Right chaps,
Some time ago - 9 months I think - I started a thread about my new fixie project. Its all done now finally. Here are some progress photos.
The frame was in good nick, but needed a replacement bottom bracket and new headset bearings
This was most of the stuff that needed fitting and lots of tweaking
Here's the bikes home for months, part built in my garage
And here's the finished article
Its a 61cm Peugeot Equipe frame from the 80's. The paint was in pretty good nick so I chose to keep it as is and just spot repair any wear marks with a subtle dab of clear nail varnish to prevent any corrosion. There was no rust anywhere and i was impressed with the state it was in.
I certainly learned a lot doing the project as I stripped it all back and added all the components myself, trying to keep retro and make sure that it was colour coded. Sourcing the parts was quite tough as the dimensions are different to todays machines so it turned into a headache at times. For example the seatpost is 24mm, which noone makes anymore and the only old ones available are ridiculously short. In the end I sourced a 24mm shim and managed to fit a 22mm bmx post .
Oh and dont ever buy cheap inner tubes. I did and kept getting flats on the back wheel, which is terrifying on a fixie. As nothing is quick release it meant some serious swearing at the side of the road with a mini tool kit to undo the brakes, get the wheel off and then replace with the correct chain tension afterwards.
Some will notice I went for a rear brake. I tried just running a front but my commute sees several big hills and I just wasnt safe without both brakes and think my knees would have exploded after a while. Fitting the rear brake required me to custom make a bracket to drop the cantilever down about 10 mm as the brake post on the frame was designed for larger old fashioned canti's with longer arms (its not in these photos). As I was colour coding I could only get short armed brakes and this was an education in style over substance.
I got delayed at different points as I caught pneumonia over xmas and then my kids got ill so it turned into a much longer process than I had hoped.
Sadly as the title suggests the bike is now a mangled mess. Two weeks ago when cycling home a motorist for some reason tried to drive straight through me. Ive got a broken knee, broken ribs, loads of cuts and severe concussion that has badly effected my speech in the short term. I know I'm lucky to have survived so wont complain. I think the driver is going to be prosecuted and my firm uses some injury lawyers to protect staff so in a year or so I might finally to be able to afford a carbon dream machine (if my wife ever lets me cycle again).
Im proud of what I achieved though with basic cycle knowledge and although only briefly realised, it was fun to ride whilst it lasted. I'm definitely a fixed wheel convert as it turns your commute into a spinning class and my leg fitness definitely improved. But maybe next time I'll buy one off the rack and save the headache and freezing my arse off in my garage tweaking and endlessly tweaking.......
Hope you like it and thanks for reading
Steve
It's a shame to hear, after so much work, it's wrecked! And obviously yourself too –*hope you're on the mend.
I've been riding a fixed gear bike for a couple of years now and on the rare occasion I try a freewheel bike it just feels weird.
Hope you manage to get your carbon dream machine, even if the wife make you dress in full high-vis body armour and motorcycle helmet.
Sorry to hear about the crash - wish you a speedy and complete recovery!
and a Pinarello Dogma on Bora wheels with Super Record EPS and SRM kit on the stupid b*st*rds insurance!
Jesus - get well soon.
I bought a new carbon bike recently, and the weight difference, even against my single speed, is massive.
Man, sorry to hear about that, hope you make a speedy recovery.
Hope you make a full recovery and quickly. I cycle and have experienced the poor driving of many a motorist! Good job with the bike and with a bit of luck you will get to make up another.
Originally Posted by hellominky
Good grief! You have my sympathy. It was nearly three years ago I was sent lying through the air after a car pulled out in front of me whilst I cycled home from work!
Both my arms took most of the damage with my right arm shattered and I had more plates, screws and pins than my local Homebase! I've still got a bit metalwork left inside inc. a new metal elbow! Don't get behind me in the airport security queue!
Good luck getting back on the bike. I've almost developed a phobia about bicycles now (and physiotherapists....) and I can't ever see myself getting back on a saddle.
Don't hold your breath for any compensation anytime soon either, mines still going through and probably will do for another year!
I hope you get back to full health again and soon.
jesus steve, sorry to hear about your accident. heal well.
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
I hope you are well on the road to recovery. A great story about building your bike, I have been considering a fixie for a while and building my own seems like such a daunting task.
I still maintain every car driver should have to ride a bike for at least 1 week a year to experience the shit we go through and also to be introduced to the pleasure that is cycling
RIAC
Sorry to hear about your accident, but glad that you're mostly OK. I hope you receive suitable compensation.
