The Fix

After a long week at camp with 130 fifth graders I was able to log enough garage time to finish my fixie.

Back in 1988 I got my first real job, as an engineer with Boeing, and spent one of my early paychecks on a 1987 Schwinn Prologue frame. I loaded it up with a Shimano 600 groupo bought from a deep sea diver living in Seattle's University District: he was in interesting guy, I wonder if he's still around. Well anyway that bike, complete with its downbar shifters and Biopace chainring lasted me nearly twenty years.

The Prologue is a high quality lugged frame made of Tange Prestige and just letting it sit around seemed a shame so I decided to give it a fixie makeover. I ground off all the braze-ons and had the frame stripped and powdercoated fire engine red. I cut out the old rear hub and re-laced it with a fixed hub. A little fingernail polish remover cleaned up the Cinelli bars and wa la I had a fixed gear bike.

I live atop a big hill and good thing I opted for the brake; if I hadn't I'd be writing this from a hospital bed.

This should make for some interesting riding, more to follow.

Fresh from the powdercoater

The finishing touches