My singlespeed (bicycle) build

My (late) father owned this 1983 Shogun 400 bicycle that has been hanging in my Mom's basement unused for at least 20 years. On the 10th anniversary of his passing, I decided to bring it back to life.

It wasn't a prized possession of his, so there wasn't much guilt over bastardizing it into a singlespeed. I just figured it would be nice to get it back on the road again. Besides, it's a nice old lugged chromoly frame complete with what appears to be hand-painted factory pinstriping.

Here's how it looked upon arrival at my house. It hadn't seen daylight since the grunge era. :crazy:

There was a ton of mildew on it, as it had sat in a dark cellar for so long. I gave it a thorough cleaning first and then got to tearing it down.

Then I tore it down.

All I reused was the seatpost, bottom bracket and headset. The grease in the BB and headset was petrified. It had the consistency of wax and clearly wasn't going to do its job despite the low mileage on the bike. I re-packed them with fresh grease and moved on.

This was a low-budget build, so none of the stuff I used was all that impressive--just functional and decent.

Here it is about 75% mocked-up.

The wheels are Aeromax ebay specials. They were on my main road bike last season.

Tires are some entry-level Kendas that I got mainly for the color (blue and black). I'll probably get some wider cross tires for it for post-winter sanded roads. The frame has enough clearance for a 32C easily.

Cranks are cheap-o ebay specials. Alloy 175mm w/ 46T 3/32 ring

Brakes are Tektro 539AG long-reach calipers (for the 27" to 700c conversion) with nutted mounts because this frame doesn't have recessed mounting nuts.

Levers are Cane Creek TT levers

Pedals are some MKS platform pedals with clips and straps that I had hanging around.

Seat is an Origin 8 seat that I got off of Amazon for cheap.

The stem is a 100mm leftover from a road bike, attached with a quill-to-aheadset adapter.

I decided on bullhorn bars (also Origin 8) after watching footage of the final time trial in the 1989 Tour De France. They looked sweet on Laurent Fignon's bike, so that's what I wanted.

Bummer that I had to cover up the blue finish.

Bars all wrapped and cables run:

...and all built.

The rear wheel was a cassette freehub, so I used a Forte singlespeed conversion kit with a tensioner on it. I'm running a rear quick release (cranked down hard--don't worry) and the tensioner just makes life easier in terms of adjustment. 20T cog for 46x20 gearing. I'm a spinner, so I need a semi-wimpy gear for around my hilly neighborhood.

The Textro brakes are fantastic. They actually seem to clamp harder than the Ultegra calipers that are on my primary road bike. No joke. And yes--I left the big, clunky reflectors on because it'll see enough riding at dusk. I'll probably get a blinking LED for it, too, though.

...and a pic right before its maiden voyage. Please forgive my shadow.

The color scheme is probably a bit too hipsterish, but I like it (duh). Reminds me of a mid-80's BMX bike.

It rides GREAT. Nice and solid. I love the simplicity of it--like an overgrown BMX bike. That said, I probably won't do more than 10 miles at a time on it. It's more so I'll just hop on it for a couple of laps of my neighborhood without having to get all kitted-up in my cycling gear.

Hope you guys like it.

Looks sweet!

Based on observations of college campuses, hipsters wouldn't be caught dead on anything but a fixed gear. So you could paint "I liked bikes before they were cool" on it and still not seem like much of one

Phew. Good.

At 200lbs, I'm too heavy for skinny jeans, anyway.

...and at 39, I'd be more of an aging hipster than a hipster.

I like it.. I may need to get another pair of rims for my mountain bike for some street tyres

In reply to mad_machine:

I'm thinking about getting some hybrid or cross tires for this one for the post-winter, salt/sand-covered roads in my town. This frame looks like it can clear a 32c without even blinking. Plus, they'd look neat.

Cool. I'm in the process of fixing my dads old AMF (like the bowling co) 3 spd road bike. I got some Shimano goodies to put on it, but the gearbox is seized.

so.. I need to know. Why do the hipsters like singlespeeds?

Nice one, Gamby.

I've not seen those quill-to-aheadset adapters before. I think the black stem would look better in silver, but apart from that

mad_machine wrote: so.. I need to know. Why do the hipsters like singlespeeds?

Don't confuse fixed-gear/fixie with singlespeed. Fixed gear means no coasting a lot of them ride brakeless--although now front brakes are getting to be common. The color scheme on my bike is a little brazen, but the hipsters tend to go VERY loud on the color schemes of their fixies.

