Late 70's Bob Jackson fixie/singlespeed (now finished)

Oh wow, I never knew about those! Looks a bit unconventional but it might get me out of trouble with the skid spot with 48/16 gearing!

As a self-confessed "fixie hater" I have to say on the face of it that's a nice looking bike and not what I would call a fixie. I use the term fixie for those fashion-victim, no-brake, deep-dish wheeled.... you get the picture. Like other old stick-in-the-muds I really hate it when someone takes a really nice road frame and grinds all the braze-ons off!

I have absolutely nothing against bikes with a fixed wheel - I used to ride one to work when I lived in flatter parts and even rode some time trials on fixed.

Unfortunately for you, as you've found out, that Jackson frame isn't really suitable for riding fixed with those dropouts and this is where I would call it a day and find another frame rather than bodge it. At least you haven't stripped the paint and removed the gear hanger etc. so if you do pass it on the new owner can run it with gears.

Mark.

Classy build

Yes, there is definitely a "fixie" type! Garish road conversions with garish rims etc, but I ride a fixed wheel and I find those otp colour clash bikes offensive, so some of us fixi skidderz do have taste. Out of necessity I have ridden brakeless in the past aswell! (not a chance I'm drilling my track frame, just the same as I would never have butchered the derailleur hanger off my Rossin road frame)


I would also probably hawk ebay for a cheap track frame, or something with horizontal dropouts, sell that bob to me/stick back on your wardrobe until you can build it the way it deserves

Or you could completely disregard what anyone says and do as you like!

daccordimark":1zaiiofj said:

At least you haven't stripped the paint and removed the gear hanger etc. so if you do pass it on the new owner can run it with gears.

Click to expand...

I build my bikes like I build my hot rods. If it's too good to cut I won't cut it

It's for the same reason I haven't re-painted and re-chromed this one. It's rough, but every ding and scratch on this frame tells a story and I think it would be a shame to lose it.

Well it's looking good. The extra tooth pulls the wheel right in to where it wants to be. Like I said, the drop-outs aren't completely vertical, they're just short. They're angled enough that I can 'walk' the axle back to pull up the chain tension (like you normally would with a fixed gear) and there's a couple of mm left for when the chain stretches. Chuffed, because I'm really enjoying this bike despite the teething troubles.

I'd better get it back together and rack up some miles

That's good news! Are you sticking with the 80s time trial style 'bars or going back to full drops?

Mark.

I'm sticking with the TT style bars, but mainly because the frame is a bit small for me so I'll be way too low at the front on the drops. It'll be nice if I can find some slightly deeper ones (I think what I'm wanting is a set of early pursuit bars), but it'll be a matter of what I can find in the smaller diameter. All the new bigger diameter alloy stuff comes in the shape I'm thinking of, but to my eye it looks a bit strange on old frames.

What you want is the old mavic tt bars, so do I, but they aren't that easy to find...

An update and some newer pics (also added to the first post). The Cannondale brake calipers didn't reach the rims unfortunately, so I did a swap with my Raleigh. They fit the Raleigh perfectly and this bike now has the Shimano Exage calipers that were on it. Bars are wrapped and plugged and it now sports a shiny black nylon saddle thanks to a kind Retro Biker

I've done a few rides with no brakes and about 4 miles with the brakes plumbed in. It's such a nice little ride. Only thing I need to do is swap back to the 15T rear ratio and a half-link in the chain, because at the moment the 48/16 gearing will give me a flat spot on my tyre where I stop and start.

Updated pics:

Looking good!
Still loving the black frame and stem with the red bar tape. Ansmall frames with short head tube always looks good to my eyes.

Well done!