taking the single-speed / fixed wheel plunge!

IDR

I am about to enter the world of single speed, but I have a few questions so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Firstly, am I just being a bit pathetic worrying about riding fixed wheel, as a newbie should I go for a flip-flop hub? or should I just get some balls and do it?

Secondly, and more importantly, having done a bit of research I have been surprised at the range of bikes on offer and how cheap they are. There are several which are appealing to me, not least because of their beautiful simplicity, so any thoughts (though have already seen some rather disparaging comments about the 'Langster') on the following bikes;

Lemond Fillmore
Genesis Flyer
Specialized Langster
Fuji Track
Bianchi Pista

Also my LBS (Compton Cycles) has made up some of their own which look pretty damn nice

N.B. I realise some of these will need a brake putting on if I am going to use it on the road.

Thirdly, I know each bike is different, and I haven't really read that much about ratios, but what is the equivalent gear on a racing bike

Thanks for your help, and sorry if some of my questions are a bit lame, but if you don't ask you don't find out right?

Cheers
Iain

peejay78

"am I just being a bit pathetic worrying about riding fixed wheel, as a newbie should I go for a flip-flop hub? or should I just get some balls and do it?"

riding fixed is like riding freewheel, except you have to keep pedalling, take the plunge, it's really not a steep learning curve.

"have already seen some rather disparaging comments about the 'Langster'"

most of these disparaging comments were by me. and a few others. ignore them, the langster is a good starter bike if it's within budget. personally i think it's totally revolting and any of the other bikes on your list make more sense. the fillmore is very good value. the fuji si a good bike but you will probably have to replace the rear wheel after a little while.

"my LBS (Compton Cycles) has made up some of their own which look pretty damn nice""

this sounds like a great option.

"N.B. I realise some of these will need a brake putting on if I am going to use it on the road"

Yes, unless you want to die, or spend ages defending your right to ride brakeless, then ride really slowly everywhere just in case a cab/car/lorry/bus/ped does somethign unexpected.

"but what is the equivalent gear on a racing bike"

tricky one to answer, because fixed gear ratios vary enormously. where are you? are there hills? common geear for london is 48:16/48:18

good luck!

ps, if you really want to see rude comments about the langster look here: http://www.londonfgss.com/discussion/14 ... -langster/

IDR

Thanks for the advice!

laughed myself silly at the langster comments too! Am going to have a bit more of a look at the ones made by my LBS this week, and having a go on a friends fixie tomorrow!

Cheers

BentMikey

Do it mate, go straight for fixed with clipless. Just start slow and take it easy whilst you acclimbatise. Where fixed catches most people is when something unexpected happens, like a ped running out.

I have an 06 langster, but the wheels aren't a lot better than the fuji. It's a good bike, I love the uncompromisingly fast handling, and am glad I don't have the 07, especially with the poo colour.

peejay78

mikey's on the money there - start slow and you'll be fine. after a week it will seem entirely natural.

donnie murdo

I would also checkout an On-One Pompino and the Charge Plug

http://www.on-one.co.uk/

http://www.chargebikes.com/

I actually have a sh!t coloured 07 Langster and it's been great for my daily commute. I got it from Dales cycles in Glasgow for £320 (bargain) I am still getting used to riding it fixed but it's good fun. the wheels and hubs are complete turd but I am in the process of changing them. If you can get a cheap 07 one i'd go for it. It is totally fine for your needs and I doubt that like me it's your only bike. It does get a lot of derision from the poncy London messenger set who seem to think that they are the first people in the world to ride a fixed track bike on the road (my dad was doing it in the 50's) and refer to the people that ride them as "Fakengers" LOL! but they do love to wear offroad Sidi Dragons for riding around WC2:) Do what you feel like and just get out and ride.

villa-ru

Also consider the Pearson Touche. I tried the langster & flyer, but the Pearson was streets ahead. Beautiful bike & flip-flop if you want to start SS

marmitecp

BentMikey wrote:

especially with the poo colour.

Its rust actually, and there's a very nice one for sale with yellow tyres on eBay just now......

