Fixed/Single Speed Commuting

il_principe

Again, enough with the Dura Ace!

Any way, I see your shiny stuff and raise you:

Greg T

jashburnham wrote:

Any way, I see your shiny stuff and raise you:

You are just showing off as LIT has outed us as undergeared.....

I cannot believe it.

Clever Pun

Greg T wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

14 on the back?

Chapeau!

*hopes he never gets locked in battle with LIT.

We seem to have had our arses handed to us by a burd..........

I may need a moment

that is proper high, two turns of the pedal and you're where you need to be

burds are notoriously bad at math though, it's probably a 42-18

il_principe

Greg T wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

Any way, I see your shiny stuff and raise you:

You are just showing off as LIT has outed us as undergeared.....

I cannot believe it.

:oops: :oops:

attica

LIT, is this you?

the_hundredth_idiot

For my own sanity, I had to dig out the standard spec for one of these (and I can't believe LIT has been messing around with the ratios):
http://www.kiwicycles.com/bikesforsale.htm (about half-way down)
It doesn't give the size of the front sprocket but the rear is an 18t. Even if it's a 48 on the front, that's only 72 GI. It would have to be a 60t on the front to get up to 90 GI - do they make them that big?

Phew, going to have a lie down now.

Mind you, I saw a thread somewhere with some Brompton rider who claimed to be riding fixed with GI of 90 inches. I really ought to find it again to see if I can detect even a hint of p1ss take.

attica

Jash

I've just noticed your waterbottle cages, it's a lovely bike but you really are a

Matt-B

I had noticed there was an eBay seller offloading quite a few of these Montanas - the listing states a 13t rear sprocket...!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Lightweight-TRACK ... .m14.l1318

BUICK

48x13? Seems a bit enthusiastic - might lead to struggling to maintain the illusion of effortlessness and then where would we be? I believe that Lit is the authority on this particular marque - care to shed some light on the gearing of your precioussssss?

chrisinleedsuk

I have terrible balance but I find focussing on a non moving object increases my ability to trackstand. Or just stand sometimes.

lost_in_thought

Hold on now guys, let's not get too excited! I haven't had the chance to count yet, that was the spec given on the site I bought it from... so it might be wrong! Especially given the variety of information provided on the various sites above... but saying that everything else they've told me about the bike on that site has been true!

I'll have a look tomorrow

2wheelzgood

LIT, I had a look at the Montanas no £bay.. I think 48.13 on those tyres works out as 97 gear inches which is massive and gets you 7.7 meters per crank stroke!!!!
80 is just about doable but Leeds is a tad hilly so you'll have to count em and let us all know. If it is a 97inch gear, I want you thigh measurement! (is that out of order admins? asking the girls? )
Surely you get beaten off the lights all the time by shoppers???
If you use Rabbit[/ulr], it tells you all sorts of info on gears..
30mph is only 100rpm! wow


erm I may have bought this! I'm going to kill myself while I get used to it!
Oh and I think I'll get an 18t rear cog to put on the fixed side and swap the 16 to teh free. 70GI fixed, 80 free (like my dawes)

the_hundredth_idiot

That Bianchi's very sweet - good luck with it. I was watching it but didn't bid as I thought it might be a little big for me (I'm only 5' 9").

I'm annoyed that I missed the Surly Steamroller which only went for £280
(http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=018)
I thought it had longer to run so planned on bidding.

2wheelzgood

100th Idiot, yup thanks for not bidding. I am just taller than you and hope fit'll be good. I've ridden a 56cm genesis and although nice a nippy, wouldn't have complained from a cm or two more.
I didn't look for steamrollers but there are some really nice frames now on ebay to build up.

anyone fancy a mtb hardtail for a singlie project, I need some cash. serioulsy I am selling a Commencal Combidisc

Greg T

Why does everyone have nicer bikes than me?

You think you are getting on par then suddenly BAM.

Uber bike arrives and I'm back to looking at bike porn sites trying to score a cool frame.

2wheelzgood

heh! don't worry I have a dodgey knee and will most likely have to sell it as braking will pull the socket apart on the old break! I'll sell it to you then
Greg, what is you're gear size please, I forgot, 48 18? I'm thinking I may have to back off and run a smaller gear than the standard 48 16 in Leeds. A freewheel yeah but fixed?

bitten more than I can chew?

Greg T

I'm running 48 16 - freewheel.

Cough

I've now got my fixed cog for the back, thought I'd start off small with an 18 cog and work my way down to "nails".....

However, it's a flip flop hub and the freewheel's currently occupying the fixed side so I need to get it swapped over by the bike shop guys (lots of odd tools required that I don't have....)

I did some laps of Richmond Park at the weekend with a guy who was pushing 48 16 fixed and he was eating it up - only little hills though nothing that lasts for more than two or three minutes.....

I'm going to try 18 on the back to begin with and see how I go.......

2wheelzgood

Ta.
will buy an 18t then. any good shops?

you know I'll regret it when losing control of my legs spining out going DOWN my hills!.. I guess that's why I have a brake on it..

Clever Pun

Got my pista on saturday and rode it home in the pissing rain.... wel that's what I bought it for.

it's a nice ride and is really light, rode in this morning with it and managed to take a few scalps (but that's a different thread)..

