Il Progetto: The Bozzie Is Single
Let’s talk about bikes. Yeah, bikes are good. After all, they are “the central tool to our craft.” They are the reason we became Velominati, the portal through which we travelled to this life. When we were kids, we saw a bike for the first time; we liked the look of it, and when we rode it our lives were changed forever. We didn’t one day say “I want to be an athlete, what type of sport shall I do?” or “I need to feed my massive ego and make millions, what tool should I use for its exploitation?” No, we liked the sensations the bike gave us, the freedom, the speed, the endorphins (although we didn’t know what they were called or how they worked, we knew they felt good). From our first bike to n+1, each bike has a a story to tell, and a part of each of those bikes stays with us forever. Or maybe it’s just me.
For about a year now, my beloved Bosomworth has been sitting forlornly in a corner of the shop lunch room, just a frame and fork waiting to be extricated from its dusty home under the fake plastic pot plant. But it needed the right gear to bring it back to life. It was the only way I could do it justice; Campa gruppo, circa 80s, maybe some downtube shifters and tubulars. Yeah, I wanted to do it properly. But a lack of available parts and a bigger lack of the funds to procure them meant that the poor old girl remained in the corner. It almost broke my heart. Then I had a vision.
I’d watched the insanity on two wheels on display in the movie Line Of Sight, a doco on filmmaker Lucas Brunelle, who follows alley cat races all over the world and films the action while dodging the same traffic and pedestrians as the nutjobs racing. I’d gotten into his stuff when I first came to Wellington and was riding a fixed gear Langster as my commuter and for longer road rides on the weekend. I remembered how it had made me pretty strong at the time, how my stroke was the most magnificent it had ever been, and I thought “why not? Let’s get the Bozzie back into action as a singlespeed”. I say ‘singlespeed’ and not ‘fixie’ as I kinda like the idea of coasting down the other side of the hills I’ve struggled to ride up. A scour of my boxes of bits would provide enough to get her functional. After all, I wouldn’t be needing derailleurs, shifters or a cassette.
I already had some vital organs put on ice for the eventual rebuild; a Regal saddle, Chorus carbon post, a brand new Chris King headset (which I picked up for $60 off the distributor who had lost the contract and was clearing out stock), ITM quill stem, and a Mavic front wheel which came with the bike when I first bought it. My friend Ash had bought a beater a few weeks back and swapped the drop bars for a flattie, leaving a set of Sakae Modolos with 105 brake levers behind. Perfect. All I needed was a back wheel, cranks, BB, and brake calipers. I scrounged the wheeel and brakes from Ill Pro Ghetto, and found a set of 105 cranks and Octalink BB in the bins. It was all too easy. Josh donated a 42t single ring and bolts, and I broke up a cassette to get a 17t cog for the rear. A new set of brake hoods and bar tape finished her off.
One of the great misnomers of singlespeeding is “oh, it’s the simplicity of it”. No. Anyone who has ever tried to convert a mountain bike into a singlespeed will tell you it can be a royal pain in the arse. Getting chainlines perfect and tensioners to actually tension the chain, finding the best gear ratio, joining and re-joining chains, it can be an exercise in frustraion. Luckily the Boz has slotted dropouts with screw adjusters, which made the tensioning task so much easier. The wheel, being quick release, had potential to twist in the frame under load, but the adjuster screws help eliminate that. A few rides up the ramp and she was deemed fit to take out for a real ride.
Now, riding a singlespeed when everyone else has gears can be great if you are strong and the terrain is right. Or it can find you spinning like a madman while watching the pack ride off into the distance while clicking their levers as if to say “you know bikes come with gears, don’t you, dickhead?” So my cunning plan was to gee up my mates a week or so before with sending out the link to Line Of Sight, and suggesting we all break out our singlys. I knew @Rigid and @Kah both had bikes already, and @BianchiDenti was in the process of assembling his old Bianchi frame into a commuter. The seeds were sown and when our Tuesday night ride rolled around, there were three singlys, one fixie and a 1 x 8 under @BianchiDenti, with the promise of “I won’t change gears” affixed to it. All we needed were skinny jeans and messenger bags.
