Fixed/Single Speed Commuting

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Comments

  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    WGWarburton wrote:
    Hi again,
    Yeah, not nice, especially in traffic....

    How's the boffinry going, BTW? I havn't been on here much recently 'cos I've recently started a new and much more demanding contract.... Are you on linkedin?

    Cheers,
    W.

    You got PM :wink:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • spasypaddy
    spasypaddy Posts: 5,180
    itboffin wrote:
    My trusty ebay single speed is on it last legs, even with recent new chain, freewheel & cranks it's look and sounding rough I think it might be time for a newer model, so far for this project I have a sweet set of carbon forks - can anyone recommend a good stiff frame.
    have a look at the pearson frame, i have one different branding. its a stiff steel frame. recommend it.
    BMC TM01 - FCN 0
    Look 695 (Geared) - FCN 1
    Bowman Palace:R - FCN 1
    Cannondale CAAD 9 - FCN 2
    Premier (CX) - FCN 6
    Premier (fixed/SS) - FCN3
  • Littigator
    Littigator Posts: 1,262
    The newest addition to the stable and my first complete build project :D

    Gareth.jpg
    Roadie FCN: 3

    Fixed FCN: 6
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    Very nice Litts! Look at the sweep (oooh oooh is that the right word?) on that front fork!
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Very nice...

    would look really nice with 1/4 chrome on the forks and rear triangle.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • Littigator
    Littigator Posts: 1,262
    Yeah I would've loved to part chrome it but the condition of the steel before I had it sand-blasted and reesrayed wouldn't allow for it to be.

    And LiT...the word is rake :wink:
    Roadie FCN: 3

    Fixed FCN: 6
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    Littigator wrote:
    Yeah I would've loved to part chrome it but the condition of the steel before I had it sand-blasted and reesrayed wouldn't allow for it to be.

    And LiT...the word is rake :wink:

    BLAST! :D

    One day I will use technical jargon correctly... one day...
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • Littigator
    Littigator Posts: 1,262
    Well there are lots of thingummies doodads and oojamaflips on a bike...it's all quite a lot to remember :lol:
    Roadie FCN: 3

    Fixed FCN: 6
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    Very nice although that gearing looks a little 'London' centric you'll never get that up the hills in W.Berks :wink:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • Littigator
    Littigator Posts: 1,262
    Its only 72 GI but the short cranks make it harder to pedal than my owery at 82 :shock:
    Roadie FCN: 3

    Fixed FCN: 6
  • don_don
    don_don Posts: 1,007
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    Littigator wrote:
    And LiT...the word is rake :wink:

    BLAST! :D

    One day I will use technical jargon correctly... one day...

    But we knew what you meant anyway :)
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    don_don wrote:
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    Littigator wrote:
    And LiT...the word is rake :wink:

    BLAST! :D

    One day I will use technical jargon correctly... one day...

    But we knew what you meant anyway :)

    That's kind of like my french. As a french colleague says 'you don't always get it perfectly right, but we always know exactly what you mean'.
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    Sounds like my English
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali
  • knight2k
    knight2k Posts: 119
    I've joined the club, you guys wore me down. Over Christmas (I know I only just had my work access restored) I built up a fixed wheel machine from an old steel frame and some spare wheels I had in my bike shed.

    I got the LBS to convert the rear wheel with a 16t cog and removed the big rig from the from to leave the 39t smaller ring. I know MTFU and all that! However I live in the heart of the Chilterns at the top of a 12% hill which I can just about get up. As I get stronger I'm sure I'll increase the gear inches to something more credible.

    I get it now!

    LCNrW0Cvwz-ztqDRFFTSxpFlxs1p6BUW.jpg

    qBi8PPRB6z_riqd6nA0tc5aIxuhVO6v5.jpg
    FCN 8 - Touring Bike with panniers.

    http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/Darren

    http://www.amershamrcc.co.uk/
  • Littigator
    Littigator Posts: 1,262
    Good man, welcome to the club. It is a lot of fun in a strangely indescribable way
    Roadie FCN: 3

    Fixed FCN: 6
  • knight2k
    knight2k Posts: 119
    Littigator wrote:
    Good man, welcome to the club. It is a lot of fun in a strangely indescribable way

    I will agrree with you that. In preparation I was single speeding my road bike, however if the hill got too much then I would end up changing gear anyway.

