Part 4: Assembly Fixie - ifixie

 

Now that we've painted our frame it's time to reassemble our bike. In order to make a functioning fixed gear bicycle we'll be using mostly parts that we already have from our original bike, but we'll also have to buy a few parts. Here are all of the parts that we need in order to complete the bicycle, starting with the ones that we already have:

Main Frame Parts:

            An additional part I forgot is the bottom bracket, which really didn't absolutely need to be removed to begin with.

            You might notice that I replaced some of my original parts for newer parts. This is entirely optional and is not required for a finished fixie. The following parts on the other hand for the most part must be purchased separately in order to complete your bicycle:

            Note that you could in theory use the crankset and chainring that you already have but that would require a different chain and cog size.

            Also note that only a fixed gear rear wheel is required. It is possible to reuse your existing front wheel. You must buy a wheel with a fixed gear hub in order to safely fasten your cog and chaining. Trying to reuse your existing rear wheel can be extremely dangerous.

           When buying your cog and chainring it is important to consider what gear ratio is best for you and the area you live in. People in hilly areas will want a low gear to make climbing hills easier, while people in flat areas will prefer a higher gear.

            Once you have all of your parts its time to put everything onto your frame. If you have any, it's a good idea to grease any threads before screwing in bolts to make removing them in the future easier. Frankly the order you add everything to the bike doesn't mater, but I like to start by reattaching the bottom bracket using the bottom bracket tool, as well as the front fork using the large crescent wrench. (Assuming you haven't already).

            Now lets assemble our rear wheel. Screw in the cog by hand clockwise, then use the chain whip to tighten it. You'll want this very tight to avoid it coming loose during riding.

Next screw in the lockring clockwise using the lockring tool.

Now slide the front and back wheels into their respective place and tighten them in. Don't tighten the rear wheel all the way as we'll need to loosen it later when we add the chain.

            From here it's a simple matter of adding the crankset (making sure the chainring is on the right side of the bike), the handlebars, brakes and seat. You might also choose, as I have, to add grip tape to the handlebars. Do this after you have fastened the brake leaver. And make sure that the front wheel is perfectly lined up with the headset.

Now using needle nose pliers and a crescent wrench thread the brake cable through the caliper. Later you can adjust the brake tension per your own preference.

Finally the chain tool remove links of the chain until it is the proper length and then add it to your bike.

Slide the rear wheel back along the dropout until the chain is sufficiently taught and tighten the rear wheel bolts. Also make sure that the rear wheel is correctly aligned with the frame. This is why a horizontal dropout was necessary.

            And with that your fixie is complete!