I really hate the term "Fixie".
07-04-15, 03:43 AM
#76
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07-04-15, 03:47 AM
#77
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07-04-15, 04:32 AM
#78
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As far as beards go, I'd have to grow a long gray one, or at the very least salt and pepper, haha. I will be 50 a couple of years from now. I did just practice a little on my skateboard. I can coast along with a hand hold nearby, but getting on a riding is a little shaky yet. I was getting to where I could do all of that a couple of years ago, so I imagine it will come back soon. You're truly only as old as you make yourself believe. I am not going to be doing vert ramps, or any tricks at all probably. It's fun enough just to feel like you're flying as you roll along. Even more so than riding a road bike, hehe.,,,,BD
07-04-15, 04:48 AM
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My brother-in-law asked me to find a poopie for his son. I looked and looked, and none of the poopies seemed right for an upright bass player in a rockabilly band. So I started searching CL, and found an old Fuji that looked particularly neglected, but it fit the bill.
I contacted the seller, and we meet at his apartment complex, go to the "garage" section, and he opens the door to bike junk, stacked floor to ceiling, with about 4 square feet for a repair stand. He pulls the Fuji from the pile, and says "go ahead, test it." I don't. I see signs of fresh wrenching on the headset, bb shell, and calipers, a bit of grease on the frame. The tires look good, the valve stems look new, and it's got pedals with half-toe clips. It had not been cleaned, but it had definitely been worked on. I asked him to ride it, and the 50-something, 5'6 220lb guy hopped on and rode it like he was born on it.
I looked it over and said, "not my cup o' tea, but my nephew wants one for getting around DC." We talked bikes awhile, and he really knew his stuff. I get ready to pay and leave, and he says 'Just take it. I get so many idiots in here, it's nice to just meet a bike nerd with some sense."
In true bike nerd etiquette (and because I was spending my brother-in-law's money), I said "Nope, it's not for me, and it's not my money. Drink it away if you want to, I dont' care." This led to a couple of beers on his patio, and I had to call my wife to come and get me. We picked up my car the next day. She was pretty mad, but it was funny.
I contacted the seller, and we meet at his apartment complex, go to the "garage" section, and he opens the door to bike junk, stacked floor to ceiling, with about 4 square feet for a repair stand. He pulls the Fuji from the pile, and says "go ahead, test it." I don't. I see signs of fresh wrenching on the headset, bb shell, and calipers, a bit of grease on the frame. The tires look good, the valve stems look new, and it's got pedals with half-toe clips. It had not been cleaned, but it had definitely been worked on. I asked him to ride it, and the 50-something, 5'6 220lb guy hopped on and rode it like he was born on it.
I looked it over and said, "not my cup o' tea, but my nephew wants one for getting around DC." We talked bikes awhile, and he really knew his stuff. I get ready to pay and leave, and he says 'Just take it. I get so many idiots in here, it's nice to just meet a bike nerd with some sense."
In true bike nerd etiquette (and because I was spending my brother-in-law's money), I said "Nope, it's not for me, and it's not my money. Drink it away if you want to, I dont' care." This led to a couple of beers on his patio, and I had to call my wife to come and get me. We picked up my car the next day. She was pretty mad, but it was funny.
07-04-15, 05:58 AM
#81
Shifting is fun!
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Great story! And recognizable, I might add.
My brother-in-law asked me to find a poopie for his son. I looked and looked, and none of the poopies seemed right for an upright bass player in a rockabilly band. So I started searching CL, and found an old Fuji that looked particularly neglected, but it fit the bill.
I contacted the seller, and we meet at his apartment complex, go to the "garage" section, and he opens the door to bike junk, stacked floor to ceiling, with about 4 square feet for a repair stand. He pulls the Fuji from the pile, and says "go ahead, test it." I don't. I see signs of fresh wrenching on the headset, bb shell, and calipers, a bit of grease on the frame. The tires look good, the valve stems look new, and it's got pedals with half-toe clips. It had not been cleaned, but it had definitely been worked on. I asked him to ride it, and the 50-something, 5'6 220lb guy hopped on and rode it like he was born on it.
I looked it over and said, "not my cup o' tea, but my nephew wants one for getting around DC." We talked bikes awhile, and he really knew his stuff. I get ready to pay and leave, and he says 'Just take it. I get so many idiots in here, it's nice to just meet a bike nerd with some sense."
In true bike nerd etiquette (and because I was spending my brother-in-law's money), I said "Nope, it's not for me, and it's not my money. Drink it away if you want to, I dont' care." This led to a couple of beers on his patio, and I had to call my wife to come and get me. We picked up my car the next day. She was pretty mad, but it was funny.
