Fixed/Single Speed Commuting

Littigator

okaaaaaaay people so here's afew things I want to know

1. skid patches...what the hell are they?

2. Now I've expanded my ring to astronomic proportions...well it's a 52 that's pretty big (ahem) am I looking for trouble once I flip my hub to the fixed side and want to slow down. Should I be using my legs to slow down or the brakes?

3. That was about it really

Greg T

Brakes.

Use your brakes.....

Apparently (I looked it up on Sheldon Brown) skid patches are flat spots on your tyres caused by skidding on the same patch again and again....

Skid stops are apparently what all the cool kids do. You lock up your back wheel (there's a knack - Sheldon again) to skid to stop rather than use your "oh so redundant" back brake...

If you always skid with your feet in the same position (three and nine o'clock...?) your gearing will define how often you skid on the same bit of tyre.........

I think....

For myself I'm taking things very easy as I swim in the murky waters of singlying

2wheelzgood

true but I'm finding I cannot stop that quickly back pedalling. I am trying to avoid teh brake.
I thinking skipping is the most efficient (not as good as a brake though).

Litts I cannot remember how big a gear you had before or have now but big gears are hard to stop.. maybe my technique needs refining but the difference in slowing is more pronounced than the effort needed to spin it up I think.

I can hear yous knees crying in painful anticipation from oop norf in Yorkshire!

Greg T

2wheelzgood wrote:

. I am trying to avoid teh brake.!

Why?

Listen I'm all for trying new things.

Actually that's not quite true. I've ordered the exact same takeaway Thai meal from my local Thai place 19 times in a row, with and 1 exception when I had a side order of spring roles. Also I wear white shirts on Mon - Wed, Blue on Thur - Fri.

I hate new things and am deeply distrustful of them.

So given that this is the case and God gave us friction and brake blocks - specifically to stop us from ploughing into the back ofthe bin lorry (this morning)....

Why are we trying not to use them????

lost_in_thought

Littigator wrote:

okaaaaaaay people so here's afew things I want to know

1. skid patches...what the hell are they?

2. Now I've expanded my ring to astronomic proportions...well it's a 52 that's pretty big (ahem) am I looking for trouble once I flip my hub to the fixed side and want to slow down. Should I be using my legs to slow down or the brakes?

3. That was about it really

Use.... The... BRAKE!

Seriously, using your legs is all well and good for slowing down slightly, for a corner you can see around, say, or similar not-fraught-with-danger situation, but for more than that the brake works, almost without fail, unlike my legs!

I also had a lot of pulled muscles when I was riding the gollum bike around without a brake (I know, I know, madness!!) which took longer to sort themselves out.

This, I was told, is due to the extra muscle damage caused by something called eccentric contraction... look it up... or wait, I'll do it for you!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_con ... ontraction

But yeah, I'd go for the brake. You will go faster if you know you can slow down, but Litts, as you peeled off into the distance while I was figuring out which way to go I don't think that's a concern!

Littigator

Fanks all, I will indeed stick with the sensible option of braking

2wg I went from a 46/17 giving about 71 gear inches to a 52/17 giving 81 gear inches so a fairly big step up which has been fine for a singly but I am now thinking might be a bit ambitious for a fixed given some of the comments above.

lost_in_thought

Littigator wrote:

so a fairly big step up which has been fine for a singly but I am now thinking might be a bit ambitious for a fixed given some of the comments above.

If I can do it, so can you!!!

Why is it different on a fixed from a SS? Never ridden a normal SS (i.e. without a backpedal brake) so a genuine question!!!

attica

lost_in_thought wrote:

Littigator wrote:

so a fairly big step up which has been fine for a singly but I am now thinking might be a bit ambitious for a fixed given some of the comments above.

If I can do it, so can you!!!

Why is it different on a fixed from a SS? Never ridden a normal SS (i.e. without a backpedal brake) so a genuine question!!!

I don't think there actually is a difference in this respect, other than the temptation to eschew levers in favour of tearing your muscles up trying to stop.

Have you been watching the velodrome? Hoy et all seem to pretty much coast to a stop rather than back pedal as their bikes aren't allowed brakes.

PS Is anybody else scared silly by Rebecca Romero? That is one focused cyclist/rower

il_principe

I'm far too addicted to freewheeling to try fixed! Eagerly awaiting my 50 ring now, hope it's not 2 teeth too far!

Oh and yeah Romero scare the bejaysus outta me, as do Hoy's thighs... :shock:

lost_in_thought

Who's that guy who has the website with the tagline 'coasting is for sissies'?

Funny...

