Fixed/Single Speed Commuting

spasypaddy

Right ladies and gentlemen i know you've been waiting with abated breath to find out how my first fixed wheel commute went... well it didnt. I didnt even manage to get down the drive without doing the escalator thingy and then couldnt get clipped in. I stopped, took wheel off, and returned to SS.

Sunday i shall be a tyrant in the park and learn to fix ride. Shall revert to SPDs from my looks for the time being as well. Can you really ride fixed wheel in town with road pedals? Is this a good idea? Should i just stick with SS?

itboffin

spasypaddy wrote:

Right ladies and gentlemen i know you've been waiting with abated breath to find out how my first fixed wheel commute went... well it didnt. I didnt even manage to get down the drive without doing the escalator thingy and then couldnt get clipped in. I stopped, took wheel off, and returned to SS.

Sunday i shall be a tyrant in the park and learn to fix ride. Shall revert to SPDs from my looks for the time being as well. Can you really ride fixed wheel in town with road pedals? Is this a good idea? Should i just stick with SS?

Personally i'd recommend flat pedals until your happy with stopping in traffic @ lights etc etc - trust me it was not fun :?

itboffin

This afternoon I cycled along the flattest route to a nearby village 5 miles away and pegged it at 20MPH there with headwind 22MPH back, I kept those speeds the entire way and I was wearing jeans and a jumper.

spasypaddy

itboffin wrote:

spasypaddy wrote:

Right ladies and gentlemen i know you've been waiting with abated breath to find out how my first fixed wheel commute went... well it didnt. I didnt even manage to get down the drive without doing the escalator thingy and then couldnt get clipped in. I stopped, took wheel off, and returned to SS.

Sunday i shall be a tyrant in the park and learn to fix ride. Shall revert to SPDs from my looks for the time being as well. Can you really ride fixed wheel in town with road pedals? Is this a good idea? Should i just stick with SS?

Personally i'd recommend flat pedals until your happy with stopping in traffic @ lights etc etc - trust me it was not fun :?

i dont own flats, and i have no intention of buying some. Will stick with singlespeed if thats the case

attica

spasypaddy wrote:

Will stick with singlespeed if thats the case

Nothing wrong with that Spasy, I've been on my SS for a year now (also Look pedals) and feel I have all of the benefits of fixed without the downsides, I focus on keeping the pedalling going as if I'm on a fixed, but still have the option to freewheel when a) The hills take over and I can't keep uo or b) my reflexes take over (ususlly in a SMIDSY situation) and I slam the brakes on.

I've kept a count on some commutes and have freewheeled for as little as about 12ft over the whole of my 15 miles.

It's the variation in cadence that will bring you the main benefits.

The main thing is to feel comfortable, safe and above all enjoy yourself.

Gussio

A new machine has arrived in the underground carpark at work. It is a decal-free powder blue frame with flat bars. The rims are yellow and the massive track chain is bright red. Looks most cool. Excellent fixie I thought until looking closer and realising that it was a freewheel. Wonder if the owner has a fake courier radio, and maybe even a clip-on Hoxton Fin?

Greg T

spasypaddy wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Personally i'd recommend flat pedals until your happy with stopping in traffic @ lights etc etc - trust me it was not fun :?

i dont own flats, and i have no intention of buying some. Will stick with singlespeed if thats the case

FLATS!

What have we descended to when we would suggest flats to a brother!

I've been riding fixed 30 miles a day through central London for two or three months and I'm enjoying it - so yes you can do it. I did start off SS but it's just no-where near the same the handling is just like your road bike but with no gears.....

I went fixed and spent an hour in car park "having a go" to avoid the drama of having to get to work in traffic learning to ride the escalator of shame....

I was in the groove after a couple of days.

Did you swap your pedals at the same time? This may be a problem too far. I swapped over my old SPD-Rs when I started fixed and have just swapped to SPD-SLs and I'm having a pig of a time getting used to clipping into them. If I was contending with learning fixed and getting used to new pedals that would have been a pain.

lost_in_thought

On the fixed Richmond Park ride thing, I'm in.

Made it all the way round in the dead of night yesterday, anti-clockwise (the easy direction) without getting off, although I did struggle a bit up the hills.

Fun fun fun!

Next time I will eat before I go.

itboffin

lost_in_thought wrote:

On the fixed Richmond Park ride thing, I'm in.

