I’ve been thinking about getting a cheapish fixed road bike with disc brakes, front only or both.

Are there any you can buy new? I’m thinking of something that I can use as a winter road bike as well as an interesting n+1

Cheers

Fixed dropouts and a disc would be a nightmare to set up because of the sliding in and out of the Dropout to tension the chain, rear brake on fixed not needed either.

Fixed and disc front would make a great bike, bloody indestructible 🙂 kind of surprised no one has started making one but they have to sell them with two brakes so disc front and calliper rear would not sell

I would get a frame off eBay and eXotic forks and self build . Self build is all part of the fun of fixed

All city nature boy disk.

Anything with an ebb singular peregrine for ibstance.

Roadrat?

If you want cheap…here

Built a fixed gear, disc brake bike a few years ago using a ti CX frame using a Froward Components EBB – great fun and low maintenance for the road although fixed gear CX on technical trails needs some adjustments to your riding style!

but they have to sell them with two brakes

No they don’t. You can buy a Dolan with no brake at all, and nowhere to even mount the brakes.
And as the rear fixed wheel is a brake (legally too) a rear calliper or disc is really not needed, just learn to ride a fixed wheel and slow down with legs and when you get really good at it take of the front brake too…

Ah yes, Josh is right about an EBB and I bet surly have stuff to fit the bill also.

Do you want a road bike like a langster or more mountain bike? You could fix gear a dee29

set up a bike LHD with fixed sprocket and disc mounted on the same bolts?

I used one of these for a disc braked fixed wheel thing.

http://www.tartybikes.co.uk/135mm_fixed_hubs/echo_tr_splined_rear_disc/c21p11450.html

Cheers, it would need to be a drop bar road bike, with space for full mudguards and a bit of panache too!

Would any fixed frame work if I wanted a front brake only?

Each to their own, and all that, but I can’t understand the attraction of fixed gear bikes, when not at the velodrome.

If it’s about simplicity and saving money, then at least use a freewheel, i.e. single-speed…just my opinion (based on experience).

And as for front brake only….don’t get me started 😉

I’ve had SS bikes in the past, and for commuting in the city they were excellent. A fixed appeals as a new thing to try for reasonable distance rides in the country.

fixed means that you don’t need a rear brake so a well built wheel will last forever, and you control the speed with the drivetrain, it’s fun. It’s also more efficient and lighter which is why you still see UK timetriallers with fixed and not freewheel

Have you ridden one? A feeling of oneness with the bike you don’t quite get on anything else. Unless you have big downhills* there’s no real advantage to a freewheel over fixed for road use – and yes it does also mean you can quite safely do without the rear brake!

*it’s the 30mph downhill in any direction at the start of a ride from here which means mine hasn’t been used for a long time

Just completed a Pact one for a chap. Who has been incredible patient whilst I set up a trouser company.

Once you’ve gone from SS to fixed, you won’t go back. Never ridden SS, but typically ride 100 miles a week fixed on a nice light steel and carbon road bike. Road bes require two brakes. A fixed transmission counts alone, although I much prefer a proper rear brake as well.

My Kona unit had sliding rear dropouts rather than an EBB. It worked well and, obviously moved the rear brake mount. I’m not sure this has crossed over to road.

Is the On-One Pompetamine still available?

*it’s the 30mph downhill in any direction at the start of a ride from here which means mine hasn’t been used for a long time

If you can’t spin fast enough to ride at 30mph then why not just slow down so you are not ding 30mph?
Guessing that is what the front brake is for, or you can skid stop to control speed if not using brakes.

I run my Genesis DayOne fixed now. No for a lock ring, but because it has two brakes I don’t use the fixie braking method harshly so no unscrewing issue.

Disk mount has long slots for adjustment, so that’s easy too.

If you’ve got a rear brake, you don’t have to use it. For long and/or hilly rides I prefer having a rear brake – it helps when my hands get tired or I’m braking down a mucky 20%er trying not to lock the front wheel. I use a lockring too, so I can leg brake if I want to.

