Hi Jim,

Here is my new fixed-gear. A friend of mine had this frame for a while and used it as his commuter. He'd actually asked Bernie Mikkelsen to put some braze-ons so he can use it as a geared bike. He is switching to a Soma Double Cross and was making the frameset available. I like my chrome fixie but it has some quirks that are a little annoying (such as the italian bottom bracket; the crankset I like and use requires longer spindle than what shimano has available nowadays), and I always wanted a frameset built to be one-speed. So I sold my chrome fixie and bought the frame from my friend.

Here is the build list:
- on-one il-pompino frameset; on-one designed tubing, wish-bone seat-stays, 135mm drop-out, semi-compact geometry; 54cm seat-tube (though it fits like a 56 or 57cm); high bottom bracket shell.
- Aheadset 1 1/8"
- Bontrager 17 degree threadless stem; 130mm reach
- Soma Sparrow handlebar, the longer version
- Velo Cork handlebar grip
- Shimano UN-54 bottom bracket 68-107mm (although 110 might work slightly better in terms of chainline)
- Shimano deore right crank arm, sugino left crank arm; 170mm, 110bcd. 40T/34T chainrings
- SR platform pedals
- Surly Dingle 2-gear cog 17T/20T
- 22T freewheel on the flop
- KMC 9-speed chain with powerlink
- Surly Fixed/Free flip-flop hub. 135mm, 32h; Alex Adventurer rim, black with silver braking surface. This is the second wheel I built. The first one is on my girlfriend's fixed gear
- Phil Wood front hub laced to Mavic MA40 rim, 36h
- Rivendell Ruffy Tuffy front tire, Continental Ultra Gatorskin rear tire 700x28mm
- Generic seatpost from velosport in berkeley; 27.2mm
- old specialized touring saddle
- Velo orange aluminum fenders; 45mm width
- Shimano LX front cantilever brakes
- Tektro Oryx rear cantilever brakes
- Performance forte mountain brake levers
- Nitto Mark's Rack
- Wald large basket
- Pink flower bell (my girlfriend has the same one on her fixed gear)

I have not had a bike with a somewhat compact geometry for a while (ever since my first road bike, which is a Marin Mill Valley ALP) and I am still getting used to the high bottom bracket. It's great for cornering on a fixed gear, but a little scary on fast descend (in combination of spinning like mad, of course). This is also a welded frame and not lugged. It still looks nice though. I ride all over with this bike, including training in the hills. It's lighter than my old fixed gear, but not that light. It's a better climber, though it is more sluggish on flat and descend. I feel like it soaks up bumps better, too.

thanks for the nice website,

Franklyn

Berkeley, CA

sinican@sbcglobal.net