Vertical drop outs – the pros and cons

What are the disadvantages (and advantages if there are any) of building a fixed gear bike around a frame with vertical drop outs?

Thanks!

Advantage: Lots of cheap new aluminum road bike frames with vertical drop outs available.

Cons: Need eccentric bottom bracket or rear hub or magic gear, all bad and expensive and or difficult.
Only cheap new aluminum and sum funny older bike frames have vertical drop outs.

Disadvantage: Expensive eccentric hub required.

I suppose if you really like the frame though and have some spare cash... personal preference.

Can't think of any advantages though.

disadvantage - looks like a bodged-up piece of shit, wrong wrong wrong. kills many more puppies than horizontal drop conversion.

i beggining to wonder if there will ever be a next generation of dogs at this rate ?

no puppies ever seem to make it

the main advantage is that when you take off the wheel to fix a puncture or whatever, the wheel will go back to exactly the same place so you won't need to re-align your brake pads.

And you can use quick release as you never have to worry about the wheel slipping in the horizontal drops.

Advantages?
You have one lying around?

Disadvantages? Lots

the main advantage is that when you take off the wheel to fix a puncture or whatever, the wheel will go back to exactly the same place so you won't need to re-align your brake pads.

'cept if youre building a fixed bike theres a reasonable chance you probably wont be using the rear brake, and will probably just remove it

And you can use quick release as you never have to worry about the wheel slipping in the horizontal drops.

Right. except that to get chain tension you'll probably need those horizontal/semi horizontal drops. Unless you use something like the eno hub, which doesnt have q/r because its just not strong enough.

Theyre both great reasons for using vertical drops on geared bikes, or ss bikes with some other chain tension device, but theyre not ideal if youre building a fixed project

There's always the magic gear option, which sheldon talks about here:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed-conversion.html#vertical

Which kind of works, as long as you dont mind chain stretch destroying your chain tension :(