Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Your noobiest SSFG moments

List a few of your noobiest moments with ur SSFG (being as green as I am, I figured I could actually contribute to a thread like this)

These all happened within the last 2 weeks (since that is my entire SSFG and, really, biking lifetime):

1. When you use goo-b-gone to get off decals, don't let it run down the top-tube and vaporize the adhesive on one or all of your rear brake-cable stays. This may or may not have happened to me.

2. Steel wool is not a good way to get decals off your frame.

3. Make sure your seat-post stay is tight. I rode about 25 miles roundtrip the other day and by the time I was 10 miles out, I realized that my normally aggressive position had come to resemble that of a beach-cruiser... my saddle had gradually lowered about 7 inches.

4. Make sure you have tools with you. After my seat post had lowered 7 inches, I had no way of readjusting it. Fun ride back, with my legs bottoming out on the pedals with knees at about a 45 degree angle.

:eek:

Riding brakeless on first fixed wheel bike.

#1 and i'm going to assume this is universal...

still clipped in trackstanding at a light, notice someone(for me, bunch of young guys in a VW gti) staring at you hard, lose balance, fall on side in street.

#2 getting off and walking up a hill

Mine would definitely have to be building a conversion when I could have gotten way more of a bike buying one new. Not only did I lose a very fun beater road bike, but I gained a FG that doesn't preform like I want it to.

I tried to show my friend how good I was at no handed skid stops. Instead, I ended up front flipping over the bars. Another time, I tried skidding at a stoplight but instead smashed my nuts on the top tube and had to swerve in order to avoid flying into the intersection.

My first gear ratio on my conversion was 52x16. That didn't last long.

#2 getting off and walking up a hill
this

oh and, while getting used to clipless, was doing a 50mile ride and decided to stop on the side of the road for a quick rest/hydration. Looked back and carefully made it from the middle of the street to the side w/o hitting other riders. Slowed to a stop, WHAMP! fell to the side coz i completely forgot about clipping out.

this one time I forgot I was riding my fixie and tried to coast. And then this other time that happened again.

I tried skidding at a stoplight but instead smashed my nuts on the top tube and had to swerve in order to avoid flying into the intersection.

oh man, I feel your pain. but I couldnt help laughing at this. frickin hilarious man

My most noob moment would have to be flying down a hill on my fixed and then forgetting I cant coast and having the pedals going to fast to keep up with them (had bmx flats on, only thing i had until i got clipless) and then my legs flailing as my pedals keep spinning

living in davis california

living in davis california
+1

Know how to explain what a FG bike exactly is.

My first gear ratio on my conversion was 52x16. That didn't last long.
This, except 300+ miles later I still haven't changed it.

First week with the fixed gear, and clips/straps. Trackstanding in my friend's driveway, lost my balance and instinct took over, I twisted my foot to get out of my clipless pedals like I always do on my road bike. Of course, I was on the fixed and in toe clips/straps .. needless to say, my foot didn't come out of the straps, so I fell over..

Having a front brake.


Joking aside my ex got on a fixed for her first time testing it out at a shop and flipped off, scratched herself off pretty bad. I got on my first fixed and flew. Haven't looked back since.

Buying 700x32c tires instead of 23s and wondering why it won't clear the front brake.

oh and, while getting used to clipless ... Slowed to a stop, WHAMP! fell to the side coz i completely forgot about clipping out.
Went for my first clipless ride an hour ago, and just had this happen. It's like my bike said "welcome to riding clipless. Here's some road rash to make it official"... bang! Down I go.

Joking aside my ex got on a fixed for her first time testing it out at a shop and flipped off, scratched herself off pretty bad. I got on my first fixed and flew. Haven't looked back since.
So this is how you got away from her? :lol:

#1 Going downhill on my very first fixie ride without straps, 48/15 (big ratio for first time?)....

#2 Saw a hot girl, got distracted.........crashed.

+1

+1

Leaning the wrong way after unclipping my down foot, then the other one doenst come out quick enough, boom.

First overhaul, not paying attention and waaaayy overtightening my non-drive pedal cause I forgot it being righty loosey (to make things worse I didn't grease it upon installation, fun time getting it off)... Almost did this with the BB about 3 months later.

+1

don't know who you are


+1

hong sang wang

Last night actually:

Was skidding to stop for a light, and back tire tore and tube exploded. Was so loud people on the sidewalk were like "Ohhh!"