IDR

So I tried my mates fixed wheel yesterday (one he built himself), and despite the fact he is at least 5" taller than me and had a saddle seemingly made out of wood, making the whole thing a little uncomfortable, I found the ride really nice! I can't believe how connected you feel to the bike and how much control you have. I just know I am going to enjoy it! It just feels right!

Went into my LBS today to look a bit more at the ones they have built up, which are all fixed wheel, though the guy did say the wheel had enough thread to put on a freewheel if needed. The frames are all aluminium and come with both brakes, and look pretty nice.

Will get a few more details later in the week when I am going to test ride one of them, the Fuji Track, and a Charge Plug which they just got in the other day.

Thanks for all the advice, will keep you updated!

PaulRide

Hi IDR

I commute on fixed from Forest Hill into town and it's a joy. I saw Chris Compton's fixed bikes recently and recognised them as coming from Alf Webb - weird paint finish, some nice ambrosio components, but do have a look at the difference in price between Alf's site and Chris's shop. You may be happier supporting your LBS (I do so as much as a reasonably can, and Chris's shop is a very good one) but there's a big difference as far as I recall. I think they're all one frame size as well.

Good luck

WyS

do it mate.. i took to it right away. my mates think im mad, but they can stfu.

I got a decent racer off ebay and got it converted for about £90.

IDR

Choices, choices!!!!

PaulRide - is Alf Webbs website www.webbline.co.uk ?

WyS - I see you are in East London, you don't happen to climb at Mile End do you? The place was full of single speeds tonight

WyS

nah i do kings x to whitechapel for my commute. id say do it as cheap as possible mate. then you worry less about it getting nicked or crashing it.

IDR

Okay, today is the day!

Heading to my LBS (decided to support them after all) to try out the Charge Plug, Fuji Track and their own fixed bike this afternoon. I think I am leaning towards their fixed one, though am still not sure.

On the subject of frames, it seems many people are advocates of steel over aluminium for a fixed bike (the LBS one is aluminium), but how much of a difference does it really make? Any opinions would be welcomed.

Cheers
Iain

lwilks

I've just stared commuting 10 miles each way on a Specialized TriCross single speed (freewheel though) and I'm loving every minute of it.

graeme_s-2

I collect my fixed from my LBS (built by them around an aluminium Qubic frame) on either Friday or Monday depending on when my pedals come into stock. It's a cycle to work bike and I have my voucher now.

I'm excited and terrified in equal measure. Never ridden a fixed before, but couldn't face going back to my hybrid for winter commuting after riding my road bike all summer and a fixed seemed the obvious way to go.

WyS

Is it fixed as in you have to keep pedalling or single speed so you can coast?

If its proper fixed remember to keep pedaling or your bike will certainly remind you!

IDR

I did it! bought their custom one!

Had a go on the Charge plug, which was set up as freewheel, and spent the whole time on it wondering what fixed wheel would feel like.

Hopped on the fixed wheel custom build and it just felt really good, nice size, so smooth, just right! And damn is it quiet!

Went out for a quick ride this evening before it got dark, and really enjoyed that too, though you really do have to be so much more aware of what is coming up don't you?

Thanks for all the advice, am sure I may be bending your ears again soon!

Cheers
Iain

P.S. Anyone remember that yellow pages advert where the kid gets a bike for Christmas, and his Dad peeks out of the window as he sets off on it on Christmas morning and says "I were right about that saddle?"

rustychisel

C'mon... photos!!!!!!!

Congrats, BTW

graeme_s-2

Congrats on your purchase IDR. I pick mine up this afternoon, although my pedals still aren't in stock. Luckily I have some old pedals kicking around that I can use in the mean time until my new ones turn up. Task 1 is to manage to cycle back from the LBS without killing myself! Task 2 will be cycling into work on Monday (again, preferably without incident or injury).

WyS, not sure who your question was directed at, but mine has a flip-flop hub, but I intend to use it primarily as a fixed.

misterben

IDR wrote:

P.S. Anyone remember that yellow pages advert where the kid gets a bike for Christmas, and his Dad peeks out of the window as he sets off on it on Christmas morning and says "I were right about that saddle?"

