I had a play the last few winters fixed and realise I have a "spare" bike and a flip flop wheel. Thinking 32 x 15, as I have to ride on the road to get to mud.
But can anyone suggest where I can get a short 150 - 160mm chainset capable of taking a 32t ring?
What no other weirdo's out there???????????
I run 34:16 on my fixed 29er. Not tried it on any proper off-road yet but have plans...
eek, that's high............
I've always ridden a high gear on my fixed mtbs. 58" ish IIRC.
Regarding cranksets don't get one with a spider held on by a lockring (eg Middleburn). The backwards pedaling seems to back off the lockring.
165mm Shimano are pretty easy to get. Shorter than that, well, I havn't looked for before.
I've got 42-18 and on my fixed cx dunno how that compares to normal wheels
eek, that's high............
I ran it at 34:18 with a freewheel, which is about the same as 32:15 on 26" wheels. A bit higher makes sense for fixed, so your knees don't explode on downhills.
You're all mentally ill. Nutters. 
Actually I used to have 38-16 til I swapped cranks but 42-18 feels same, I sometimes think maybe 42-16 would be better at times but not got round to bother trying it yet
Shorter than that, well, I havn't looked for before
110 bcd bmx race cranks are your best bet, only problem is you will struggle to go smaller than 34t. The other option is highpath engineering, they will shorten any crank for you.
42:16 on my fixie CX here. Bit hard in places. Easy on the fast bits.
Offroad gets easy real quick. You cope with it very quickly. Bigger dropoffs and jumps are a bit scary at first but just imagine you're still on the ground and keep pedalling.
Regarding cranksets don't get one with a spider held on by a lockring (eg Middleburn). The backwards pedaling seems to back off the lockring.
How much backwards pedalling are you doing on a bike? Don't you have brakes?
I was out on my fixie off-road today. Less wheels than you lot as well 
- just keep pedalling!
I have found a set of 165mm track cranks in the "garage of doom", so that would be better than grinding the polished Middleburn "anniversary" cranks currently fitted. Now just have to find a wheel I may still have or swap the one off the 1X1 commuter, which has a flip flop hub...........
Why the short cranks and different gearing? I use the same spread as on my SS since I ride the same trails fixed as I do free...
I was running a splined XTR crank-ring and have experienced the lockring come loose and play on the ring/spline interface.
When running fixie offroad using the brakes is a sign of weakness... you must resist the chicken-switchen
You'll be able to get quite a few bmx cranks that fit square taper or isis bb's in 150-170mm,
I ran fixed off road, it was great on the flat. crap on big hills. Make sure you take some spare pads if you do a decent ride as you'll go through em quick.
IMHO Give it a go with normal cranks and watch what your doing, short cranks feel sh!t and give you less power.
I just ran 175s that were on the bike with no dramas. OK you get plenty of pedal strikes but you just ride through them.
I'd cry (I did on the road fixed) with 160mm cranks trying to climb with a larger than normal ss gear.
Spinning is far easier on shorter cranks though.
Ive done the last three SITS, riding fixed on a 32:18 with 175mm cranks, not had too many problems though riding in the peak is good training 
I've done a limited amount of fixed offroad - enough to realise that I'm useless at it, but not enough to stop me trying it again.
I've been using my cx bike on a 48/20. I think a lower gear would help control although I'm not sure how the downhills would go. Legs on the handlebars, maybe.
I keep meaning to build up a spare mtb frame as fixed to try it with ice tyres to see if that gives better control on ice.
i ran 32:18 (29er) & 175 cranks.
part of the fun of fixed is the different lines it forces you to take to avois pedal strikes.
normally on some v. rooty trails locally i try and ride over all the roots. fixed you have to go around them makes it even more swoopy than normal 
gonna crack out the fixed wheel soon i think.
If you were building a mtb purely to ride fixed, how would you set it up?
Brant made a frame for Richpips to do just that. Had a superslack seat angle, IIRC.
If you were building a mtb purely to ride fixed, how would you set it up?
i am far from an expert - my experience is of a 29er scandal. front brake only.
my ideal fixed mtb would be 29er. steepish angles. normal angles, normal height bb - (definitely not high), medium head tube length, slightly shorter ETT.
idea being it would allow you to sit slightly more upright than 'normal' allowing you to spin pedals a bit. sounds like it might be jones-esque geo.
The slack seat angle was to allow seated downhill pedalling; didn't matter for climbing as you'd be stood up anyway. I think Rich had it set up with a lot of stem spacers for higher bars.
If you were building a mtb purely to ride fixed, how would you set it up?
If you're going to make life more difficult than you need to, might as well go the whole hog.
or I could fix the Pugsley.......
I ended up fixing the Karate Monkey............
I used the Middleburn's on there but will try too fit a cheap and cheerful ss set, 175 coped OK but the sound of the metal of the Middleburns on rock is too jarring.
Gearing too low at 32 X 16, so I'll try 34 X 16mm.
Just got back from it's inagural ride, brill..............
Here's my Simple, fixed whilst I sort out my rear caliper. Actually quite enjoying it though only local loops round the woods and stuff, certainly in no rush to sort my caliper out.
32x16 with 175mm cranks.
(sorry for the blurry pic, was quite excited over getting out on it)
A suspension fork on a fixed MTB? Heathen!
Ah yes, but will be free again once i've rebuilt my brake.
Getting a taste for it though...
Suspension forks are ace on fixed as you can ride through stuff easier when out of control.
This set up absolutely rocked. It would have been better if I had a disc fixed hub for it. I really shouldn't have sold those Shivers.
Gotcha by tomlevell, on Flickr
I'm idly after another Simple to have one fixed for when the fancy takes me.
I'd suggest trying again with clipless. Flats are lethal on steep downhills (fireroads) although excellent in steep tech.
Try eggbeaters as they are significantly different in feel to Shimano. I went back to Shimano as I was killing eggbeaters too quickly. They didn't seem to like singlespeeds.
No idea on the Restrap. Don't like the look of them for tech stuff but then I'm more than happy with SPDs.
BUT I like the look of those for use with walking boots in the snow and for riding into hills to climb or for pulling the child trailer.
Riding 170s fixed with no probs. Well, thats not strictly true I mash the pedals off rocks all the time but 5 or 10 mm aint going to sort that! The biggest issue is getting your weight back on the steeps whilst keeping braking force on the pedals. The fixie is the first bike that I've thought a dropper post would be good on for that reason.
Of course a back brake would help with that but that would be missing the point.
I'd suggest trying again with clipless.
I've never tried: my right foot is connected to my leg at a very odd angle so I don't think they'd work.
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