As for why the hipster-fixie love affair? They're very similar in their uniqueness.

I dunno when the memo came out that fixies were the de facto transportation choice of hipsters. It probably came out around the time of the skinny jeans/ironic moustache/silly glasses/unsexy chicks memo.

Luke wrote: Nice one, Gamby. I've not seen those quill-to-aheadset adapters before. I think the black stem would look better in silver, but apart from that

Those adapters have been around for awhile. I actually used one on my Trek 400 that I restomodded last year. Let me dig that thread up...

There we are: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/84-trek-400-restomod-road-bike/29370/page1/

Oh and as for flashy hipster fixie livery:

ok.. next question. Why do none of those fixies have pedals or even a way to afix clips?

Probably just 'cos they're freshly built/looks clean for the photos. Even hipsters need pedals.

Luke wrote: Probably just 'cos they're freshly built/looks clean for the photos. Even hipsters need pedals.

I don't know. They could be moving under the power of hipster smug.

mad_machine wrote: so.. I need to know. Why do the hipsters like singlespeeds?

The hipsters I knew from the architecture department liked fixed bikes for their "purity" in mechanical design and aesthetics; they represent the bare minimum number of components that constitute a functional bicycle.

This thread has illuminated the facts that I know nothing about bicycles and hipsters, and I'm okay with that.

edit: But it does look nice though!

Please read the following in character as Tom Hanks from the 1987 hit film Dragnet Starring Tom Hanks, Dan Akroyd, and Christopher Plummer:

[Det. Pep Streebek] THANK GOD ITS NOT A FIXIE!!! [/Det. Pep Streebek]

Nice build - way to put some classic steel back on the street.

MitchellC wrote:

mad_machine wrote: so.. I need to know. Why do the hipsters like singlespeeds?

The hipsters I knew from the architecture department liked fixed bikes for their "purity" in mechanical design and aesthetics; they represent the bare minimum number of components that constitute a functional bicycle.

That makes sense--at least regarding architecturally-inclined hipsters. They're probably modernists

gamby wrote:

MitchellC wrote:

mad_machine wrote: so.. I need to know. Why do the hipsters like singlespeeds?

The hipsters I knew from the architecture department liked fixed bikes for their "purity" in mechanical design and aesthetics; they represent the bare minimum number of components that constitute a functional bicycle.

That makes sense--at least regarding architecturally-inclined hipsters. They're probably modernists

...Bikes should have brakes, just like god intended. A bike is not functional if it cannot stop. Leaning forward and jamming your legs straight does not count. If you keep your pant legs out of your chain by wearing skinny jeans, or those ghey cuttoff pirate pant things, you deserve a public scrotum punch.

America: Hipsters need not apply

I roll my pants up which does look like flood pants, but thats because I don't like changing pants at the office.

In other news, I would've used the stock stem, just raised a little. I think a positive rise stem just looks ugly.

Nice build up, but !'ve never been a fan of bull bars, Fignon or not. I enjoy the heck out of my SS mountainbike, and I keep thinking about the same kind of build when I run up on the right frame.

MitchellC wrote:

mad_machine wrote: so.. I need to know. Why do the hipsters like singlespeeds?

The hipsters I knew from the architecture department liked fixed bikes for their "purity" in mechanical design and aesthetics; they represent the bare minimum number of components that constitute a functional bicycle.

Did you ever annoy them by pointing out they still had seats, and therefor had too many parts?

Nice build!

I've never understood the allure of single speed bikes, "fixie" or otherwise. Why go single speed? Just curious.

I ride a decidedly unfashionable late 80's vintage Schwinn Probe with Bontrager Road Warrior slicks on it. In fact, I just got off it-- I'm still damp with perspiration from my ride!

Those bars get me to thinking I may need to swap mine out. The upright riding position is no fun going up a hill against a 20 mph headwind.

And oh yeah, I'm a SuperDork!

Having ridden both fixed gear, single speed, 3x6, 3x9 and 1x9, I can tell you that the beauty of a single gear (that still freewheels) is that you just ride.

There is no thinking "man this is a hard gear" or "man this is an easy gear" because eventually you just say "oh well, I'll just coast" or "I'll just push harder."

It's also frustration free. I can't stand a slipping chain or a chain that can't find a gear. That rattle from the front derailure? Irritating.

Now internal hubs are a different story. It combines all the wonderful things of a single (external) gear with the ability to change ratios. My only concern is that they are not exactly suitable for offroad use or people who are mashers.