Build a Single Speed Bike - Make: Video Podcast

[RallyDude1515]

I heard the word hipster and communal... But you were missing co-op and local. Maybe next time...

[BikeCoasties]

We loved this video but it didn't have enough detail, so we made a 12 part series on how to convert your 10 speed bike to single speed.

[rocktruggy03]

Man I really want to build one of these. Too bad I live in the city of seven hills, Lynchburg....blaaaah.

[greattechreviews]

16 tooth cog has the worst possible skid patch. I suggest a 17 tooth cog

[Thedaringmove]

@greattechreviews hes not making a fixed smart.

[justinssite]

@greattechreviews Its a freewheel....not gonna skid

[CleezyClark]

fackkkkk never throw anything away! I threw out my old chain and my innertubes! good idea

[taradead]

Hindsight=20/20: Use a hack-saw instead of pipe cutters on your bars. These guys make the pipe cutter look easy, but it isn't...especially since the curved part of a down bar can have flat spots. I used pipe cutters on my steel bars and they totally smashed in the edge on the first cut. Took forever to bend the edge back out so I can fit my bar ends back in (still isn't perfect).

[TheBoonigga]

Where's the PDF?

[taradead]

did it...well, I haven't hacked my handlebars yet, but I bought new wheels ($120 total for rims, tires, tubes + flip-flop freewheel sprocket).

Haven't got the 5m chain ring bolts either...so, in the meantime, I just put the larger chain ring on the inside and the smaller one on the outside (looks strange, but works)

Speaking of hacks, use a padlock with an old rusty chain through a piece of inner tube...keeps your already distressed paint job from getting worse

[dudeontherun83]

@taradead where did you get your rims and tires?

[taradead]

@dudeontherun83 I bought the Retrospec wheelset at my LBS. They're pink deep-Vs, so I told the guy he'd have to pay me to take them off his hands...he offered to take off $20, so I bought them. Retrospec are really low end wheels, but they look good and you get the whole package...instead of having to mess with buying rims, then tires, then tubes, sprocket, etc. They're good for people who just want to get an old bike up and running quick (but still look somewhat modern)

[ReginaldMaulding]

Nice job holding the handlebars backwards mang

[pierreaupeix]

I really, really miss the weekend projects with Bre.

[Daniel0112358]

kickass! im plannin to do one of these type of single speeds at a bike coop workshop at my college

[Takedown0012]

can anyone help me..i have a single speed bike and the rear wheel gear popped out of place and theres this ring thing that holds in it place and i was wonder how you can get in back on?

[professorfire]

whats the book called

[asherwerner]

it's called flop and chop not chop and flip

[newFaction64]

Hipster bikes are for hipsters....

[theD3mon100]

WD-40 ftw

[Darklordkime]

hehe hipster bike.

[7Prozak7]

Why you put chain in rubber under seadle ?

[daveygoravey]

@7Prozak7 so the saddle cant be robbed.

[benjamenee136]

Where's the PDF?

[BushLeagueSnowboards]

@benjamenee136

I found the PDF on another website. So for all who have been waiting:

cdn(dot)makezine(dot)com/make/­wp_bike.pdf

[BushLeagueSnowboards]

cdn.makezine.com/make/wp_bike.­pdf

[benjamenee136]

Haha. look in the reflection of the window at 0:24. I think thats Dave standing behind him.

[sotoj159]

Lmao! Bre's having trouble with the tire at 2:25

[reversedotty]

Did anyone notice that at 1:41 when he says "the traditional way to have this handle bar is like this" he is holding it completely backwards?

[EvalinL]

I LOVE THIS VIDEO!!!



[thesweetones9]

Build Bikes!!

[spartan7777777]

i want to live there man they just find bikeframes in the trash like its nothing ^^

[dudeontherun83]

i need cheap rims for my bikes does anyone have a web site for em?

[nehnehnehbatman]

Yeah what is the bike chain in an innertube has to do?

[PaXoUnipooh]

@nehnehnehbatman it's too secure the seat. 

[PaXoUnipooh]

@nehnehnehbatman it's to secure the seat.

[PaXoUnipooh]

@nehnehnehbatman It' to secure the seat.

[fergferguson]

that video was actually dope, you guys know your shit. but you forgot the crucial last step.. name your bike "Charlie Sheen" because it has one speed, one gear.. Go!

[xdabblex22]

Wait, what? what is a bike chain in a inner tube suppose to do?

[flipwiggins]

Were you able to install the freewheel simply by removing the cassette, or are other modifications required first? Thanks.

[flipwiggins]

Dave's not here, Man!!!!!

[JxFTW]

It's hard to find a bike frame. Anyone got any tips for finding one? Might just have to buy a cheap one...

