A practical fixie

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Meh, not a problem unless you use pedals design for clown shoes.

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/250643/

OK, it was a year ago since I last posted and I'm still searching for my practical fixed-gear bike.

What I would like is:

Mudguard mounts front and back
Front and rear rack mounts if possible (if not then ideally just front rack mounts, for a porteur rack)
28mm tyre clearance minimum
120mm track spacing if possible, otherwise 135mm
700c
Road-ish geometry
Flat-topped fork crown

I am fussy and I would not compromise on the flat-topped fork crown.

So I'm thinking a fixed gear Cross Check is the way to go but that really has too much clearance - I already have a big-tyre bike. If the Steamroller had mudguard mounts and front rack eyelets it'd be purrr-fect. There was a frame called the Tokyo Fixed Dream Machine a couple of years back that I regret not getting.

Anyone know of such a frame?

If you're on a budget this sounds like a pompino with some cross check forks (should be about £200 new all-in).

get a cross check and make it even more practical by putting some gears on it.

Is this your size?

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/275254/?offset=50#comment12688832

I would not compromise on the flat-topped fork crown

Do you actually mean a flat topped crown fork, or just something with a lug that isn't a uni crown fork? Other than the steamroller I can't think of any OTPs with a flat crown... or aftermarket OTP forks for that matter. In which case you'd be better buying the steamroller forks and having mounts put on.

I'd have said just pick any one of a number of frames with either mudguard eyes or dropouts big/flat enough to drill and thread a hole in.

Then buy a separate fork that fits the bill. What about that low trial Thorn disc fork skinny and spotter used for their CDF's? Or one of these?

Go for Pelago San Sebastian: http://www.pelagobicycles.com/store/components/framesets/san-sebastian-frameset.html

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+1 Pelago San Sebastian! A very versatile bicycle / frame. Everyone should own it.

If you can find one, a Tokyo Fixed Dream Machine sounds ideal.

120mm rear, rack and guard mounts and a flat fork crown.

That looks spot on doesn't it. Never heard of that before but it looks excellent.

Nearly ordered that Pelago frameset but just a touch concerned about the geo as I am right between the size 60 and 57. The standover looks a bit freaky for me and the lower size has a shortish top tube so TCO is a concern?

But it otherwise looks perfect. Some kind of porteur-esque thing like that is what I'm after. I might just get a Pompino yet, aesthetics bedamned...

Stand over should not be an issue.

Yeh I wouldn't worry about standover. Remember when kids used to slam the saddle on massive frames?

If you're going for a Porter style then I'd be tempted to go for the larger frame. With swept back bars you may want a slightly longer stem than usual. So an even longer stem on a smaller frame might look a bit odd.

Plus less seat post will look better on a porter.

Oh and Pompino s can (and do) look good.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8141/7185801128_488db224ce_c.jpg

Ah yeah they do like nice. I'm just a sucker for the classic-looking square fork thing. I can't help it. I just noticed that Pompinos don't have eyelets for a porteur rack. That'd leave me fixing the rack to the front axle. Not what I want to do, so that rules out the Pomp.

Pelago San Sebastian is the only frameset that fits the bill here... I'll reassess the size business carefully.

It got a mudguard eyelit that you can use for the porteur rack.

The Pompino is the best you can buy in your budget, if you want those "square" (otherwise known as lugged) fork, you can just buy the frameset and the Surly Cross-check fork instead.

Just figure out what top tube length you may need.

Is there anything wrong with fixing the rack to the front axle?

Nothing wrong, except when you want to fix a puncture.

Being a mad perfectionist lunatic I don't feel well about making some kind of On-One / X-check mongrel. I am looking to have mudguards on this thing, and I feel equally weird about attaching both rack and mudguards to the same eyelet.

Actually the X-Check has no front rack eyelet either - just a mudguard eyelet! O lawd!

I feel equally weird about attaching both rack and mudguards to the same eyelet.

It really doesn't matter, work exactly the same.

What you described really isn't being a perfectionist, you're just being anal.

Maybe it's time to either go for a full-on custom frames, or get the Pelago.

This has mounts halfway up the legs
https://www.bike-components.de/en/Surly/Long-Haul-Trucker-28-700c-Gabel-p43192/
but with a-to-c 390mm/45mm probably not road geometry
or this one:
https://www.bike-components.de/en/Surly/Cross-Check-Lowrider-28-Gabel-p36626/
400mm/44mm

I think the flat top fork looks good together with the old pompino/pompetamine wishbone rear...

Being a mad perfectionist lunatic I don't feel well about making some kind of On-One / X-check mongrel.

You realise it's just switching forks, a pretty common thing to do. 2 of the pomps I posted have different forks, I don't think you could say either look like mongrels. Just respray the whole lot.

It's also worth pointing out that if you have a fork with canti mounts then you can find racks that mount to those.

What about the 26" verson. Less clearance obvs.