Hello,

I’ve been tempted to build a fixed bike for a while, the plan always being to convert my Planet X Uncle John using a eccentric rear hub (White Industries ENO): I’m a bit concerned about setting up the rear brake though as the rim height will change with the eccentricity of the rear hub.

So I’m looking for a fixed frame that has a tall head-tube. Ideally steel, ideally with clearance for at least 32mm tyres if not more….and ideally cheap….

Any ideas?

Buy a Kona Paddy Wagon. Alternatively, if you must have 32mm or wider tyres, then a Pompino. However, unless you absolutely need wider tyres because you plan to ride it off road, the Paddy Wagon is a better choice.

Try without a rear brake to see how you get on?

Always liked the look of them. But the Paddy Wagon nor the Pompino will fit me. I’m long legged so need something like a 58cm in height and a 56cm for length (78cm bb centre to top of saddle and 56cm saddle tip to bars with dropped bars).

Always liked the look of them. But the Paddy Wagon nor the Pompino will fit me. I’m long legged so need something like a 58cm in height and a 56cm for length (78cm bb centre to top of saddle and 56cm saddle tip to bars with dropped bars).

So the decisive measurements are top tube length and the saddle to bars drop. In that case, I think a key question is whether the bike will (or must) have a carbon fork, since then the maximum permitted amount of spacers is usually 30mm. With a steel fork and steel steerer there may be no such limitation. Therefore the Paddy Wagon might still be suitable, providing there is enough (uncut) steerer for sufficient spacers.

I can appreciate that a taller head tube looks nicer than a large amount of spacers, but it would probably greatly limit your choice and increase the cost, e.g. I think that Condor’s Tempo frame has a tall head tube, but it is more expensive, although they do have some 2015 framesets on sale for £449.

There’s a couple of large Genesis Day One’s on e-bay at the moment for a fair price. One in Leeds, one in Manchester They are full bikes with Alfine gears, but that’s easily sorted with a new rear hub*. Certainly hit all the other points regarding tyre size and frame material.

*they are disk models, so you’ll need a single speed/disk 135mm hub. I ride one fixed and haven’t yet unscrewed the sprocket without a lock ring installed.

Exactly on the same wavelength. Not too fussed about carbon forks. Steel might be preferable as looking to use for a 1200km bike-packing ride next year: hence the desire for 32 ish (i.e. compass etc) tyres.

Thanks for the heads up on the Condor!

Still tempted to try an eccentric hub on my Uncle John, as I know the geometry is set up right for me, and I did a similar ride this year (with a hell of a lot more climbing than the planned ride).

All food for thought.

The Paddy wWgon, awesome though it is, is not tall. I’m 6’4″, ride a 60cm frame and it’s a good job I like a bum up, head down position on the bike as even with spacers the front is still low.

You are 4cm longer inseam than me for same reach. Personally, if you really want a fixed wheel, I’d get a 56 cm PW. The saddle to bar drop need not be so extreme (mine is typically 6-8cm and you would be 10-12. THEN I’d flip the stem. I know it’s not the best looking solution compared with my Thomson -17, but needs must. And you should have a rear brake. Speed modulation (as opposed to braking is not just a front wheel activity).

It’s such a great bike, that youc an cut your teeth riding fixed, then once you’ve really caught the bug, go custom. If you don’t like it, nothing lost. I ride my customised PW about 100 miles a week.

I’d be tempted to look for a magic gear ratio first

http://www.machinehead-software.co.uk/bike/chain_length/chainlengthcalc.html

I’d be tempted to look for a magic gear ratio first

I wouldn’t, not for fixed gear. I tried magic gear around 15 years ago when first moving to fixed and there are a number of problems;

– You don’t get the exact gearing you need and when having one gear that gearing is important
– When chain wears it can fall off (unless you change to another magic gear to take account making the ratio even further away

By the time you have faffed around with different rings, a fixed hub, spokes and cogs may as well just get an Eno hub. Can’t see an issue with adjusting brake block height as presumably won’t be changing the gearing very often at all.

Whilst the fixed crowd are in…..any tips for removing a fixed cog? I can get the lock ring off on my PW but try as I might I can’t get the cog to loosen. Tried to the point where I was pushing down on the chainwhip with my foot and it would not budge. And yes I checked which way it was threaded! Need to swap the 16 tooth for a 15 tooth.

And for the OP – Paddywagon is a great bike, love riding mine after running a similar thread a while back. I would echo the above re the stack height though, I had to flip the stem on mine and run as many spacers as possible to get it high enough and it’s just about sorted now.

Tried to the point where I was pushing down on the chainwhip with my foot and it would not budge.

If you can get a secure enough wrap around the sprocket with the chainwhip, I would try repeatedly (lightly) tapping the end of the chainwhip handle with a hammer to see if that would break the seal.

Yep, nice long chain whip, plenty of wrap and a hammer. Make sure you’re going the right way as well 😉

Wrap the chainwhip’s chain all the way around the sprocket, and tape the remaining dangling/unused chain to the chainwhip’s handle. That will ensure maximum grip on the sprocket, while freeing up your hands to allow you to use a hammer.

I’m a bit concerned about setting up the rear brake though as the rim height will change with the eccentricity of the rear hub.

I don;t think this will be an issue.

ok, will have another go. I did try the hammer approach although it seemed high risk given size of target and proximity to spokes 😳

I did try the hammer approach although it seemed high risk given size of target and proximity to spokes

Tap it lightly and repeatedly, rather than whacking it. If you don’t have someone who can hold the wheel for you while you do it, it might be easier if you have the wheel on the bike and the bike on a turbo trainer.

Look up the rotafix method which uses the bike frame as a chain whip. You put a cloth around the B&B and then wrap the chain around the cog so that as you turn the wheel it unscrew. Hard to explain without a picture! Works really well.

The only thing is to triple check you have wrapped the chain the right way so that the cog is unscrewing- there is so much leverage that you can strip the hub if you use this method to tighten a cog and overdo it.

Yep, rotafix method should do it.

Rotafix:

Ta, will give that a try as well.