Fixed/Single Speed Commuting

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  • Greg T
    Greg T Posts: 3,266
    Christophe3967 wrote:
    I would describe my trackstanding abilities as intermediate.

    A white saddle is the answer btw.

    I think you need to work on your trackstand as (by the choice of saddle shows) you are a tart.

    So yesterday morning I was coming up to the left hand turn at House of parliament by Boadicea's statue before the Vic Embankment.

    Red lights

    Trackstand. A little lump infront of my front wheel is just enough to keep me stock still for the 15 secs is takes to change.

    A blonde burd is on my inside.

    I take a quick look over my left shoulder just to make sure nothing is coming up the inside as the lights go Green.

    The burd smiles at me and says
    Hot blonde bike burd wrote:
    You are good at that
    Greg T wrote:
    I'm glad you were watching - it was all for your benefit
    cheeky wink

    She giggled pleasingly

    beat that tart fans - tackstanding and flirting in a oner - seamless.
    Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.

    What would Thora Hurd do?
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    edhornby wrote:

    I think 48x16 is a bit big for everyday riding tho, I;ll probably step down to a 17t cog, but here's a question for you arbiters of fine biking.....

    what colour saddle ???

    Pah, 48/16 is for big sissy girls. Now, 46/14, that's a proper gear.


    And unless you have mudguards (can't see the pic) the saddle colour should be black.

    I can't trackstand either... :oops:
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    Greg T wrote:

    beat that tart fans - tackstanding and flirting in a oner - seamless.

    Like trackstanding, but tacky.

    Spot on. :P
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    edhornby wrote:

    what colour saddle ???

    white, black or tan - should I be a eurotart and get a white one ????!!!!

    White of course.

    White for Pro
    Black's a no.
  • Christophe3967
    Christophe3967 Posts: 1,200
    Greg T wrote:
    Christophe3967 wrote:
    I would describe my trackstanding abilities as intermediate.

    A white saddle is the answer btw.

    I think you need to work on your trackstand as (by the choice of saddle shows) you are a tart.

    So yesterday morning I was coming up to the left hand turn at House of parliament by Boadicea's statue before the Vic Embankment.

    Red lights

    Trackstand. A little lump infront of my front wheel is just enough to keep me stock still for the 15 secs is takes to change.

    A blonde burd is on my inside.

    I take a quick look over my left shoulder just to make sure nothing is coming up the inside as the lights go Green.

    The burd smiles at me and says
    Hot blonde bike burd wrote:
    You are good at that
    Greg T wrote:
    I'm glad you were watching - it was all for your benefit
    cheeky wink

    She giggled pleasingly

    beat that tart fans - tackstanding and flirting in a oner - seamless.

    Were you adjusting your ipod at the same time- perhaps changing the playlist to include some Barry White, whilst humming the tune so that she understood how much you and she had in common? Now that would be impressive...
    Bike1
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/35118936@N07/3258551288/
    Bike 2
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/35118936@N ... otostream/
    New Bike
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/35118936@N07/3479300346/
  • Greg T
    Greg T Posts: 3,266
    Christophe3967 wrote:
    Were you adjusting your ipod at the same time- perhaps changing the playlist to include some Barry White, whilst humming the tune so that she understood how much you and she had in common? Now that would be impressive...


    I'm on a learning curve.

    My next evolution is to be able to look around whilst trackstanding - at the moment anything other than keeping my head fixed and eyes pinned on an object in the middle distance has me wobbling like a truncheoned soap dodger.
    Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.

    What would Thora Hurd do?
  • vanquished
    vanquished Posts: 66
    On the subject of trackstanding, I put my 11yo son to good use on Saturday by getting him to time me trackstanding...

    ...after 5 minutes, we both got bored, so I explained that I was consciously choosing to stop the exercise, and the effort wasn't to be construed as some evil suggestion that I could 'only' manage 5 mins' trackstanding.

    But can I trackstand at lights? Or road junctions? All the evidence to date suggests not...

    I have two conundrums:
    a) actually arriving at the junction with the pedals at least in semi-helpful position
    b) then being able to look left and right whilst maintaining the po(i)se.

    Practice, I guess.

    Incidentally, no-handed trackstands now coming along too. 10 (wobbly) seconds counts, right?
    2008 carrera vanquish - FCN: 8
    2009 giant bowery 72 - FCN: 5
  • wgwarburton
    wgwarburton Posts: 1,863
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    Pah, 48/16 is for big sissy girls. Now, 46/14, that's a proper gear.
    I can't trackstand either... :oops:

    It is harder to trackstand on a big gear- you have to push much harder to make a small correction, and that tends to throw you off-balance.

    Cheers,
    W.
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    WGWarburton wrote:
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    Pah, 48/16 is for big sissy girls. Now, 46/14, that's a proper gear.
    I can't trackstand either... :oops:

    It is harder to trackstand on a big gear- you have to push much harder to make a small correction, and that tends to throw you off-balance.

    Cheers,
    W.