[nehnehnehbatman]

@JxFTW Try craigs(list) . (com) for a frame, or find a local junkyard ; )

[uber0kuhl]

@JxFTW try the dumpster of your lbs

[mycieran]

he realy likes greese

[grafftodatrack]

chop and flip its called chop and flop

[KenLane]

@grafftodatrack Nah, flip-n-clip!

[TheHDQuality]

thing seems too planned...

[sininetigu]

Back in the soviet times I used to build all my bikes because there was no option to buy (there just werent any around). Last bike I had was GT avalanche .. frigen monster. Got myself last summer goodold soviet times bike to refurbish. It's gona be awesome coming summer :)

[qwertykyle666]

yeah bullshit he didnt just find that in the trash.

[MoOOwnagee]

when the guy in the glasses comes back up to cut the handlebars, it looks like he gave him a BJ xD

[robinheil]

where's the PDF??

[Juzmy]

@robinheil look it up on there site

[bdbdoria]

added to my favs, very nicely done! love this vid, 5stars, like it! keep up the awesome quality guys thanks, Aloha and Mahalo!

[07serda]

Great video, thanks guys! Im just getting started on converting my mt. bike to a SS so hopefully it turns out as well as your job.

[cervelo105]

THIS VIDEO INSPIRED SO MANY KIDS TO BUILD SOME HIPSTER BIKE

[SaladTheBig]

@cervelo105 It sure as hell inspired me. <:

[dimsanda]

please, can anyone tell me what did he do by attaching a chain( inside a tube) to the seat.PLEASE ANYONE ANSWER ME

[TheShinysilverrobot]

@dimsanda if i'm not wrong, it's so that when you park it outside, no one steal your seat.

[madhillick]

Freewheels are for pussies.

[kickofighto]

@madhillick Fixies are for twats

[madhillick]

@kickofighto I'd rather be a twat.

[romernich90]

@kickofighto nah,, we definatly have more balls.. try bombing downhill during city trafic with no brakes.. srry but thats that kind of extreme shit those extreme guys dont even do....

[simrossi]

@kickofighto

or people that bike in the snow

[romernich90]

@madhillick haha no coasting mutha fuckas!! 

[meenakaren]

asian ladies for dating # lushfmlk.info #

[Warhawk407]

you would have a fucken frame, douche bag

[superman53144]

sweet flannel and thick rimmed glasses btw you built your hipster bike all wrong its supposed to be fixed gear no breaks.

your a failure to society

[ran839]

@superman53144 your funny fuc

[RoninSamurai98]

does anyone know what that thing the bald guy has in his back tire? i have a ss and i want to get one but i dont know what to look up

[MrBrokespoke]

try PB blaster works better

[sharkcellar]

Who's the author of that bicycle maintenance manual he holds up @ 2:07? Is it available on Amazon?

[CHiSCOSViDEOS]

@aPeacefulCitizen

Of course it has brakes! It's a single speed, not a fixed gear.

[ruggedfiLth]

i wish i could just FIND a fuji frame in a dumpster while walking down the street

[bballcj2]

what does the chain in the inner tube do?

[Kazaryster]

@bballcj2 keeps people from stealing the seat

[bballcj2]

@Kazaryster okay that's what I thought I just wasn't sure

[TheKoukiMonster]

@bballcj2 its an anti theft system for bike seats. Sometimes you'll see guys with nice saddles such as Brooks with a bike chain attached to the seat rails to the frame. The inner tube provides a cover for the chain so it doesn't rust up and hides the chain in case someone with a chain tool and some wrenches doesn't jack your saddle!

[aPeacefulCitizen]

IT HAS BRAKES NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­OOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!

[FuZz99KentSouthh]

seems like you guys borow evryting why not borow a bike hunh :O

[magestyk7]

Great video, I wish I did that when I Lived on Manhattan.

[Caseybat94]

anyone know what fuji that is?

[rjattack19]

this is exactly what i have been wanting to do

[ToNy547100]

@ 1:06 funny shit!

[JadyLester]

Eric Wareheim lost a ton of weight! Seriously, this is SUPER helpful. A bike breakdown in four minutes!

[swisstristan2000]

hey is this gonna be fixed or freewheel

[mocheese1234]

Thanks a million! Totally did this project for less than 150$ and it's gonna be great for college

[420witchdoctor]

Hipsters ride fixed, not single speed.

[JadyLester]

@420witchdoctor Single speed is the new fixie. But you know that, right? :P

[outcold720]

@420witchdoctor nope hipsters ride freewheels messengers ride fixed

[420witchdoctor]

@outcold720 I ride a fixed gear, very skillfully. But this doesn't make me a messenger.