Made it all the way round in the dead of night yesterday, anti-clockwise (the easy direction) without getting off, although I did struggle a bit up the hills.

Fun fun fun!

Next time I will eat before I go.

Chapeau! I knew you could do it, did you record your time & speed?

I'm planning on doing a trial SS run this Sunday if my new (old) car is okay.

spasypaddy

Greg T wrote:

spasypaddy wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Personally i'd recommend flat pedals until your happy with stopping in traffic @ lights etc etc - trust me it was not fun :?

i dont own flats, and i have no intention of buying some. Will stick with singlespeed if thats the case

FLATS!

What have we descended to when we would suggest flats to a brother!

I've been riding fixed 30 miles a day through central London for two or three months and I'm enjoying it - so yes you can do it. I did start off SS but it's just no-where near the same the handling is just like your road bike but with no gears.....

I went fixed and spent an hour in car park "having a go" to avoid the drama of having to get to work in traffic learning to ride the escalator of shame....

I was in the groove after a couple of days.

Did you swap your pedals at the same time? This may be a problem too far. I swapped over my old SPD-Rs when I started fixed and have just swapped to SPD-SLs and I'm having a pig of a time getting used to clipping into them. If I was contending with learning fixed and getting used to new pedals that would have been a pain.

no same pedals ive been riding for a long time.

Will change to SPDs to give me the two sided choice and if need be i can still pedal on them without clipping in.

Clever Pun

Changing lock rings and sprockets.... is there a specific tool i need?

il_principe

itboffin wrote:

Seems the FGSS lot are planning a regular RP training ride, given the success of the SCR inaugural RP ride would anyone be interested in our own Single/Fixed version?

Ooh yes, memememe. We could even go at the same time and scalp the lazy sods.

Not tried RP on SS since adding 2 teeth to the front... :?

itboffin

jashburnham wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Seems the FGSS lot are planning a regular RP training ride, given the success of the SCR inaugural RP ride would anyone be interested in our own Single/Fixed version?

Ooh yes, memememe. We could even go at the same time and scalp the lazy sods.

Not tried RP on SS since adding 2 teeth to the front... :?

+1 on the FGSS scalping muhaha! :twisted:

LiT has already proved it can be done fixed and at night, phew! nutter!!!

lost_in_thought

itboffin wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Seems the FGSS lot are planning a regular RP training ride, given the success of the SCR inaugural RP ride would anyone be interested in our own Single/Fixed version?

Ooh yes, memememe. We could even go at the same time and scalp the lazy sods.

Not tried RP on SS since adding 2 teeth to the front... :?

+1 on the FGSS scalping muhaha! :twisted:

LiT has already proved it can be done fixed and at night, phew! nutter!!!

Yeeesssss I did, but have already mentioned I was slow up the hills. Jashburnham, you're on about 82 GI aren't you? If that's the case, then you can certainly do it, and no doubt a lot faster than me! That's more bassed on your superior fitness than on my slightly bigger gear.

Greg T

Clever Pun wrote:

Changing lock rings and sprockets.... is there a specific tool i need?

Yes, you need a lock ring spanner (compatible with your lock ring) and a chain whip for getting the cog off (which may be a bit stiff...)



Good luck...

Littigator

I've only ever used SPD SLs on my fixed super smug look it was awkward at first but the upside is now I'm better at clipping in than I ever was and it didn't take too long to adjust.

Pull off with your brakes on (sounds weird i know) but it gives you a smooth and slow first rotation to get your unclipped foot into place and then pressure on the down stroke and bobs your uncle

As for LFGSS RP rides why don't we just join with one of theirs...the more the merrier eh? When are they suggesting doing one? I can't make this or next weekend but would be well up for it.

lost_in_thought

Littigator wrote:

I've only ever used SPD SLs on my fixed super smug look it was awkward at first but the upside is now I'm better at clipping in than I ever was and it didn't take too long to adjust.

Pull off with your brakes on (sounds weird i know) but it gives you a smooth and slow first rotation to get your unclipped foot into place and then pressure on the down stroke and bobs your uncle

As for LFGSS RP rides why don't we just join with one of theirs...the more the merrier eh? When are they suggesting doing one? I can't make this or next weekend but would be well up for it.