But we are road riders, not douchebags. We were riding road bikes, in road gear, on our usual road route. And it was a hell of a lot of fun. Mostly. Except when going uphill, or downhill, or into the wind (which was particularly strong, even for Welli). No, it was definitely a good time, and a hard ride. Denti managed not to change gears the entire ride, which must have been difficult because my thumb was constantly ghost shifting where the lever should have been. I managed to pull off a monumental save when my chain derailled as we started to sprint up a rise in the road at a known attacking point; as I somehow avoided a) nutting myself and b) hitting the deck, I wobbled into the path of @Paul whose pedal lodged in my back wheel, with enough force to lift his bike off the ground and bend a spoke in my wheel to breaking point. It would’ve looked cool to anyone behind us, but we were at the rear so no-one got to laugh at our gymnastics. That spooked me a little, as I’d had the same thing happen about ten years ago on a mountain bike, with much worse results. The rest of the ride was spent thinking about nutted track wheels and not getting out of the saddle again.
Il Progetto still has more twists in its tale, I’m sure. The Bozzie deserves to be dressed in old Campa, but until those planets align, she’s going to be doing at least one ride a week to help with my prep for Keepers Tour. If I go fixed again, then at least I may be able to perform on Eddy’s velodrome a bit better than last year. But the main thing this conversion has brought (back) to me is that sense of fun that the simple act of riding provides, without gears, without bells and whistles, and without a huge price tag. Just riding.
VLVV.
Stunning looking bike and sounds like great fun, just the feeling comes through in your writing. Thanks!
Fantastic! I love the chrome driveside chainstay and wonder how long it took to get the valve at the bottom while the crank lines up perfectly with it. Good job.
@snoov – single, not fixed.
Los
Great looking bike! I’m actually in the midst of raiding the parts bin to convert my old road frame into a singlespeed as well. However, its a cheap Kinesis mixed material frame and not of the caliber of a Bosomworth.
@snoov There wouldn’t be an issue since its a singlespeed and not fixed – you could just hold the crank and spin the wheel.
I’ll get ma coat.
Beautiful bike, @Brett – and very nice write-up: Cheers for that one.
I’ve been doing a lot of riding recently on an old, blue, steel Moser that I took over from my dad (pictures to follow at some point): The gearing on this bike could be considered suitable for the pancake-like geography of the Netherlands – but little else, I reckon (the chainrings are 45 & 52, and the ‘cassette’ is a straight block 13-18).
Here in the much more rolling landscape of Denmark, I often find myself spinning uphill and/or against the wind in the next-but-lightest gear (45-17), and while I, admittedly, feel like a big pussy sometimes for failing to Big-Ring it more often, it really does wonders, as you mention, for the development of a Magnificent Stroke. And that’s really what i need most at my present stage (I.e. trying to claw my way back to remotely acceptable cycling form): Souplesse, souplesse… and km’s.
Good to get an update on the Bossie. The proportions on the frame are just right, and I love the paint.
Yes, very nice colour scheme. And are those ‘Columbus’ decals on the seat tube and front fork? (Drool…)
Threaded headset. Well done. I use my SS for my 4km commute, running errands and doing bar or beach runs. Getting a 48×15 set up on the track bike tonight, the 46×16 just wasn’t cutting it and I was getting dropped in races. I should really setup my V-Meter so I can tell how hard I’m sucking as well.
You are commended for the resurrection, and giving her back the enjoyment of being back on the road. Very nice job Sir. Oh also for the save out on the ride and the commitment by your mates for going single as well. @BianchiDenti for not shifting. I do not own a single spd so when i do commit to riding with a group on single’s there is a alot of self control administered as well as respect. Not to mention i hate the coffee bill at the end for doing the unthinkable. Well done.
