Fixie frame for a 12 year old.

[.isaac.]

I am 12 years old and 163 cm tall.
I would like to know what size fixie frame to look for without having to go and test ride different sizes.
I have a Mountain bike which has an 18" frame, 26" wheels and around a 57 cm Top Tube but it slopes downwards.
What size would you recommend?

[hartleymartin]

Umm.... 52cm or so road bicycle frame?

It will also partly depend on whether you want to run it with drop handlebars, bullhorns, flat bars, or "chicken chaser" bars.

Have you got a photo of the sort of thing you want to achieve? There are many ways to build a fixie...

[.isaac.]

feast your fixie genius brain on this - http://www.boutiquecycles.com/bikes/det ... s_delight/

[ironhanglider]

I am 12 years old and 163 cm tall.
I would like to know what size fixie frame to look for without having to go and test ride different sizes.
I have a Mountain bike which has an 18" frame, 26" wheels and around a 57 cm Top Tube but it slopes downwards.
What size would you recommend?

Ooooh tough one...

At the outset I'll say that you'll only grow into a frame if you live long enough. Riding a frame that is too big borders on being dangerous. A frame that is too small on the other hand gets a little cramped but remains easy to manoeuvre. On that basis, don't plan to grow into a frame, rather plan to grow out of it and perhaps getting longer stems or posts as and when you need to.

One of the good things about a fixie is that there are not many bits to exchange from one frame to the next when that time comes. Without knowing your genetic potential for height I'd expect that you could reasonably expect to go through at least 3 frames before you stop growing. Changing stems is no big deal.

To give you some idea of size: here are the specs for Cadel's bike from a few years ago - he isn't terribly tall at 173 cm and he is certain that he isn't getting any taller. http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/tech/200 ... mon_ridley.

An equivalent steel frame would be 50cm or so depending on whether the measurement is to the top of the seat tube or to the centre of the top tube. On a bike with a horizontal top tube you'll find that the top tube and the down tube are virtually touching each other at the front on a bike that size. (I can't remember how small you could expect with 700c wheels but this'll be close to the limit) Checking out the front end for a gap between the tubes will give you a rough guide at a glance if a frame is going to be suitable or not.

I'd still recommend test riding any bike before spending hard-earned money. Have you got a mate with a road bike that you could test ride? That might give you at least some sort of guide.

Cheers,

Cameron

[.isaac.]

I'd still recommend test riding any bike before spending hard-earned money. Have you got a mate with a road bike that you could test ride? That might give you at least some sort of guide.

Cheers,

Cameron

I know a few people at school that have fixies and SS. I could ask them if I could test their bike for 10 seconds or so...

[hartleymartin]

Since you are obviously going to out-grow your frames within a few years, I would say that if you've got the money, spend it on the best pair of wheels you can afford. These wheels will go from one frame to the next as you grow taller.

My rough calculations reckon that at your current height you would need about a 51cm frame.

Here's one that might be a bit out-there...

Have you considered a Mixte Frame? Mixtes are intended as a uni-sex style frame, and are popular with city-dwellers in Europe. Frame fit is less critical as you don't have the same issues with stand-over height as you would with a regular diamond-frame.

[.isaac.]

Haha, I don't think you understand. I want a road bike frame like the Soma Rush w/ drops.

[nathann]

Haha, I don't think you understand. I want a road bike frame like the Soma Rush w/ drops.

He understands, he's asking you to consider it.

[toolonglegs]

Come on!...a twelve year old boy turning up on a chick bike...ain't going to happen!...yeah yeah,tell me it's unisex...in a teenager's eyes that is a girls bike.

[.isaac.]

Haha, I don't think you understand. I want a road bike frame like the Soma Rush w/ drops.

He understands, he's asking you to consider it.

Good point...

[.isaac.]

Come on!...a twelve year old boy turning up on a girls bike...ain't going to happen!...yeah yeah,tell me it's unisex...in a teenager's eyes that is a girls bike.

Thats how it looks from my perspective...

[.isaac.]

Just a quick Question...
If I did buy and old frame from eBay, what would be the price limits I should stay in? What I'm saying is what is cheap for an 80's bike and what is expensive for an 80's bike?

[toolonglegs]

Be better if you just told us your total budget.

[.isaac.]

Look.
This is my idea so far.

Frame - 'x' amount of money
Wheelset - $150, Zuzi wheelset w/ tyre and innertube.
Handlebar Tape - $20 - $30 , Cinelli.
Spray Paint - $15, dulux.
Saddle - less then $100.

So I guess I am thinking on spending around $280 without the frame included.
How much would I be looking at paying for a frame off eBay?

[ag23q]

15bucks for paint isn't true unless your doing some dirty job without primer and without clear coat

[rkelsen]

Look.
This is my idea so far.

Frame - 'x' amount of money
Wheelset - $150, Zuzi wheelset w/ tyre and innertube.
Handlebar Tape - $20 - $30 , Cinelli.
Spray Paint - $15, dulux.
Saddle - less then $100.

So I guess I am thinking on spending around $280 without the frame included.
How much would I be looking at paying for a frame off eBay?

Plus:

BB,
Cranks,
Pedals,
Chain,
Headset,
Stem,
Handlebars (you can't put tape on nuthin'),
Seatpost,
Brakes,
Brake levers,
etc...

You can buy a complete one for much less than it'd cost to build one.

Come on!...a twelve year old boy turning up on a chick bike...ain't going to happen!...yeah yeah,tell me it's unisex...in a teenager's eyes that is a girls bike.

That's a girl's bike in my eyes, and I'm 3x older than that...

[nathann]

I got my Cinelli cork bartape for less than $20 off eBay.

[.isaac.]

Plus:

BB,
Cranks,
Pedals,
Chain,
Headset,
Stem,
Handlebars (you can't put tape on nuthin'),
Seatpost,
Brakes,
Brake levers,
etc...

But I don't need that sorta stuff because it will come with the donor bike.

[rkelsen]

But I don't need that sorta stuff because it will come with the donor bike.

Some of those parts on the donor bike might be useable, but I wouldn't count on it.

[Stovepipe]

haha 12 year olds got sass

[.isaac.]

haha 12 year olds got sass

sass meaning?

[Lark2004]

you're the genius... Google it.

[.isaac.]

I did... it comes up with Wedding Photography.

[Lark2004]

ok, since you don't know how to use Google properly (you do know to look down the results don't you? and maybe check page two?), here's the meaning given from the 'free dictionary' link that came up in the search results....

sass (ss) Informal
n.
Impertinent, disrespectful speech; back talk.
tr.v. sassed, sass·ing, sass·es
To talk impudently to.

Btw, my respone to you here, is a good example of a 'sass' or 'sassy' reply.

[Mulger bill]

Give the bloke a break peoples, he's too young to realise he will never know it all.

For future reference EG, try this syntax if you want to learn a meaning...

define "sass"