Fixed/Single Speed Commuting

don_don

el_presidente wrote:

I did a long ride on the geard roadie at the weekend and enjoyed it more than the fixie I think. Hmm maybe I will have to add a geared commute bike build to the queue, behind my full-sus MTB build

Busted!!!

A thinly disguised excuse to buy another bike I'll wager

No need for that here el_p! We all know where you are coming from...

What do you have your eye on then???

wgwarburton

Hi,
Surely what you are waiting for is:

http://sunrace-sturmeyarcher.blogspot.com/2008/09/s3x-fixed-gear-3-speed.html

the best of both worlds, perhaps....

My current thinking on the ideal commuting bike has one of these (or a close-ratio alternative, should it become available) on a steel road frame with mudguards and drop bars.

Cheers,
W.

el_presidente

don_don wrote:

el_presidente wrote:

I did a long ride on the geard roadie at the weekend and enjoyed it more than the fixie I think. Hmm maybe I will have to add a geared commute bike build to the queue, behind my full-sus MTB build

Busted!!!

A thinly disguised excuse to buy another bike I'll wager

No need for that here el_p! We all know where you are coming from...

What do you have your eye on then???

haha

sadly I'm goign to struggel seeing as I have a) my old Giant SCR which only needs new wheels & a chainset, would be perfect as it is nice and racy and also has mudguard & rakc eyelets OR b) my old Stumpjumper which is about to be superseded by the aforementioned full-sus build and would be very nice with slicks & rigid forks.... oh dilemma ;0

Feltup

SSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!

I so nearly broke the skid record for a fixie this morning. Coming down the Alp de Marlow and either I gained speed faster than normal or my legs weren't in a spinning mood because I suddenly found I had overtaken them and just like that the back wheel skipped and locked.

It really isn't a nice sensation doing high twenties and hearing your back tyre skidding. It is an even worse sensation when your back tyre stops skidding and your legs kick in again without warning sending the back of the bike squirming all over the place.

I had to concentrate so hard on trying make my legs spin faster to control the squirm and to brake on the front to bring my speed down to give my legs a chance to catch up.

That was 20 minutes ago and my heart rate still hasn't come down. If I don't post again in a few minutes can someone send an ambulance please?

itboffin

I serviced the hub on my SS this afternoon, never seen a cup that cracked and pitted before and I checked it about 3 months ago, what could have caused that?

Feltup

Lots of salt and grit on the roads with all the icy weather?

itboffin

Wow what a difference it makes having new cups, bearings and axle, such a cheap repair as well.

I love my SS

Clever Pun

Feltup.... glad you didn't stack it though

Feltup

Thanks! Took it much easier this morning, don't think the ticker can take too many more moments like those.

Ectomorph

Feltup's account reminds me of my first ride out on a new fixed late last year.

The guy in the shop advised riding free for a couple of weeks to get used to the bike; advice I happily & robustly ignored. Hence, 90 seconds into my morning ride, quite fast (25+) down the quite steep hill upon which I reside, I'm thinking "well this is ok, I'm spinning, I'm feathering the brakes, all ok so far". Then something happens; my right brain decides to free-wheel. Jesus Christ! WHAT'S HAPPENING? I'm all over the place, right-brain is fighting the pedals, I'm on the wrong side of the road, I'm swearing loudly & I don't know what the f***'s going on... I AM GOING TO DIE!

After what felt like three minutes but was probably three seconds at the most, my groggy, monday-morning left-brain finally worked out what was going on & sent out an urgent one-word instruction: PEDAL! I pedalled, regained control, got back on the right side of the road, checked to see who was watching & pedalled off uttering prayers of thanks that there was no traffic coming up the hill just at that moment. The rest of the ride was uneventful (slow) but I did feel phisically sick & I did get two or three small kickings. It's surprising how quickly it's etched deep into your sub-concious to keep the pedals moving though.

Ecto.

Must. Keep. Pedalling.

itboffin

I've tried fixed but around these parts it's just not fun, I'm saving my Miche sprockets for my next @ work bike

By the way SSFG if you've not tried a Miche 1/8" track chain GET ONE NOW!

Not only do they look the business (v. important) they're rock solid and just seem to shed muck, forever clean

Cheap too

No jash they do not come in diff colours

il_principe

itboffin wrote:

I've tried fixed but around these parts it's just not fun, I'm saving my Miche sprockets for my next @ work bike

By the way SSFG if you've not tried a Miche 1/8" track chain GET ONE NOW!

Not only do they look the business (v. important) they're rock solid and just seem to shed muck, forever clean

Cheap too

No jash they do not come in diff colours

Dammit!

lost_in_thought

itboffin wrote:

I've tried fixed but around these parts it's just not fun, I'm saving my Miche sprockets for my next @ work bike

By the way SSFG if you've not tried a Miche 1/8" track chain GET ONE NOW!

Not only do they look the business (v. important) they're rock solid and just seem to shed muck, forever clean

Cheap too

No jash they do not come in diff colours

Is it a half link? I heart half link chains.

itboffin

lost_in_thought wrote:

itboffin wrote:

I've tried fixed but around these parts it's just not fun, I'm saving my Miche sprockets for my next @ work bike

By the way SSFG if you've not tried a Miche 1/8" track chain GET ONE NOW!

Not only do they look the business (v. important) they're rock solid and just seem to shed muck, forever clean

Cheap too

No jash they do not come in diff colours

Is it a half link? I heart half link chains.