I think the whole fixed/hipster thing has long ago jumped the shark, but… I still have a lugged, steel track frame I commute on and a few times a summer, take out for a 50 mile ride over mostly flat land. It’s kind of liberating, though I’m not in any sort of kit or even tracking my speed (just mapping my route with my phone).
Basically, it is pure fun riding. No thoughts on cadence or what zone I’m in. Just pure pedaling pleasure. Maybe with a tallboy hydration break or two.
@ErikdR
Yes, it’s Columbus SL tubing…
@brett
(Double Drool…) Thought so, thanks. Want. Badly. Kudos for getting her ready for – and on to – the road once more
Well done. Really like the description of the build. Part of being a Velominatus is that we collect all this stuff. It is hard not to do. Then suddenly you realize you have all the makings of n+1. Seems like this is yet another stone on the Path of the Velominatus.
@Russ M
Yes, it was tempting…but I couldn’t do it when @Paul was pushing a 53×17(!) up the hills and into the wind! The man is clearly mad.
I already felt like a pussy sitting in 42×17.
Still, it’s all good fun.
Quality steed indeed Brett. My matt black and heavily upgraded Langster is a close second to my no1 but there is nothing like a classy steel frame for that authentic fixed / singlespeed experience. Scottish council quality winter road salt would simply eat it and that would be a monumental travesty.
@Bianchi Denti
I did hear a bit of ‘clicking’ coming from Denti’s direction, which he laughed off as “I’m just unclipping… a lot”.
Nice one. A very useful tip i got a while back (might have even been here?) on tensioning the chain – shove a tennis ball in between the rear tyre and the seat tube – as far down as you can. This will push back the rear hub as far as the chain will allow it – then adjust your screws to that point and you are ready to roll.
But I am spending most of my time on a TT bike right now so WTF would I know about anything?
Oh yes, you should remove the tennis ball before you ride.
What an awesome story, and beautiful build! I’m definitely fixicurious, but haven’t made the change just yet…
On the other hand, I went through a similar process with my steel and just picked up what may be one of the final bits of the puzzle (though I think she could use a silver bar, not a black one)
@Marcus
Thanks for this important tip, genius!
Oh, and you’re riding a TT bike why? I can’t recall…what was it? Oh, because of a FUCKING TRIATHLON!
She’s a beauty, Brett. I love the lines and color scheme. Ditto for the Resurrection Story.
Having recently acquired a singlspeed, a comparatively brutish-looking affair, I do enjoy the different dimension, and new challenges, it’s brought to riding. No bailing allowed.
@Bianchi Denti
@Paul wouldn’t have short black hair purple shorts and a fresh green tan would he. 53/17 wow
^^imposter fuck^^
@frank
Well aren’t you a fucking cunt? I told you about my impending rule breach in confidence. And it was just to tick an ironman off my to do list (just like COTHO).
Rest assured that the extra bottle cages will be soon removed and the bike will only ever be used for proper TTs after that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn6ie1zCkZU
Is this what your life is like now Brett?
Speaking of single speeds I had an excellent hilly ride with a mate the other day. His rear shifter cable broke at the start of the ride, leaving him with 2 gear choices for the next four hours, 39×11 and 53×11.
It was good.
@RedRanger
Or like this
@RedRanger bet it wont be as good as Quicksilver
@RedRanger you read my mind
@Marcus
it was pure shit. but is anything actually worse that Quicksilver?
@RedRanger I see your Quicksilver and raise you a COTHO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNCPEzdZs5s
@Marcus you win
@RedRanger If you watch to the end of that vid, you will see that COTHO still cannot resist the urge to drop all of his fixie buddies. What a COTHO indeed.
@Marcus
haha, that’s exactly what I was thinking.