Ooooh oooh I've only ever used SPDs, never flats! Do I get a point too?? I clipped in one foot whilst stationary then use the clipped in foot to move off while i was learning.

We could well join one of their RP rides... but I'll be left behind for sure. :oops:

Can't view their forum at work...

il_principe

I'm sorry but what are these "flats" you speak of?

lost_in_thought

jashburnham wrote:

I'm sorry but what are these "flats" you speak of?

I believe it's an english word meaning 'apartment'.

itboffin

How dare you suggest we "mix" with the enemy, how very dare you...

Next you'll be posting among the commuting threads with blatant links to the road & training threads, shame on you, shame!

Clever Pun

Greg T wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

Changing lock rings and sprockets.... is there a specific tool i need?

Yes, you need a lock ring spanner (compatible with your lock ring) and a chain whip for getting the cog off (which may be a bit stiff...)



Good luck...

thank you

Greg T

CP,

Changing cogs can be a pain if they are jammers.

ITB and me (I) had this chat about the miche thing - he's a convert

Greg T wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Off to the LBS now, I need to get my damn 16T single speed sprocket off, it's jam on solid.

I've got this Miche Jobby.




http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/reviews/hubreview/miche/

Rather than the entire cog screwing off the carrier stays on and the cog slips off and on - held in place by the lockring.

No worries swapping cogs.

I recomemd it strongly.

itboffin

tiz true BUT why is it that even with a Miche track hub, carrier, sprocket and lockring all bought from the same place the damn things don't fit.

The thread on the hub is tiny just about and the Miche lockrings don't fit at all, I'm using the lockring from a bottom bracket.

Clever Pun

I'm running Miche on my fixed at the moment so things are looking promising

I know I've got a chain whip but not sure about the spanner, will check when I get home or at the weekend when it's not dark

wgwarburton

itboffin writes:

> tiz true BUT why is it that even with a Miche track hub, carrier, sprocket and lockring all bought from the same place the damn things don't fit.

> The thread on the hub is tiny just about and the Miche lockrings don't fit at all, I'm using the lockring from a bottom bracket.

Hmm, something's not right. The track hub should have a standard threading for the carrier or screw-on sprocket, then a smaller, left-hand-thread for the lockring.

A BB lockring has the same thread as the standard part and chases the sprocket down it in the same direction (ie also RH threaded)- it doesn't really lock it in the same way, as in theory they can both unscrew together.

I havn't heard of variations in the locking thread on the proper type, though there may be some, but if it's all Miche it should certainly all fit!!

Is the hub single-sided or do you have a freewheel thread on the other end?

Cheers,
W.

itboffin

Phew this thread has died a death, surely this time of year being winter and all this place should be buzzing with news and noob questions.

Pah! anyway I've just ordered Campagnolo brakes and Crane Creek levers for my single speed, winter gear change to 52/17T

My road bike is now on weekend duties only and the commuter is attached to my turbo trainer.

itboffin

So no ones here any more but I'll ask anyway, now that i've chosen to switch full time to my single speed for winter, i've upgraded the brakes & levers - which took ages but well worth it, I need to know would it be a crime to fit a surly singleator chain tensioner?

I ask because I'd like to be able to quickly switch freewheels depending on my chosen ride/route of the day and I hate the whole chain tension/length rubbish you have to go through every time.

Before any bright spark makes the suggestion, No! I do NOT need a geared bike.

biondino

Course you don't - you've already got one. Sorted.

spasypaddy

how long will it take for my legs to get used to riding 120 miles a week on only one gear?

the journey on my geared bike was easy and i never felt any after effects, two days in this week and i can barely walk due to muscle achage. After about 2 or 3 miles im ok because ive warmed up but at the moment due to sitting im in agony

itboffin

I was beginning to think the voice were just in my head, so how long for 120 miles a week on a SS, I can answer that one but first a couple of questions;

Is the route hilly?
Is that 7 or 5 days?
What GI are you running or planning on running?

I switched from 5 days a week on the hybrid over a sick hilly route to single speed with fairly low 70's GI and actually went faster even on the hills, although I might add i've been doing the route for over a year before the switch, my fastest time to date has been 42mins for the 15 mile one way so about 150 miles a week, no cycling at the weekends - REST.

PS. I always get a seat on the train, sometimes two even.