Got my first fixie :) few q's

Hello!

I'm a regular rider (road) and wanted a fixie for ages and just got one. It's in SS at the moment but hoping to change that soon and have some fun on it!
Few questions if anyone has chance/time please.

1. when securing rear wheel (track frame), is it a case of pulling back on wheel quite hard and tightening bolts to get tensions - am I looking to avoid any chain slack at all?

2. As you can see from pics, i've not got the fixie cog yet and don't really know what to look for,,do I just purchase 'fixie cog' with however many teetch I want? Any locking discs/nuts?

Thanks :)

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Here she is, nice and nimble at only 9kg :)

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I am maybe not the best to answer on fixed :)

A bit of slack in the chain is needed, not super tight as this will cause binding as not all chainrings and sprockets are 100% round.
If your dropping the chain it's too slack.

From looking at your hub, it's a fixed set up on the NDS, you will need.
1) Fixed sprocket, maybe match the freewheel size to start with.
2) A lock ring, don't get the cheapest you can find, as the lock ring is very important, more so if you intend to brake the rear via the lock up the wheel with your legs method.
3) A lock ring tool. I just got a Condor one, has wheel nut spanners, a chain whip and bottle opener all in one.

Chain looks very slack from the pic.

Sheldon's website has loads of info about fixed gear bikes, general bike maintenance etc...

Here's the page about chain tension http://www.sheldonbrown.com/NEW-chain-adjust.html (Adjusting chain tension right at the bottom).

Buying sprockets and lockrings - there are loads of makes, and you can get them loads of different places. What size are you're looking for? Here's a good calculator to work out speed at cadence, skid patches etc...

http://www.bikecalc.com/fixed

1. Pretty much as you say, you're looking for about 1cm of movement up/down in your chain.

2. Check whether your chain is 3/32 or the more normal 1/8 and get a sprocket with the number of teeth you want. How many teeth has your chainring got? You will also need a lockring and a lockring tool to tighten it up, this prevents the sprocket spinning off which would be a bad thing! If you ever want to change your sprocket you will also need a chain whip.

Once people know your chainring size approximately 1,000 of them will then give you advice on gear ratios......

The word fixie is seen as a bit naff round these parts, make of that what you will.

That chain is dangerous at its current tension. Tightening the chain is something you'll get used to, depending on how many punctures you get. The basic technique is just pulling back the wheel and tightening the nuts. How you pull back the wheel is the trick, that sheldon page is all you need.

Either get some proper track nuts, or stick some M10 washers under the ones you have, and tightening it will be easier.

Brilliant help, thanks guys :) Yeah in that pic bolts were not tightened which cause chain slack.

It has Truvativ cranks with 44 teeth / 16 teeth gear ratio - am I right in saying its best/most common to use same size on both sides?

Never knew about track nuts - will look at ordering now.

Will look at that sheldon page and continue to read up - can't wait to ride it now :)
Any other tips or pointers greatly appreciated - is it best to use a BMX chain on a fixie?

Use a good quality chain, bmx whatever.

If you are running large chainrings/cogs though you may run out of links with a bmx chain.

Thanks, main advantage of bmx chain being the strength?

Most fixed wheel cyclists apply incredible forces through the drive train and having 1/8 inch wide teeth & chain allows those components to last a little bit longer.

Withington Cycles, you in MCR then? If so the 01Fix1 fb group is good for local advice, sales, & rides etc.

Thanks guys,

• rhb, no perhaps a previous owner - purchased second hand :)
  

guys, need a favor. I've damaged the ND thread on the crank arm and need a replacement.
It's 200m in length but can someone please confirm the type I need before I order please...

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If you have damaged the thread on the crank arm you will likely need a new crank, that's what I'd say anyway, for safety like.

If it were vintage campy pista or something similar it would be an idea to get the threads re chased or whatever but they're not so don't worry about doing that, if you want a good starter crankset for fixed gear you could look at Andels-it's a cheap part not held in high regard but they work and many people use them as a "getting into fixed gear" crankset

Thanks but its just the pedal thread on the ND crank arm. I just need to know the which type to order (square taper?) and i'll just reorder that part.

I am guessing it is a standard (ISO) square-taper bb.

Never seen 200MM cranks, what does it say on the back of the crank arms?

175 so I may have took size points wrong. I think it's square taper?

Model is Truvativ Isoflow..

I would like to know how you damaged the thread inside the bb Axel.

How did you know that his name's Axel?

:)

Guys, I've not damaged the bb at all, just the thread where the pedal connects.
Just need another ND side crank arm but wanted to confirm the type needed first (truvativ isoflow written on oposite arm, will any 175mm square taper connecting crank arm fit?)

He doesn't have a name. Axel seems as good as any.