If it aint fixed its broken

[richtea]

Ooh, I'd be up for that.

 

[tommers]

um... any rides that get organised then I'm up for it...

 

[han]

I've had something in the pipeline thats distinctly more urban flavoured for a couple of years now. All I need is to finally twist Lincoln at Brixton Cycles arm a bit and get the co-ops backing. It will also be for Charidee, take in several inner London boroughs and completely piss on the ROTFL. Watch this space.

Sounds good - keep us informed!

Fancy leading Urbanites round your 30 mile loop sometime this summer?

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

Sounds good - keep us informed!

Fancy leading Urbanites round your 30 mile loop sometime this summer?

Sure, anytime after June the 11th is cool for me.

ps - the boys at Brixton Cycles took delivery of a load of 2006 Fuji fixies in snazzy blue and white today, in case you want to go in and take a peek like

 

[han]

Sure, anytime after June the 11th is cool for me.

w00t!

I would be happy to be pub/cafe monitor if you like and find us some nice stopping points

ps - the boys at Brixton Cycles took delivery of a load of 2006 Fuji fixies in snazzy blue and white today, in case you want to go in and take a peek like

Oooh - now that sounds great. Am deffo gonna pop in this week after w*rk!

 

[han]

How are you enjoying your fixie by the way Sigmund?

Are you getting out on it nice and regular?

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

How are you enjoying your fixie by the way Sigmund?

Are you getting out on it nice and regular?

Every Sunday at the moment.

 

[han]

nice

So is it all coming naturally for you on the fixie now? (ie. is it as comfortable to ride as your normal bike).

Are these the Fujis but in red? I'm looking gonna pop in on Monday and have a go...

I love the look of the messengers' bikes, all black with funny handlebars...

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

nice

So is it all coming naturally for you on the fixie now? (ie. is it as comfortable to ride as your normal bike).

Are these the Fujis but in red? I'm looking gonna pop in on Monday and have a go...

I love the look of the messengers' bikes, all black with funny handlebars...

Its more comfortable. Unless I was planning to ride a really long or hilly route I'd prefer to use the fixie every time. Its all fallen into place now but tbh that only took about 3 x 30min spins to happen. You have to be comfortable spinning the pedals even if you're not putting the power down, and I've learnt that you probably need to run the saddle slightly lower than normally. I love the way it just kind of flows though, its like you're working with the bike and not detatched from it (maaaaaan)

Yeah thats the same Fuji beastie but in blue. Profile low pro handlebars (those funny handlebars you mention) are another £25 plus you'll need a front brake, cable and lever (Brixton wil do this for you but its cheaper to DIY as it'll take the price of the bike up to almost £400.

 

[han]

Hmm, sounds like they're quite easy to get used to riding, then!

Hey I found this fab website by a really eccentric and sweet looking bike enthusiast here http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed/ - have you seen it? His enthusiasm is infectious!

He's got all kinds of fixies that he's made himself.

I saw a courier riding one of those Fujis today (in blue). They're gorgeous. Specially with the profile low pro handlebars you mentioned...droool. There's something very aesthetically pleasing about the minimalism of them, isn't there?

 

[mtbskalover]

you dirty dirty pervert!

only joking mate, bet it is dam fast! i rode a fixie for the first time aboout a month ago when i went to the track at newport. It was also my first time on an indoor track. Fucking scary, but awesome once you get going and get up that bank.

a buddy i ride mtb's with has a singlespeed which is suitably fast uphills, pity it cant match my prophet going down.

keep on stomping!

 

[yellowmonster]

If it aint fixed its broken


"If it aint broken fix it until it is"

 

[handy1]

Completely off subject,i know, but when i was a kid (14 -16) im 41 now,in Ardwick and Hulme in Manchester a fixed wheel bike was De Rigeur .

These were not road bikes though but trackers and the main benefit of fixed wheels were wheelies! 'tis true,i used to travel up to a mile on me back wheel but i can recall a kid from the bullrings going from moss side to benchill (app 6-8 mls)

Anyone around my age from Manchester will remember that all kids at the time were wheelie obsessed.

H

 

[covi]

'tis true,i used to travel up to a mile on me back wheel but i can recall a kid from the bullrings going from moss side to benchill (app 6-8 mls)

My arse.

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

not off topic at all...I find it all a bit strange that all my life it was kids boasting about having a 5 or 10 speed bike (and then 6,12, etc ) and yet now I'm back on a bike with 1 speed. No doubt it is a bit of a fashion thing atm so I spose we'll have to see who is still fixing it in a decades time...weird also that in other parts of Europe its not taken off at all and fixie road riders just don't happen.

 

[handy1]

My arse.

well i cant really prove it now can i?

it is true though,a fixed wheel is ,isuppose like a unicycle,you have complete control.

H for real

by the way covi what a waste of a first post to doubt an urban old timer like meself

 

[covi]

well i cant really prove it now can i?

it is true though,a fixed wheel is ,isuppose like a unicycle,you have complete control.

H for real

Allright handy, we'll let this one through!

 

[covi]

by the way covi what a waste of a first post to doubt an urban old timer like meself

It had to be done, but I could tell by the way you wrote the reply that you were sincere and that it happened.

No offence.

So post counts are like antlers then and I shouldn't have rutted with someone with a bigger post count

 

[handy1]

It had to be done, but I could tell by the way you wrote the reply that you were sincere and that it happened.

