Riding fixed i'n the snow rocks!

SimonAH

Tenish miles from home slurping a pint of Marcle Hill and facing the road with a massive grin! Snow? I bite the genitals of snow and whip the tush of slush!

Jay dubbleU

You, sir, are as mad as a spoon - I take my hat off to you 8)

andy83

I have been riding fixed all through the snow and have not had more fun on a bike in ages.

I actually feel in more control, dont have to worry about changing gears and its kind of like with the wheel constantly going round gives a bit more traction on the road.

people think Im absolutely mad and I prob am but im having fun

jonny_trousers

Clipped in or not?

UndercoverElephant

I ride my Genesis in the snow, fixed, knobbly tyres and flat pedals. Great fun and a lot easier than you'd imagine.

dhope

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Clipped in or not?

Yep

I could do with something more meaty than 25mm slicks though.

Craggers

I've been using my lagster through the snow as the p7 is sadly no longer with us. Thought it would be a very bad idea clipped in on 23mm slicks... actually found it pretty good going and plenty of fun, pulling skid stops all over the place (which I don't normally do). Think that on fresh snow the thinner tyres cut through and found grip. Not so great of compacted and ridged snow though.

My boss came in yesterday on his GT avalanche, and his gear cable had completely frozen inside it's outer... Fixed/ss FTW!

shedhead

Well done fellas !!!

I ride my Pompino fixed every working day all year ! clipped in too !! only way to be, especially in the snow & shit, chuck it on the garage when you get home wet & cold & it's there grinning at you in the morning ready to rock !!! I have a geared road bike too but much prefer my fixie.

roger_merriman

Yup it's not bad on a SS revolution track bike, the simpler drive chain is good, brakes are less good, but grip from 25mm slicks is not bad.

This said I'd be quicker on my MTB with full range of gears disc brakes and soft rubber mud tyres. But the SS is fine, and also a hoot!

pastryboy

I'm riding fixed, clipped in with 32/35 tyres over towpaths. I'm much happier riding fixed as I know there's so little to go wrong - even if my brakes freeze up (which they did) it doesn't matter as i just do rear wheel skids for the most part.

Parts of the journey the back of the bike is a bit lively but I haven't come anywhere near falling off. Found it much easier than when I was riding in the snow on my mountain bike last year.

Was hitting the dizzy heights of 15mph on some stretches though hard work.

gtvlusso

Car!!

After breaking my back and breaking my left arm in 6 places a few years ago.....I decided to take the car! However, I will have to cycle for the rest of this week.....as my wife needs the car.

Was wondering whether to fixie it (conti gator skins 23c + clipped in) or geared racing bike (specilized armadillo 23c and clipped in)

Either way, I am asking for trouble and will have to ride on the road, the cycle path is lethal.....not looking forward to the ring road dual carraigeway at night!

fossyant

No-way - my fixed is in the garage locked away - way too much Ice about, and I just grab the MTB with studded snow tyres instead.

Clever Pun

dhope wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Clipped in or not?

Yep

I could do with something more meaty than 25mm slicks though.

25's? pfft 23's are much more 'fun'

hatbeard

Clever Pun wrote:

dhope wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Clipped in or not?

Yep

I could do with something more meaty than 25mm slicks though.

25's? pfft 23's are much more 'fun'

the couriers I saw riding on what looked like pizza cutters across the inch thick sheet ice outside my office yesterday would concur.

wgwarburton

Hi,
Word of warning: Watch your rear sprockets. I think that the cold loosened mine (I'm guessing that differential contraction of the Aluminium hub compared to the steel sprocket may have been contributory: it was about -12 this morning).

Cheers,
W.

Butterd2

Another one Fixed and clipped in here. I must admit after a couple of days on 23mm slicks I went to some 28mm CX tyres. They may be better in the snow but on cold wet roads they are crap, I have spun up the rear pulling away from some lights (on the flat) and locked up the front once already (oh I miss my GP4000's).
I do feel like I have more control riding FG in this weather.

TommyEss

WGWarburton wrote:

Hi,
Word of warning: Watch your rear sprockets. I think that the cold loosened mine (I'm guessing that differential contraction of the Aluminium hub compared to the steel sprocket may have been contributory: it was about -12 this morning).

Cheers,
W.

Please tell me you use a lockring on the road?!

dhope

Clever Pun wrote:

dhope wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Clipped in or not?

Yep

I could do with something more meaty than 25mm slicks though.

25's? pfft 23's are much more 'fun'

To be fair they're 23/25s
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/speciali ... 37588.html

Lets call them 24s

wgwarburton

TommyEss wrote:

WGWarburton wrote:

Hi,
Word of warning: Watch your rear sprockets. I think that the cold loosened mine (I'm guessing that differential contraction of the Aluminium hub compared to the steel sprocket may have been contributory: it was about -12 this morning).

Cheers,
W.

Please tell me you use a lockring on the road?!

Nope- but then I don't usually do any significant leg-braking, either. In the three or four years I've been riding fixed this is the first time I've had any issue with unscrewing after a sprocket's been bedded in.
It's not a problem (I knew what was happening and just used a bit more brake, then screwed it back on again by pedalling forwards) I just thought it was worth highlighting that there might be an increased risk in case anyone got taken by surprise.

Proper fixed hubs are expensive and not really necessary if you use brakes.

Cheers,
W.

TommyEss

Cool cool - certainly a good idea to highlight the unscrewing issue - at least you knew what was happening!

andy83

I had mine unscrew last week when I was going around 20mph, very scary, luckily I realised quick enough, stopped peddalling and just sorted on the side of the road

Clipped in fixed is great fun, running 25mm at lower pressure

feel a lot safer on fixed as if brakes decide not to work I can leg break which i never usually do but has been a god send this last week

TommyEss

andy83 wrote:

I had mine unscrew last week when I was going around 20mph, very scary, luckily I realised quick enough, stopped peddalling and just sorted on the side of the road

Clipped in fixed is great fun, running 25mm at lower pressure

feel a lot safer on fixed as if brakes decide not to work I can leg break which i never usually do but has been a god send this last week

Anyone else see the link?

andy83

Yea its dangerous and my lockring decided to unscrew itself lol

On a more serious note, i wouldnt be recommending cycling to anyone who is not comfortable with handling a bike. I know im not perfect but have rode a lot of miles in the last few years, have had a few wobbles but all in all not been too bad so far.

I dont expect to be riding like i normally do so im extreamly cautious

dhope

TommyEss wrote:

andy83 wrote:

I had mine unscrew last week when I was going around 20mph, very scary, luckily I realised quick enough, stopped peddalling and just sorted on the side of the road

Clipped in fixed is great fun, running 25mm at lower pressure

feel a lot safer on fixed as if brakes decide not to work I can leg break which i never usually do but has been a god send this last week

Anyone else see the link?

andy83

ok just saw the other higlighted word lol

yes im sure leg braking is doing but hey im having fun

roger_merriman

25mm in deep slush and high gearing is hard work!

they cut into the slush but not all the way though, I'll have to stick to the roads tomorrow I guess. or hope it freezes up again.