Got Me a Fixie!

[Neilb]

Boughtone of theseyesterday. I've finally gone and joined the single speed brigade. (im cheating though as the back wheel is reversible and I use the side which enables me to coast which apparently makes me a total fucking loser and unable to join the fixed wheel bortherhood.

Thing is I don't want my downhill options to be 1, spin my legs like fucking roadrunner or...2. Go down hill really slowly.

I like simplicity but I'm not daft.

[hifiwigwam]

I must admit I still don't get the fascination with fixed wheel bikes. I am even more confused by what you are doing? It's a fixie that is not fixed.. so you just have one gear? Why?

[Neilb]

HiFiWigWam wrote:

I must admit I still don't get the fascination with fixed wheel bikes. I am even more confused by what you are doing? It's a fixie that is not fixed.. so you just have one gear? Why?

well its the simplicity. Significantly less weight. Much less to go wrong. Cheaper too. For example you just get a really nice frame, wheels and lightweight for the same price as a bike with heavy weight and mediocre parts all round (and gears of course).

Its all flat pretty much here in Ho Chi Minh so this is pretty ideal for me.

The whole thing of being at one with your machine and the road.....well....I'll leave that to the other closet or open fixies on the wam who can probably elaborate far more eloquently than I on the subject.

[hifiwigwam]

Yeah, I can see the fun of such a light Bike. It's being in Brighton that makes it hard to understand I guess! Would you cycle up Elm Grove on it

[ClassikFan]

Get the fixed gear on and start practising stoppies you wimp.

[Injector]

Nothing much goes wrong with derailleurs and they're cheap to fix. I'm with the boss on this one, why not have the correct gear for any given road/incline?

OK to do your paper round on I guess.

[hifiwigwam]

it is a nice bike though

[Neilb]

ClassikFan wrote:

Get the fixed gear on and start practising stoppies you wimp.

and remove the brakes whilst im at it! Thats what the hardcore fixie brigade are into. Apparently its caused a few problems in the states as riding sans breaks is illegal in many states plus it makes insurance claims void....

....plus its a bit daft

[Neilb]

Injector wrote:

Nothing much goes wrong with derailleurs and they're cheap to fix. I'm with the boss on this one, why not have the correct gear for any given road/incline?

this isa fair point. I've enjoyed many years of fuss free derailleur equipped riding both on mountain and road bikes.

I guess there is a certain beauty in anything simple though. The difference between some graphic equaliser equiped beast and an early naim amp

[Injector]

Neilb wrote:

Injector wrote:

Nothing much goes wrong with derailleurs and they're cheap to fix. I'm with the boss on this one, why not have the correct gear for any given road/incline?

this isa fair point. I've enjoyed many years of fuss free derailleur equipped riding both on mountain and road bikes.

I guess there is a certain beauty in anything simple though. The difference between some graphic equaliser equiped beast and an early naim amp

Ah but at least your early Naim amp had a full frequency response - it handled peaks and troughs!

[mr.me]

For the serious cyclist fixed wheel is normally used during the winter months as a means of getting fit, which means that you have to pedal 100%. Also used for track racing. Many years ago most racing time trialist also used a fixed wheel.

[mr.me]

HiFiWigWam wrote:

it is a nice bike though

Nah! but this is

[ClassikFan]

Neilb wrote:

ClassikFan wrote:

Get the fixed gear on and start practising stoppies you wimp.

and remove the brakes whilst im at it! Thats what the hardcore fixie brigade are into. Apparently its caused a few problems in the states as riding sans breaks is illegal in many states plus it makes insurance claims void....

....plus its a bit daft

Cycle Couriers in London all seem to ride Fixies with no brakes these days.

Madness if you ask me, but you can get away with just a front brake and legpower to slow you down, make the bike look sleeker too.

[Neilb]

mr.me wrote:

For the serious cyclist fixed wheel is normally used during the winter months as a means of getting fit, which means that you have to pedal 100%. Also used for track racing. Many years ago most racing time trialist also used a fixed wheel.

All very true. I read about this yeaterday. Apparently fixed wheel is best for building what the french call 'souplesse'. the constant motion of the legsis much better for toning and stretching the muscles and keeps you in great condition.

Many clubs still do fixed wheel time trials and hill climbs.

You're right that Orbea is very nice!

[Neilb]

Brick Lane Bikes. Really quite sexy I have to say.

[Neilb]

And the BLT. (Brick Lane Tricks).

[julian2002]

you're riding a single speed not a fixie - a fixie has a fixed wheel (i.e. no freewheel) so you're a cheat...

mind you i'm an even bigger cheat - my mtb has a rohloff gear hub, 14 gears in the hub so i get the simplicity of a single speed with the ability to go up hills without blowing out my thighs or getting off and pushing (try pushing a fixie as well - bye bye shins...)

I've been out in some really awful conditions - like axle deep mud and my fellow dérailleur sporting cyclists have all had really bad times of it. similarly they've had problems with tall grass as well. The best thing though is the post ride cleanup - hose the thing down and grease / oil the bits that need it. job done. steak on the barbie time.

as for no brakes? sod that - give me a nice set of disks and braided hoses that can deal with the british climate. As above i've seen mates come a cropper thanks to muddy / slimy wet rims.

[Neilb]

14gears internally in the hub?? Very interesting I always thought 1-8 was th maximum.

You should post a pick of your bike. Very interested to see that. I know I'm cheating by coasting but I can reverse the back wheel to make it a full fixed wheel. I'm not quite there though yet.

[Scaramanga]

I rode single speed with no brakes for years, awesome fun. Not so much in the wet though when the bottom of your shoes (brake shoes!) refuse purchase on the rear tyre!

[HoopsOnToast]

you know what would make that bike good?









an engine