd_bk

Recently I switched from riding in clips and straps (MKS GR-9 pedals with Toshi double straps and Soma double clips) to clipless pedals.  It was an amazing difference; easily the best upgrade I have ever invested in for my bike.  Within minutes I could do stuff that had always eluded me with clips and straps – I can skid, even while seated, and can ride no-handed.  Handling and power transfer is superb.  But I still had a problem: when I wasn’t riding, walking around in fancy road shoes and cleats was pretty lame!  They don’t look cool, they were noisy, and at one point they made me slip and fall down a flight of stairs!  (Luckily, I was OK).

filtercleat

Then at the Bike Jumble last week I bought a pair of these 611 Filter shoes from Continuum Cycles.  They are skate-style shoes with stiff reinforced soles and mounts for cleats!  Perfect!  They are comfortable and solid, holding my foot as well as my road shoes.  The cleat is recessed into the sole, so you have the full grip of the sneaker tread – no more slipping around on bulky cleats.  I am using them with Shimano SH51 cleats and M520 dual-sided clipless pedals.  I definitely recommend these shoes to any urban fixed-gear riders who want the benefits of riding clipless without the annoyance of walking around in road shoes all day.  Check them out at 611’s website or you local bike shop.

Fuji Track Pro – major upgrades!

Posted on by
3

new FTP

I originally built this custom Fuji Track Pro frame up with cheap Bontrager parts from a Trek Soho S, but over the last few months I have been upgrading it to a serious beast.  The crankset is a Dura Ace 7710 “hollow tech” crankset & matching octalink bottom bracket, which feature hollow-forged duraluminum arms for the stiffest and lightest non-carbon cranks available.  It’s matched to Dura Ace 7600 high-flange track hubs laced to a Velocity deep-v wheelset on Continental Gatorskin tires.  The front chainring is a Sugino 75 46T while the cog is a 16T Dura Ace.  I also added a Dura Ace AX seatpost and a rare gray-colored Brooks B17 Pro saddle.  The pedals are MKS Custom Nuevo with MKS Alpha leather double-straps & Christophe clips.  Finally, I swapped the 130mm Cinelli Groove stem for a 120mm, and I might drop it down to 100mm soon.

I’ve been riding this bike as a fixed-gear since December, although I have retained the front and rear brakes for safety, and also so I can switch back to freewheel easily if I wanted.  However, it is a joy to ride fixed and I’m loving every minute on this bike.  Total value is around $1800, so it’s not your average coffee-getter, but I do ride it daily in NYC despite the grit and grime (which you can see in the pics after the jump.)

Lots more pics after the jump!

Continue reading →

Cayne Uno polo bike

Posted on by
1

Cayne Uno side view

This is my current commuter / beater / tarck / polo bike.  I built it up around a 51cm Cayne Uno frame.  The Uno is a budget steel frame with large rear drop-out guards; not that sexy but rock-solid.

Its got an FSA Pig headset and FSA crankset with a 42T chainring up front and 16t cog in the back; the rear wheel is a flip-flop for fixed or freewheel.  The wheelset is a pair of Weinmann DP-18 deep-V rims laced to Joytech hubs with yellow Panaracer Stradius tires.  The funky chunky stem is an adjustable Kalloy Uno, as are the purple anodized pedals, seatpost, chain, and handlebars which give the bike some budget bling.  The side-pull brake calipers are Promax while the seat is a budget copy of the Selle Concor by CCM, the same model that I used on my first single-speed conversion.

More info & pics after the jump…

Continue reading →

Fuji Track Pro: murdered out!

Posted on by
Reply

Fuji Track Pro view 1

This is my newest and fastest bike – a 2007 Fuji Track Pro with a custom “murdered out” (all black) paint job.  I picked up the frame last month and had it drilled for brakes, since I ride freewheel.  Most of the parts are from my Trek Soho S that I swapped over.  I wasn’t sure I was going to like it, so I didn’t want to drop big $$$ to set it up.

However, I LOVE this bike!  It is the fastest and most responsive ride I’ve ever had.  It almost floats over the rough streets, and it’s easy to jump over larger stuff too.  Of course if I hit a crack or a bump I certainly feel it due to the lightweight frame, but it’s so maneuverable that I rarely do.  I rode it in my first alleycat race last weekend, and will be on it for all races in the future.  Coming soon, I’m putting Dura Ace track cranks, BB, and chain on it, as well as a saddle upgrade to a Brooks Professional that’s a bit more narrow.

More pics after the jump…

Continue reading →

Vintage “Townie” single-speed

Posted on by
4

townie side shot

This is my third bike build, a vintage “townie” style bike built on a 1970’s-era Schwinn frame.  The frame came with leather-wrapped handlebars, which inspired me to build it out as a classy around-the-town bike.  I replaced the heavy steel 26″ Araya wheels with lightweight 700c deep-v track wheels, and put Nashbar’s “Duro” tires on them.  The dark brown sidewalls match the leather nicely.

The seat is a riveted leather Brooks copy, taken from from a Masi Soulville bike.  I installed a 68x107mm Miche bottom bracket, red KMC single-speed chain, and built the single-speed crankset from a new 170mm Campagnolo Mirage set.   It has a 42-tooth chain ring up front and a 16 tooth freewheel in back, with a flipflop hub & fixed gear cog & lock ring.  Pedals are MKS Syvlan touring, brakes are new Tekro side-pull calipers, and I added a set of Planet Bike “Hardcore Road” fenders for all-weather riding.

Full story and more pics after the jump…

Continue reading →