    Aha! A perfect excuse for my incompetence... Cheers Buns!
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • wgwarburton
    wgwarburton Posts: 1,863
    vanquished wrote:
    On the subject of trackstanding.....
    I have two conundrums:
    a) actually arriving at the junction with the pedals at least in semi-helpful position

    That's what skid-stops are for. Lock the back wheel in the right position as you come to a stop.
    Also has the advantage (for those that care....) that it shows you are a riding a proper fixie and not some SS wuss.

    It is, of course, possible to fake this on a SS by using the back brake to lock the rear wheel, what this says about the rider is left as an exercise for the reader.

    Cheers,
    W.
  • vanquished
    vanquished Posts: 66
    WGWarburton wrote:
    vanquished wrote:
    On the subject of trackstanding.....
    I have two conundrums:
    a) actually arriving at the junction with the pedals at least in semi-helpful position

    That's what skid-stops are for. Lock the back wheel in the right position as you come to a stop.

    I must shamefully confess that I simply don't have the leg strength to skid on the fixed yet...

    ...but now it all makes sense.
    2008 carrera vanquish - FCN: 8
    2009 giant bowery 72 - FCN: 5
  • wgwarburton
    wgwarburton Posts: 1,863
    vanquished wrote:
    I must shamefully confess that I simply don't have the leg strength to skid on the fixed yet...

    You should be able to compensate with technique: you are stopping anyway, so shift your weight forwards and use the front brake to unweight the rear wheel and it'll lock up easily. This reduces the tyre damage, too.

    Practise on wet roads- the last couple of metres before a junction are often very slippery with spilt fluids.

    Cheers,
    W.
  • vanquished
    vanquished Posts: 66
    WGWarburton wrote:
    vanquished wrote:
    Practise on wet roads- the last couple of metres before a junction are often very slippery with spilt fluids.

    Cheers,
    W.

    Ooh ta for that - obvious face-plant potential aside!
    2008 carrera vanquish - FCN: 8
    2009 giant bowery 72 - FCN: 5
  • vorsprung
    vorsprung Posts: 1,953
    I can't trackstand. But it is supposed to be more difficult on a bike with a freehub. I usually stop a couple of foot back and then inch forward waiting for the lights/jammed up vans or whatever the hold up is
    Audaxing Blog - Long Distance Cycling
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  • gtvlusso
    gtvlusso Posts: 5,112
    I can trackstand okay - just a bit tricky in the trainers I am using at the moment....converse high tops, tends to hurt my feet on the pedals. As for skidding, you can skid without any front brake, just need allot of weight forward, howver, I have given this up as there really is no need unless in an emergency and I am sick of knackering rear tyres! I am also using super grippy Specialized Armadillos......not great for skidding!
  • wgwarburton
    wgwarburton Posts: 1,863
    vorsprung wrote:
    I can't trackstand. But it is supposed to be more difficult on a bike with a freehub. I usually stop a couple of foot back and then inch forward waiting for the lights/jammed up vans or whatever the hold up is

    Use the camber: Come to a stop with your front wheel at an angle pointing up towards the crown of the road. Falling right, push; falling left, ease up, and the bike will roll backwards and left.
    Rock gently on the spot (push, ease, push, ease...) to get a feel for it and reduce the amount of movement to a minimum as your technique improves.

    Cheers,
    W.
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    Greg T wrote:
    Christophe3967 wrote:
    I would describe my trackstanding abilities as intermediate.

    A white saddle is the answer btw.

    I think you need to work on your trackstand as (by the choice of saddle shows) you are a tart.

    So yesterday morning I was coming up to the left hand turn at House of parliament by Boadicea's statue before the Vic Embankment.

    Red lights

    Trackstand. A little lump infront of my front wheel is just enough to keep me stock still for the 15 secs is takes to change.

    A blonde burd is on my inside.

    I take a quick look over my left shoulder just to make sure nothing is coming up the inside as the lights go Green.

    The burd smiles at me and says
    Hot blonde bike burd wrote:
    You are good at that
    Greg T wrote:
    I'm glad you were watching - it was all for your benefit
    cheeky wink

    She giggled pleasingly

    beat that tart fans - tackstanding and flirting in a oner - seamless.

    Just hope Mrs GT hasn't read this from Australia - you'll be sleeping in the bike shed
  • vanquished
    vanquished Posts: 66
    Jay dubbleU wrote:
    Greg T wrote:

    beat that tart fans - tackstanding and flirting in a oner - seamless.

    Just hope Mrs GT hasn't read this from Australia - you'll be sleeping in the bike shed

    I thought the bike shed was the living room? Sofa wouldn't be too harsh a punishment...
    :P
    2008 carrera vanquish - FCN: 8
    2009 giant bowery 72 - FCN: 5
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    I think GT's idea of where the bike should live and Mrs GT's idea may differ a little :D
  • Greg T
    Greg T Posts: 3,266
    Jay dubbleU wrote:
    I think GT's idea of where the bike should live and Mrs GT's idea may differ a little :D

    She has now returned and it seems my brief experiment in house as garage has passed un-noticed.....

    Now here's the thing......

    Buns are you seriously advocating a skid stop into a track stand?

