Since everyone seems to be getting new bikes

[Herbsman.]

Have you got a flip flop hub? They are ideal for making the transition as you can get used to riding fixed without commiting.

Play with it for a few weeks and I imagine you'll be converted. Take it slowly at first. Don't remove your brakes in a hurry and you should be fine. I was put off by some of the hype for a while and now it seems silly.

How about don't take the brakes off at all!

As you know, you must have a front brake on a fixie otherwise it's illegal to ride on the road (and bloody dangerous too).

Having a back brake in addition to this would make it easier to stop in emergencies.

I'd have put a back brake on myself but I was too lazy, and more than one cable is too many cables IMO...

 

[fredfelt]

Agreed with Herbsman. Unless you have the technique to get your back wheel to skid so you can stop (and get through tyres real quick) I find that there is not much braking to be had through your pedals. I have both front and back brakes on my fixed and don't plan to get rid of either.

 

[sir.clip]

fuck knows what rims and brakes they are!

just looked - keymet xr300 rims (never heard of - must be cheap shite)

tektro r536 brake or something.

Rims are made by Formula..
They are ok..

Same as most of the rims out on most of the bikes in the world.. big tawainese company that supplys the world of cycling for pretty much everything alloy... Formula make hubs too & they are standard on a million bicycles globally.. cheap & chearfull but very good sealed bearings..

Brakes are the same deal tektro are made in same factories by same alloy company in taiwan..
Heck the alloy for the frame is proberly from the same place...

 

[eoin_k]

For the record I have front and back brakes on my fixie. My point was to emphasise that you don't need to abandon brakes to go fixed.

 

[eoin_k]

I don't really get why people have Bromptons, unless part of their journey is on a train or a bus. They're ugly little things and they have tiny little wheels which must make riding it pretty unstable and scary. Why not just get a decent hybrid for commuting?

I really enjoy riding a brompton. I am luck enought to have a brompton as a spare bike. You call them ugly little things. I call them design classics. They have a grace of their own and their form follows function, as it should with any well designed tool.

I've ridden bikes with smaller wheels than a brompton and having had that unpleasant experience it is clear that a lot of thought went into that aspect of the design. Sure they aren't as stable as those of your hybrid but 20" (?) wheels are just inside the comfort zone.

I find Hybrids ugly with their excessive gears and personality disorder. Sort of designed to go a little bit off road without compromising too much on road riding performance with a neither sporty nor comfortable riding position. I ride three bikes and they have less than half as many gears as the average hybrid between them. I've overtaken hybrids in the New Forest on a Pashley, in rush hour on a brompton and going up lavender hill on a fixie... not to blow my own trumpet like.

 

[chriswill]

You can keep your fixes, I'm still in love with my new un

 

[mtbskalover]

You can keep your fixes, I'm still in love with my new un

are those flat plastic pedals?

i no someone for rides a very nice carbon giant nrs. 3grands of bike, but he has dodgy knee so cant clip in. so he uses some crappy plastic pedals with no grip. still he's dam fit and fast!

anyways
how much does it weigh, looks nice n light.

 

[chriswill]

You have to excuse the pedals, It came with clipless and I just cant get on with them.

The ones in that pic are off my kona, but the have since been replaced by some v12 mags.


I have also added a carbon riser and seatpost since that one was taken.

She currently tips the scales at 19.8 lbs.

 

[Orang Utan]

I really enjoy riding a brompton. I am luck enought to have a brompton as a spare bike. You call them ugly little things. I call them design classics. They have a grace of their own and their form follows function, as it should with any well designed tool.

I've ridden bikes with smaller wheels than a brompton and having had that unpleasant experience it is clear that a lot of thought went into that aspect of the design. Sure they aren't as stable as those of your hybrid but 20" (?) wheels are just inside the comfort zone.

I find Hybrids ugly with their excessive gears and personality disorder. Sort of designed to go a little bit off road without compromising too much on road riding performance with a neither sporty nor comfortable riding position. I ride three bikes and they have less than half as many gears as the average hybrid between them. I've overtaken hybrids in the New Forest on a Pashley, in rush hour on a brompton and going up lavender hill on a fixie... not to blow my own trumpet like.

I find hybrids the most comfortable cos your not hunched over like on a road bike, you're nice and high up. The higher my seat is, I find, the faster I can go. I'm very fast on mine too - no point in going slow is there?

 

[mtbskalover]

She currently tips the scales at 19.8 lbs.

fair does with the pedals,
19! cripes!

jealous....
one day I will build a turner nitrous under 21lbs...

 

[chriswill]

I could lighten her further by going for xtr all round and getting some lighter wheels. The cross rides that are on it are by no means the lightest out there.


Its just I have spent £1800 on it so far and I cant really justify (or afford) to spend any more on her just yet.

When I break something is when i'll next upgrade.

 

[Herbsman.]

The higher my seat is, I find, the faster I can go. I'm very fast on mine too - no point in going slow is there?

That's because (up to a certain point) the higher your seat is, the more you can extend your leg when you're sitting down pedalling. You can transmit more power when your leg is almost fully extended compared to when it's fairly bent...