$10 Fixie (okay maybe $40 or more)

[Foybles]

I picke up a slightly used but good condition Schwinn Mesa Runner Hybrid. I have been going nuts with the fat tire bikes but decided to go for making a fixie (with breakes). My goal is to go as cheap as possible on this one. I paid $10 for the bike which is a good start. I pulled off the derailleurs and shifters right away. I am going to get some super cheap road tires and a track cog. The issue is how to keep the cog from comming off. The threads for the free wheel are the same as the cog but there is no room to put a lock ring. So the choices are as follows:

1) Weld a spacer or washer to the hub and make the cog permanent.

2)Gobs of lock-tite and JB Weld.

3)Drill and tap 4mm holes at 3, 6, 9, 12 o'clock on the cog and use set screws with loc-tite.

 

[MeanOldManMike]

You can use the lock ring for a bottom bracket to lock the fixed gear on.

 

[Foybles]

You can use the lock ring for a bottom bracket to lock the fixed gear on.

True, but I wrote "The threads for the freewheel are the same as the cog but there is no room to put a lock ring." The threads are not very deep, so a lock ring is not an option. Thanks for the reply though.

 

[tnt1]

Put a bmx freewheel on it

 

[Foybles]

Put a bmx freewheel on it

I thought of that but then I would not be able to ride backwards in a circle or do crazy skid stops. I think $10 is a great price for that kind of thrill ride. :lol:

 

[Foybles]

This is the hub with no track cog

This is how the hub looks with the cog. There is no room for anything else. I think welding a ring to the hub could work.

I am getting the wheel dished so the chain line is good. I'll post more pics once that's done.

$10 80's Schwinn Mesa Runner Bike
$26 16 Tooth Track Cog
$50 Redish wheel and Chain
________________________
$86 Almost Rat Fixie

 

[deorman]

How about your original tapped holes idea, drilled slightly INTO the hub? Easier service in case of oopsification.

 

[bicycleguy]

I would just weld the cog onto the hub, I have turned freewheels into fixed hubs that way and I have never had a problem with it.

 

[Foybles]

How about your original tapped holes idea, drilled slightly INTO the hub? Easier service in case of oopsification.

The issue I ran into with the set screw idea is that the track cog is hardened steel and even using a drill press it was very difficult to even start a hole. I imagine if I had access to better tools I might be able to pull it off. Then the next issue would be the shear strength of the set screws. I think if we get a ring of steel (as close to the metal in the hub as possible) we could just weld a retaining ring on the wheel. Right now I am waiting for the wheel and chain. I should be able to get it Wednesday the 24 of June. I hate waiting for parts! Oh well.

 

[Foybles]

I got the track cog welded on to the hub. We made eight welds and I tested it. The welds held just fine.

I used some 26x1.5 road tires, a gel seat and a free straight bar.

At this point the tally is as follows:
Bike $10
Wheel Redish and Chain $55
Straight Bar $Free$
Tire (I had one) $9
Seat $29
Welding $Free$ (Thanks Moe!)
Total so far....$103

Not bad for a cheap bike.

 

[Walker]

with a little creative decal work you could rename it the the Cervesa Runner..

 

[deorman]

Real brakes, 8) .

 

[Foybles]

Real brakes, 8) .

Yeah, I've got a kid on the way so no daredevil riding for me.

 

[Foybles]

Well I decided put new brake pads on the bike and the spring on the front decided to break. Oh joy!
This is a pic of the old brakes (on the back).

Here are the new $26 brakes...

I added some cheap grips.

Now for a real rat-tastic paint job!