I am refurbishing my old gitane into a single speed (maybe fixi-lets see) and have some questions, as well as looking for some recommendations.
I know I am asking for quite a lot, so i will try to keep this as structured as possible.
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My bike is suitable for the project? or did i miss something?
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I discovered a dent on the frame (pic 3,4) while stripping components – how bad is it? there is no fracture, its only bent – small (shallow) enough for me to not notice it for a while. what should be done? or only observe fro the time being?
I would like to share the components i want to exchange and inquire for recommendations, as well as double checking on the ones where i already have certain brands in mind. this way hopefully the project is as smooth as possible. thanks to anyone
- Wheel-set.
current one uses glued tubular tires and i am done with this. to the extent of my knowledge i cannot mount any other tires on the rim, therefore i want to change the whole thing. My budget is somewhat limited, but i am open to recommendations. this is the one i found and am: considering , this a decent choice? can be swapped between single gear and fixed? what tires would you put on? continental gatorskin?
- Brakes.
I have been unhappy with the performance of the current ones (especially in wet conditions), but i have been told with new rims, new brakes, new cables and fine tuning their position I will be able to improve that substantially. what are your thoughts? recommendations for pads on those mavics? do cables make the difference? Even if i should decide on fixed, i will keep the two brakes because its a legal requirement around here.
- crankset, chain, conversion kit
5.1 Havnt really looked into this segment too much, would really appreciate some recommendations. how does this look? regular price? whats something i should consider?
5.2 Current crank set seems good. i think i will keep it, but just one of the two. would deciding for the bigger one be too ambitious? (driving mostly flats and am quite athletic) aiming for a speed of 25/30 km at regular pedaling – 44×17?
5.3 Chain. I have heard that bigger chains or recommended for single speeders. why is that? strength? What should i look out for?
5.4 Pedals. In case i decide for fixed (or swap) (flip-flop, right?) i need some straps for the pedals, i dont know if those can be installed on my current ones. Any recommendations for pedals and or straps?
- Cosmetic-Bonus
I saw some nice single speeders with neet basked set up. counting on some input as i have never had a basked (or some similar construction) and dont know what can be installed on my frame. I dont have any options on the fork. so only at the end of it where it connects to the wheel (sorry dont know the technical term) and of course the handlebar area. I dont want anything behind me, as i tend to overthink about losing stuff – it not being visible wouldnt help.
When driving, and especially when cranking some speed, a backpack on the bag is not optimal.
Looking for a way to transfer that there. i am openminded. can also be a frame with a net and straps on top – or whatever that solves the problem. hoping to get some inspiration. backpack is usually around max 10kg and has a volume of 22 liters.
Thanks to anyone who is spending some of their time to help me out in this project. I really value the opportunity to benefit from the knowledge accumulated in this sub. much appreciated!
(last pic: what are the numbers? does this tell me something about the origins of my bike?)
(i hope the links i imbedded are ok even though not to amazon , but rather bike discount)
by Salitur