I contacted the seller, and we meet at his apartment complex, go to the "garage" section, and he opens the door to bike junk, stacked floor to ceiling, with about 4 square feet for a repair stand. He pulls the Fuji from the pile, and says "go ahead, test it." I don't. I see signs of fresh wrenching on the headset, bb shell, and calipers, a bit of grease on the frame. The tires look good, the valve stems look new, and it's got pedals with half-toe clips. It had not been cleaned, but it had definitely been worked on. I asked him to ride it, and the 50-something, 5'6 220lb guy hopped on and rode it like he was born on it.
I looked it over and said, "not my cup o' tea, but my nephew wants one for getting around DC." We talked bikes awhile, and he really knew his stuff. I get ready to pay and leave, and he says 'Just take it. I get so many idiots in here, it's nice to just meet a bike nerd with some sense."
In true bike nerd etiquette (and because I was spending my brother-in-law's money), I said "Nope, it's not for me, and it's not my money. Drink it away if you want to, I dont' care." This led to a couple of beers on his patio, and I had to call my wife to come and get me. We picked up my car the next day. She was pretty mad, but it was funny.
07-04-15, 06:56 AM
#82
Senior Member
I had bought it less than an hour before, so they were brand new at that point. 
The 510 is one of the nicest riding frames I own, not to mention one of the best fitting. It was also free. I bought two older Treks that day for $200, and sold the 412 a week later for the same price of $200.
,,,,BD
Looking back, I should have kept both of them. The 412 was actually in better condition than the 510, cosmetically at least. It would have made a nice poopie
.
The 510 is one of the nicest riding frames I own, not to mention one of the best fitting. It was also free. I bought two older Treks that day for $200, and sold the 412 a week later for the same price of $200.
,,,,BDLooking back, I should have kept both of them. The 412 was actually in better condition than the 510, cosmetically at least. It would have made a nice poopie
.
Last edited by Bikedued; 07-04-15 at 07:21 AM.
07-04-15, 12:41 PM
#84
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There was a young hipster from Dixie
With a mustache too long and quite droopy.
He bought what he thought was a fixie.
But by the time Drew was done, well "son of a gun."
Turned out it was some kind of poopie.
With a mustache too long and quite droopy.
He bought what he thought was a fixie.
But by the time Drew was done, well "son of a gun."
Turned out it was some kind of poopie.
Last edited by RobbieTunes; 07-04-15 at 12:46 PM.
07-04-15, 12:42 PM
#85
Get off my lawn!
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BD, learn to ride the board now before you click the 1/2 Century mark. On my 50th, my last run on a longboard included; a long fresh paved hill, several stop signs that I had not considered and Oh, thank God, a long run out.
3/4 of the way in to the ride I started thinking about broken hips, femurs etc. thoughts that hadn't crossed my mind the week before.
This fixie goes out every morning
3/4 of the way in to the ride I started thinking about broken hips, femurs etc. thoughts that hadn't crossed my mind the week before.
This fixie goes out every morning
07-04-15, 04:19 PM
#86
Bikes are okay, I guess.
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I like the term fixie. It gets the point across and you can always used "fixed gear" for clarification if you need to. Cartoon below from the Bicycles page of a recent Funny Times.
07-04-15, 04:31 PM
#88
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"fixie"? I don't much like the term either, but what's the point in calling it something else? It could be a track bike, but I don't ride it on the track, I don't aspire to riding it on the track, and I'm not about to pretend I do. People who understand bikes understand the term 'fixie.' If I'm going to the bother of talking to them, I might as well use terms they understand.
"Path racer"? No.
"Path racer"? No.
07-04-15, 06:28 PM
#89
Get off my lawn!
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PS. My bike has track ends and fender eyelets so it ain't a Track bike, it's a Fixie or SS. Road bike depending on the hub.
07-04-15, 06:45 PM
#90
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you know how to make 'm look right, Dued!
On the topic of FG conversions, I do think I by and large prefer the more classic 73/73 geo of a converted road bike to the highly strung 75/74 geometry pushed by the "fixie" manufacturers. I tried a modern FG a while ago and it just seemed way to skittish for city riding, even though the mfctr. claimed it was meant for just that purpose. Is C7V with me on this?
On the topic of FG conversions, I do think I by and large prefer the more classic 73/73 geo of a converted road bike to the highly strung 75/74 geometry pushed by the "fixie" manufacturers. I tried a modern FG a while ago and it just seemed way to skittish for city riding, even though the mfctr. claimed it was meant for just that purpose. Is C7V with me on this?
