VMS Prix Fixe

My second chopper. Built from a venerable example of 1970's bike-boom mediocrity, the Raleigh Grand Prix. With the help of a 20" front wheel and fork from a $5 yard-sale bike and a thick steel pipe suitable for accepting a steer tube inside it, I chopped it.

Chopping alone was not enough to bring out this bike's inner light. So I took apart the cassette (a Suntour 5-spd) and welded it together to make it a fixed-gear, and welded a single cog in place. I haven't seen another fixed-gear chopper but I can't imagine this is the first. It rides quite nicely.

Thruster27"x1.125"
Navigational Thruster20"x1.25"
Navigational Linkagefork-pipe-fork
Hull Self-destruct Lever Arm47" hull-to-hub
Wheelbase63"
DriveFixed gear, 50x21
RetroRear center-pull caliper
in addition to fixed gear
 
Christened31 May 2003


DSCN1112.JPG
flash view
no-flash view 		DSCN1122.JPG
DIY fixed gear. probably not a great idea as there's no lockring.
DSCN1125.JPG
another sprocket view 		DSCN1126.JPG
top of the fork 		DSCN1127.JPG
bad front view
DSCN1128.JPG
top front of the fork. notice butt-weld where pipe meets crown, two reinforcing bars on the front, and one across the rear. 		DSCN1129.JPG
axle welded in place through pipe, to which the top fork is bolted for a little extra strength. 		DSCN1131.JPG
top rear of fork, with butt-weld and reinforcing bar.
DSCN1132.JPG
bottom of the fork, with 20" kids' bike fork cuff-welded inside the pipe. 		DSCN1133.JPG
blurry closeup of the cuff weld. 		DSCN1135.JPG
less blurry, less closeup of cuff weld.