Been using an Escapade for the last couple of years with a rear BB7 and a Surly fixed/disc hub. It’s really not much more hassle than a rear rim brake, but the adjustable dropouts on my new frame are, I believe, the least worst option for fixed with a rear disc.

I’m not sure there’s anything really cheap out there. Pompino is probably the least expensive, but rim or no rear brake only. S/H Pompetamine if you can find one, or for a bit more cash (and rear hub/wheel swap) Genesis Day One 10/Decade, All City Nature Boy Disc, Pinnacle Arkose SS or Cotic Escapade.

Just completed a Pact one for a chap. Who has been incredible patient whilst I set up a trouser company.

Phew. I thought I was being too pushy.

If you’re riding it on road and you’ve got a gear on it large enough to go fast, you won’t want to be leg braking with it, but a front brake is still enough, especially if its a disk.

Pompino with a disc fork, or Pompetamine, is perfect. Lots of clearance and mounts and really nice to ride on the road. I actually prefer riding mine to my fancy road bike, and I don’t mind leaving it outside the pub.

It took me a while to love fixed riding, especially down steep hills, but stick with it and you won’t go back. The flywheel effect really helps up hills compared to singlespeed, and it makes you strong and smoothes out your pedalling style as well.

Don’t let the hipsters put you off, old farts have been riding fixed forever, for a reason.

Well I can spin fast enough, it’s just that it decreases the enjoyment enough when contemplating a ride that I’ll just get a geared bike out instead – especially given that I’d be most likely to use it on relatively short utility rides into town where the hill (down at the start, up at the end on the way home) is a significant proportion of the ride.

Skid stop to control speed on a 30mph downhill? Seriously?

aracer – Skid stop to control speed on a 30mph downhill? Seriously?

Pedalling less fast / leg braking would be a far safer idea.

Pompino with a disc fork

is my commuter. I’d like to swap to a rear disc too when possible.

I barely ride the bike for pleasure any more, but that’s due to marathon plus tyres ruining the ride more than anything, before that (duranos or similar) the bike was lovely for a weekend blast.

Which is what I’d do – except it’s far easier on the legs to use the brake and let them spin (nowadays I mostly ride a unicycle, which is kind of like a fixed – I have a brake on my off-road one because leg braking down the hills on that kills your legs).

I was agreeing with you

Skid stop to control speed on a 30mph downhill? Seriously?

Yep, used to do it all the time. The key is to control speed right from the start before it builds.
Rode solely fixed for 5+ years on and off road (Last 3 brakeless) but moved back to SS MTB 18 months ago (just to prove the point that once you go fixed you can go back!)

I keep thinking about going back to it though but have to keep reminding myself it is not as much fun off road (can’t jump very well on fixed, pedal strikes on narrow single track etc,.)

I am considering putting a disc on the front of my commuter and changing the fixed rear wheel for either a SS or even a SA 3-Speed with a drum brake just to make it more useful going up and down, it’s been great for the last 3 years but my commuting has more hills now and riding fixed down steep hills isn’t fun, whatever the experts tell you…

Fixed and disc MTB.
Not ridden it in quite a while.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/bweje3]Stupified Simple[/url] by Tom Levell, on Flickr

On the road I prefer two brakes as when your legs are a bit wobbly and you have a massive downhill to come dragging the rear brake is lovely.
Offroad one brake is ok until the front tyre lets go in mud and you have no brakes available.

Biggest problem for rear disc use is the hub as previously the only option was Pauls or Phil Wood. Might be more out there now though.

riding fixed down steep hills isn’t fun, whatever the experts tell you…

Agree, it was always something to be endured rather than fun. Uphills are fun though and to get uphills you have to have downhills where a front disc would be a nice thing to have.

If anyone fancies fixed off road i have a 135mm 29er rim brake wheel for sale. Rim is good: never braked upon, hasn’t had loads of miles…. Sorry for the hawking!