Building a winter roadie / single-speed / fixie

[King Sad]

My Dad used to get his bikes from Police auctions

They have gone online and privatised now, just did a search and current bids vary between £1.50 and a stomping £5

Might be worth a look but would think mainly MTB types - just a thought

[CCS]

Single speed?
Why????
Personally, I say the more gears the better (yours, the proud owner of at least 3 11-28 cassettes - one for each set of wheels)

[Bopomofo]

Single speed?
Why????
Personally, I say the more gears the better (yours, the proud owner of at least 3 11-28 cassettes - one for each set of wheels)

Because it will be a laugh to build a couple of bikes with my son while trying to keep the cost down as much as possible. I have four bikes already. I don't really need another one. But it would be fun and with all the other crap going on in my family life it would be a great thing to do to spend time with him. We've already started joking about building 'pikey-bikes' with the winner being the one who spends the least. It's like a 'Top Gear Challenge'.

[Lead Balloon]

Damn you Bopo. Reading this topic and watching Premium Rush last night has got me wanting to get hold of a chrap fixie Would have to be a flip flop hub though

[Bopomofo]

Flip flop hub would be ideal, yes. Might involve a purchase, though...

[Worrying Will]

so long as you get a hannger you dont need a flipflop. Hangers are about £10 on planetx if i remeber right.

I would also like to point out that those who have a true fixie like Ianm dont be surpised if your riding buddies laugh as you go downhill. Watching ians leg go round at 150 rpm i very funny.

[IanM]

Yep, I can confirm that trying to keep pedalling whilst doing 30+ mph (150+ RPM) is bloody hilarious.... for everyone but the rider!

[King Sad]

Just had a thought, if these are 'Pikey bikes' instead of buying things shouldn't you be going to the local college bike racks with some bolt cutters?

[Jack Hughes]

Just had a thought, if these are 'Pikey bikes' instead of buying things shouldn't you be going to the local college bike racks with some bolt cutters?

I refer you back to Jimba's post.

[Bopomofo]

Pop down your local recycling centre, ours regularly have bike sales, you could pick up some cheap frames and components, I think that taking things from dumpsters without permission is " theft through finding ", have fun.

I would say not. Theft by finding is the same as straight theft. Points to prove for theft are that you dishonestl appropriated property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving them of it. Taking stuff left outside a charity shop is theft, taking it out of a skip I would say is not. Common perception of stuff in a skip is that it is going to the rubbish tip. If you honestly believe that to be the case, which most would, then they can't prove the first point, ie dishonestly.....

By 'digging around at the tip' and 'dumpster diving' I had meant nothing more than going to the tip and paying for whatever crappy old bikes look like they can be used. Thanks for all the legals, though.

Does anybody have any experience or advice on good donor bikes to look for? Interchangeability of cranks over the years? Is it possible to just take the derailleurs off a roadie and shorten the chain (surely this MUST work)?

so long as you get a hannger you dont need a flipflop. Hangers are about £10 on planetx if i remeber right.

Not sure I understand? I thought a flip-flop hub was one that was fixed one side and had a freewheel on the other? What's a hanger?