    Then i went track cycling in Newport with the club one Sunday and that was it I was sold, and couldn't get it built quick enough. Track cycling is something I would recommend to every cyclist - especially the SCR's. You could have some real good battles there.

    Also I figure it's good training for whwn I go extended touring in the summer.
    FCN 8 - Touring Bike with panniers.

    http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/Darren

    http://www.amershamrcc.co.uk/
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    Littigator wrote:
    Good man, welcome to the club. It is a lot of fun in a strangely indescribable way

    Yeah, spot on Litts.

    So, knight2k, have you tried FG yet? :twisted:
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • knight2k
    knight2k Posts: 119
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    So, knight2k, have you tried FG yet? :twisted:

    FG = Fixed Gear - am I right?
    FCN 8 - Touring Bike with panniers.

    http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/Darren

    http://www.amershamrcc.co.uk/
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    knight2k wrote:
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    So, knight2k, have you tried FG yet? :twisted:

    FG = Fixed Gear - am I right?

    Spot on!
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • knight2k
    knight2k Posts: 119
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    knight2k wrote:
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    So, knight2k, have you tried FG yet? :twisted:

    FG = Fixed Gear - am I right?

    Spot on!

    The new bike is fixed. It's on the previous page. Though I'm a little embarrassed conversing with you as its current set up is 39x16 on 25mm tyres. In my defence, though, I do live in the heart of the Chiltern Hills.
    FCN 8 - Touring Bike with panniers.

    http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/Darren

    http://www.amershamrcc.co.uk/
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    Oooops sorry my bad!

    In that case litts's's's assessment of strangely indescribable fun is even more accurate!
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • knight2k
    knight2k Posts: 119
    No worries. I'm glad to hear you're on the up after your tendon injury. And what's this I hear about a shiny new road bike you're getting?
    FCN 8 - Touring Bike with panniers.

    http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/Darren

    http://www.amershamrcc.co.uk/
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    knight2k wrote:
    The new bike is fixed. It's on the previous page. Though I'm a little embarrassed conversing with you as its current set up is 39x16 on 25mm tyres. In my defence, though, I do live in the heart of the Chiltern Hills.

    Watch out for those descents as it is very easy to outspin your legs! I don't think my legs have ever spun so fast as going down Danesfield hill last night. I am running 42x16 and find that I can get up 1:10 hills but wouldn't want to go much steeper on a regular basis as you just end up grinding. Lit's gearing would make my legs explode around here!
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali
  • knight2k
    knight2k Posts: 119
    Oh yeah those descents can be a bit tricky - I do find myself subconsciously riding the front brake (the only one I have) if starts getting too hairy!
    FCN 8 - Touring Bike with panniers.

    http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/Darren

    http://www.amershamrcc.co.uk/
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    I tried leg braking down Winter Hill into Marlow but had to go for the brakes to make the hairpin - it aint ever gonna happen brakeless.
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali
  • knight2k
    knight2k Posts: 119
    I like to refer to Winter Hill as the 'Marlow Alp' because of the hairpin. Been up it a few times, never down. Brave man to attempt it.
    FCN 8 - Touring Bike with panniers.

    http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/Darren

    http://www.amershamrcc.co.uk/
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    It's on my regular commute. Closed at the moment which I hope means they are resurfacing that hairpin as you lose all your speed on the way up dodging the craters.
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali
  • Littigator
    Littigator Posts: 1,262
    I learned how to skid stop today....at last :D

    The missus is not impressed and muttered something about the next thing she knows I'll be wobbling about at every set of lots doing my best impression of a newborn calf trying to do a trackstand
    Roadie FCN: 3

    Fixed FCN: 6
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    Littigator wrote:
    I learned how to skid stop today....at last :D

    The missus is not impressed and muttered something about the next thing she knows I'll be wobbling about at every set of lots doing my best impression of a newborn calf trying to do a trackstand

    I managed to skid the other day in the snow
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    I've just got my first SS - a Tricross. Liking it so far. The hills are interesting - luckily I've got big legs!
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.

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