I actually find that my legs are so used to not being able to stop that I feel unbalanced if I'm coasting at speed, eg being lazy down a hill, on my roadie in the countryside...

All the Team GB guys are amazing... I'm going to be one of them in my head on the ride home...

itboffin

I'm off work this week but when I get back on Tuesday I'm planning to do my first commuting run on my el cheapO single speed, 15 miles each way over a pretty hilly route. I'm running 42x16T hopefully I wont be walking too many times.

If it goes well I might even try it fixed.

lost_in_thought

OK then.

So.

Your SS specialist thoughts on a surly steamroller? I can pick one up for £440 from teh states, shipped and assembled.

I still kinda like the gollum bike, but maybe this is a higher power telling me to upgrade...

And I'm sure I can switch out the back cog to get me back my 91 inch gear...

THoughts?

patchy

Wotcha

hi fixie mafia. What's the best and easiest way to gear up a Langster? Currently running 42 up front (LAME) and 14 out back – should i be upping the front chainring or the rear? If so, where's the best palce to get me new chainring from (aside from the LBS, of course...)

Littigator

lost_in_thought wrote:

OK then.

So.

Your SS specialist thoughts on a surly steamroller? I can pick one up for £440 from teh states, shipped and assembled.

I still kinda like the gollum bike, but maybe this is a higher power telling me to upgrade...

And I'm sure I can switch out the back cog to get me back my 91 inch gear...

THoughts?

Hey LiTs, I just had a look at that Surly and it looks AWESOME...go for it I reckon!

Littigator

patchy wrote:

Wotcha

hi fixie mafia. What's the best and easiest way to gear up a Langster? Currently running 42 up front (LAME) and 14 out back – should i be upping the front chainring or the rear? If so, where's the best palce to get me new chainring from (aside from the LBS, of course...)

Patchy

I recently got a singlie which was running 46 on the front and 17 on the back which I found too soft so I upgraded the chain ring to a 52. A new chain ring is very easy to fit but rather short sightedly I didn't realise I'd also need a new chain due to the increased size ring (DOH!)

Luckily I had a spare chain at home.

I reckon it's probably cheaper to get a new sprocket for the rear so you don't have to replace the chain.

Simonb256

I've always had one concern about riding a fixie, what happens when going downhill? is it just a case of keeping your cadence and push back against the bike wanting to go faster or am i missing it totally..

Im comuting 25miles each way soon on a geared roadbike but contemplating the surly steam roller also, but sticking the freewheel on for the commute and fixie round town etc...

camvaile

LIT - the Surly is SWEET. And at that price doubly so. I had my eye on one but at £600 it was a bit out my budget. So I went for the Charge Plug Racer. Have ended up spending at least another £100 (whoops) anyway on new chainring (48T cos it was ridiculously undergeared for flat old London), chain, chain tool and bars. But I love it!! No more gears for me. EVER!!

il_principe

I'm totally biased but I prefer my Pearson Touche over the Surly - it's better reviewed as well! http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk/images/CYP188.bs_bike1.pdf

Is that Surly price inclusive of import tax? Good deal if it is! Always worth asking the vendor if they'll change the gear. Pearson will do various alterations for you - bar tape colour, bar type, mudguards etc just ask em!

lost_in_thought

Simonb256 wrote:

I've always had one concern about riding a fixie, what happens when going downhill? is it just a case of keeping your cadence and push back against the bike wanting to go faster or am i missing it totally...

Either keep pushing forwards or just relax your legs and spin... if you want to go slower I heartily suggest the brake!

Thanks for the input folks... Jash- bike shop man heartily agrees wth you on the surly being a bit heavy but durable, and it doesn't include import tax but they do say they will cover a part of it... So yeah, not ideal! Also, they don't have it in my size for 3 weeks...

I've just spoken to Pearson, good shout there, very helpful souls indeed, and they'll do me the whole shebang with my stupidly high gear slightly reduced to an 88inch for only £240... which is a REALLY GOOD DEAL!

I guess I need to wait and hear from the insurance types whether I need to replace gollum bike with gollum bike...

lost_in_thought

Littigator wrote:

Luckily I had a spare chain at home.

You've moved to Selfridges? I KNEW you lived on oxford street

biondino

LiT, When my guitars got stolen I petitioned the insurers to let me my one nicer guitar to replace the two that got nicked and they were cool with it, but this is a bit different so good luck. If you like, we can cobble together an official-looking letter which states that gollum bike has been demonstrated to be uglier than EU standards allow so you should be given permission to get something sexy instead?

biondino

(EU regulations based on how quickly and up to what age small children were reduced to tears simply by being pointed at it)

lost_in_thought

biondino wrote:

LiT, When my guitars got stolen I petitioned the insurers to let me my one nicer guitar to replace the two that got nicked and they were cool with it, but this is a bit different so good luck. If you like, we can cobble together an official-looking letter which states that gollum bike has been demonstrated to be uglier than EU standards allow so you should be given permission to get something sexy instead?