Heh - I remember it.

hamboman

http://www.fixedgearlondon.com/page4.htm

these are really decent guys

IDR

Graeme_S

I tried to get on one of those cycle to scheme deals, but I work for a school and the local education authority just weren't keen on the idea (something to do with pensions and NI contributions I think). So much for promoting cycling! I think Ken Livingstone needs to have a word!

So enjoying my bike right now, am going to get some pics posted pretty soon, but need to get myself a decent lock first!

graeme_s-2

I left my cycle to work voucher at work on Friday :x, luckily my girlfriend ran me back out to fetch it in the evening, so I went and collected the bike this morning.

It's a lovely bike, but I found the ride back from the LBS a little on the strange side. It was great when I had a bit of room to manoeuvre, but I found coming to a halt very odd indeed. I'm sure I'll get used to it once I've got a few miles under my belt though!

graeme_s-2

I've just ridden out to where I work and back this afternoon. Wanted to get some miles under my belt and experience my route without too much traffic before Monday. I found it very hard work, not so much physically, but mentally. It's a bit like trying to pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time.

I had to concentrate to keep pedalling, meaning it was the times when my attention was elsewhere that I was most likely to try and stop pedalling, which is usually the time you least want to be jolted out of your seat and distracted from the complicated junction you're trying to navigate.

I feel especially strange now I'm home and sat down, as my legs aren't moving my back and neck seem to keep expecting me to be jolted out of my seat any second

Lif30057840

cg on ur fixie m8.
i bought 1 a while back on ebay, (have used clipless for years on road and mtb ) the plan on fixed was - start on platform pedals, go to toeclips, then to clipless.
After years on clipless i couldnt ride platforms lol i couldnt hold the right position - my heels kept hitting chainstays or feet were too far out. i had 1 ride then went straight to clipless.
Love it
My rear hub has just died on me so am going to have w8 a week to get a new wheel built

graeme_s-2

Arrived in one piece in work this morning on it. I feel like I'm starting to get the hang of it now, which is reassuring.

Any tips on stopping at junctions? I keep stopping with my right foot (which I keep clipped in, and push down on to set off) right at the bottom (the 6 o'clock position), which leaves me having to attempt to claw it up and backwards to get moving, or I have to raise the rear wheel and bring my foot round to a sensible position, which isn't always convenient if the lights change just as I stop for instance. This morning I attempted to stop with my foot in an appropriate position, but it sometimes wasn't possible, or to achieve it I had to either leave a huge gap, or end up with my front wheel pressed up against the bumper of the car in front of me!

When do you collect yours IDR?

BentMikey

If you're willing to adapt you can learn to start off with the left pedal, which gives you twice as many positions to stop in without having to spin the rear wheel around.

el_presidente

Graeme_S wrote:

Arrived in one piece in work this morning on it. I feel like I'm starting to get the hang of it now, which is reassuring.

Any tips on stopping at junctions? I keep stopping with my right foot (which I keep clipped in, and push down on to set off) right at the bottom (the 6 o'clock position), which leaves me having to attempt to claw it up and backwards to get moving, or I have to raise the rear wheel and bring my foot round to a sensible position, which isn't always convenient if the lights change just as I stop for instance. This morning I attempted to stop with my foot in an appropriate position, but it sometimes wasn't possible, or to achieve it I had to either leave a huge gap, or end up with my front wheel pressed up against the bumper of the car in front of me!

When do you collect yours IDR?

learn to trackstand

IDR

Picked up my bike on Thursday so have been out on it over the weekend. Currently riding it with standard pedals but am going to get some clipless this week.

Really enjoying the riding, finding myself having to look that much further and think that much further ahead, which is no bad thing.

Doing my first commute on it tomorrow though so will let you know how I get on.

Took a few pics of the bike, but am being inept and haven't worked out how to post them on here yet. Can anyone help?

Cheers

BentMikey

el_presidente wrote:

learn to trackstand

Good idea, but it doesn't fix his problem.