It seemed daunting when I started and then was an up and down journey that taught me a lot. One of my mates said he would build one at the same time but he ended up bottling and got the bike shop to do it. When it was all complete I was much more attached to mine as I could look and know it was my work. YouTube is a godsend when you're stuck!
Blimey that sounds like a nightmare.
I'm definetly minded to get back on a bike but the image of my wifes face when she walked into a+e will stay with me for a while. Quite a lot of my mates are roadies so I'll hopefully be able to some training rides with them when I'm better and then slowly find my feet. If she agrees.....
Seems fair - they should at least have to undertake a full cyclist and motorcycle awareness part of their driving tests - anyone at fault in an accident should be required to take an awareness course, especially if it involves, cyclists, motorcyclists, or pedestrians!
I wish you a speedy recovery and hope there is no lasting damage.
It's just a matter of time...
Jeez. I wish you a full and speedy recovery. Lovely bike you had there.
I have been riding a Langster on the Fixie hub for the last year or so and have loved it.
I had just had had those clip in pedals fitted and was cycling along a bus lane when I came up behind a bus that looked as if it was ready to start off. However as I crawled to a stop behind it and it became clear it wasn't going to move, I couldn't unclip my shoes in time so keeled over behind it.
It only happened the once but that was enough to make my stop planning far more cautious.
Sadly, so we can go on family rides and I can lug my daughters tag-along along, it is now sitting on ebay and I have replaced it with a boardman hybrid.
Sorry to hear that, and I wish you a speedy recovery.
I've only recently, (around 12 months), returned to cycling, (physiotherapy for a very bad knee following an operation), and shortly after starting I came close to an accident when a car pulled out right in front of me. Luckily it missed me, but only by inches. The guy driving wasn't even aware I was there or of what he'd almost done, and I was wearing fluorescent orange cycling gear at the time!!!!
Best Regards - Peter
I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.
Bloody hell Steve!! I open your thread up thinking it was going to be another comedy like Learningtofly......
Speedy recovery to you, fingers crossed for the carbon dream machine.
Obviously firstly and most importantly, sorry to hear about the crash and get well soon.
Also a real shame with the bike, putting the time and effort into bringing an old back up to that great condition and then something like that happens.
For a minute there Steve I thought it was a pic of you on your avatar!
Shame about the smash Dude as it's a nice looking steed, It might feel tough now but you've gotta get back in the saddle as soon as you can, can't let the b*stards win!
Speedy Recovery
Thanks for all the well wishes guys I really appreciate it.
My mate dropped round a load of cycling mags today and man are they dangerous to read!
Absolutely agree with above as a cyclist and a biker plus car driver, the spacial awarness skills you develop on two wheels is priceless. Forget mobiles, many people just zone out into tunnel vision in a car, i know i live in a small village and have to join the side road at 90 degrees, even with my nose out some cars just breeze past, they clearly have no peripheral vision.
Steve
What an inspiring story about the bike built, you have my admiration! Very sorry to hear of the subsequent collision and your devastating injuries. I wish you well in your recovery. [I cracked my ribs 3 weeks ago and the pain is only now subsiding somewhat - I can only imagine your suffering.]
I only recently started getting into cycling and, despite living near Loch Lomond, I will drive away from the traffic / towns and cycle on the remote islands on the west coast of Scotland for my weekend rides - I hate cycling in traffic and have lost any faith or trust in most car drivers (I am one myself, but I like to think I take greater care than most, being aware of the dangers as a cyclist).
Congratulations on building the bike, it looks great, or at least it did :(
I stopped riding to work a few years ago, it's only a couple of miles but everyday became a game of chance with the commuters in a rush to get to the office as quickly as possible. After a series of near misses I decided to join the masses and clog up the roads whist decreasing my physical activity. Still, I'm alive...until the heart attack :)
You build a great looking bike! I wish speedy recovery and get back in the saddle soon.
Get well soon!
ps can I ask where you got the wall attachment in picture 3?
This should be it.£45 from chain reaction.
its pretty good. I tried a cheaper one off eBay before but it was crap.
Steve
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...?ModelID=10228
Last edited by hellominky; 14th June 2013 at 22:48. Reason: spelling
What a story! I hope you will recover soon. ( i must say that Basil Fawlty on your avatar is quite appropriate...)
when looking at these pics, I almost regret the fact that I have sold / trade in all my bikes during the 80s and 90s when looking for the ultimate bike...
Menno
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