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Time Trial Fixed Gear - build help

by Ybot
Thu, Dec 17, 2015 22:21
5

Hi there chaps and chapettes!  
 

This is my first ever post on this grand network of fellow cyclist so go easy on me if I don't have the mighty wisdom that you do yourself. yes 
 

So as the title suggests, I am looking to build a Fixed Gear Time Trial bike (I probably will convert it to a fully geared TT bike after I get tired of it). Do I hear you say why? Well it's because I live in a really flat area and I would like a new bike for speed and some training but I cannot be bothered to change gear!  

 

So I was thinking to buy a Time Trial bike frame set and then add some bars, brakes and then add the fixed gears along with the wheels. But how simple is it? I've built up road bikes and mountain bikes for myself, friends and family so it can't be much different right?  

 

So I have seen Dolan Scala Carbon TT Frameset that is unbelievably sexy. It comes with integrated brakes. 

Any also the Planet X Exocet 2 Carbon TT Frameset. 

 

If you find any other that you feel would be more suitable, please say. 

 

How would you advise on approaching this situation? 

 

Do you have your own fixed TT bike? 

 

Regards 

~Toby 

 

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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5 comments

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paulrattew | 9 years ago
1 like

Buy a track bike. Switch the fork for a TT fork (that is drilled for a front brake). Add brake. Done. Ive done a few 10 mile TTs on my track bike - great fun but a completely different experience to doing it on a bike with multiple gears or a freewheel. There is absolutely no respite when you are on a fixed gear. You cannot really rest, down hills are horrendous as your legs get pulled around at 200rpm and even slight inclines can bring you grovelling to a stand still.

 

I wouldn't try to run a bike with a frame designed for multiple gears as a fixed gear bike. Fine to run as a single-speed with a freehub, but not so easy to do fixed. Hub widths become an issue, and also a standard drop out is poorly designed to deal with the forces that a fixed gear bike places on it.

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monty dog | 9 years ago
0 likes

From someone whose TT'd using a fixed gear, welcome to a whole new world of suffering!  If riding fixed (no freewheel) then you can't use a chain tensioner, so you either need a frame with horizontal drop-outs, or some sort of eccentric BB/hub to take up the chain slack. Problem is dedicated fixed gear / track frames take 120mm hubs whereas road hubs are 130mm - one of the few options is to get a wheel built with a White ENO Eccentric hub that you can use with a TT frame of your choice. My current fixed gear bike is a converted road frame with the same hub.

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CXR94Di2 | 9 years ago
0 likes

I couldn't be simpler, other than adjusters for taking up slack of chain. But why? Even on a time trial surely there are moments when changing cadence is beneficial. Lincolnshire/ Norfolk is my bet of location. Only see fixed gear benefits to building strength if geared correctly.

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AJ101 replied to CXR94Di2 | 9 years ago
1 like

CXR94Di2 wrote:

I couldn't be simpler, other than adjusters for taking up slack of chain. But why? Even on a time trial surely there are moments when changing cadence is beneficial. Lincolnshire/ Norfolk is my bet of location. Only see fixed gear benefits to building strength if geared correctly.

 

Its easy to think that but Mark Arnold won last years National 12 hour TT on a 98in fixed, coming in at just under 25mph. I'm pretty certain that both Boardman & Obree have won nationals or had BBAR rides on a fixed as well.

 

Get the ratio right for your cadence and average speed and it should be an enjoyable, purists expierence. 

 

Regards

Tony,

Bikesy.

Avatar
BikeBud replied to AJ101 | 9 years ago
0 likes

AJ101 wrote:

CXR94Di2 wrote:

I couldn't be simpler, other than adjusters for taking up slack of chain. But why? Even on a time trial surely there are moments when changing cadence is beneficial. Lincolnshire/ Norfolk is my bet of location. Only see fixed gear benefits to building strength if geared correctly.

 

Its easy to think that but Mark Arnold won last years National 12 hour TT on a 98in fixed, coming in at just under 25mph. I'm pretty certain that both Boardman & Obree have won nationals or had BBAR rides on a fixed as well.

 

Get the ratio right for your cadence and average speed and it should be an enjoyable, purists expierence. 

 

Regards

Tony,

Bikesy.

Boardman & Obree were accomplished track riders.  

Get a cheap fixed bike with a slightly smaller frame than you'd usually use, put some clip-on tri-bars and see how you go.  Trying to convert a "gears" frame will take a bit of effort (and cost) to get chainline & chain tension right.  

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