Tag Archives: single speed

53cm IRO Mark V Pro

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This is the third IRO I have built and I am always pleased with the results.  These bikes are perfect for urban environments like NYC, which is no surprise since IRO got their start as an New York-based company.  This frame is a IRO Mark V Pro in black that I have re-painted, overhauled, and built up with a mix of new and used parts:

  • Miche Pr1mato hubs laced to Mavic clinchers
  • new Continental road tires 700×19
  • Riser bars with Oury grips
  • new front brake, Cane Creek cross lever
  • new Origin8 track chainring, 48 tooth
  • new Origin8 bottom bracket
  • 48 x16 gearing, perfect for the streets of NYC
  • Shimano 600  tri-color crankset, 175mm
  • KKT track pedals
  • new KMC track chain
  • Size 53cm: seat tube center-center 49cm, top tube ctc 54cm, 30 inch stand-over.

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Vintage Columbia Sport

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This was a quickie restoration I did over the weekend, of a 1960’s-era Columbia Sport bicycle.  Super relaxed frame geometry for cruising around town, and the trademark “hellenic” seat stays.  Nifty chainring cut outs and original headbadge keep this bike looking old school despite the orange and black fade paint job I gave it.  27″ wheels with a coaster brake keep the ride smooth and simple.  This bike would look great with a tweed jacket!

More pics after the jump…

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Bianchi “What You Want Ho” Pista

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sideangle_NDS_pista

Here’s a build I threw together the other day from parts I had around the house.  It’s a 2007 Bianchi Pista frame that was powdercoated red.  I added a Sugino Messenger crankset, BMX platform pedals with clips and doubles traps, a brown leather Concor Max saddle, flat bars w/ Oury grips, and a flip-flop wheelset.  I found a nice old Shimano side-pull caliper brake for the front as well.  The NYC “pistadex” took a nose dive this morning when I sold it for $310.

sideangle_DS_pista

Alien 53cm fixed-gear custom build

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I have waited nearly a year to build this bike: I first ordered the frame from Alien Bikes as part of a group buy last October, receiving it last May.  Despite the ridiculous wait, the frame is gorgeous and well-made, especially considering the low $350 pricetag for a hand-made lugged steel frame.  I used wire brushes to remove most of the phosphate coating from the tubes, exposing the raw steel and bright gold flux around the lugs.   The inspiration for this build is a classic Italian racer, something that looks like a throwback to the 1940’s or 50’s, but built from a mix of affordable modern and vintage parts.

Click “Read More” to see a hi-res gallery pf photos.

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Kicks for fixies: the 661 Filter SPD shoe

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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.

Red vintage singlespeed build

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Here’s a new single-speed build I completed recently.  I started with an old lugged steel 58cm road frame that I stripped, primered, and   re-painted.  I also removed the braze-on wire guides for a cleaner look.  I added a 1960’s-era Ashtabula chrome track fork and a new Tange headset, which gives this build a unique and distinctive look.  The bottom bracket was replaced with a 103mm Shimano cartridge and Bulletproof cranks.

The stem is a 120mm Specialized quill with silver chopped risers and black rubber grips, a chrome BMX brake lever and new Tektro front caliper brake.  A pair of 700c wheels and a black saddle finished off the build nicely.  The gearing is 42×16 which is my preferred “cruising” setup for commuting around NYC.  The whole build took me about 8-10 hours of work; I’m pretty experienced at this point so the only tricky part was making the fork work.  I had to cut the steerer tube down, re-chase the threads, and neck down the quill slightly as the steerer tube was a non-standard diameter, slightly narrower than the usual 22.2cm.

I sold it this evening for $250, so I’m glad I got pictures this morning.  Check out more pictures after the jump…

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White Industries ENO Trials freewheel

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eno freewheel

New bling for the whip – a White Industries “ENO UNO Trials” 18-tooth freewheel.  White makes the strongest, most durable freewheels anywhere, elevating an often-overlooked yet crucial part of all single-speed bikes to an art form.  The 1.370″ x 24 tpi threads fit standard freewheel hubs.  It is fully serviceable and re-buildable.  The Trials is their top model, made of nickle-plated case hardened 8620 steel and featuring a ratcheting mechanism with 72 teeth in which six pawls engage.   Most freewheels have just one or two pawls… the ratchet noise this thing makes is sickkkk!

I bought this one for my Fuji Track Pro to compliment its new Dura Ace 7600 / Velocity Deep-V wheelset.  This is the only freewheel built with the kind of quality equal to its all-Dura Ace drivetrain.  I got this one for $50 gently used on Ebay, but they are for sale at Ben’s Cycle for $110 new.