26" fixie good iea or not?

idw
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 8:47 pm
Location: macedon rangers

26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby idw » Tue Dec 14, 2010 5:46 pm

hey guys, i've got a malvern star 26" frame from 1986 (maybe not lol) and the spare parts in the shed to turn it into a fixie

recon its a good idea i've never ridden a fixe gear before and just wondering why i there isnt any 26" ones
Last edited by idw on Fri Dec 17, 2010 12:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Mulger bill
Super Mod
Super Mod
Posts: 29060
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:41 pm
Location: Sunbury Vic

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby Mulger bill » Tue Dec 14, 2010 11:56 pm

I'd guess because most of them are road or track conversions.

It's an experiment, go for it. If FG is not for you you haven't lost anything.
...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.
London Boy 29/12/2011

Uncle Grumpy
Posts: 1000
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:13 pm

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby Uncle Grumpy » Wed Dec 15, 2010 12:33 am

Are you talking for on road or off road use?

If it's on road, then +1 to Mulger Bill.

If you're talking off road, then a few people I know experimented with fixed MTB and found all those fears regarding not be able to coast to avoid pedal strike on obstacles to be valid. Sometimes off road you need to be able to not pedal, such as jumping, rolling drop offs, hopping logs etc.

Grumps
You are very tedious, and grumpy. Stay at home and give advice from your armchair.
- Stonedpirate, June 2010

idw
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 8:47 pm
Location: macedon rangers

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby idw » Wed Dec 15, 2010 1:45 pm

on road was the plan, or an interesting trick bike.i wasnt thinking for a mtb that just seems silly to me. i'll give it a go and post my findings. i'm only 173cm tall, and 26" frames fit me a bit more comfortably for general riding and mucking around than my 27" roady, anyone recommend a brand of flip flop hub?

User avatar
gclark8
Posts: 959
Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 7:09 am
Location: Bassendean, WA

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby gclark8 » Wed Dec 15, 2010 2:25 pm

idw wrote:on road was the plan, or an interesting trick bike.i wasnt thinking for a mtb that just seems silly to me. i'll give it a go and post my findings. i'm only 173cm tall, and 26" frames fit me a bit more comfortably for general riding and mucking around than my 27" roady, anyone recommend a brand of flip flop hub?
If you are in Perth, I can build a new wheel with Formula flip/flop hub a new 26x1 3/8 cr rim...
Cheers,
George.

idw
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 8:47 pm
Location: macedon rangers

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby idw » Wed Dec 15, 2010 3:02 pm

well im kind of in regional victoria :P. i got one from the lbs with a 16t cog on it for 10 bucks just a second hand one, i'll get the freewheel of my old bmx and buld the wheel in a day or 2. not looking at spending anymore money on it, if i cant do it with my shed full of bits i put put it off till i can :P. missus thinks i have enough bikes as it is.

User avatar
sturmey archer
Posts: 237
Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 8:14 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby sturmey archer » Thu Dec 16, 2010 10:23 pm

When Ive tried, I could get 700c wheels in a 26" MTB frame. I havent actually ridden it on the road though
IanC
1.370" x 24 tpi - what sort of stupid standard is that?

.isaac.
Posts: 581
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 4:07 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby .isaac. » Fri Dec 17, 2010 7:19 am

idw wrote:hey guys, i've got a malvern star 26" frame from 1986 and the spare parts in the shed to turn it into a fixie

recon its a good idea i've never ridden a fixe gear before and just wondering why i there isnt any 26" ones
pics...

idw
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 8:47 pm
Location: macedon rangers

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby idw » Fri Dec 17, 2010 12:15 pm

finaly got some time to dig the bike up out of the pile in the shed. its got a shimano tourney rear on it circ 1993~ so im changing my guess to its from about then its a malvern start renegade mtb and weights a tonne, has some cool bars on it though pictures soon.

idw
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 8:47 pm
Location: macedon rangers

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby idw » Sun Dec 19, 2010 5:50 pm

piccie
Image

i really like thelook of the bars, they aren't the best shape for holding onto or riding with at any angle standing or seated.