07-05-15, 05:29 PM
#91
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i'm confused, "survived"? I ride with a small group of riders most mornings, I'm the only fixed gear. Terrain is flat to rollers. Survive the ride? I have a blast! Sure, I'm faster with gears, but were riding, not racing, most importantly I'm having a great time "surviving" the ride.
PS. My bike has track ends and fender eyelets so it ain't a Track bike, it's a Fixie or SS. Road bike depending on the hub.
PS. My bike has track ends and fender eyelets so it ain't a Track bike, it's a Fixie or SS. Road bike depending on the hub.
edit:
There was no slower group. One group, about 30 guys, you neither go and hang on or go and get drop. No riding to Starbucks. There's a slower group now, but they are still freaking fast and some of the guys that used to hurt us are still hurting us, even at 60. Those bastards! I manage to hang on but I can't stop riding during the week. it takes me three months of really hard work to go out to play with the younger, bigger dogs. I am getting close to the big Five-O in a couple of years. This getting old sure takes a lot outta of ya!
Last edited by look171; 07-05-15 at 05:38 PM.
07-05-15, 06:58 PM
#92
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How to avoid Zachary syndrome:
1) Put some brakes on the bike unless you're only riding at the Velodrome. Brakes, as in "plural" brakes - as in both brakes. Drill holes in the bridgework or the fork if you have to - or get some clamp-on brakes, like the Keirin riders do in Japan. Brake-free is one of the stupidest things hipsters do (of the many stupid things they do). Skid-stopping is for a-holes.
2) Day-glo or Bozo the Clown colors are a dead-giveaway that you're living off a trust fund check. This is particularly true if you're mixing and matching for the sake of "irony".
3) Decent tires that have a good ride for prolonged periods don't tend to be made in China, nor do they have or need ridiculous amounts of rubber. Tubulars work best, same as on any other road bike - and Josh & Dylan are too busy updating their Facebook page to learn how to mount them.
4) Bullhorn, Major Taylor or Nitto 123 bars are an affront to the road cycling community unless used at the velodrome. Go with conventional noodle types or mustache bars - ones with a variety of positions available to you.
5) Funnybike frames are for track, not for street. Same goes for Keirin or other Pista framed wonder-bikes, unless you're a genetic mutant and have a really short torso and arms.
6) Vintage Peugeot UO-8s or other boom-era "ten-speed" bikes should be kept intact and multi-geared, unless all of the parts are busted up and/or the bike is a basket case.
7) Using a Dremel tool to cut off braze-ons and/or derailleur hangers is unethical and make you worthy of a curb-stomping.
8) Freewheel does not equal fixed gear. Subsequently, removing derailleurs and chain links from a vintage bike does not yield a fixed gear bike.
9) Learn to wrench properly before you modify. Better yet, don't modify.
10) Skinny jeans might be fashionable, but they will cut off blood supply. That's probably not going to be a big deal for most hipster males, as the females they used to count on gravitate towards males with bank accounts.
1) Put some brakes on the bike unless you're only riding at the Velodrome. Brakes, as in "plural" brakes - as in both brakes. Drill holes in the bridgework or the fork if you have to - or get some clamp-on brakes, like the Keirin riders do in Japan. Brake-free is one of the stupidest things hipsters do (of the many stupid things they do). Skid-stopping is for a-holes.
2) Day-glo or Bozo the Clown colors are a dead-giveaway that you're living off a trust fund check. This is particularly true if you're mixing and matching for the sake of "irony".
3) Decent tires that have a good ride for prolonged periods don't tend to be made in China, nor do they have or need ridiculous amounts of rubber. Tubulars work best, same as on any other road bike - and Josh & Dylan are too busy updating their Facebook page to learn how to mount them.
4) Bullhorn, Major Taylor or Nitto 123 bars are an affront to the road cycling community unless used at the velodrome. Go with conventional noodle types or mustache bars - ones with a variety of positions available to you.
5) Funnybike frames are for track, not for street. Same goes for Keirin or other Pista framed wonder-bikes, unless you're a genetic mutant and have a really short torso and arms.
6) Vintage Peugeot UO-8s or other boom-era "ten-speed" bikes should be kept intact and multi-geared, unless all of the parts are busted up and/or the bike is a basket case.
7) Using a Dremel tool to cut off braze-ons and/or derailleur hangers is unethical and make you worthy of a curb-stomping.
8) Freewheel does not equal fixed gear. Subsequently, removing derailleurs and chain links from a vintage bike does not yield a fixed gear bike.
