Single speeds: what am I missing?

Oddjob62

_Brun_ wrote:

biondino wrote:

...I've basically forgotten that I need to freewheel if I'm going to lean over that much...

I'm relieved to hear it's not just me who's suffered from this recently. Stupid legs always wanting to pedal.

Nope... me too. Even worse is approaching the lights with no hands on the brakes and suddenly realising i can't slow down using just my legs :oops:

TommyEss

MonkeyMonster wrote:

Blimey charlie Tommy... no need to try rip me a new one when I used the phrase
"That is my biggest problem I think I will have with fixed... "

Haven't been on a fixed yet at all. I know I free wheel and lean into corners a lot so stands to reason I might have a problem with it on a bike that if unfortunate timing occurs I might have a crank at the lowest possible point while leaning round a corner is all.

Leaning over like a loon however might well apply... My brother does say I ride like a nutter.

I meant I think you're worrying too much...!

If you do get a fixed wheel bike, it'll almost certainly have shorter cranks and a taller bottom bracket - that should leave you free to lean as loonily (is that a word?!) as you like.

Just keep in mind to watch for dips that may lower your pedal closer to the road - the biggest risk however is left filtering through traffic near the kerb - you can't free wheel and keep your left pedal up!

Don't worry if you do kark it though - probably won't hurt... Much...

_Brun_

I nearly fell off in a queue of traffic at about 2mph when I tried to slow down using my legs and what little balance I had was upset by the cranks suddenly spinning backwards.

lost_in_thought

Nah, if you're going slowly you can whack your left pedal down onto the kerb as much as you like, it lifts the bike up a bit but it really doesn't matter.

MM next beers you're very welcome to take my fixie out for a spin and see if you can get a pedal strike out of it!

wgwarburton

andy83 wrote:

just ordered this ...

Hmm, nice! That dropout (well, track-end since there are pedants roaming the thread :-) ) looks like it's set up for a belt-drive. Have you considered that? It seems ideal for a commuter... in fact my current thinking on the perfect commuter bike is a drop-bar fixie with steel frame, belt drive & mudguards...

Cheers,
W.

TommyEss

WGWarburton wrote:

(well, track-end since there are pedants roaming the thread :-) )

This will be remembered and you shall be rewarded!

stickman

Thanks for the comments, I don't want a rear brake as i'm going to paint the rims but interested to know just in case. I'll put a hub brake on the front, the mtb size wheels will be changed to 650a for more pedal height.

Clever Pun

WGWarburton wrote:

andy83 wrote:

just ordered this ...

Hmm, nice! That dropout (well, track-end since there are pedants roaming the thread :-) ) looks like it's set up for a belt-drive. Have you considered that? It seems ideal for a commuter... in fact my current thinking on the perfect commuter bike is a drop-bar fixie with steel frame, belt drive & mudguards...

Cheers,
W.

That's what I was thinking, I was having a nose around a belt drive at the weekend... could certainly make for an interesting snow bike.. apparently the belts last 9 times as long as a chain and are deathly quiet

andy83

Clever Pun wrote:

WGWarburton wrote:

andy83 wrote:

just ordered this ...

Hmm, nice! That dropout (well, track-end since there are pedants roaming the thread :-) ) looks like it's set up for a belt-drive. Have you considered that? It seems ideal for a commuter... in fact my current thinking on the perfect commuter bike is a drop-bar fixie with steel frame, belt drive & mudguards...

Cheers,
W.

That's what I was thinking, I was having a nose around a belt drive at the weekend... could certainly make for an interesting snow bike.. apparently the belts last 9 times as long as a chain and are deathly quiet

I did test ride the district with belt drive but i wanted drops and love the retro look

im going to see how I get on with it and may change it to belt drive, I have already checked and it can be done

cant wait to pick it up

asprilla

Oddjob62 wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

Only if you explain the difference and then go edit the Wikipedia section on bicycle gearing to reflect the difference.

If there is a difference then I'm sorry and I'll mend my ways.

From Wiki

"A sprocket is a profiled wheel with teeth that meshes with a chain, track or other perforated or indented material. It is distinguished from a gear in that sprockets are never meshed together directly, and differs from a pulley by not usually having a flange at each side."

"A gear is a rotating machine part having cut teeth, or cogs, which mesh with another toothed part in order to transmit torque."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprocket

Every day is a school day. Cheers Oddjob, I'll go get my orthopedic shoes so that I can stand corrected.

jonny_trousers

Well I seem to be the proud new owner of a customized Fuji Track (the rather pleasant product of a bottle of red wine and an itchy Ebay trigger finger) and it's flippin' great! It's set up as a single-speed right now, but it will be turned into a fixie the second I feel comfortable clipped in. Bring it on!

neil_sheehan2000

If I could ride like this or this then I would get a fixie in a heartbeat.

itboffin

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Well I seem to be the proud new owner of a customized Fuji Track (the rather pleasant product of a bottle of red wine and an itchy Ebay trigger finger) and it's flippin' great! It's set up as a single-speed right now, but it will be turned into a fixie the second I feel comfortable clipped in. Bring it on!

Congrats on the new arrival and good choice, welcome to the club all you need now is a CX bike and your work here is complete 8)

jonny_trousers

Well I seem to be the proud new owner of a customized Fuji Track (the rather pleasant product of a bottle of red wine and an itchy Ebay trigger finger) and it's flippin' great! It's set up as a single-speed right now, but it will be turned into a fixie the second I feel comfortable clipped in. Bring it on!

Congrats on the new arrival and good choice, welcome to the club all you need now is a CX bike and your work here is complete 8)

Well I don't think I can justify buying a CX bike for some time now, but you might be impressed/diappointed-with-my-blatant-lack-of-respect-for-money to hear that I also bought a beautifully kitted out and well looked after Reynolds 853 framed Ribble road bike off Ebay. I won it at a very reasonable price on the Saturday, but when I saw the Fuji not rising in price on the Sunday I couldn't stop myself from having a pop at it (I have now banned myself from Ebay). Yeah, I know it's silly to buy bikes that I have not tried out, but they both went for great prices and I can always sell them on again if they don't suit. Still waiting on the Ribble, but so far the Fuji is amazing fun (it has the same forks as your Ribble, coincidentally).

lost_in_thought

Somehow, Jonny_Trousers, I think you're going to get on just fine round here...

Nice purchasing, that man.

jonny_trousers

lost_in_thought wrote:

Somehow, Jonny_Trousers, I think you're going to get on just fine round here...

Nice purchasing, that man.

You're too kind LiT! And not a hub gear to be seen... yet :twisted:

Clever Pun

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Well I seem to be the proud new owner of a customized Fuji Track (the rather pleasant product of a bottle of red wine and an itchy Ebay trigger finger) and it's flippin' great! It's set up as a single-speed right now, but it will be turned into a fixie the second I feel comfortable clipped in. Bring it on!

pics or it didn't happen

owenlars

TommyEss wrote:

Seriously?! How far do you lean? You're only commuting, not racing - so be sensible - that and fit some 165mm cranks!

I've got SPDs with those clip on plastic flats on the bottom of them, It's the plastic bits that scrape, good early warning, but seriously it is not a problem if you are awake and sensible.

TommyEss

Are they the extra bits that hold the reflectors? I'm just baffled, because I lean quite a bit too and I've never come close - that's all!!

jonny_trousers

Clever Pun wrote:

pics or it didn't happen

It happened.

Hopefully this link will work for you, oh doubtful one.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT