Any body ride fixed ?

kitch@mmm

Any tips on riding fixed/singlespeed?

Got fit enought to cope with the small hills on my commute and want to simplify my commute bike for next winter.

Bike is a late 80's race frame with horizontal drop outs. So should work.

Would you do it????

el_presidente

About to take the plunge as soon as I can free my frame of a stubborn bottom bracket

have a flip-flop rear wheel with a freewheel in case I can't hack it though

BentMikey

Sometimes, I love it as much as the 'bent.

andyp

kitch@mmm wrote:

Bike is a late 80's race frame with horizontal drop outs. So should work.

Would you do it????

I already do it - I ride a steel De Rosa with forward facing horizontal dropouts that I've converted to fixed.

It's great for commuting as you have a bit more control in traffic and it's virtually maintenance free. I've a couple of hills on my route that can be a bit of a challenge but I'd wholeheartedly recommend it.

Wooliferkins

Commuted on my Pompino all last summer. Haven't used it during the winter as the commuter hack gets used on the winter turbo evenings we host at work once a week. Previously commuted fixed and as above the control in slow traffic is great. You can adjust your gearing as you get stronger/ learn to spin faster. There does come a point when what you can grind out up a hill slows you on the flat. Geography depending of course.

MrHulot

As per Wooliferkins - commute on my Pomp during the Summer - can't bring myself to put guards on it. Moved to 48x17 (~75") which is currently the limit for the hill/inclines I have enroute. I don't think it's worth me going up to a more macho 48x16 (~79) as it will dilute out the spinning and hence training aspect of fixed. As Wooliferkins says it's a trade off.

jbindman

yep. its fine. 46/17 does highgate hill (1:10) and 40kph on the flat, a good compromise, though I may try 46:16 this summer.

but don't believe the bit about maintenance free- ive done 18500k on a condor pista and have worn out loads of parts, mostly chains & sprockets but also more expensive bits inc BB, chainrings,saddle. and accidnets have done in a couple of wheels, brake levers, bars. ive spent 400+ i reckon. not worse than a geared bike of course, but not that much better.

graham_g

I thought i might end up giving up here in Bristol, but no way! Still enjoying the challenge and also not worrying about maintaining gears (it's enough of a chore with the weekend bike!). Gearing here is 66" which still leaves a couple of hills in Bristol out of bounds (like 20% jobs!) but is totally manageable even on steep decents - although i did get a year or mores practise in slightly flatter Birmingham to be that confident.

jam1ec

i ride all year round on my fixed langster. I have a gear which allows me to keep an average cadence of between 80 and 90 rpm which i finds suits nicely.

this is a useful link:
http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/

Single gear is slightly tougher than using a geared bike but it'll improve your pedalling technique and the simplicity keeps running costs low.

kitch@mmm

Would you go fixed or single speed at first. Only ever rode fixed at Manch Velodrome on taster session and i assume takes some getting used to.

Route is in Aire Valley between Bingley and Skipton (Yorkshire), so hills not too big (unless you turn left or right!!)

Reason i ask know is wheel on current bike is worn out and needs replacing.

Bassjunkieuk

Reading through this thread has made me want to give it a try now! Haven't got rid of my old bike yet (a rather aged Raleigh!) - think I'm gonna have to go check what drop outs I have at the rear and start making a price list to approach the accountant, sorry I mean wife, with!!

I had a sweet spot gear on that I could easily pull off in and do between 15-20 quite comfortably so I'll start there for my gearing!

graeme_s-2

I'd just take the plunge and go fixed straight away. My bike has a flip-flop, but I went fixed without bothering with single speed and haven't regretted it, or felt any desire to flip the hub over to single.

I picked my bike up from the LBS on a Saturday morning, did a dry run of my commute on it on the Sunday morning when there was no traffic, which I found mildly terrifying to begin with, and found I'd pretty much got the hang of it by Monday. Had a couple of dodgy moments in the first couple of days where I tried to stop pedaling, but have been fine ever since.

kitch@mmm

Thanks for the advice Greame. I think thats the way to go. Did you convert and existing bike and if so what was approx cost - wheel, chain etc. ?

Thanks also to JAM1EC to excellent sheldon link. Helps greatly with gear choice...

georgee

I have been riding my singlespeed to commute all winter, ignore the comment about maintenance free, yes you’ll have to replace worn out bits, but when it comes to adjusting gears and cleaning chains etc it is such an easier life!

I ride 42:16 which is a touch to low for my 14 mile SW London commute. I flan to get a flip flop wheel in time, but to save effort buy a converter from on one which fits a conventional Shimano hub, only about £12 including postage and I just added to my cheapy shimano wheels I had spare.

Ideally I need a new set of cranks so I can change the chainring to a 44.

See here for some inspiration…

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/

graeme_s-2

kitch@mmm wrote:

Thanks for the advice Greame. I think thats the way to go. Did you convert and existing bike and if so what was approx cost - wheel, chain etc. ?

Can't help you there. Mine was bought on the cycle to work scheme, it's my LBS's own fixie.

Bassjunkieuk

georgee wrote:

See here for some inspiration…

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/

Just had a quick look on there, some stunning looking bikes! They just look so pure stripped of all the modern fixtures such as brakes and gears!

andyp

Converting a bike to fixed or singlespeed can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be.

As a minimum you'll need a rear wheel, a sprocket, a chain and maybe a chainset. The first bike I converted cost me £200 which bought me these four items. The next one I did cost £280 which was for a pair of handbuilt wheels to my spec plus a sprocket and a chain. I migrated the chainset I bought first time around across to the new bike. You can do it for a lot less though if you are prepared to modify components you have or go down the secondhand route. Cycle jumbles are a good place to start and you can pick up the odd bargain on ebay, although the current popularity of fixed has seen prices climb.

Wooliferkins

Go for the fixed straight off, whichever way you do it you'll try and freewheel to a junction at some point!