Love it... I think that could be successfully argued!

I am pretty well agreed with them that due to my extremely specialist requirements and specific knowledge, along with my gearing and sizing requirements, I am the only person on planet earth qualified to choose myself a new bike.

Just need their final agreement in writing, then I'm going to get the Giant Bowery as found by Jashburnham on the Pearson site...

Thanks for that by the way!!

il_principe

lost_in_thought wrote:

biondino wrote:

LiT, When my guitars got stolen I petitioned the insurers to let me my one nicer guitar to replace the two that got nicked and they were cool with it, but this is a bit different so good luck. If you like, we can cobble together an official-looking letter which states that gollum bike has been demonstrated to be uglier than EU standards allow so you should be given permission to get something sexy instead?

Love it... I think that could be successfully argued!

I am pretty well agreed with them that due to my extremely specialist requirements and specific knowledge, along with my gearing and sizing requirements, I am the only person on planet earth qualified to choose myself a new bike.

Just need their final agreement in writing, then I'm going to get the Giant Bowery as found by Jashburnham on the Pearson site...

Thanks for that by the way!!

I'm gonna ask for some commission! Glad they were helpful.

the_hundredth_idiot

What's that on that link? Surly Steamroller for £299! They're about £600 now. Have they really doubled in price in 2 years? At £299, they'd be looking for a new hand to replaced the one still attached to the bike I was riding away on.

the_hundredth_idiot

Oh, just seen it says "f+f". That makes more sense now.

lost_in_thought

jashburnham wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

biondino wrote:

LiT, When my guitars got stolen I petitioned the insurers to let me my one nicer guitar to replace the two that got nicked and they were cool with it, but this is a bit different so good luck. If you like, we can cobble together an official-looking letter which states that gollum bike has been demonstrated to be uglier than EU standards allow so you should be given permission to get something sexy instead?

Love it... I think that could be successfully argued!

I am pretty well agreed with them that due to my extremely specialist requirements and specific knowledge, along with my gearing and sizing requirements, I am the only person on planet earth qualified to choose myself a new bike.

Just need their final agreement in writing, then I'm going to get the Giant Bowery as found by Jashburnham on the Pearson site...

Thanks for that by the way!!

I'm gonna ask for some commission! Glad they were helpful.

They really were... I tried name-dropping, but Will wasn't there and the guy I spoke to didn't seem to have heard of the forum... but nonetheless was great! And it should hopefully arrive this week, if not tuesday! Yaaaaaaaaaaaay prettier bike!

Also have gone down to 88 gear inches. My calves will thank me...

biggstevie

Ohhhhhh the langster came this morning i couldnt wait to get back home & build her up just as she was ready for her first ride it tips down with rain gutted

Littigator

lost_in_thought wrote:

They really were... I tried name-dropping, but Will wasn't there and the guy I spoke to didn't seem to have heard of the forum... but nonetheless was great! And it should hopefully arrive this week, if not tuesday! Yaaaaaaaaaaaay prettier bike!

Also have gone down to 88 gear inches. My calves will thank me...

When I order mine on a Monday from them they said 'we're out of your size they'll be in omorrow and we'll have it to you by Wednesday'. Tuesday lunchtime it arrived, now that's what I call service.

I'm well happy with mine, although I upped the gear inches to 82 and might shorten the stem slightly....fiddle fiddle fiddle, I just can't help it

lost_in_thought

Littigator wrote:

When I order mine on a Monday from them they said 'we're out of your size they'll be in omorrow and we'll have it to you by Wednesday'. Tuesday lunchtime it arrived, now that's what I call service.

I'm well happy with mine, although I upped the gear inches to 82 and might shorten the stem slightly....fiddle fiddle fiddle, I just can't help it

I know exactly what you mean about the fiddling! I'm hoping that as I have gone for a slightly smaller frame I will be less stretched out and won't have to shorten the stem on this one, but we'll have to see how it goes...

I will certainly be replacing the saddle with the one I had on the Gollum bike (RIP) because that made such a difference to my quality of life, and I might get a shiny new half-links-only chain for greater chain tension... and a tensioner... aaaaaaand all sorts of other things that I don't really need!!