I'll post a pic when I get my camera out

Littigator

Can anyone recommend a good second hand source for single speeds. Current budget won't allow for a shiny new one but I want to dip my toes into the the pool and try one for size, now the Better Half has relented and let me have one...OH YEAH!

Although someone did recommend this from Pearsons for just £225, any thoughts?

http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk/product/ ... _NOW_22500

2wheelzgood

probably one of the better budget off the pegs at that price.
building up from a road frame (ebay, local ads, mates etc) is an option but IMHO you won't save that much if you want to garantee decent wheels, hubs bb and the like.

The other option is to convert an exictinsg bike. I did that with a vertical dropout hybrid but to a ss, not fixie.
Londonfixiebike do nice hubs that have a cool setup where you bolt teh cog onto the disc mount of a spaced out MTB hub. very clever and cheap.
DMR, surly, gusset etc all do kits or peices that include a chain tensioner if you need it, spacers and a cog to go on a splined freehub if you want SS and not fixed.
some available at charliethebikemonger's site.

I think There is an eccentric hub and also freewheel modifier piece that gives you other options but they are mucho denaro.. see londonfixiebike's site.

Or get a complete bike from ebay, but as you say they cost as its all the rage right now. Wait til it rains and snows, they see how cheap they are!

If you do go for fixed, get a flip flop hub as you can get used to it and wont have to buy a new hub if you like just ss or just fixed. a fair few off the peg have flip flops, some only with 1 cog though.

HTH

Greg T

Littigator wrote:

Although someone did recommend this from Pearsons for just £225, any thoughts?

http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk/product/ ... _NOW_22500

225 Quid...

Unless it rides like an air hammer with a spike attachment I'd say it's a good bet as a "test the water" singlie......


I can't look at that Bianchi any more. It hurts my eyes.

2wheelzgood

I won't tell you that's the as said it's not been ridden and that I got it for way under rrp

victor ludorum

Be careful with bikes actually sold complete as 'pistas'.

Pistas are designed and spec'd for racing on nice, smooth and (generally) dry tracks.
The bearings on the bb hubs are less likely to be sealed and if the wheels are track specific they might not be up to the rigours of potholes, etc.

If sometihng does fail, you might have nullified your warranty by misuse. Sheldon Brown had a page with an example of this a while ago...
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/record-track.html

and a similar thing happened to a friend of mine not that long ago. (I know this hardly qualifies as a statistically significant sample group, and I don't want to be accused of spreading scare stories, but it is worth bearing in mind.)

Lots of people ride them, and they work perfectly well, but don't be lulled into thinking that just because you've got an SS that your life will be maintenance free from now on.

Littigator

It's done...I've bought it (Ker-rist I hope the Missus hasn't changed her mind)...I'm getting it delivered to work on Wednesday !

New BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKE!

Greg T

2wheelzgood wrote:

I won't tell you that's the as said it's not been ridden and that I got it for way under rrp

It all becomes clear.........

Remember everyone - just say no to drugs.

Litts wrote:

It's done...I've bought it (Ker-rist I hope the Missus hasn't changed her mind)...I'm getting it delivered to work on Wednesday !

New BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKE!

I blame this forum. You giggle at a couple of lewd posts about rings and gear inches and suddenly you find yourself buying a new bike.

It happened to me, Litts has gone, 2WG has done it, it almost happened to Snooks - but he bottled getting a road bike unless he's done it on the sly and not 'fessed up.

victor ludorum

God, if I can turn up to The Game old boys (and girls...) drinks on Friday, I'm going to be sat there with a bunch of single speed tarts all discussing their planned tattoo designs and comparing dreading products...

2wheelzgood

just cos your jealous Greg!
Mind riding it better not be as addictive as the drugs or I'll not have a life or work come Wednesday! NEED dru. er pedals!

Nice one Lit-igator. no relation to LIT?.
Get the bowery then?

Victor I hear what you're saying but the Bianchi is a street bike, has sealed wheel bearings (I think) and should be OK, I know the bb is higher the cranks are 165 as it's a purebred trackbike but thought that'd be better than an 80s raliegh with horizontal dropouts and fear of decking the crank on the bends!

GregT wrote:

It happened to me, Litts has gone, 2WG has done it, it almost happened to Snooks - but he bottled getting a road bike unless he's done it on the sly and not 'fessed up.

My bike nutter girlfriend has refused to change out of the gear she likes for at least a fortnight. I counted the teeth expecting 60 inches.. She's running 70 in Leeds with a pannier rack, pointless heavy mech and a handlebar bag... I'm so proud! ..sniff.

She's not on here but my telling her about FCN (she already played but unofficially) and and stuff on here made her want to not change gear!

Surly, on-one, Plug etc want to be scannign these topics to get some targeted sales going I tell thee!

Clever Pun

victor ludorum wrote:

God, if I can turn up to The Game old boys (and girls...) drinks on Friday, I'm going to be sat there with a bunch of single speed tarts all discussing their planned tattoo designs and comparing dreading products...

my tattoos > better than everyone elses cause I've already got them....

but yeah I'll bring the pista

Littigator

2wheelzgood wrote:

Nice one Lit-igator. no relation to LIT?.
Get the bowery then?

Nope none whatsoever...and yes it was the Bowery which should be in attendance all things going according to plan, on Friday drinks.

Unless it turns up in a number of complicated and fiddly bits with a smudged single sheet of A4 for assembly instructions :?