Vertical Dropouts

Bit like this one -

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=17724

Don't put a chain on, just push it everywhere, and shout WWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE whenever you go down hills.

You know it's the next big thing for summer.

48 x 18 seems to be a common, gear for verts

+1 worked for me

I wouldn't go totally brakeless with a magic gear set-up on vert dropouts,
cos the chain gets looser over time, and dangles a bit, but that's the deal with magic gear. No adjustment.

extending/shortening the chain = 1"
using a half link = 1/2"
every tooth on cog or chainring = 1/8"

i used a magic gear for ages with brakes, no problem.

half link chains stretch alot

Hi I'm new to this converting business and am not sure if my old road bike has the right kind of drops ( is there even a required kind for fixed?)
By the way, The bike I want to convert has vertical drops.
Cheers Jake

Vertical are not ideal - horizontal, or semi-horizontal, are much better

flip 'em upwards

Flip em?

Do not use track drops on a conversion, they will look stupid and be more uncomfy than road drops..

i think he means 'dropouts' if you mean drop bars tho mate upwards all the way

You can run your road bike as a singlespeed by having a chain tensioner.

alternately you can try and sell your road bike for something that has horizontal drop out/track end.

I would sell it but probs wouldn't get enough to reinvest in a bike/frame set with correct drops. Will have to probably go with the road drops I got

What do you mean by drops ?
The bits you hold on to, or the little holes you shove the wheels' axles in ?

I mean dropOUTS sorry should have been clearer

Magic gear calculator on 63xc.com

http://www.63xc.com/toddp/halflink.htm

File your axles flat. It works really well if you only need small adjustment to tension the chain, doesn't ruin the frame, and the axle is normally easily+cheaply replaceable if you need to.

Use a nut to guide the file. Like this:

Magic gear calculator on 63xc.com

http://www.63xc.com/toddp/halflink.htm

Cheers really helpful man

I'm gonna jump on this thread now.

I have road drop outs and was thinking of converting to track. I know its not ideal and i know i could/should probably get a new frame, but this frame is sentimental to me. Its an 853 Graham Weigh, my first 'good bike' and i wanna start taking it down to Herne Hill so i've been slowly converting.

I spoke to Mario Vaz about changing the drop outs but i'm not sure they can do 853. Does anyone know if changing the alloy would make a difference? Also, the lower BB; would it really be awkward to ride? Anyone got any experience with this?

cheers collective ears

is it vertical?

if so, probably worth just building up as a road bike, or if you're really insistence, why not put horizontal drop out on it instead?

just buy a track bike. Your road frame will have different geometry as well as the wrong drop outs, track bikes have steeper angles which mean they are more twitchy to handle. The lower bottom bracket could cause a problem with pedal strike.

is it vertical?

if so, probably worth just building up as a road bike, or if you're really insistence, why not put horizontal drop out on it instead?

they are semi-horizontal road.

You can still run fixed, still enough room to tension your chain, but you'd need to be careful on chain length/magic gear to be accurate.

I ride it fixed now - i just have a niggling thing in my brain to have it perfect.

well, near perfect.

you know what Ed, i once saw you.....many months ago in Nordic Bakery.

shhhhhh

Hah! I love the rye bread there.

Well, if you ride fixed on it, and it's all perfect, there's no need to have track end, there's fixed wheel/singlespeed bicycle that has horizontal drop out instead of track end out there, like the Condor Tempo.

Main point is because of the brake (easier to align), and the mudguard won't get in the way.

If you're really that bothered, just buy a fixed road frame instead, and they needn't be expensive.