Building My First Fixie - Need Some Help

I've got a nice old road bike I want to change into a Fixie.

It currently has a Full Sora Group set on it and I'm wondering what parts I can still use on a fixie and what I need to buy

New cranks obviously.. The RD messengers below look awesome, but Im not sure about sizing whatso ever, 165mm or 170mm?

http://www.hubjub.co.uk/sugino/sugino.htm

Can I use these sorts of cranks on my Standard Sora BB?

I've No idea about sizing/gearing of fixed cranks Im average height, build and ability (okay maybe slightly below) what am i likely to want?

COGs - I'm not sure how you actually fit these to the back wheel, and if theres anything to the sizing?

Chain - do i need a special chain or can i just use what i got?

Thanks for taking an interest in my stupidity

50X14 and a NoBrakes™

accept NO substitutes

http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed/index.html

God is on your side.

Bad idea. Why? Google: "vertical dropouts fixed gear"

he doesn't mention vert drops..

damn your pacific rim presumptions!

"Sora" - It's a fair assumption.

mmm..

I give you some creedence.

full sora?

leave the fucker alone then!

gears are actually rather efficient

You want some? I've got loads spare since I converted the S-Works to a singlespeed..

what I want is a 1" carbon fork with at least 230mm of steerer, you complete bastard

Play nice!

seller is 48x14 - ha!

already in me watch list ;)

will be outa my range though

There you go RPM.. your bike will look just like the Cuntster.. minus some subtle yellow stickering..

nowt wrong with the cuntster.

it's unique, though and should remain unequalled.

My guess is your bottom bracket is 68mm, if its english threaded. Take a ruler, flip yr bike upside down and measure the width of the casing that holds your bottom bracket in.

About those RD Messenger cranks. Dont bother with that specific pair. If you read, they took a 170mm pair and drilled them at 165mm. Really shitty if you ask me. It wont affect anything, but thats pretty ghetto. Most people ride 165mm cranks. If you so choose to get them, you will need a 1/8 chain and 1/8 cog to run it. Those cranks, if Im not mistaken, require a 103mm bottom bracket. So no, you cant use your stock bb. All cogs are the same thread pattern, but if youre gonna respace and redish your old freewheel hub, they have less threading than track specific hubs, so be careful. Also, cogs on old hubs can spin off when youre applying resistance to the cranks, so get a fuggin lockring! Gear ratios are a whole 'nother story, especially if youre riding hilly areas.

In any case, Sheldon Browns site is the place to learn all things fixed. That and http://www.fixedgeargallery.com

yup messengers want a jis taper, ill take a photo of one for you on monday.

you need a new rear wheel to ride fixed, either that or a hefty life insurance polcy with me as the benifactor.

a proper fixed hub has a normal "right hand" thread for a cog, and a reversed "left hand" thread for a lock ring so that when you put back pressure on the pedals, which you will do alot, and if you dont have a proper hub, your cog will slip, and instead of a fixed gear you are now on a bike that does not respond to presure in either direction. aka a life insurance pay out.

er thanks for all the responses and the general abuse.

so in short, my shopping is

Better 165mm Cranks
A new BB or Cranks that will fit on my Sora BB..
new backwheel with a cog fitted 1/8 fitted
a new 1/8 Chain

if you have any suggestions on what i should get please fire away.

Thats a lot of shopping list..You really dont need new cranks at first, especially not the messengers. The messenger zen chainrings really arent that good. Or even round. What length are the soras? You could always just remove the big ring..That inner 42 is perfectly usable if you get some shorter chainring bolts, or M10 washers as spacers if youre really low budget. Alternatively, buying a good quality 130BCD chainring for the cranks you have is going to be much cheaper and better than the suginos, and you can always buy something good later..

+1 for the new back wheel, or at least a new hub for the existing rim, whatever it is..

complience
Better 165mm Cranks
A new BB or Cranks that will fit on my Sora BB..
new backwheel with a cog fitted 1/8 fitted
a new 1/8 Chain

Sora BB is Octalink (splined) so you're not gonna find cheap track cranks for it, I think.
The usual crank length fitted is 172.5 which might be getting on the long side, depending on BB drop of the frame.
Is it really worth converting this bike? You say "nice old" but it's got Sora on it. Sora ain't nice, nor old.
What's your budget? Off the peg might be easier all round and then you have a spare bike for when you forget to tighten chainring bolts and destroy your fixed driveline..

Well of course it would be cheaper to buy no bike at all.. but thats not the point.

I guess i was thinking to spend maybe £100 notes and willing to go up to £200 if needs be..

I had hoped all i needed was a set of cranks and a cog for the back wheel, but ive been corrected now :P

I'm really confused by the whole back wheel business.. what do i need exactly?

thanks for all your help again.

you need that. see how the hub has 2 "steps" with threads on them one is for the cog and tightens ot the right, the other is for a lock ring and tigtens to the left. a cheepo back one will set you back 30 notes.

complience Well of course it would be cheaper to buy no bike at all.. but thats not the point.

I guess i was thinking to spend maybe £100 notes and willing to go up to £200 if needs be..

I had hoped all i needed was a set of cranks and a cog for the back wheel, but ive been corrected now :P

I'm really confused by the whole back wheel business.. what do i need exactly?

thanks for all your help again.

your wheel needs to have a track hub. this means it's got a thread going one direction for the sprocket, and one going the other direction for a lockring to stop the sprocket from unscrewing itself.

so you can buy a whole new wheel, or just use your rim on a new hub.

you could also run a suicide hub using your existing hub, but only if it's threaded. you can convert a cassette hub, but it's not really worth it.

it's all on sheldon brown's website. give it a read.
k

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html

As Turpe, hippy, mister k said - god is on your side!
Theres lots of info out there.. what type of dropouts your frame has dictates what you need for fixification. Keep googling! also http://fixiefaqs.xwiki.com/xwiki/bin/view/Main/WebHome

Okay.. now were getting somewhere..

all I need is Cranks, a rear Hub, a Rear Cog

and maybe a new BB

and I'm good to go! I'm gonna be skitching down Hyde park corner before you know it. wooohoo

Is hubjub my best one stop shop or is there anywhere better for this fixed gear magic?