[LitheLisa]

Thanks for this vid it brought me luck! I found an old 70's racer bike in the trash a few days later. I added a Surley single speed cog and half inch chain, did the chop and flip and now have a sound hipster bike! yay.

very light and incredibly fast on the flat .. Yay :)

[M3chan1calAP3]

how does that anti theft hack prevent theft of your bike

[seansfilms]

@M3chan1calAP3 it is to protect people from stealing your saddle

[lkshldrck]

@M3chan1calAP3

i think it was to prevent the theft of your seat.

[finnlt]

what's the name of the tool for the chop'n'flip" ??

[akgregor]

@finnlt pipecutter (like for plumbing) any hardware store will have em

also see "chop and flop" as a more common term.

[akgregor]

@finnlt pipecutter (common plumbing tool) any hardware store will have them. The procedure is more commonly known as a "chop and flop or chopnflop" google it.

[finnlt]

@akgregor very merci

[LitheLisa]

@finnlt .. just use a hack saw to cut down the bars and file off the rough bits , thats what I did. no spesh tools required 

[zachsorensen]

Who finds a Fiji in the trash

[Joanaism]

you didnt put the breaks.. . thats cheating another video please

[fastrnb]

Funny world, I have the same frame, and I also made it into a single speed. Can't stand the chop n' flop, though.

[BILLTHEPOET]

Community Workshops? anyone know of any in brooklyn? Mangattan? please let me know

[Harpo6]

exact same voice as mark hoppus!

[funny620]

the host is like the gay version of sam from wkuk! lol

[ratrodschwinnmesa]

Yeah!!!! Fuji ftw!

[dannyclub09]

like i'm gonna find a part of a bike in the trash.

[2sfskaterboys]

anybody know were the recycling dump is so i can get a bike frame and old bike stuff in sf

[mewmaster151]

@2sfskaterboys where i live its not uncommon to find stolen bikes thathave been ditched, and since i never had money for a new bike as a kid i learned to scrounge

[CrankDhatAlex]

lol @ 1:04

[CrankDhatAlex]

lol @ 1:05

[Caseybat94]

i love fixies but its so funny how they call it hipster bikes because it truly is.

[TheRealBrianLee]

i dont get the bike chain hack?

[ab30494]

@TheRealBrianLee i think thats so no1 steals the seat.

[TheRealBrianLee]

@ab30494 Oh Yep I get it now. I have a stock class saddle so i dont think i need to do that but people with brook saddle probably do.

[spartan7777777]

@TheRealBrianLee they put a chain in the inner tube and pas the entire thing trough the frame and seat so that (happens alot) thiefs and fuckers dont steal you seat while its chained to a pole ^^

[mewmaster151]

@spartan7777777 i had a really nice seat witha gel insert and it got stolen, now i always use this lil trick cuz noone likes an assfull of banana seat

[fischbutter]

voll schwul da nimt mann die flex da gibs wenigen funken und scharfe kanten

[chrispsl]

Cool vid man.

[ndpappas]

Nice..what type of brake levers did you guys use on your bikes? Thanks for the video

[swishagrapE]

no!! its a flip and chop, not chop and flip.

[radiotevee]

sooo is it cheaper to make one or to buy a complete fixie?

[seanmurray90]

half the fun is buildin ure own man!,. and i think its cheaper too buyin an older bike and just cleanin it up. its fun to chop the bike up and do ure own mods to it and make it ure own consept bike. thats what i did

[swishagrapE]

@radiotevee definitely cheaper, IF you have the tools and lubricant for it, yea i know. since when do we start working for ourselves

[pancho0022]

I like single speed or fixed gear bikes but fuck hipsters but I also love MTB they r awesome!!

[carsonpace]

This is why i will never live in New York.

[hookahlords]

I have been doing this this is alot of work

[theandrewlodwig]

haha all in one day! NICE!!

[jonboyq23]

so cheesey!...

[GrandmasMan]

I got an ancient road bike from my friend for free and it had cottered cranks. Whoever invented cottered cranks, I HATE YOU. It was such a pain removing those damn cotters.

[johnball235]

yeh man, i got a sun solo just before christmas and i stripped it, cleared the rust and cut the bars and all that jazz and i got all that done in a few hours and now atm its in my room hangin up with the cottered cranks mocking me..dead end..haha

[floorwalker6]

Hahaha flip and cut! its called flop and chop :

[GrandmasMan]

details, details... who cares?

[Jojojojof]

umm u didn't teach brakes, how to put the chain on, how to instal handlebars, how to out wheels on and how to put cranks on

o wuteva those are all pretty easy just pointin it out

[sbc2k1]

haha. go home

[mtb416]

I'm talking about cigarettes.

And of course you "can" ride a bike if you smoke. I just find it a little retarded.

[mtb416]

FYI: Smoking and Biking do not mix. Let me grab my rally cap and cigs then head to the coffee shop for my pseudo-intellectual conversational garbage.