User avatar
hartleymartin
Posts: 5153
Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2009 6:56 pm
Location: Fairfield, NSW

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby hartleymartin » Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:58 am

MTB frames should have enough room to run a 700C wheel with a 28 or 32mm tyre. In fact, you may even have an advantage in that your bottom bracket would be slightly higher than on a road bicycle frame of similar size.
Martin Christopher Hartley

http://raleightwenty.webs.com - the top web resource for the Raleigh Twenty

idw
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 8:47 pm
Location: macedon rangers

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby idw » Mon Dec 20, 2010 3:18 pm

i've got 26" 1.75 kenda road tyres for it atm. tried a 700c and not even the rim alone will fit.

idw
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 8:47 pm
Location: macedon rangers

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby idw » Mon Dec 20, 2010 8:51 pm

i'll put another pic up in the morning, it is a 26" frame for sure. the 700c doesnt fit because of the chainstay connection, i can squeeze a 700c into my old giant mtb frame. but it dont fit in the malern star frame because of the design i think it's designed like a very early mountainbike frame and just has the chainstay connection and the break mount with ought enough room. i like the fatter tyres tho. it's just a lazy hacked SS atm...with the 5 speed free wheel still on it :P hit the cranks with an angle grinder so fit a smaller chainring.

.isaac.
Posts: 581
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 4:07 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby .isaac. » Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:59 am

Saw one of those stems/bars you have on yours yesterday...

rapier
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2010 1:00 pm

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby rapier » Sun Dec 26, 2010 9:46 pm

i think its a good idea

.isaac.
Posts: 581
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 4:07 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby .isaac. » Mon Dec 27, 2010 7:58 am

rapier wrote:i think its a good idea
If it's gonna work and you like that style of bike I think it's a good idea too.

Resg
Posts: 73
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2008 12:34 am
Location: Western Sydney

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby Resg » Sat Jan 01, 2011 11:07 am

I've been thinking this myself - I have a Repco (salvaged) frame that is early MTB style.

As it bears a strong resemblance to a road frame, apart from the forks, really, I thought that having 26" fixed wheels might be a good idea. I'm not a wheel builder myself though ( but then again a few years ago I didn't have anything to do with bikes, so this may change !)

As an aside, I did experiment with a set of 700c wheels (with fixed cog) in the Repco, and they fit quite well. The brakes didn't though.

Richard
"There is nothing whatsoever that is not made easier with acquaintance" - Santideva

User avatar
Verbs & Nouns
Posts: 778
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2008 9:13 am
Location: Australia, South

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby Verbs & Nouns » Tue Jan 04, 2011 12:26 pm

A bunch of the “trick” fixed gear guys run 26” wheels and frames. It allows them to run bigger (softer tyres).

Just google 26” fixed gear freestyle.

Also, a courier in Adelaide gets around on a fixed MTB conversion with 26” wheels.
Ten Grand wrote:Goddamnit baby, this is soul... What's wrong with you?

idw
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 8:47 pm
Location: macedon rangers

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby idw » Sat Jan 29, 2011 11:13 pm

just abit of an update, i've started stripping the paint on the frame and doing some rust repair. not sure what colour to to paint yet.

mitzikatzi
Posts: 1916
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 11:21 am
Location: Perth

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby mitzikatzi » Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:24 pm

You can use a disc hub as "fixed"
Image here

I have also seen Australian made "disc cogs" for sale.

also here

Dastirum
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 5:12 pm

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby Dastirum » Mon Jan 31, 2011 12:32 pm

My first bike (I was 12!) was an old english 26 incher with a backpedal brake - this was way back in the early '70's and it had the brazed lug frame. Can't remember what happened to it, but it would have been a great fixie project - however, those really old frames are probably a bit on the heavy side by today's standards.

cheers

idw
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 8:47 pm
Location: macedon rangers

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby idw » Mon May 07, 2012 9:14 pm

Well i guess it has been along time since i started this project and im a hack...i ended up with just a single speed :P

Anyway heres my single speed made from left overs and what was in the shed! its purple...and the seats not quite level

Image

Image

User avatar
trailgumby
Posts: 15469
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:30 pm
Location: Northern Beaches, Sydney
Contact:

Re: 26" fixie good iea or not?

Postby trailgumby » Mon May 07, 2012 10:23 pm

Nuthin wrong with that at all. I like :D

The bars are interessting and different.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users