Reverse Hipster, making a fixie into a 7/8 speed

some "real" road calipers will have a leaver to open them up a bit for changes... also with the fact that the front does the majority of the work a front caliper swap sounds ideal...

I have these long-reach Tektros on my singlespeed that open WIDE--they clear a 700x35 tire. Can't remember the model number (can look in my garage at a later time), but they were right around $40. They clamp like crazy with shortie TT levers, too.

The problem with one of those super-cheap bikes is--a $40 upgrade on a $100 bike is a bit wacky,

Whoops--meant to include this picture:

This was still with 700x23 tires, though.

More work has been done. Looking around Walmart last night I found a Schwinn comfort saddle for $5. Not quite what I had in mind, but at that price I couldn't pass it up. Took a bit of tweaking but I now have the new seat height and angle dialed in nicely. It is an improvement over the stock saddle, but I might still get a better non-wide saddle on it at some point.

Adjusted the brakes as shown in the video Donaldson linked. The rear is much better and dialed in tight. I don't think I need to replace the rear caliper anytime soon. The front is lined up nice, but I'm torn on keeping it open, or adjusting the cable every time I pull the wheel till I swap the caliper.

Next up, new front caliper/fork paint, or bar/grips/double barrel lever?

Another update. Total changes so far;

Paint-Front fork and handle bar has been knocked down and rattle canned black.

Removed-Stickers, head badge, and chain guard. Took a spill last week that broke the chain guard so I removed what was left.

Replaced-Saddle and grips, with Schwinn "comfort" pieces.

Pics will follow as soon as it is put back together.

This is the only pic I have of it online.

Cool. Please keep spending small amounts of money and updating this thread accordingly!

Not much more to do till I wear out the tires and get black ones. Unless maybe lights or a trip computer.

so far I'm in

$100-bike

$5-saddle

$8-grips

$1-spray paint

For a total of $123 w/ 8% NY sales tax+ a few hours of work.

Lights. If you ride at any time near dawn or dusk? Lights. Even just blinkers are far, far better than relying on reflectors, or worse: nothing at all.

Also, a suggestion is to grease everything with a thread on it. Then grease everything that slides (cept the brakes...obviously). Take the stem out, and grease the threads that go into the expander. Grease the seat post. Etc.

Take care of the chain, lube it weekly with chain oil. Drop per pivot, wipe off excess. Ride on dusty trails? Lube more often. Get drenched? Lube when dry.

Get a chain measuring tool, looks like this:

Replace chain sometime after .75 but before 1.0 slips through. Test while the chain has tension on it. When you need to replace the chain, try not to get the cheapest chain. Get the second or third cheapest. Better quality, should last longer.

I would suggest getting a cheap seat bag, tire levers (2 or three) and a spare tube + patch kit. Why both? Sitting on the side of a road/trail trying to patch a tire in the pouring rain, in fading light is NOT fun.

Another tool for the seat bag: Go to a bike shop, ask if they have a broken spoke in the garbage. They will. Get them to grind a modestly sharp point on it, then bend the rest into a handle. What is this? Well, you know that thing that just deflated your tire? It's probably very small, hard to see or invisible. Why is it invisible? Because it can be flush, or embedded in the rubber, and your cludgy, fat, greasy fingernails ain't gonna cut it.

Use this to remove it. Pokes, pries, wiggles and jiggles. If you can't pull it out, you can push it through. Works on glass, rocks, thorns, nails, staples, needles, etc. Does not fix a car in your tire though. That takes insurance and lawyers.

I don't know, I'd be tempted to swap tires now.

Good advice above too, thanks!

Update- I have a set of plastic fenders I picked up for $10. Still debating better parts and a color change.

The_Pirate wrote: http://bontrager.com/model/07795 Most all manufacturers will have something like that, but the Bontrager tires aren't bad for the money. We sell a ton of 'em. Whatever you end up with, you want something with no defined knobs. Some siping (like that H2) adds some versatility and all weather/light gravel traction over something that's fully smooth.

I have their tires and a seat from them on my old 27" Le tour.....they're about 20x better than the gum wall tires they replaced.

i know there is some thread necromancy going on here..

anyways, i only made it about 3 posts in because bikes don't really catch my attention, but i felt the need to point out that we are a bunch of people on a website where people will encourage other people to hack the floors out of a Geo Metro to install the engine and trans (along with the entire front suspension) from a Taurus SHO in the back but modifying the rear 6" of a pedal bike frame for what amounts to a transmission swap is "too hard"...

that is all..

Another update. That first year I rode it every chance I could. The second year I bought a new car and didn't carry it around anymore. It has mostly sat until recently when I moved somewhere flat. Unfortunately a bolt on the crankset came lose in that time and my tools have not yet made the move.