Budget Fixie/Single-Speed Build?

[Michael Lynn]

I'm interested in getting a single-speed bike, but I'd like to stay under $100 if possible.

Any suggestions on how I can build an inexpensive Single-Speed?

Thank you,
-Mike

[Mike ODonnell]

Do what I did....break your derailer off (which was not intentional) and then take it to the bike shop where they find a small rear spoke-gear in the back and fix it up for $15.....works for me.

[Daniel Olmstead]

Here is the bible of singlespeed conversion information, it has everything you need to know: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/singlespeed.html

The next step is acquiring a cheap bike to convert. Craigslist is probably your best bet here. Or you could skip the DIY aspect and just buy a SS off Craigslist, but I don't know if you can do it for under $100.

[Garrett Smith]

I think I pulled one off for ~$300, the old Cannondale road bike was $100 used, then the rest was parts and bike-shop labor.

A fixie can last forever with little maintenance, so don't be afraid to invest in decent stuff early-on.

[Craig Brown]

I landed a SS 82 Trek off craigslist for $150. Of course I added $200 for vastly improved brakes, Nitto Noodle + stem, and much nicer pedals- but it was functional when I got it.

[Stephen Brown]

find an old steel frame with horizontal dropouts and go to sheldon brown's site.

pawn shops, craiglist or garage sales are great if you are of average height.

did I say steel? yes, get steel. aluminum is harsh and has a short life-span if ridden hard.

when you find a frame, post it up.

I commute on an early 80's motobecane mirage geared at 52-18.

[Craig Brown]

Stephen-

Where do you live with that gearing? My 82 Trek is running 42/16 and even that is a killer on some of Seattle's hills.

Craig

[Stephen Brown]

I'm in Dallas so I can't claim too much cred.

I probably don't have more than a couple of hundred feet of elevation change between my office and work over 15 miles. The big gear is great for long flat stretches. That said, I'm a masher, even on my geared mtb.

The biggest challenges here aren't the hills, but the general disdain for cyclists among drivers and the city gov.

[Craig Brown]

That makes sense! Things are pretty good for cyclists (I'd say great, but I spend enough time in Portland to know what great looks like!), though you do get the usual issues- mainly that people forget how to drive when it rains. Every time it rains. And it rains from now until May!

Craig

[Frank Needham]

Here's an enormous thread on this subject a while back:
http://performancemenu.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1274&highlight=single+speeds
I ended getting a nice one from craigslist for $80.

[Craig Brown]

The most important part of that other thread is this advice from MOD:

How to Hook up with a woman: "Wow, I love those shoes...have you lost weight?...Your hair looks great.."

Sad but true.

[Leo Soubbotine]

Get a free bike from your friends/relatives/clients and convert it.

Cheap!

I added some stuff to mine afterwards though - got me a new saddle (now having my eye on one of the Brooks saddles actually), chain and couple of things like shorter chain ring bolts and helmet :D

Now spending a bit more - just ordered a wheelset. Old one isn't too pretty plus rims are different kind.

Going to have my bike match this pic:
http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:GiaET9JN0OKdxM:http://www.everytshirt.com/images/products/Movie_T-Shirts/small/I-Must-Break-You-Rocky-T-shirt.jpg