Fixed Gear Off Road Shredder

This may be a bit of a slow burner but here goes anyways...

To cut to the chase; a friend has offered to weld some tubes together provided I pay for them.

I really don’t need another bike but who has ever really needed a fixed gear off-road shred machine? No one, that’s who. But I can’t deny the fact that it would be fun for thrashing around not-too-technical single track, bothy overnighters and the occasional audax or sportive just to be That Guy that shows up on a “fixie."

The general idea is compact geometry track bike that can take 700x38 tyres and have 3 bottle cage mounts because hydration is important. Pretty simple. If it's light then that'll be a bonus, too. I want to be able to use a track drivetrain to be able to run a fixed/fixed rear hub so I'm probably going to have to use a yolk to get enough clearance at the chain stays (my friend recently built his Shand this way with great success).

This is where I'm up to so far:

Tubes will be a mix of Colombus Zona and Spirit or Life or something. I already have an Enve seat post kicking around so will probably use an Enve CX fork.

I’m thinking gear ratio will be 46 x 19/21 or 20/22. I’m currently running 46x18 on my road fixed which is a little spinny to start but by the time you get to mile 150 on a big ride, you’re wondering if a 19 on the back would make things more bearable. I’m not planning to hit the Corrieyairack Pass or anything like that on this (or so I say), so hoping that should get me up most bumps.

I'll probably powder coat it pink with sparkles.

pink with sparkles

That's a strong start. Everything else you can always work out as you go along.

I knew my next bike would be pink before I knew what my next bike would be.

I'd want a slacker HT angle if it was me and I planned to actually shred off road on this?

I'd also suggest some rack mounts for any potential overnighters, would be lots more fun not to have to have a backpack or poorly secured luggage!

Perhaps worth considering seat tube size and routing with a view to being able to add a dropper seatpost too? That and mounts for a rear disc brake too would make for an epic all rounder that you could change around a bit to suit when it's finished...

Maybe give some thought to how geometry would be affected if you decided to put a Lauf fork on it at some stage too, you'd pretty much have my dream off road mile munched there then!

Pink sparkles indisputably the right choice here though.

All good suggestions, however, I already have my Ogre and Wolverine that cover all the bases when it comes to lugging stuff over proper distances off road.

I think the fun of this will be keeping it as simple and as “track bike” as possible.

This is gonna be rad if it lives up to your design spec

Although surely 650 and huge tyres would be even more rad

I don't think you could keep a 120 rear hub though. But it would look rad.

Surely just build a wheelset with the right hubs and 650 rims?

I would, but then it's not my bike.

I think the fun of this will be keeping it as simple and as “track bike” as possible.

You're in Edinburgh right? Who's your friend who's building it then? I know of Shand and Andy at Eastside Bikes, are there more? I'd like to get into framebuilding/custom frames etc. so just like to be aware of the people who I might want to talk to one day :)

Damn that’s good!

I'd take a degree off the head tube angle - 73.5 is pretty steep for off road. (I find it a bit too steep on road, too).

Obviously this will be good.

We ain’t shredding if it ain’t twitchy!

PM’d.

That's the spirit!
Pink with sparkles sounds rad

Dope project!

but who has ever really needed a fixed gear off-road shred machine? 

You'll realise that your one of those people once you ride it ;)

I run a 33 chainring and fix fix 14 and 16 on my big tired fixed gear for reference. 50mm tire.

I don't doubt that I will!

Interesting, thanks for the info. What frame is that on out of interest?

Tubes have been ordered from Ceeway. Much excitement!

Anyone have experience with the Halo 15mm to 12mm axle adapter sleeve?

I'll be running an Enve cross fork and Phil Wood MTB front hub.

I built a Surly 1x1 in 2006 and ran it fixed for a laugh. I never went back to freewheel until last year. Fixed off road is such a hoot, even the simplest trails become a challenge. I used 32 x 19 initially but ended up with a 21. I didn't make many friends on group rides.

Eighth Inch Butcher :) more here

Amazing!

I rode the Dirty Reiver 200 with two friends that did it fixed and it looked so much fun so that’s the aim next year with this bike.

I’m quietly confident that 46x21 will get the job done.

That things incredible. Big kudos for installing braklezz. Looks so much fun!

Cheers!!

Boom! We got tubes.

A mix of Zona and Life.