Conversions... what's the problem?

So as a complete novice at all this, I'm planning on temporarily converting a road bike I've just bought to fixed to ride around town for the rest of the year. The plan is that ultimately, I buy will a track frame, transfer the parts and return the racer to it's original state.

This bike is a Gazelle Champion Mondial in very good shape which I believe might well be described on this forum as 'porn'.

Now, wherever I look, there are people slagging off others for converting bikes such as this as if they just threw a cat in a bin.

I'm tempted to disregard these remarks as borderline fascist but there must be some reasoning behind them so please enlighten me!

Do what you want, regardless of what other people think...

IMO there's no problem with it whatsoever as a road bike frame will be very well suited to riding on the road. Unless you Dremel off all the braze-ons and powdercoat it I can't see why anyone should get pissy about it. It's not like there's a shortage of 80s steel road frames - you're hardly depriving anyone who wants to do the vintage racer thing.

the main PRACTICAL disadvantage is that the bottom bracket will be lower —*meaning you'll be more likely to get pedal strike. The solution is to use short cranks, but you'll get less leverage and so it will be harder work.

Oh and track drop outs make it easier to tension the chain, but only marginally.

There is also the fact that the geometry will be slacker, which will affect the handling— but this is a matter of personal preference.

The only other objections will be aesthetic - I personally think it's a bit sad when people 'slay' lovely road frames to make them into 'fixies'.. but each to his own. As long as you don't saw off the cable guides and mech hanger you'lll be able to convert it back when you get a 'proper' track bike

people might criticise what you intend to do because they value the old racers for what they were - in many cases beautifuly crafted machines from historic eras of cycling - they dont like seeing clueless people take these bikes and transform them (sometimes at considerable cost to the frame in question) into trendy town run-arounds for people who have little appreciation of what they have bought and potentially ruined.

there might also be a certain assumption that you are merely following a currently fashionable trend and have no real interest in bikes or cycling.

who gives a shit though? It's your bike right?

yeah. fuck those fuckers.

Yeah fuck those fucking fuckers, I rode a conversion as my first fixie for two years and I only had one pedal strike issue, it bent my pedal but i didn't crash!

If old steal frames aren't meant to be used fixed why do they all have semi horizontal drop outs?

My first fixed was a holdsworth, pretty shitty 501, all the gears and derailer had rusted, fixing it was the best thing that could be done.

do what you want

The problem is when a beautiful, original retro geared classic is butchered to become some sort of hideous hipster piece of shite. Theres nothing worse than seeing a classic frame soiled with hipster crap.

i love that people get so passionate about bikes. I'm looking for a an old 70's/80's steel frame to convert because i love the old mixed with the new. I also am (hopefully) in the process of buying a fully restored 50's/60's racer which i wouldn't change for any money, it's a work of art. Asthetics are so personel and why should you listen to any other fucker? It's your bike, right?

the main PRACTICAL disadvantage is that the bottom bracket will be lower —*meaning you'll be more likely to get pedal strike. The solution is to use short cranks, but you'll get less leverage and so it will be harder work.

Oh and track drop outs make it easier to tension the chain, but only marginally.

There is also the fact that the geometry will be slacker, which will affect the handling— but this is a matter of personal preference.

The only other objections will be aesthetic - I personally think it's a bit sad when people 'slay' lovely road frames to make them into 'fixies'.. but each to his own. As long as you don't saw off the cable guides and mech hanger you'lll be able to convert it back when you get a 'proper' track bike

As Dan says, a major problem is that the bottom bracket is too low, add to this the short cranks and you have a recipe for serious ligament, muscle and knee joint problems as you inevitably spedn a lot time grinding - pedalling far too slowly. 90 -110 per minute and NO slow turning starts. I will be dead by the time all the fixed/singlespeed trendies are costing everyone a fortune in NHS payments but my kids will have to pay. So just don't do it.

As Dan says, a major problem is that the bottom bracket is too low, add to this the short cranks and you have a recipe for serious ligament, muscle and knee joint problems as you inevitably spedn a lot time grinding - pedalling far too slowly. 90 -110 per minute and NO slow turning starts. I will be dead by the time all the fixed/singlespeed trendies are costing everyone a fortune in NHS payments but my kids will have to pay. So just don't do it.

Because, let's face it, it is a trend and in a few years, fgss will have died out a lot and people will be collecting Sturmey Archer or something...

Because, let's face it, it is a trend and in a few years, fgss will have died out a lot and people will be collecting Sturmey Archer or something...

Where are all the BMX bikes - the last fashion...?

fixed gear isn't all fashion, bikes started as being fixed, and they remain to this day.
Why ? because they are dead simple, reliable and easily maintained.
I'd say they are here to stay, especially now, in London with cars and public transport becoming more expensive as time goes by.

Conversations... what's the problem?

Agreed about who gives a shit!

One of the strongest riders i know, rides a conversion and he's been riding fixed in excess of 7 years, it's a nice looking pretty tight conversion as well...

If anyone looks down on you for it, there probably not worth talking to anyway, to be honest...

Now, wherever I look, there are people slagging off others for converting bikes such as this as if they just threw a cat in a bin. !

Hehe, i Lol'd

Making sure you have a wheel matched to the dropouts is also quite important. Track wheels are 120mm wide and road is 130mm. Even the 10mm difference is enough to crack the welds at the BB.

I don't see a problem with them at all. As people have said - don't be a hipster.

Making sure you have a wheel matched to the dropouts is also quite important. Track wheels are 120mm wide and road is 130mm. Even the 10mm difference is enough to crack the welds at the BB.

really?! Is this a big problem?

Did you 'cold set'[*] the frame first?

Steals pretty pliant.

• bend it!
  

What really gets me is that many people want to convert an old bike because it will be cheaper.
I have to admit that as I do work in a bike shop, I'm mostly having the conversion conversation with people whose mechanical knowledge is limited to punctures. So they tend to be very surprised that it will cos. Them nearl. As much as an otp track bike to convert their bike properly.
There are bodges (of course!), and if you're a good mechanic you can do things that will just about work for cheaper, but going into a proper bike shop means we will have to tell you to do things properly.
This means a new wheelset with the proper spacing and reverse threads for a lock ring, a single chainring crank set with a bb with the right axle length.

Sorry for the rant, but I find myself doing a certain amount of handholding with people that think conversions are a cheap and easy way to get rolling.

What really gets me is that many people want to convert an old bike because it will be cheaper.
I have to admit that as I do work in a bike shop, I'm mostly having the conversion conversation with people whose mechanical knowledge is limited to punctures. So they tend to be very surprised that it will cos. Them nearl. As much as an otp track bike to convert their bike properly.
There are bodges (of course!), and if you're a good mechanic you can do things that will just about work for cheaper, but going into a proper bike shop means we will have to tell you to do things properly.
This means a new wheelset with the proper spacing and reverse threads for a lock ring, a single chainring crank set with a bb with the right axle length.

Sorry for the rant, but I find myself doing a certain amount of handholding with people that think conversions are a cheap and easy way to get rolling.

I've found myself doing the same conversion conversation over and over again, and half the time people don't listen. And on the business side of things, it allways takes up a lot of time and unless you can convince them to join the plug brigade you get nothing out of it other than the satisfaction of helping people. My boss doesn't like it when people leave the shop happy without buying something shiny

Conversions are good.

conversations are good