French conversion...

I've had this frame since the start of the year. Paid a reasonable amount of cash for it but I don't really ride geared bikes much.

My thoughts are ship it off to argos and get the downtuve bosses removed and have the dropouts changed.

This is a fair bit of cash for a French frame with "unique" standards for the headset, BB and seatpost.

Ideas?

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That’s pretty cool, any more details re: make, age etc etc?
Don’t butcher it though!

Its a Jean Valero frams. No idea when it was made. I won't ride it geared so my other option is to sell it and buy something else. Its just very pretty.

I wouldn't advocate modifying it – constructeur angel Jan Heine will lose a wing. The value (emotional and £££) of the bike to someone else will be in its original state. If you want to keep it and are determined to run it fixed, and ENO Eccentric hub may be an acceptable work around?

Ive always through, if you won it, its become someone who says you shouldnt modify it didnt care enough to buy it and "save it". You want to ride it fixed/ss? Go for it, my only reservation is, its an old arse roadesq bike and will have very square geo with a low BB, so might not be the most exciting riding expierence compared to whatever else you have in that catagory. Its also got high pivot brake mounts, so your going to need to look for some Mafac racers/dia compe brakes. Not hugly expensive, but a little different.

If you do shave off the downtubes and regret it at a later date, you can always have the brazed back on, or run one of those shimano/campy band on things. If they change the dropouts, do they just sweat out the old ones or repalce the whole rear end?

^This.

I've had people go mad because I've modded frames I've bought for like £50 or ones I've offered for sale for about the same. It's like, you had your fucking opportunity to 'save' it and you didn't, now I mod.

I'd say it might be an idea to have the ends changed to forward facing horizontal over true track ends. Forward facing will be more practical if you ever run guards on it and makes it a lot easier to convert back to geared use if you or anyone else wants.

I think you should always start with a solid base for a bike build. Converting a French Randonneuse into a single speed is never going to look great.

That's a pretty special bike I think. You could get good money for it if you were to sell it on.

Probably will cost a bit to have bits chopped off/reattached unless you are handy with fire and metal glue. As above, maybe try ebb or magic gear first then decide? Lovely frame, will have you planing round corners in no time. Although if you do chop, please send pics to jan heine. He’s a fraud and winding him up would be funny

Yeah I'd move it on and start with a frame that does what you want it to. OT, but getting it modified reminds me of reading Max Power in my youth and people welding up the back doors of 5-door hatches at great expense rather than starting with a 3-door!

On reflection with the cost and effort I'll probably sell. Anyone want it for £200 plus post?

What size is it?

Seat Tube: 22.5" ctt
Top Tube: 22" ctc