I'm the opposite. I don't see the value in gears. I prefer to go out of the saddle on a hill and get it over with... But I've been known to go out of the saddle for a few miles before. I don't look like a bike rider but I have been most of my adult life, not even owning a car (until last few years). And it's been almost exclusively on fixed gears.
The problem with being a big guy (200lb+) is that regular bottom brackets don't work for you. Every nerd at a bicycle shop will tell you the base model Shimano UN-53 is fine with some aftermarket cheap cranks for fixed gear. They're WRONG. I can get a UN-53 to start binding on the first ride.
Other big problem? No one sells the really high end track parts on a bike to start with. Frankly the frame isn't going to matter a lot for you or anything except when it comes to comfort and riding style. It's the bottom bracket, pedals, and rear wheel that you need to have be good. That and correct chain.
What do I use?
Crankset: Sugino 75
Bottombracket: Sugino Superlap (It did come loose once, that sucked, maybe have incurred a pit or two)
Chain: Izumi Eco
Hub: DuraAce 36 spoke high flange, track
Cog: Phil Wood
Spokes: Double butted DT in 2x pattern
Rim: Deep V, beat up nicely
My frame is the Italian made EAI BareKnuckle (there's a Japan version too). I only ride straight forks on fixies - and never Surly crap. They absorb more of the road.
How to choose what you need:Bottom Bracket Style: First you can copy me and go with a Sugino 75, doesn't have to be a superlap. But if you go this route you must chase and face the frame (this has to be done at a good bike shop). If you don't it'll come loose too often. The alternative for a big guy is to go with an external bearing bottom bracket style. While the Sugino if cleaned and lubed probably once a year is fine, will last potentially forever. But the EBBs fail MUCH sooner. They're cheap however. So why use one at all? They're cheap and WHEN they fail you can still ride without binding. When they've gone bad you can ride around on it for another year before it gets wobbly. It just feels like extra shitty resistance the whole time, with maybe a tiny wiggle.
Do Not Be Fooled By Phil Wood High Prices And Promises, They're Shit. I had one go bad nearly as fast as a UN-53. I spent a bunch of money on it, more than a Sugino. What a waste. They wouldn't even warranty it, and pretended like it was lost in the mail. Don't like the company except their COGs are nice.
Crankset: Obviously the Sugino 75 is a top pick. But there's a few others out there that fit on Sugino's and Hatta's bottom brackets. I'm bringing up the Hatta now because it isn't compatible with all cranksets so you have to do homework for that. It's as good as Sugino probably. The EBB style is a little complicated because they're a bit harder to find, and you can always buy a mountain bike one that is SS but you'll need to replace the chain ring if you go fixed (instead of Single Speed, SS) because they don't seem to ship perfectly round chain rings with those. They work but you'll have varying tension. I use one on a winter bike that's a fixie converted from a downhill bike (no rear suspicion).
Chain: Izumi Eco is the only chain to use on a fixie/SS.... Why? Because it has bushing for one. They aren't suppose to be valuable, but they are. The Izumi responds to stress much better. You can't stretch it out in an intense ride like you can with a fixie and regular chains. They stay good for a year, or at the very least 6 months, where as it's more like monthly for the standard Shram or KMC (garbage). Plus they're cheap, like $18-22.
Rear Wheel Secrets: Ok, this is very important if you don't like replacing spokes a lot... Ignore every monkey head boner that weighs 115lb soaking wet that works at every bike shop USA. Under no circumstances, and I mean
ever, go with a high flange hub, deep rim, 36 spoke, and 3x cross. You'll break spokes way too often. The problem here is the angle is much too steep where the spoke leaves the rim to go to the hub. If you had a regular rim, or maybe low flange hub, you'd might be ok; with both low flange hub and not-deep rim you'd be fine 36 spoke and 3x cross. So what do you do instead? If you want deep rim and high flange hub (style) go 32 spoke with 3x cross, or 36 spoke with 2x cross. They'll tell you a bunch of stupid lies about how 3x and 36 spoke is stronger but it's BS. If you pay someone to make you a wheel (probably the best choice) tell them what you want and ignore their advice otherwise. Also tell them you'll pay extra if they'll put grease on the lip of the spoke nipple that rests on the rim, each time they put one in. Long term this helps a lot and the grease seems to say put well enough. Oil only lasts about as long as truing the wheel. I've built many wheels, some that have never even needed tru'd after years and years.
Rear Hub: I don't really care. You get what you pay for in a sense. Every sealed hub uses basically the same bearings. Cup and cone need re-lubed once in awhile but run very smooth. I've never had a problem with bad weather and cup and cone. The cheap hubs don't seem to fail anymore than expensive too-lightweight ones do; probably less.
Frame/Bike: Don't buy anything like one of these. Notice how it barely costs more than my rear wheel... I can shred a bike like that to pieces. Those are for little weak monkeys who like to waste money, not gorillas. I do not recommend Surly, they're poor material that can bend too easily. Plus the forks are worse than a jackhammer, literally, I know because I unfortunately own one as there is no other fork that will fit one of my bikes. Do not consider any frame that won't allow you to use 700x25 tires, at your size 700x23 will just be a good way to have constantly flat tires. Also put Mr. Tuffy tire liner in, ALWAYS use it. Right now Ben's Cycle has some awesome sales on
EAI Bare Knuckle frames. PLEASE check with us about frame size, we need to know your inseam, height, and any unusual arm length information.
IF you're only interested in SS, or willing to swap crankset and BB for fixie, then this as
an entire bike is a pretty sweet ride for a low budget.
Pedals: I'm a little out of date on them. But in general the metal cages are trash. Either go with double strap Japanese/Italian laminated leather or some
new fangled velcro style that doesn't need the clip/cage. The old leather ones, no matter how much you spend, risk wearing through the metal clips that hold them, I have Toshi's where one of the metal pieces is worn to a knife edge. I haven't ever been able to spend enough money to stop a peddle from losing it's end cap or some other annoyance... But super cheap ones do fail fast. I think mine are MKS Custom's, slightly wider, really expensive, haven't failed but lost dust caps... The
MKS Urban looks ideal so long as it doesn't fail quickly. The extra tab for flipping the peddle over your toes is a bad-ass design; I'd like to try it to know for sure.
Gorilla Saddle: I can't recommend
this saddle enough because the rails don't break (had that happen numerous times), it's not padded much so it won't hurt you really bad, and the shape is just wide enough for sit bones and not in the way. BTW that's about half price right now, at that website.