No offence.

So post counts are like antlers then and I shouldn't have rutted with someone with a bigger post count

how could i take offence by a sweet talker like you?

you'll like U75 I think,and by the way....Welcome.

H

 

[covi]

how could i take offence by a sweet talker like you?

you'll like U75 I think,and by the way....Welcome.

H

Cheers for that, handy!

 

[handy1]

Your welcome. Now go introduce yourself on general and listen to all the bollox about hobnobs and not lending dub a fiver


H

 

[covi]

I'll save that pleasure, H!

Back to the fixed wheel. How steep the hill before it was too much (whether up or down). Any estimates in relation to, for example, Muswell Hill, Box Hill or Ditchling Beacon? If you think it's possible, how fit would you have to be to take a fixed wheel up and down those hills?

I'm presuming fixed wheel is inappropriate for Alp d'huez and the like?

 

[handy1]

I'll save that pleasure, H!

Back to the fixed wheel. How steep the hill before it was too much (whether up or down). Any estimates in relation to, for example, Muswell Hill, Box Hill or Ditchling Beacon? If you think it's possible, how fit would you have to be to take a fixed wheel up and down those hills?

I'm presuming fixed wheel is inappropriate for Alp d'huez and the like?

got me there mate the OP may be able to answer that better, i just stuck me nose in (off topic as usual)

H

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

I'm presuming fixed wheel is inappropriate for Alp d'huez and the like?

It can be done!

...and it wasn't until 1936 that you were allowed to do the tour de france on multispeed gears - despite the mountain stages being introduced in 1922. Riders were forced to ride up the mountain on a flip-flop fixed (low) gear before swapping over to the smaller descending cog for the trip back down. They even banned a freewheels. Henri Desgrange, the tours founder was a bit of a sticker and thought gears were for softies.


How steep is too steep? Fixed bikes climb better than geared ones...Muswell Hill is doable as are ditchling etc but depends on your strength and what gear you choose. I ride a 63" gear (48x20) for the Surrey Hills / Kent Lanes just south of London. People keep telling me to gear up to 48x18 (70.5") but for now at least I know I can climb anything under 10% on that and probably over 10% as long as its not too long. Boxhill is a bit of a doddle really as its only 7.7% average and about 1300m long if you go up the zig zag.

Depends on your attitude anyway...

 

[han]

...and it wasn't until 1936 that you were allowed to do the tour de france on multispeed gears - despite the mountain stages being introduced in 1922. Riders were forced to ride up the mountain on a flip-flop fixed (low) gear before swapping over to the smaller descending cog for the trip back down. They even banned a freewheels. Henri Desgrange, the tours founder was a bit of a sticker and thought gears were for softies.

Very interesting!!

Well I just had a go on a Fuji track fixie and fell in love with the fixie way of riding straight away....twas a joy

Am gonna check out some Surlys to see what they're like as well (nicer paint jobs).

Sigmund - I can see yours has a back brake from the photo....have you swopped the back wheel to a freewheel or are you using a back brake as well as pedal-braking?

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

Very interesting!!

Well I just had a go on a Fuji track fixie and fell in love with the fixie way of riding straight away....twas a joy

Am gonna check out some Surlys to see what they're like as well (nicer paint jobs).

Sigmund - I can see yours has a back brake from the photo....have you swopped the back wheel to a freewheel or are you using a back brake as well as pedal-braking?

Nice one

I'm not sure about the Surlys - £300 is a lot for a frame only...have you thought about buying an old frame on ebay and getting it fixed up instead?

I am currently using the back brake as insurance but thats mail cos I ride downhill a lot - if you only ever ride on the flat I doubt you need one.

 

[han]

Sigmund -

Hmm...building yer own could be a good idea! And not too difficult with a singlespeed fixie, I should think....

Yep those Surlys are a bit pricey...I thought they were £300 in total not frame only. Will probably go for the Fuji..... <rubs hands with glee>

The only thing I found a bit weird with the fixie was stopping at junctions/traffic lights then starting off again (eg. if your pedal is in the wrong place for you to start off) - a bit awkward (but then i only had a go for about 10 mins).

Being on the move was pure unadulterated pleasure though!!

Did you get off and walk up hills at first?

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

Sigmund -


Did you get off and walk up hills at first?

No, so far I haven't had to. I think those fujis are pretty high geared from new, the shop would probably swap it out for a lower gear if you asked them...but once you get into it you'l be fine I'm sure.

The junction thing - if you can put one foot down, hold the front brake on and push the other pedal round to a starting position (endo-ing the front).

Pretty sure the surlys are £300ish for just the frame. building your own isn't so hard (or expensive if you find a suitable donor bike ie 5 speed racer from the 70's - then all you'll need is a whee, sprocket and chain and off you go.

 

[han]

the shop would probably swap it out for a lower gear if you asked them...but once you get into it you'l be fine I'm sure.

Yes, they did offer to do that actually! Lovely chaps at Brixton Cycles

The junction thing - if you can put one foot down, hold the front brake on and push the other pedal round to a starting position (endo-ing the front).

Fab! I will make sure I do that next time.

then all you'll need is a whee

*chortle*

 

[han]

bootiful bikes aren't they....

It's like falling in love with cycling all over again!