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Konijn - I like the look of that mesh back, nice and breezy. I might have a looksee if eurohike do a smaller version as I'll only be smuggling small people.

I've found the Deuter for cheaper online but went for the Evans link for ease of use, might find out if Evans have one in store though so I can scope it out.

Not too sure about panniers as I'd rather the bike stayed light. I suppose I could hang them off my nipples but then I'd have to go shirtless (would solve the sweat issue though...)

Deuter Cross Air is a nice size, but doesn't have the breathable straps. Aggh decisions, decisions!

Aside from wanting to write a nice alliterative thread title, I'm on the hunt for a bag I can use for my daily commute which won't make me sweat like a whore in church. Ideally I want a backpack with some sort of breathable back and straps rather than a messenger bag, with space to fit a change of t-shirt, hoody, lock and a few tools.

I've had my eye on this Deuter bag, which seems pretty good but possibly a bit small.

Any ideas?

VeloOrange have a new type of threadless BB on the way which may well do the trick. They say its suitable for damaged threads and odd threadings (ie Italian, Swiss, Raleigh etc). They're supposedly getting them in this side of the New Year.

The chain definitely isn't binding anywhere, and the chainring slots onto raised bolt holes on the spider and the bolts are loctited in, so it's not wonky chainring.

I think it's probably shit hub syndrome. I'll have a closer look this weekend.

Cheers guys.

I didn't break the chain, and it feels stiff evenly round, so I'm pretty sure it's not a stuck link.

Wheel alignment and chain tension are fine, I've taken the wheel off and put it back on. I don't have a back brake and the front isn't rubbing.

Hahaha, I did consider headwind but I'm sure it's not that as I can feel when it frees up even when there is wind.

Checked how the wheel was rolling and it did feel a bit gritty, but they're shit hubs and they've never run amazingly. Would be odd that it coincided with cleaning my chain though...maybe I'll try overhauling the hub this weekend and see if that helps.

I gave my chain a clean and re-grease over the weekend, and since then I've found the drivetrain has been feeling really stiff - as if I'd changed up to a bigger gear ratio. The really odd thing is that it isn't constant, I can ride into work and it feels really bad and then ride home and it feels okay, and today it changed over the course of the ride in.

The chain was scrubbed in warm water and fairy liquid, then wiped down, oiled and given a light coat of GT85. I've tried putting a bit more oil on and loosening the bb cup very slightly (it's an old racer with the original cup and cone/cottered setup) but that hasn't made much difference.

Any ideas? My legs are starting to complain about the extra work...

If you want a sic cog set up then a front hub with a new axle isthe way to go. There's a guy who sells them all ready to go on ebay and he has a website that explains it as well. Can't remember the name though!

Could well be Velosolo. They seem to be the only people selling them on eBay at the moment

got lost reading all the thread but where are you? I have a Raleigh mtb frame . 501 tubing so fair quality. Purple. I think its a Mirage. F&F plus head set all there. could easily bung on a pair of cheap wheels witha threaded back . all you need is fixed cog for the wheels. Other bits maybe possible especially if you want cheap stuff. Can post it all via courier for about 9 quid. Actual cost according to how much you have.

Cheers Matt, thanks for the offer but I think I've got something sorted. I'll definitely give you a shout if it falls through though

I've just used a front wheel with a disk mount as a rear today in my latest project. Went together well with a little cold setting of the rear triangles. Even made my own fixed gear by modifying a sprocket off an an old casette. Seems to be OK so far.

Nice one. Did you just keep the same axle then? That's surely quite a big difference is it not?

Looking at the Shimano front disc hubs, I'm pretty sure you could just replace the axle with a solid, rear one and be set to go.