    Now I can do a little skid stop and I can do a bit of trackstanding but getting from skid stop to trackstand.....

    I may need to do a bit of off piste practicing......
    Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.

    What would Thora Hurd do?
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    edited April 2009
    Guys - I need some advice - now that the Giant has become a sort of all purpose commuter/trekker/family saloon and as the weather is improving, lighter evenings etc I am seriously considering getting a single speed ?fixie for fun rides, exercise etc

    So far i've come up with a short list of three - Specialized Tricross, Revolution Track 09, and the Pearson Hanzo - any ideas ?

    Would also appreciate some advice on gear ratios - the Hanzo has available a selection of sprockets from 16 to 20 on a 48 front ring - the others are both 16/48 - I know LiT will think 16/48 is a wuss gear but I don't want to burst my legs just yet! :)
  • vanquished
    vanquished Posts: 66
    Jay dubbleU wrote:

    So far i've come up with a short list of three - Specialized tricross, Revolution Track 09, and the Pearson Hanzo - any ideas ?

    The lfgss OTP (off the peg) List is your friend: http://www.londonfgss.com/thread9085.html.

    The crew over at lfgss are... a bit unrestrained at times, and I'd hesitate to call the forum as a whole 'worksafe', but that thread's usually OK.

    At the £350 range, I'd seriously consider a Fuji track - seems to be highly thought of, just remember to budget for brakes on top:

    http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/16384/Fuji_Track_2008

    The Revolution Track seems heavy for the price. The Spec Tricross has lots of fans, but I haven't heard anything at all about the Hanzo.

    As for gearing, I run 46/17 - it's what the Bowery came with as standard. Hull, in my favour, is pretty flat - if I lived somewhere slightly more undulating, I'd definitely gear down until I built up some more strength in the legs.
    2008 carrera vanquish - FCN: 8
    2009 giant bowery 72 - FCN: 5
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    Thanks for that - the area is fairly hilly around here plus my muscle tone is that of damp spaghetti so I want something which is fairly spinney initially bearing in mind that this is suppsed to be a fun/social ride bike - I'd also thought about the Charge Plug but not so sure about the weight
  • gtvlusso
    gtvlusso Posts: 5,112
    Jay dubbleU wrote:
    Guys - I need some advice - now that the Giant has become a sort of all purpose commuter/trekker/family saloon and as the weather is improving, lighter evenings etc I am seriously considering getting a single speed ?fixie for fun rides, exercise etc

    So far i've come up with a short list of three - Specialized Tricross, Revolution Track 09, and the Pearson Hanzo - any ideas ?

    Would also appreciate some advice on gear ratios - the Hanzo has available a selection of sprockets from 16 to 20 on a 48 front ring - the others are both 16/48 - I know LiT will think 16/48 is a wuss gear but I don't want to burst my legs just yet! :)

    48/16 is not a wuss gear in Bristol! Try it on the hills around here with a 165mm crank and very short chainstays! fecking hard work! To be fair, in slightly undulating Londres, you can run a massive gear as long as you can push it off the lights.......

    I would work up from 44/16 or 44/18 and see where you settle. I run either 48/16 normally (few hills to wokr and that!), but for flat will run up to 52/16 or even 52/15 - not that often though - again 165mm crank. Biggest gear I have ever run was 52/12, but there was no way I was gonna stop as it was so hard to start again - plain and simple, it hurt!

    The Fuji track seems to be a winner, although I am a Bianchi Pista man myself, but I would change the bars and wheels so that I could be more tarty! There maybe some 2008/2007 models about if you look around.
  • Christophe3967
    Christophe3967 Posts: 1,200
    Best thing is to try a few out. The guys at Pearson are really helpful.

    On the gearing I am thinking that I probably need a 15/48 now. I started with a 17/48 but when I broke that, changed to a 16, which is absolutely fine around London where Notting Hill is as lumpy as my commute gets. I'm sure it would be OK for RP too - the 17 was no problem and got me round in just over 21 mins. Trying a Hanzo round Sutton will give you a good idea - it'll probably have a 17 on.
    Bike1
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/35118936@N07/3258551288/
    Bike 2
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/35118936@N ... otostream/
    New Bike
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/35118936@N07/3479300346/
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    Christophe3967 wrote:
    Best thing is to try a few out. The guys at Pearson are really helpful.

    +1
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    :D Don't believe a word I say on 'wuss gearing'. I'm only playing.

    Try a few out, definitely. There's no right or wrong, only what suits you.
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    Thanks guys - very helpful - given that this is a fun bike rather than commuting and most of my routes will take me either over the Cotswolds or the Marlboro Downs I need to take that into account when I'm looking at gearing - more akin to Brizzel than London - definately think the Pearson has the edge but I want to try before I buy
  • gtvlusso
    gtvlusso Posts: 5,112
    Weight is a key factor - the homebrew Barron weighs in at about 7kg all in....I think the Charge Plug is near 10kg! Keep the bike light and you will find it an awful lot easier!
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    Had a look at the Fuji - seem very light but 48/14 is a bit fierce for me

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