@frank
I have converted both of the steel Bianchi’s in the bike room to single speed. The VMH’s unit is the trick build. Period Dura Ace crank, Campy seat binder bolt, ITM Pro 260 bars. The bike gets ogled everywhere it goes. Mine is a little more of a resurrection of a bike on its deathbed. Not quite as trick, but very much loved.
If I could figure out how to post pics here from my iPad, I would. But that’s some hocus-pocus magic I don’t understand.
@Russ M
That took me a while to figure out…
I’ve never seen him angry. But when the headwind turned to a tailwind, he certainly came past us like a banshee. Probably had 20 km/hr on me for top speed.
@Brian when locate the answer to uploading pic, from the ipad let me know.? i have the same issue.
@Marcus
I’ll reveal something else: you chose the Ironman over coming on Keepers Tour. That’s the real crime here.
And if me being a cunt surprises you, you have been paying even less attention than I thought.
@Brian
You’ll have to wait for the iPad app that I haven’t started building yet. But I’ve been thinking about building it, and that’s almost as good as actually doing something, provided the US Gov’t is a reliable example of how things work in real life.
Barring that, you’ll have to upload using a computer.
@frank Thanks for the I pad info , its all coming together now why i could not post .
@frank
Not quite. I just told you that I chose an Ironman over the Keepers Tour.
And I bet you used to believe the girls (girl?) when they told you that it was them and not you.
One of the fixie douches goes to high5 Gunderson and he gets snubbed, has to turn it into a backslap… (3:05)
So you made the Bossie a single speed?.
Of all the cheap, good frames you could have made into a good if not great single speed, you went and made a fucking rare columbus frame into something that even you can twist with your miniscule, spinldy mpnkey legs. I’d also like to point out that you’ve now got most of the parts to make it into a geared bike, even if you just use DA down tube shifters and a fucking Sora derailleur.
So unimpressed right now I’m in fearful danger of spilling my fucking Latte. Really, my LATTE.
**monkey legs**
@Marcus
….it was filmed in 2008. I also noticed the douchebag was the only one not wearing a helmet, so I truly wonder how weaving in and out of the traffic he actually did…more likely some choice shots of him staged and then sympathetically edited..
@Marcus
So when you need to take a leak, do you walk towards your bike now instead of the bathroom?
@ErikdR
I run something similar, though London has the odd bump in the road. Passing a Cycleway Hero in a granny gear on a hill when riding 42×15 really PISSES them off, it shows plenty of V.
I never tire of seeing that bike! Love the paint too. My Casati has a very similar green & blue, but just flourishing touches, as the main color is silver/grey. Never ridden SL tubing but would like to compare it to the Genius or MS I ride, though I bet unless I did something like a full gruppo & wheelset swap it wouldn’t be an easy comparison.
Good on ya for getting a dusty bike back out on the road. I’m all for that, for sure. I commuted for a bit on a fixed gear, before I became a Follower and started working on my stuff. It meant I didn’t have to spend the time/money getting a geared bike with more bits worked on all the time. That bike is now used mainly to ride on my rollers, which never really happens anymore now that I’m in a warm climate. Commuter is now a geared cross bike set up commuter style, with panniers, a rack, and mudguards. Might be fun to ride without shifting once and awhile but I’ve gotten used to a certain cadence & don’t really like grinding up hills anymore. Well, I do actually, just in the right gear for the hill.
Interesting timing. I watched “Ride the Divide” yesterday, then a bit of a fixed gear documentary, then some of “Hell on Wheels,” which follows Zabel & Telekom in the TdF. The Brunelle stuff can be exciting/nauseating but at this point I mostly just think about death wishes I no longer have & how unhappy drivers are to see such “cyclists.” Oh well.
I do get a kick out of hearing lads carry on about the simplicity of da Fix, as they cut to a shot of them laying down a 10 meter skid. Is it simple swapping out tyres once a fortnight? Kids these days.