Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - yay! finally got a fixie

http://members.cox.net/alexoyola/000_1430.jpg

bought it at the LBS slightly used for $400, trying to skid/skip's already making my arms hurt, maybe i'm doing it wrong?

I'm really excited about it though, going back out with it now :)

Ah.. . so begins the love affair...

Take a blow dryer and a credit card and take the logos off. Well, for me its like the less clothes they wear (women and logos) the sexier the beast!!

a blow dryer, a credit card, and some lighter fluid... and whatever you do, don't use oven cleaner! one day i'm gonna find the guy on this board who recommended oven cleaner and give him what for!

hot bike!

trying to skid/skip's already making my arms hurt, maybe i'm doing it wrong?

Most people use their legs ;)

a blow dryer, a credit card, and some lighter fluid... and whatever you do, don't use oven cleaner! one day i'm gonna find the guy on this board who recommended oven cleaner and give him what for!

hot bike!
Oven cleaner?
That willl remove paint and grease to bare metal in no time.

No, no oven cleaner! If a sticker will peel, the human fingernail is the best for slowly and carefully removing it. And the only ones that won't peel are the ones under a layer of clearcoat.

looks like you got a pretty smokin deal. nice bike.

bought it at the LBS slightly used for $400, trying to skid/skip's already making my arms hurt, maybe i'm doing it wrong?

I'm really excited about it though, going back out with it now :)

I believe every good thing people say about IROs and Pistas and Rushes and all but I do love my steamroller. Have fun.

Jim

... and whatever you do, don't use oven cleaner! one day i'm gonna find the guy on this board who recommended oven cleaner and give him what for!

I swear by oven cleaner, but only for removing icky-colored anodization from parts that would be happier in silver.

Great looking bike. Looks like new.

What kind of wheels/hubs/cranks/etc. are you running. Give us the details.

mavic ma3 rims, and i want to say shimano 600 crank/hubs

its a 55, which might be a little big for me (i'm 5'6, my roadbike's a 54) but so far its pretty comfortable

not being able to coast is messing with my brain

not being able to coast is messing with my brain

Wait until your legs get used to it and then you switch back to your road bike. Coasting will mess with you brain. Legs just feel better spinning.

Congrats on your new fixie. Is this your first time riding one?
I'm new to the fixie world, as mine is a rear wheel spacer (i think thats what its called) away from being done.
Suggestions on riding for a complete f.g. beginner?

mhm, this is my first time on one

oh, and another question. http://members.cox.net/alexoyola/these.JPG those spacer looking things below the stem, they can be removed, right?

oh, and another question. those spacer looking things below the stem, they can be removed, right?

Yep. Take the ones off the bottom and move them to the top until you find the right stem height for you. Once you're comfortable, have the LBS cut off the extra steer tube.

any idea how much cutting off the extra steer tube costs?

any idea how much cutting off the extra steer tube costs?
Maybe like $10-20, probably depending on the time they dedicate to your job...

awesome, cause i moved it almost all the way down and it looks kinda silly with the extra sticking up above the stem

if theyre sweet youre lbs will do it from free cuz u bought it there. most lbs will do stuff like that

if theyre sweet youre lbs will do it from free cuz u bought it there. most lbs will do stuff like that
Yea, bring em a 6-pack or a bag of burittos or something, and they might hook you up!

yeah, i only sorta bought it from them, it was their friends and all the money was going straight to him, so they didnt really get any business from me except for the pedals i bought

i'll ride up tomorrow and ask about it

thanks guys :)

cutting the steerer ain't exactly brain surgery. once you have the stem where you like it, mark the steerer at the top of the stem. take off the fork. make a new mark a little lower than the original mark, say half of a cm. bang the star nut down below the new mark. cut with a pipe cutter. file gently. put 'er back together.

http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/howfix_headthreadless.shtml

tehz- nice ride. if you're ever in downtown norfolk/ghent, hit me up.