9) Learn to wrench properly before you modify. Better yet, don't modify.
10) Skinny jeans might be fashionable, but they will cut off blood supply. That's probably not going to be a big deal for most hipster males, as the females they used to count on gravitate towards males with bank accounts.
07-06-15, 12:56 AM
#93
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How to avoid Zachary syndrome:
1) Put some brakes on the bike unless you're only riding at the Velodrome. Brakes, as in "plural" brakes - as in both brakes. Drill holes in the bridgework or the fork if you have to - or get some clamp-on brakes, like the Keirin riders do in Japan. Brake-free is one of the stupidest things hipsters do (of the many stupid things they do). Skid-stopping is for a-holes.
2) Day-glo or Bozo the Clown colors are a dead-giveaway that you're living off a trust fund check. This is particularly true if you're mixing and matching for the sake of "irony".
3) Decent tires that have a good ride for prolonged periods don't tend to be made in China, nor do they have or need ridiculous amounts of rubber. Tubulars work best, same as on any other road bike - and Josh & Dylan are too busy updating their Facebook page to learn how to mount them.
4) Bullhorn, Major Taylor or Nitto 123 bars are an affront to the road cycling community unless used at the velodrome. Go with conventional noodle types or mustache bars - ones with a variety of positions available to you.
5) Funnybike frames are for track, not for street. Same goes for Keirin or other Pista framed wonder-bikes, unless you're a genetic mutant and have a really short torso and arms.
6) Vintage Peugeot UO-8s or other boom-era "ten-speed" bikes should be kept intact and multi-geared, unless all of the parts are busted up and/or the bike is a basket case.
7) Using a Dremel tool to cut off braze-ons and/or derailleur hangers is unethical and make you worthy of a curb-stomping.
8) Freewheel does not equal fixed gear. Subsequently, removing derailleurs and chain links from a vintage bike does not yield a fixed gear bike.
9) Learn to wrench properly before you modify. Better yet, don't modify.
10) Skinny jeans might be fashionable, but they will cut off blood supply. That's probably not going to be a big deal for most hipster males, as the females they used to count on gravitate towards males with bank accounts.
1) Put some brakes on the bike unless you're only riding at the Velodrome. Brakes, as in "plural" brakes - as in both brakes. Drill holes in the bridgework or the fork if you have to - or get some clamp-on brakes, like the Keirin riders do in Japan. Brake-free is one of the stupidest things hipsters do (of the many stupid things they do). Skid-stopping is for a-holes.
2) Day-glo or Bozo the Clown colors are a dead-giveaway that you're living off a trust fund check. This is particularly true if you're mixing and matching for the sake of "irony".
3) Decent tires that have a good ride for prolonged periods don't tend to be made in China, nor do they have or need ridiculous amounts of rubber. Tubulars work best, same as on any other road bike - and Josh & Dylan are too busy updating their Facebook page to learn how to mount them.
4) Bullhorn, Major Taylor or Nitto 123 bars are an affront to the road cycling community unless used at the velodrome. Go with conventional noodle types or mustache bars - ones with a variety of positions available to you.
5) Funnybike frames are for track, not for street. Same goes for Keirin or other Pista framed wonder-bikes, unless you're a genetic mutant and have a really short torso and arms.
6) Vintage Peugeot UO-8s or other boom-era "ten-speed" bikes should be kept intact and multi-geared, unless all of the parts are busted up and/or the bike is a basket case.
7) Using a Dremel tool to cut off braze-ons and/or derailleur hangers is unethical and make you worthy of a curb-stomping.
8) Freewheel does not equal fixed gear. Subsequently, removing derailleurs and chain links from a vintage bike does not yield a fixed gear bike.
9) Learn to wrench properly before you modify. Better yet, don't modify.
10) Skinny jeans might be fashionable, but they will cut off blood supply. That's probably not going to be a big deal for most hipster males, as the females they used to count on gravitate towards males with bank accounts.
07-06-15, 10:24 AM
#94
Senior Member
07-07-15, 11:57 AM
#96
incazzare.
Some people feel inadequate when faced with younger people whom they don't understand.
__________________
1964 JRJ (Bob Jackson), 1973 Wes Mason, 1974 Raleigh Gran Sport, 1986 Schwinn High Sierra, 2000ish Colian (Colin Laing), 2011 Dick Chafe, 2013 Velo Orange Pass Hunter
1964 JRJ (Bob Jackson), 1973 Wes Mason, 1974 Raleigh Gran Sport, 1986 Schwinn High Sierra, 2000ish Colian (Colin Laing), 2011 Dick Chafe, 2013 Velo Orange Pass Hunter
07-07-15, 02:48 PM
#97
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I get a kick out of watching my 26yr old son sharing my passion for bikes. We built a fixed gear for him this spring after watching "Premium Rush" 3 or 4 times. He is good on this bike. He loves riding the town where he can hop-skid and watch people's expressions. I gave him a Raleigh Technium PRE frame and he went with the menacing black-out theme.