I quite like the idea of a bolt-on cog for the rear hub. Am I right in thinking the Velosolo ones just bolt onto a disk hub? Does that mean I could just buy a cheap front disk hub like this one and get the cog from Velosolo? Or am I missing something

Front hub would be too narrow. Doh

I quite like the idea of a bolt-on cog for the rear hub. Am I right in thinking the Velosolo ones just bolt onto a disk hub? Does that mean I could just buy a cheap front disk hub like this one and get the cog from Velosolo? Or am I missing something

Nice work Scott, that's the kind of thing I'm going for (although I'm expecting mine to look more like I crashed it into the parts bin behind a bike shop and rode off with whatever stuck).

Whereabouts do you ride?

I'm talking Lidld cheap! A lot of apollos and stuff still have horizontal dropours and if you look on gumtree you might fins something nicer but still really cheap from a a few years back.

Really? I used to have an Apollo when I was a yoot - buckled the tyres and let it rust into a solid lump in the garden. I'll keep a look out then

Well, I'll take a look, if I get it. I'm in Norwich, though - so it would have to be a hell of a freebie to warrant the journey. I'm after something off-road myself as well.

Fair enough, Norwich is a bit of a trek! Glad to see someone else is having the same idea as me. If you get the bike sorted stick some pics up and we can compare notes.

Take a look at the Retrobike website. There are often cheap bikes on there, sometimes ss. One just went for thirty quid!

Cheers, I'll have a look now

I'm looking for a shabby old mountain bike to convert into an off-road fixieskidder (http://www.londonfgss.com/thread32982.html)

If anyone has (or knows someone that has) a large framed (I'm 6'4") mountain bike rusting in a shed or garden somewhere that I could rescue for minimal fiscal output I would be eternally grateful.

Cheers

I saw a really cheap-and-nasty mountain bike in a skip on my way to work. If it's still there on my way back it'll be coming home to my garage...

Sounds interesting...would that be for your own enjoyment or would you be willing to spread the love?

Cheers guys.

Momentum - MTB with horizontal drop-outs would be ideal, but I won't hold my breath for finding one cheap. I thought as much about the road frame (plus I'd probably feel a bit guilty caning a 30 year old frame into the ground over a couple of weekends in the mud)

Jammy - Yeah, that bike would probably be perfect but when I said cheap I meant Lidl cheap! I suppose if it came complete I'd be saving some on parts...I'll see if I can spot one on Ebay.

Barber - Thanks for the offer, I'm in London though so the train ticket would probably be more than a bike.

What about parts? I'm guessing 165mm cranks would be a good idea. Ideally I'd want to avoid buying wheels, but if I have to build some cheap which fixed hubs would stand a beating?

Hello hello,

I've been thinking about putting together a fixed off-road setup, not for anything too hardcore but just to skid about through the muddy trails up in Hertforshire.

Being stingy and poor I want to spend as little money as possible, so a conversion of some sort is probably going to be the way forward. A shitty mountain bike with magic gear is one option - which would give me the best clearance for cross-tyres, mudguards etc. But I was also reading some stuff on 63xc.com suggesting an old racer could also do the job (?!)

Which would you go for? Anyone riding anything similar?

Cheers

CHECK THE BB and HEADSET! Make sure they are standard English threads, not Raleigh ones.

What he said.

Sheldon has a good section on how to spot a Raleigh threaded bike without having to use a BB to check. If it's Raleigh threaded then prepare to spend a lot more money making it compatible with modern bits and pieces.

Hey man, i have just finished taking all the touring parts and derailers off. It looked ratty as hell when i got it, but it's starting to show some potential. Do you know what year it is, and anything else about it?

Should have the year stamped as part of the serial number on the BB shell. Mine's from 1975 - same model, paint job etc etc

I have that exact same Carlton frame-set - same paint job and everything.

Make that three of us! I've managed to bend the chainring on mine though - proper nightmare to find any replacement parts, even the chainring bolts have to be imported from the US.

I've done it. Pretty painless and it worked...just make sure they're filed evenly

I've had a pair for a little while - they're nothing special, but they do the job. Worth it if you're trying to build a bike on the cheap.

If you're sticking money in there then go for Aussie notes - they're waterproof