No but if they did one then it would surely be the ultimate chain, I might just go and give it a little wipe down, ooooh shiny :oops:

gtvlusso

Latest fixie build.

From this:



to this:



Have to sell it though :-(

itboffin

Did you use a stem adapter on that project?

gtvlusso

itboffin wrote:

Did you use a stem adapter on that project?

Yep - Velo Orange Quill adaptor from www.freshtripe.co.uk

Was gonna use a proper quill stem, but someone may want to change the reach - easier to get hold of pinch bolt stems of differing lengths.

Clever Pun

gtvlusso wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Did you use a stem adapter on that project?

Yep - Velo Orange Quill adaptor from www.freshtripe.co.uk

Was gonna use a proper quill stem, but someone may want to change the reach - easier to get hold of pinch bolt stems of differing lengths.

stem adaptor... :?:

gtvlusso

Clever Pun wrote:

gtvlusso wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Did you use a stem adapter on that project?

Yep - Velo Orange Quill adaptor from www.freshtripe.co.uk

Was gonna use a proper quill stem, but someone may want to change the reach - easier to get hold of pinch bolt stems of differing lengths.

stem adaptor... :?:

Yeah Cp.

Converts 1" threaded forks (which need a "Quill Stem" to a 1 and 1/8th" pinch bolt type stem as used on most bike today.

Old skool and that!

Clever Pun

ah I get ya... I thought for a secone it might be seatpost related... I'm have trouble deciding/finding what I want

26.2 nitto or campag aero post in massive size

wgwarburton

Hey,
Biondino... have you tried out the Bob Jackson, yet?

I know you were having rib problems... any news?

In other news.. the Winter Hack is rolling again- I got a frame from a local eBayer (Dawes Linear- anyone know owt about these?) and have got it mostly built up... rode in on it this morning and it's miles better than the old gas-pipe special. I'm going to need to re-gear it (was ~63", looking for ~69") 'cos it's lighter & I'm fitter! 20T sprocket on order... I need to find a short-drop back brake, though, nothing in my parts bin (maybe that should just be "bin"... :-) ) will fit.

Cheers,
W.

gtvlusso

Clever Pun wrote:

ah I get ya... I thought for a secone it might be seatpost related... I'm have trouble deciding/finding what I want

26.2 nitto or campag aero post in massive size

Vernier calipers are the way forward - measure the internal diameter of the seatpost tube. Seatposts are a tricky one for sizes - cannot rely on 27.2 does all - I love the Campy ones, but they are a bit short for my frame and seat height (I like a slightly smaller frame and a high seat)

As for gearing: I generally run 48T or 50T to 16T or 15T - gives me between 80" and 90" gear. I have quite a few hills to climb and sometimes take a 20 mile route home - have a flip flop hub and carry a spare smaller ring just in case I knacker myself.

My personal bike (as the one in the pic is for sale on this website) is away being painted. I brazed my own track fork ends in - will put a pic up when completed.

Must say, I like the Bob Jackson frame - very keenly priced too. May be a purchase when I am flush again!

Show us a pic Biondino!

gtvlusso

Oh - I sold the Raliegh Banana fixie for £170 - was quite chuffed with that!

Clever Pun

gtvlusso wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

ah I get ya... I thought for a secone it might be seatpost related... I'm have trouble deciding/finding what I want

26.2 nitto or campag aero post in massive size

Vernier calipers are the way forward - measure the internal diameter of the seatpost tube. Seatposts are a tricky one for sizes - cannot rely on 27.2 does all - I love the Campy ones, but they are a bit short for my frame and seat height (I like a slightly smaller frame and a high seat)

Does anyone have some I can borrow??? it's certainly worth a beer

I'm pretty sure of the size but it's my eye and a measuring tape

Note I did measure my legs but decided not to post details

il_principe

Just seen these beauties from Phil Wood, Uber Bling!

itboffin

jashburnham wrote:

Just seen these beauties from Phil Wood, Uber Bling!

I'm downloading that for personal use :oops:

biondino

WGWarburton wrote:

Hey,
Biondino... have you tried out the Bob Jackson, yet?

I know you were having rib problems... any news?

Thanks for asking, Buns - the ribs are healing (I'm 90% sure they're healing, anyway) but I haven't been on a bike since the day of the a accident 12 days ago. As a result the Bob Jackson is still with its previous owner in New Cross, although my cash is also with him so I really do need to pick it up! But I don't want my first ride with dodgy ribs to be 12 miles through London on a fixie - am tempted to drive over and pick it up instead.

So no - other than the 5 mins of low-speed pootling when I tried the bike out, I haven't had the opportunity! Really looking forward to it though. And believe me, I'll post lots of pics when it's mine!

Littigator

Ouch...hope the ribs are healing fast. I'd pick up the bike by car if it was me I reckon!

Re. posts on chains from yesterday, I've gotr a KMC BMX chain, 'nails' and has really nicely styled links

linsen

right, you guys, go gently with me

I have just bought an old peugeot racer with horizontal dropouts to turn into a SS for a bit more WTFU power for the summer commute

ITB has very kindly done "phase one" (removed gears and put the chain on for me),and then tells me I have a death trap on my hands as I need a new back wheel.

Do I just go to the LBS and ask for one? Is there a good place online to get such things?

It's a 700 wheel.

Chars and all that

itboffin

tiz some good reading here http://www.sheldonbrown.com/velos.html