I also get a kick out of the original fixie, the track bikes. But I wont ride them, just not my style.
07-07-15, 03:15 PM
#98
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I don't really see the problem with using the term fixie....
Heck, we mostly "tolerate" the Brits and other Europeans using "Campag".............As it's so obvious that "Campy" is a much better nickname to use for the brand.....
Heck, we mostly "tolerate" the Brits and other Europeans using "Campag".............As it's so obvious that "Campy" is a much better nickname to use for the brand.....
07-07-15, 04:43 PM
#99
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07-08-15, 06:15 AM
#100
Senior Member
Not at all!
When I built it in 2010, I had my Simplon cold-set from 120mm to 126mm — being rather nervous to push it further. So, later when I set the bike up as SS, I had my LBS order a 130mm wheel set. The wheel was severely dished and axle was shortened. The arrangent slotted perfectly into the re-set dropouts.
Thereafter, I bought a spacer-kit and some BMX cogs. The front drive was/is Sugino 75 on a spindle length that I cannot remember. No matter: with the spacers I could dial in a perfect chain-line. When I say perfect, I mean exact. The FEEL! is brilliant!
One day the cheaper rims are gonna wear out. 132 mm BCD chain wheels are virtually extinct. Moreover, sometime after the build, I tried but failed to tune the rear wheels. A racing mechanic who is very good with wheels got unnerved as he dialled in the centre; he was waiting for a spoke to explode in his face of a feral to pull through. But after all that he got it perfect.
It still serves me well, and remains true and well tensioned. But, I am looking ahead for something less radical and easier for wheel-klutz like me to true up once in a while. So, no trick question. Just searching for all sorts of ideas and solutions. Somewhere I read a formula that correlated BB spindle length to chain-line.
When there is no wind blowing like crazy on the levee (Sendai is a windy city), my SS Simplon 4 Star (possibly a Romano frame) is absolutely my favourite ride! No one will convince me that (1) chain-wheel + (1) cog saves a mere 2-3% efficiency over a modern, flexible chain on the multi-geared bike. I don't care about the maths. The bike just feels different than my 6 cog freewheel drives. And I love it!
Maybe some day I'll go to fixed gear, but the first and only time I tried it was in city traffic. It freaked me out!
When I built it in 2010, I had my Simplon cold-set from 120mm to 126mm — being rather nervous to push it further. So, later when I set the bike up as SS, I had my LBS order a 130mm wheel set. The wheel was severely dished and axle was shortened. The arrangent slotted perfectly into the re-set dropouts.
Thereafter, I bought a spacer-kit and some BMX cogs. The front drive was/is Sugino 75 on a spindle length that I cannot remember. No matter: with the spacers I could dial in a perfect chain-line. When I say perfect, I mean exact. The FEEL! is brilliant!
One day the cheaper rims are gonna wear out. 132 mm BCD chain wheels are virtually extinct. Moreover, sometime after the build, I tried but failed to tune the rear wheels. A racing mechanic who is very good with wheels got unnerved as he dialled in the centre; he was waiting for a spoke to explode in his face of a feral to pull through. But after all that he got it perfect.
It still serves me well, and remains true and well tensioned. But, I am looking ahead for something less radical and easier for wheel-klutz like me to true up once in a while. So, no trick question. Just searching for all sorts of ideas and solutions. Somewhere I read a formula that correlated BB spindle length to chain-line.
When there is no wind blowing like crazy on the levee (Sendai is a windy city), my SS Simplon 4 Star (possibly a Romano frame) is absolutely my favourite ride! No one will convince me that (1) chain-wheel + (1) cog saves a mere 2-3% efficiency over a modern, flexible chain on the multi-geared bike. I don't care about the maths. The bike just feels different than my 6 cog freewheel drives. And I love it!
Maybe some day I'll go to fixed gear, but the first and only time I tried it was in city traffic. It freaked me out!
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Vitus 979, Simplon 4 Star, Gazelle Champion Mondial, Woodrup Giro, Dawes Atlantis
Vitus 979, Simplon 4 Star, Gazelle Champion Mondial, Woodrup Giro, Dawes Atlantis
Last edited by Lenton58; 07-08-15 at 06:49 AM.