And +1 for trackstanding and falling while still clipped in :(

Errr was f-ing around and decided to skid balls-to-stem style, somehow I also managed to press on the front brake lever. I felt the rear wheel lift off the ground, yet I managed to unclip and plant my feet. My balls still hit the stem, FML

ACK! double post! sorry.

don't know who you are
someone who's lived in davis for 15 years and understands how ****ty is

a double posting hipster kitten? omg

165560
a double posting hipster kitten? omg

i tried skidding at a stoplight but instead smashed my nuts on the top tube and had to swerve in order to avoid flying into the intersection.
this!

when i used to ride my geared mountain bike, i would stand up and lock my knees a lot while coasting.

first time out fixed i did that while going through an intersection and almost got launched off my bike. i had one foot in the clips still and i was going up and down with the cranks trying not to fall.

when i used to ride my geared mountain bike, i would stand up and lock my knees a lot while coasting.


I see this a lot, why is that?

I see this a lot, why is that?
I used to do that all the time as well. When you're pedaling to catch up to something or go faster, its easier to stand up, and when you're done, I guess its just easier to remain there, rather than sit back down. Especially if you plan on pedaling again.

I used to lock up my knees when I ride my BMX, because sitting down made no sense to me.

Put new bars on my bike but forgot to completely screw them in. Bars started rotating a mile into my ride

I see lots of people using bmx bikes for transportation, why is that?

They are stuck in the 80's.

There are a lot of bums around Vancouver that carry their stuff on a BMX, most likely stolen.

I see lots of people using bmx bikes for transportation, why is that?

People like the sensation of having their knees jabbing them in the face when they ride.

...thinking about moving to Davis, Calif., apparently.

most noobish thing? taking time to post in SSFG probably takes the cake...:rolleyes:

but for realz, most noobish things involve:
-tipping over in straps

-hopping a sorta high curb one wheel at a time (low speed), got front wheel over, and when I brought the back up, I came down on the edge of the curb/at an angle on it, and it shot the back end up and bucked me off the bike. To this day I still don't exactly know how I accomplished that without getting a pinch flat or something...

-went to bike shop, looking for 26.0 quill stem. the sales girl suggested a 25.4, and that i just stretch it to fit. I toasted the stem (bent it too far. it wouldnt even fit the bars, and the bolt was already off axis and wouldn't go in. Although this was sort of the shops fault, it definitely struck me as odd when she suggested it, and I didn't speak up about it. Of course I didn't keep the reciept, and now I have a nice chrome quill stem paperweight.

as for noobish things currently happening: just shy of 3 years ago, I put a seatpost in my motobecane with not nearly enough grease. I hadn't moved the seatpost since. Now that I want to adjust the damn thing, it's seized like a muh-fugger. I'm going through the motions of least to most extreme removal methods, and it's a major PITA.

However, on the plus side: I've managed to not tip over in clipless yet! I'm aaaalmost to the point of clipping in/out without thinking about it, and I've had some near-tipovers that I thought would be the end of my streak, but muscle memory just barely kicked in, and I got a foot on the ground. *knock on wood*

someone who's lived in davis for 15 years and understands how ****ty is

Generally anything in Davis that sucks (and IMO there isn't much) can be mitigated by a slice of pizza from Village Bakery.

this one time I forgot I was riding my fixie and tried to coast. And then this other time that happened again.
this....

However, on the plus side: I've managed to not tip over in clipless yet! I'm aaaalmost to the point of clipping in/out without thinking about it, and I've had some near-tipovers that I thought would be the end of my streak, but muscle memory just barely kicked in, and I got a foot on the ground. *knock on wood*
Don't worry. The 0mph fall will get you eventually. :thumb:

Generally anything in Davis that sucks (and IMO there isn't much) can be mitigated by a slice of pizza from Village Bakery.
Went there yesterday, to the restaurant. I still think it's better when ordered by the slice at the actual bakery.

Generally anything in Davis that sucks (and IMO there isn't much) can be mitigated by a slice of pizza from Village Bakery.

Or how about a freakin' double bleu-cheese bacon burger at Burgers & Brew?

Beefgasm

Using front brake when it was icy out.


Twice...

When I started riding a fixed gear folks said it would take me a while to get used to the not being able to coast thing and always having to pedal and they were right... it took all of 15 seconds.

Or how about a freakin' double bleu-cheese bacon burger at Burgers & Brew?

Beefgasm
Oh yes. I'm quite surprised at the amount of people here who live in/around Davis.

although sac has a Burgers & Brew now too so the reasons to go to Davis just shrunk by about 50%

although sac has a Burgers & Brew now too so the reasons to go to Davis just shrunk by about 50%
Meh...I've always preferred Habit. At least Davis has Hunan...

1) going down a hill on my brothers fixie with my backpack over one shoulder. I hit a bump, backpack slides down my arm and into the front wheel, and of course I flip and SNAP his STEEL CHROMOLY frame in 3 places. I was luckly wearing a helmet this one day. extreme road rash

2) unnecessarily skidding to a stop at a stop sign and my back wheel exploded

3) letting my friend ride my bike and forgetting to tell him he cant coast. He flipped over the handlebars