Bike Check: Nobu’s Fixed Doppo Racer
There is something special about “creating” a fixed gear frame out of anything that wasn’t deign to be one in the first place. In this particular case, we’re looking at a Doppo Racer by Simworks that has been converted to a pure Tracklocross machine with all the cool bits that goes with it. Everything, being on point but also easily reversible to a standard gravel bike, is an extra challenge that Nobu decided to take on for this very original build.
So how do you do a “proper” conversion on that sort of frame? Well, it’s a case by case scenario, but here, Nobu decided to CNC machine some new ends mimicking track dropouts. With that, the chain tension problem was solved but the rear axle is still 142 mm wide and for that you really only have one path… the Paul FIXED DISK WORD hub. Which I would recommend for having a front AND rear disc brake setup on your tracklocross bike (if you’re into that). I find the single front disc so unbalanced, and having both just makes a huge aesthetic difference in my opinion. Even if here, Nobu is rocking his Doppo brakeless, you get the point… It’s all about balance…
And for the drive-train, a Normal fixed-gear cog and a gravel crank made the job just fine, with no problems whatsoever for the chain alignment.
When you work at Simworks you usually get the sweet bits that everyone would like to have, like for example, that custom painted Nitto x Simworks Stem matching perfectly the frame. Same for the Enve fork, being one of the many colored accent making this bike so nice to look at. Complimenting that bright red are a bunch of turquoise/teal details like the grips, a Chrisking headset, Profile chain-tensioners, and mainly these beautiful SimWorks Homage tires.
Talking about tires, they are warping, some wheels are nothing more than pure genius to me. The “Homage” is already really hard to fit properly into any build, but taking the gamble of a set of white rims with black hubs and black spokes, was just an absolute baller move. It works way too good together, and I feel that’s something only Japanese are able to achieve.
Converting a frame to a tracklocross monster like this in such a clean way, might be one of the coolest thing that I saw during the summer 2022 Bike-Lore in Hokuto. If this is possible, I’d love to see other people doing it on even more crazy frames, so get your measuring tools it’s time to make some parts.
Detailed Parts List
Frameset
Simworks Doppo with custom track dropouts
Chainring and Cog Surly 40T, Euro Asia superstar 17
Crank Raceface Decadence
Seatpost and Saddle
Thomson Elite, Wtb SL
Stem and Handlebar
Custom Painted Nitto, Simworks Mowmow Bar
Wheels Velocity Blunt SS laced to PAUL hubs
Tires Simworks Homage 43c
A proper summer ride, needs a waterfall break.
🎞: FilmNeverDie Kiro 400
📷: Nikon F100
📍: Hokuto
