Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Chicago, WTF?

For some reason I don't have a lockring tool. I am cleaning up my wheels, so I try borrowing one from my three friends who ride, none of them have one either. So I go to Performance because I have a gift certificate, they don't have any. I go to Rapid Transit, they don't have any tools at all. I go to Upgrade, nothing. I go to Yojimbos, he is out of them for some reason. I head all the way over to Cycle Smithy, and damn they have one! Only $20 for a piece of stamped metal. So I go home and take the lockring off, then I proceed to bend my chainwhip in half trying to take the cog off. So the moral of this story is that bikes are stupid and crappy Spin Doctor chainwhips are useless. Yojimbos had unmachined Deep-Vs in gold and black though which I liked.

Use the italian method for the cog. Much better than a chain whip. I'd give you a link, but I'm drunk and lazy...

http://204.73.203.34/fisso/eng/schpignone.htm

is the rotofixa method.

i've been having similar problems finding tools. once you clear the base-level supplies like patch kit/chaintool/pedal wrench, tools get mighty hard to find at ye olde LBS. so, my sympathies. i just order them from Harris and grit my teeth for a week while they float across the country in the big brown sleigh.

Jason, I love buying local. LOVE it. But it rarely happens. Sad but true.

Jason, I love buying local. LOVE it. But it rarely happens. Sad but true.

I have always considered the region between Montreal and Vancouver to be a wasteland. Intersesting
that you feel the same about the US.

Sitting back with asbestos suit on.

I'm saying that about Chicago alone.

Ohio is also a wasteland. Oh, MO too.

i'm from ohio.

anyway, i think it's my fault - i bought one from performance the other day... it was the last one.
d'oh!

Jason , Welcome back ..haven't seen ya around..

Sometmes a little Flat head screwdriver and a hammer with fix it til you get it more secure..


just don't forget about it.

S/F<
CEYA!

Ohio is also a wasteland. Oh, MO too.

PA is a total wasteland too. Fsck middle america.

It has been my experience that LBS's really don't mind you ordering things like lockring wrenches online. They are as aware that they can't make money stocking them as you are aware that they don't have them. Those that you buy local from just appreciate that those that want specific stuff think of them first and at least ask if they have it.

Nobody should hold it against someone for wanting something that they decided wasn't profitable to stock. If you need it immediately, just ask a shop to use one of there's, or ask them to do it for you. The most likely won't charge you anything...of course if they don't know what they are don't they won't tighten it enough.

St. Louis is getting better! The shop nearest my house actually stocks a few track bikes and SS mountain bikes, and had some very cool track frames (actual track frames, not 'street track' frames) in stock last time I was there. However, they still don't stock a good range of cogs, and not all the salespeople know what they are yet.

But its getting better! :)

peace,
sam

yeah, shops dont seem to stock lock ring wrenches. The only place i found one, other than online, was at cycle smithy. I think i checked about 6 shops also. Most said they had one, but they didn't sell them or know anywhere that did. As if it was some secret tool that only a shop should have.

It was a hozen they cost at least $20. It might have been the last one. but i was at cycle smithy and thought i saw a bunch on their wall. They have a guy named joe that knows fixed gear bikes and is pretty helpful. but it seems like they are a bit slow ordering parts.
http://sheldonbrown.com/images/hozanhoox.gif

Marcus at Yojimbo's does have a lockring wrench for sale but I figure it'd be out of most people's price ranges since it's the EAI Keirin Multi-Tool.