Hipster's are too afraid of the outdoors to go mountain biking and smoke too many cigarettes to push a real gear for any amount of time on a road bike. Hipsters are the only type of riders I dislike.

[sbc2k1]

Fixed gears are for messengers. I ride mine for work. Mountain Bikes = Fun.... Fixed=work..

considering the fact that most messengers double as drug dealers - smoking fits....

There are two completely opposite motives for fixed or MTB....

if you were stuck in a cement jungle i dont think you would choose MTB

[mtb416]

I have/am stuck in an urban jungle. You think I grew up in the Rockies or something?

Interesting info about the drug dealers, and I'm sure a lot of them are. Not like they have real jobs. But the majority are certainly not. I was just expressing my views on hipsters. When looking 'cool' becomes the primary motive of a rider it just bothers me. This is one reason why I quit riding with roadies, its only about the components and bragging rights to them. I view most hipsters similarly.

[sbc2k1]

word

[EmoblogerKid]

this video inspired me to make my own! thanks!

[xiz90]

Inspiration ^^

[mronan35]

for all of you that don't understand the chain attached to the seat is to stop the seat from being stolen. In any large city that uses bikes as a major form of transportation, if its not locked, its not gonna be there when you get back.

[trueeasyrider]

You guys are awesome. this is such a great video. Single speed is really cool. and light too. Really nice video. thanks for posting.

[monoman009]

single speed is freakin awesome

[SunDevilSun453]

whats the Chain theft thing for? is it just to have an extra chain on your bike if the one you have break?

[luv2scoot]

anti theft its a bike lock

[sonobenissimo]

well single speeds are gay there is no point to them unless youre getting it for the low price, and also get some tire levers dont or atleast find something else to use to put your tires on

[luv2scoot]

argh downhill riders all use single speed for dirt jumps and shit they are not gay. you just cant ride

[trueeasyrider]

I think you're the one who is gay. watch bike race in the velodrome before ? they are all single speed.

[ftspaulmitchel]

i think the argument of his comment of ss being gay, hes a hipster fixie. velodomes use fixgears.

[enyceckk101]

more track racing bike are single speed

they are pretty pretty ( 8k )

[outcold720]

@sonobenissimo you dont need levers to put tires on only to take them off duh single speeds arnt gay freewheels are, fixies are FAST

[ZuluPanda]

SINGLE SPEED = WIN ?

[Hidemons]

Oh look, I found this entire single speed bike in the trash. Lets use the parts from that to make your bike.

[itsumonihon]

@Hidemons it happens, i've seen tons of abandoned bikes totally trashed here in tokyo that are free for anyone to pick up as long as you don't mind a bit of jay-walking like law breaking. they'd make great projects

[420witchdoctor]

@Hidemons Wow everyone is so fuckin literal these days. They are just making a how-to video! Shit man!

[samspianos]

@420witchdoctor I think you mean literate.

[montoxic13]

@Hidemons  lol !

[DudeFlu57]

wish i can pull a fixie frames out of nowhere like that

[jakesmix]

Haha, right?

Just doesn't seem to be that easy.

[travisg130]

great vid. as for UZEIL07, single speeds are just efficient and trouble free. For the ultumate in urban funcunality, build a fixed gear.

[UZIEL07]

is single gear better then the normal changing gear.? anybody who knows about bikes please reply .lol. thank you

[colin340]

yes!!! they great!! and cheap

[iamkaven]

i like changing gears cause then you can put it in a low gear to go up hill but put it in a high gear for speed but single gears are good too:P

[ravenmartinesquire]

Hmmm they both have pros and cons... Being able to change gears is convenient, but some argue that have a fixed gear or single speed makes the ride more enjoyable since you're not concentrating on gears and shifting.

[3yE]

Nah, changing gears becomes a second nature after a while, you don't even think when you change them. However, my (possibly flawed) experience is that a hub gearbox will change gears more carelessly than an external one.

How is that a video criticism? You can use the same techniques and tools to build either a bike with a gearbox of your choice or without. If you choose an external one, you have to be familiar with them from the prior maintainance experience, for hub it's no hassle.

[3yE]

There are some single-gear fanatics out there, but i'd only use it if the city is flat, you are not going to run long distances and don't care much about speed.

Perhaps those people have had some bad experiences with standard external 21-gear Shimano systems.

A 3-gear bike works quite well even in a hilly/alpine city. For traversing forests or going for speed on long distances, 7 gears should be a good choice. In fact i'd choose Sachs S7 box for nearly everything but extreme mountainbiking.

[UZIEL07]

thanks bro.

[dsm664]

HIPSTERS EVERYWHERE.

[enemyindisguise]

right

[boomkingg]

ive done this it works fantastic you can go so fast

[sagresbier]

chillt das video